Markus Class cleans up at Newcastle SuperMotos

Class sweeps FIM Oceania SuperMoto Races

Class wins Saturday’s Australian Pro races

The FIM Oceania SuperMoto Championship saw one rider dominate proceedings, with Markus Class winning each race, with stiff competition from Gage McAllister who was injured during Saturday’s Australian Championship races.

Class set the pace from the get-go, strong everywhere – fast on the bitumen, sliding his big Husqvarna into the turns, blasting the berms and riding the motocross section like the off-road champion he is.

McAllister wasn’t far behind Class, but he couldn’t best the German. He looked most competitive in the final race, when he took the lead early and held out Class for a number of laps, but when the big Husqvarna came past over the biggest of the jumps in front of the Coopers Roll Bar the American wasn’t able to charge back into the lead.

In third overall was Aussie Veteran Craig Anderson, wearing oversized leathers and riding a SuperMoto for the first time in over a decade, our multiple championship winning motocross and Supercross champion showed he’s still got speed and consistency, and showing plenty of young blokes how it’s done.

Markus Class

“The weekend at Newcastle is very different compared to WA last year. With a city venue, it makes for a new kind of challenge. I managed to take victories in all races and it was a fantastic experience. Maybe we can return next year to defend our championship.”

FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship Race 1

1. Markus Class 12:44.059
2. Gage Mcallister 12:57.534
3. Craig Anderson 13:01.698
4. Damon Gibbons 13:02.432
5. Andrew Mcliesh 13:06.271

FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship Race 2

1. Markus Class 12:46.174
2. Gage Mcallister 12:53.633
3. Craig Anderson 12:58.926
4. Damon Gibbons 13:00.296
5. Andrew Mcliesh 13:12.290

FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship Race 3

1. Markus Class 12:31.700
2. Gage Mcallister 12:39.013
3. Craig Anderson 13:02.449
4. Damon Gibbons 13:07.934
5. Ben Attard 13:17.099

Australian Pro Open SuperMoto

German SuperMoto star Markus Class dominated the Australian Pro Open SuperMoto event in Newcastle over the weekend, taking three wins aboard his KTM from former Superbike racer Ben Attard and Western Australia’s Damon Gibbons.

In the first two race Class was challenged by American Gage McAllister, the five-time AMA champion shadowing Class to take second in both of the first two races – but inexplicably didn’t front the start of the final race. Being six point behind after two races McAllister would have needed to taken the win and have Class finish down the order somewhat to have taken the Aussie title.

Former Supercross and Motocross star Craig Anderson finished eighth overall, but it could easily have been higher but for a mistake and minor crash in the second race which caused a non finish.

Sixth in the first heat – his first SuperMoto race in over a decade – then battling for a much better spot in the second before the spil, he stormed home for a second-place in the final race which saw him charge up the standings and achieving a better result than the veteran local expected.

Attard used consistency to pick up second overall with 3-5-3 results, while Gibbons picked up third by placing fourth in each heat. McAllister finished fifth and last year’s champ, Adam Miller, sixth.

In the Australian Supermoto Open Championship, it was the Andy McLeish show as he also completed a clean sweep with 75 points. The Sunshine Coast rider finished ahead of Steeve Jeoffrion and Jack Douglas.

For the Australian Women’s Championship, Meghan Rutledge from NSW was on fire, also taking out three race victories on route to her title win. She finished ahead of Lahrra Cloak and Keegan Pickering in the standings.

The Australian Junior 250cc Supermoto Championships was thrilling and coming out on top was young prodigy John Lytras from Queensland, ahead of Kodi Stephens and Ryder Dray.

For the Australian Junior Lites Supermoto Championship, the spoils of victory went to Harrison Voight who took all three race wins.

Riders were overwhelmingly positive about the return to the Foreshore for 2018 and the running of the event itself. With a large global audience watching the livestream and strong attendance, it was a highly successful weekend overall.

Australian Pro Championship Race 1

1. Markus Class 8:43.374
2. Gage Mcallister 8:44.122
3. Ben Attard 9:03.428
4. Damon Gibbons 9:04.464
5. Andrew Mcliesh 9:07.225

Australian Pro Championship Race 2

1. Markus Class 8:33.027
2. Gage Mcallister 8:54.373
3. Adam Miller 8:58.455
4. Damon Gibbons 9:00.151
5. Ben Attard 9:00.700

Australian Pro Championship Race 3

1. Markus Class 6:55.832
2. Craig Anderson 7:21.951
3. Ben Attard 7:23.298
4. Damon Gibbons  7:24.006
5. Tom Toparis 7:25.440

Australian Open Supermoto

1. Andy Mcliesh
2. Steeve Jeoffrion
3. Jack Douglas

Australian Womens Championship

1. Meghan Rutledge
2. Lahrra Cloak
3. Keegan Pickering

Australian Juniors Supermoto 250cc

1. John Lytras
2. Kodi Stephens
3. Ryder Dray

Australian Junior Lites Supermoto

1. Harrison Voight
2. Luke Robertson
3. Brayden Bradford

Vets 50 yrs & over

1. Stephen Rossini
2. Daryl Mallam
3. Peter Purdy

Vets Over 40 to U 50

1. Aaron Watson
2. Rob Jones
3. Ben Zacka