In the heart of the picturesque Eden Valley, on the might rock ridge that forms Barina, at Keynes Gap, the Vine Inn Barossa 2023 Australian Trial Championships, powered by GASGAS, unfolded over a weekend that saw the weather reach a temperature that was almost hotter than the action!
Day 1 Saturday was a hot event for the record 162 entries, with a peak during the day of 33 degrees, and although Sunday brought some much needed cooler weather, the action was just as hot, and especially on the monster section 13 for Trial 1.
THE BIG THREE CLASSES!
In Trial 1, the battle to be Australia #1 once again went to Kyle Middleton, the champion asserted his dominance yet again, claiming his 9th Australian Trial Championship – in a row (and missing 2 years due to COVID), for his 11th in total, this victory on his TRRS 312. Displaying exceptional skill and admitting at Presentations that this was his toughest victory yet, Middleton dropped a mere 39 points over the 90 sections ridden.
Not far behind was Connor Hogan, astride his GASGAS 300, with 49 points. Connor, by his own admission didn’t have the best day 1 but won day 2 in trying to hunt down Kyle, including the only rider to master section 13 on all 3 laps.
Chris Bayles finished in 3rd place, on 95 points, meaning the current Trials des Nations Team Australia team filling the podium for the second year running in Trial 1.
2023 saw the running of the 50th Australian Sidecar Championship rider and 7 sidecars competed in the 50th Sidecar Championships, including teams from WA, SA and QLD – and – the return of 7 time former Champions team, Todd Kuerschner and Steve Sparkes.
In what turned out to be a battle for the ages, QLD’s Justin Gough and Maurice Blanchard and the 2016 Champions, Stephen Rees & Melissa Paunola went head to head over both days in a battle of skill, and stamina over the 90 tough sections!
As the dust settled, it was history being made, as Gough & Blanchard recorded their 16th Australian Sidecar Championship victory with 74 points lost, a mere 11 points in front of Rees and Paunola, with the Western Australian team, and defending winners, Glenn Ursino/Kevin Reynolds third on 190 points.
The Open Women’s class crowned a new Champion in 2023, as Kaitlyn Cummins, went head-to-head with her Australian teammate, Jenna Lupo and one of the ‘Ladies Legends’ of the sport, 9 time Champions, Michelle Coleman.
No more than 3-4 points separated Cummins and Coleman over the weekend, with the final margin being 3 points, 36 to 39 in favour of Cummins, with Lupo not far behind on 54.
THE JUNIOR CLASSES & YOUTH!
In the lead up to the Championships, the entry list for both, Open Junior Boys 9-U16 and Junior Boys 7-U13 both looked to be of the highest quality, with riders from all around the country, plus New Zealand having entered, and most with huge raps on their ability!
In fact, all 5 junior classes looked to be high quality, and with 47 total junior entries, it showed a great future may be in store for Trial in Australia and New Zealand!
In the end, all the junior classes were great battles, with the scores close and the mental ability of these riders on show as much as their physical abilities!
The Open Junior 9-U16 Boys class was also a part of the FIM Oceania Championship and saw a great battle emerge between Finn Pearce from New Zealand and Australia’s Jack Salter with Pearce taking the choccies back across the ditch by just 3 points, 26-29, with Victoria’s Banjo Hannaford rounding off the podium in 3rd place.
South Australian had something to cheer in the Junior Open Girls 9-U16 Class, as Lucy Cowan emerged as the one to beat, finishing with 86 points, comfortably finishing in front of Western Australia’s Holly Wilson (124 points), while Tasmania’s Millie Lockhart (158 points) rounded out the podium.
The Junior Boys 7-U13 Class did-not-disappoint, and SA (and the host Keyneton MCC) got to cheer loud again as Australian Championship rookie, Bailey Irrgang, dropped only 5 points over the whole event to lead home WA’s, Jack Walling (9 points), and QLD’s Mitchell Teale (15 points), with all 3 riders showing great skill and mental strength, which is promising a bright future for the sport.
This class was also a FIM Oceania Trial Championship Class, with Mitch Teale up against Zack Furniss, and a huge day 2 got Mitch in front of Zack at the end of the day, with Zack finishing in 4th place.
In a case of ‘like mother, like daughter’, Asha Nuttall clinched victory with 87 points in the Junior Girls 7-U13 and mirrored her mother, Rachel, who is a former Open Women Australian Champion. South Aussie, Cadance Long placed second and Georgia Beatty rounded out the top trio on her Electric Motion E-Pure Lite.
This was the first Australian Championship for all of these girls, and a great window into the future as all grew in confidence as the weekend unfolded – well done girls, and more power to you!
After a tough day 1 in the heat, the youngest of the classes was won by WA’s Hector Pinto, who won the Junior Boys 7-U11 class on 62 points on his Electric Motion, followed closely by Rhys Brian (73) on his Oset 24R and Theo Magnall (85), the first of the petrol fueled bikes home on his GASGAS.
This was yet another class with many sub stories, and with 80% of the class making their Australian Championship debuts, also keep an eye out for the likes of Taite Steele (4th), Cameron Stephen (5th) and others in the future – these kids are just going to get better as time goes on!
In the Youth (13-U19) class, and in an ANZAC shootout for FIM Oceania glory, William Thornbury on his GASGAS 300 led home the field, dropping 31 points, and he was followed by Kiwi, Cameron Judd on 40 points, with Matthew Herrmann not far behind on 43 points.
THE OTHER CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES
Trial 2 Warren Laugesen (NZ) triumphed with 29 points on his Beta to grab the FIM Oceania points over Luke Anderson, with Bradley Bryant rounding out the podium in 3rd place.
Masters was just another class with a great battle and some fierce competition, and in the end it was back-to-back wins for Grant Morris from WA, 3 points in front of Victoria’s Dean Nuttall (44), and Josh Lewis in 3rd, battling it out for the top 3 all weekend with only a few points between them.
Trial 3 Joshua Austin led with 99 points riding GASGAS, also going back-to-back, leading home Jack White by a mere 4 points, with South Aussie and current Australian representative, Lillie Yiatrou in 3rd.
Toby Coleman totally dominated Veterans 40 to 55, going clean on Saturday and dropping only 2 points on Sunday, with Andrew Trezise (15) and Zak Lunn (33) rounding out the younger of the veterans’ classes.
Veterans 55+ saw Martin O’Connor sneak in by a single point, 19-20, in front of former Australian Open Solo Champion, QLD’s David Goldsmith, with another former Open Solo Champion, Victoria’s Steve Johnson another 4 points behind in 3rd.
Trial 4 saw Kalam Langworthy dominate with 37 points on his Beta, finishing 20 points in front of South Aussie, Trent Long, with David Grice in 3rd, riding on a dodgy knee after a spill earlier in Trials Week.
The Twinshock Class was the 5th and final class in the FIM Oceania battle, and this was all Australia, with Matt Hannaford halving the score of Peter Spencer in 2nd, with Andrew Carpenter in 3rd, followed by Kiwi, Paul Jackson in 4th place.
In the Classic category, Jacob Whittle, in winning his first Australian Championship, was the only rider to keep his feet up all weekend and finish on a score of 0, with the defending Champion, Timothy Lewis 2 points behind, and another former Champion, Paul Sens in 3rd, with the podium all riding vintage CZ motorcycles, reminding everyone of the sport's rich heritage.
SUPPORT CLASSES
The organisers also offered a number of support classes, for those riders who wanted to be a part of the Championships, but didn’t want to ride a Championship class, with the classes decided as follows:
Darryl Boorer dropped 18 points to win the Trial 5 class, from Gary Connell and Martin Whitaker. Rosie Viney clinched victory in Trial 5 Women with 33 points dropped, from Melissa Bruce and Alysha Lunn. Maters Women 35+ was a solo affair as Rachel Nuttall rode to first place. Mini Trial attracted only 1 rider, with William Ellis-Bruce enjoying 2 days of riding with his mum!
The Vine Inn Barossa 2023 Australian Trial Championship podiums!
CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES
Trial 1
Kyle Middleton 39 points
Connor Hogan (SA) 49 points
Chris Bayles 95 points
Sidecar
Justin Gough / Maurice Blanchard 74 points
Stephen Rees / Melissa Paunola (SA) 85 points
Glenn Ursino / Kevin Reynolds 190 points
Women
Kaitlyn Cummins 36 points
Michelle Coleman 39 points
Jenna Lupo 54 points
Junior
Finn Pearce (NZ) 26 points
Jack Salter (AUS) 29 points
Banjo Hannaford 50 points
Junior Women
Lucinda Cowan (SA) 86 points
Holly Wilson 124 points
Millie Lockhart 158 points
Junior 7 to under 13
Bailey Irrgang (SA) 5 points
Jack Walling 9 points
Mitchell Teale (AUS) 15 points
Zack Furniss (NZ) 23 points
Junior Girls 7 to under 13
Asha Nuttall 87 points
Cadance Long (SA) 212 points
Georgia Beatty 251 points
Junior 7 to under 11
Hector Pinto 62 points
Rhys Brian 73 points
Theo Magnall 85 points
Youth
William Thornbury (AUS) 31 points
Cameron Judd (NZ) 40 points
Matthew Herrmann 43 points
Trial 2
Warren Laugesen (NZ) 29 points
Luke Anderson (AUS) 57 points
Bradley Bryant 88 points
Masters
Grant Morris 41 points
Dean Nuttall 44 points
Josh Lewis 47 points
Trial 3
Joshua Austin 99 points
Jack White 103 points
Lillie Yiatrou (SA) 121 points
Veterans 40 to 55
Toby Coleman 2 points
Andrew Trezise 15 points
Zak Lunn 33 points
Veterans 55+
Martin O’Connor 19 points
David Goldsmith 20 points
Steve Johnson 24 points
Trial 4
Kalam Langworthy 37 points
Trent Long (SA) 57 points
David Grice 77 points
Twinshock
Matthew Hannaford (AUS) 50 points
Peter Spencer 102 points
Andrew Carpenter 109 points
Paul Jackson (NZ) 150 points
Classic
Jacob Whittle 0 points
Timothy Lewis 2 points
Paul Sens 7 points
SUPPORT CLASSES
Trial 5
Darryl Boorer 18 points
Garry Connell 30 points
Martin Whitaker (SA) 40 points
Trial 5 Women
Rosie Viney 33 points
Melissa Bruce (SA) 87 points
Alysha Lunn 197 points
Masters Women 35+
Rachael Nuttall 175 points
Mini Trial
William Ellis-Bruce (SA)
**FIM Oceania riders are listed by their country (AUS or NZ), SA riders also highlighted (SA)
The organising Keyneton Motorcycle Club would like to thank all who made this event possible, not least all of the sponsors who supported the event, and especially the Vine Inn Barossa (naming rights for the 5th straight SA held Championship) and GASGAS Australia, as well as Barossa Valley Hire for the infrastructure set up.
The Club would also like to express its gratitude to all who attended Trials Week SA 2023 and entered the Australian Trial Championships – with this entry list, and adding in passengers and minders, there were over 200 people on bikes at an Australian Championships – the biggest Championships ever – so a huge thanks!
Without volunteers, you don’t run an event like this, so a huge thank you and well done to all of the observers who braved the hot conditions over the weekend so that the Championships could run. Since COVID it has become increasingly hard to find volunteers (across many sports, not just motorcycling), so the Keyneton MCC sincerely thanks all for their efforts.
To the land owners, officials, section setters, scorers, caterers, and all who also made this event happen – huge thanks, you all added to making an amazing event – well done!
2024 CHAMPIONSHIPS HEADS TO VICTORIA
As the dust settles on the 2023 Championships and Trials Week SA 2023, the Australian Trial Championships will move to Bendigo in 2024 with Victoria the host for the Championships. Whilst no date has been confirmed it is often held in the September/October school holidays, so keep an eye on the Trials Australia website and social for dates and an official announcement.
Pictured at top of article:
Australian Champion 2023 – SA’s Lucy Cowan, Junior Open Girls 9-U16 Class
