- Seth Morrow claimed a perfect 1-1 victory to make it back-to-back Australian ProMX wins.
- Jack Symon and Phoenix Van Dusschoten impressed on their MX1 and MX2 debuts.
- Hayden Draper retained the MX3 championship lead heading into the final round.
Southland’s Seth Morrow continued his stunning run of form with a perfect weekend at Round 7 of the Australian ProMX Championship, leading a strong performance from New Zealand riders at Conondale, Queensland.
Morrow claimed pole position before backing it up with victories in both MX3 motos at Green Park Motocross Track, making it back-to-back perfect weekends after also scoring a 1-1 result at the previous round.
The 18-year-old’s dominant performance was the highlight for an 11-rider Kiwi contingent competing across the Australian championship, with just one round remaining next weekend at Queensland Moto Park.
“You can’t really ask for more, really,” Morrow said after the racing.
“Another perfect day for me, fastest in qualifying and first in both races. I’m stoked. Ever since my first time on track, I just gelled with the bike, the track and everything and put it all together.”
Morrow showed patience in the opening moto, sitting third in the early stages before waiting for the right opportunity to strike.
“I had those couple boys in front of me and just didn’t really feel the need that I had to get to the front,” he said.
“I just scouted out a couple of lines that I knew I could pass on. And then I passed them both in the same lap. Then I tried putting a good few heaters down to put a bit of a gap between us.”
While Morrow celebrated another overall victory, fellow Kiwi Hayden Draper endured a tougher weekend. Battling a heavy cold, the Monster Energy Yamaha rider finished 6-3 but retained the MX3 championship lead on 270 points. Morrow’s maximum haul lifts him to fourth in the standings with 223 points heading into the title-deciding final round.
Kiwi debutants shine
Two New Zealand riders made impressive class debuts at Conondale.
Southland’s Jack Symon stepped into the premier MX1 category for the first time and immediately showed he belonged, recording finishes of 13th and 12th against Australia’s best riders.
“I couldn’t ask for a better day,” Symon said.
“I had good starts – got out of the box really well. I struggled with needing a little bit more power against those top guys, but it is what it is. I feel like I made up for it – charged the whole moto, had some good battles and the track was awesome.”
Symon said confidence off the start gate helped him settle into the racing.
“I know I can get a good start, so I went in with the mindset of I know what I can do. I didn’t doubt myself – I just put myself in the race, found my groove and rode my race. It was a really fun day.”
Levin’s Phoenix Van Dusschoten also enjoyed a strong debut in the fiercely competitive MX2 class. Racing for Raceline Husqvarna, he finished 14th and 13th to score points in both motos.
Fellow Kiwi Madoc Dixon continued his impressive campaign with results of 11th and eighth to remain inside the championship’s top 10, while Curtis King also added valuable points and sits 19th overall.
Horne battles world-class opposition
Karaitana Horne again led the New Zealand charge in the MXW women’s class, racing against an international field that included Australian star Charli Cannon and American rider Lachlan Turner.
Despite crashes, Horne fought her way to ninth and eighth place finishes.
“In the first moto I made up for a bad first turn, made a few passes and got myself into a good space,” Horne said.
“Then, as I was going to pass this other chick, I just tipped off in the corner. I got back on and fought my way back into the top 10.”
Taupō’s Mikayla Griffiths finished 13th and 14th, achieving her goal of delivering two consistent rides.
Championship finale awaits
The Australian ProMX Championship concludes this weekend at Queensland Moto Park, where all 11 New Zealand riders will be back in action.
The biggest prize on offer will be the MX3 title, with Draper looking to convert his championship lead into the crown, while Morrow will be aiming to continue his remarkable late-season surge.
2026 Australia ProMX Motocross Championships
Round 1: March 21–22 – Wonthaggi, Victoria (Two-day event)
Round 2: April 19 – Canberra, ACT
Round 3: May 10 – Gillman, South Australia
Round 4: May 24 – Toowoomba, Queensland
Round 5: June 14 – Appin, New South Wales
Round 6: July 12 – Traralgon, Victoria
Round 7: July 26 – Conondale, Queensland
Round 8: August 1–2 – Queensland Moto Park (QMP), Queensland (Two-day event).
