In an extra special event marking 50 years of trial combat between Australia and New Zealand, the 2025 FIM Oceania Trial Championship will be held in Taranaki from October 25-27 as Trans-Tasman sporting pride is again put on the line.
This year’s championship – over a three-day format and in separate locations – will see Australia as the defending champion after just edging out New Zealand in a 2023 Barossa Valley thriller.
The Motorcycling Australia-selected Team Australia blends an impressive mix of youth and experience:
• T2: Joshua Coleman
• T3/Women’s: Jenna Lupo
• T4/Women’s: Michelle Coleman
• T5/Junior: Hector Pinto
• T5/Veterans 2: Garry Connell
The team manager is Phil Whittle.
Pinto, 12, is the junior member of Team Australia and is excited about the challenge ahead.
“I'm looking forward to competing on different terrain, which I expect to be hard and technical,” he said. “I've seen photos of the Taranaki region, and it looks amazing.
“It's an honour to represent Australia because I'm proud of the beautiful country where I live. The Australian team is very strong, and I can't wait to ride alongside Joshua, Jenna, Michelle and Garry and fight for victory.”
The budding talent of Pinto was on full display when he won the 7-U13 boys’ class at the 2025 Hell Team TRS & Integrated Products Australian Trial Championship in June, where Michelle Coleman also collected her sixth national title while Joshua Coleman (T2) and Connell (T5) were also prominent in their respective classes.
Lupo sat out the national title but recently represented Australia in the 2025 Trial des Nations alongside Alisha Harry where they finished in a gritty ninth position.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s riders for the 2025 FIM Oceania Trial Championship are:
• T5: Jim Henderson
• Juniors: James Lawton
• T4 women’s: Hannah Rushworth
• T3 women’s Gabby Gundry
• T2: Phil Shilton
At the event, riders in each class will be ranked daily and, after all three competition days, points from all eligible classes will be totalled and the nation with the highest total will be declared the FIM Oceania trial champion.
To watch a livestream of the championship, click here.
The very first FIM Oceania Trial Championship was held in 1975 – then known as the ‘Trans Tasman Trophy Challenge’. Australia prevailed in the inaugural shootout, but the overall ledger currently has New Zealand sitting on 13 victories compared to 12.
FIM OCEANIA TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP ROLL OF HONOUR
• 1975 AUSTRALIA: Peter Paice, Alan Kerney, Steve Johnson
• 1976 NEW ZEALAND: Greg Power, Chris Harris, Peter Grinter
• 1977 AUSTRALIA: Peter Paice, Peter Luscombe, Chris Leighfield
• 1978 AUSTRALIA: Peter Paice, Jeff Gough, Peter Luscombe
• 1979 AUSTRALIA: Peter Paice, Criag Gillies, Dave Goldsmith
• 1983 AUSTRALIA: Steve Johnson, Steve Chapman, Mark Dobson, John Rees
• 1984 NEW ZEALAND: Paul Symons, Andrew Clement, Dean Clement, Kevin Pinfold
• 1986 AUSTRALIA: Steve Chapman, Don Murray, Steve Hope, Brenton Hogan
• 1989 NEW ZEALAND: Andrew Poad, Stefan Merriman, Elliot Kent, Stephen Oliver
• 1993 NEW ZEALAND: Stefan Merriman, James Lawton, Craig Wassell, Warren Laugesen
• 1999 NEW ZEALAND: James Lawton, Warren Laugesen, Wayne Thompson
• 2000 AUSTRALIA: Rob Jones, Lee Driessens, Colin Zarczynski
• 2001 NEW ZEALAND: Warren Laugesen, Jason Baker, Andrew Poad
• 2002 NEW ZEALAND: Warren Laugesen, Jason Baker, Andrew Poad
RENAMED THE ‘OCEANIA CHALLENGE, AND NOW THE FIM OCEANIA TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
• 2003 NEW ZEALAND: Warren Laugesen, Jason Baker, Karl Clark
• 2004 AUSTRALIA: Dylan Rees, Kevin Zarczynski, Michael Byrne
• 2007 NEW ZEALAND: Jake Whitaker, Matt Foster, Kevin Pinfold
• 2008 AUSTRALIA: Boyd Willcocks, Jaragan Hale, Jack Kavanagh
• 2009 NEW ZEALAND: Jake Whitaker, Stephen Oliver, Peter Oliver
• 2010 NEW ZEALAND: Jake Whitaker, Stef Downes, Warren Laugesen, Gabby Gundry
• 2012 NEW ZEALAND: Jake Whitaker, Karl Clark, Stef Downes, Blake Fox, Liam Draper
• 2015 AUSTRALIA: Kyle Middleton, Kristie McKinnon, Rob Jones, Mack Hartshorn
• 2017 NEW ZEALAND: Carl Robson, Dylan Ball, Hannah Rushworth
• 2019 AUSTRALIA: Kevin Zarczynski, Sarah Chivers, Tom Woodhouse
• 2023 AUSTRALIA: Luke Anderson, William Thornbury, Jack Salter, Mitchell Teale, Matt Hannaford