Team Australia ready for the 2024 Junior Motocross World Champs

The FIM Junior Motocross World Championship (WJMX) will be held at the Circuit Kamperweg Heerde in The Netherlands this weekend, a terrific proving ground for the next installment of an iconic event that puts the next generation of motocross stars on the map. Words: Motorcycling Australia

A total of 295 riders will race across three two-stroke classes (65cc, 85cc and 125cc), and Team Australia will again have strong representation from its selection of riders who will contest the international event, which are:

• 65cc: Lewis-Jay Carafa (Vic, GASGAS) and Mason Ezergailis (Vic, GASGAS);
• 85cc: Seth Thomas (NSW, KTM) and Bodie Court (Qld, KTM); and
• 125cc: Koby Hantis (Qld, Yamaha) and Ky Woods (NSW, GASGAS)

US-based Heath Fisher is a late withdrawal and was meant to contest the 125cc class with Hantis, until a crash while racing at Circuit Kamperweg Heerde last weekend resulted in an injury — a fractured radius.

All riders have contested at least one round of this year’s Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores (ProMX) and have made their presence felt both in the championship, and on the Australian motocross stage more broadly.

Carafa and Ezergailis compete in the KTM Group MX65 Futures class of the ProMX Championship and sit first and third in the points classification following the opening round at Maitland on May 25-26.

While looking for a good result, both will ultimately come away from the event with a boost in confidence and skill that will aide them in their development.

Thomas and Court competed in the Fox Racing MX85 Cup class of the ProMX Championship, which served as part of the qualification process to compete at this prestigious event. They finished the three-round cup in first and 10th respectively, which concluded at Maitland.

Thomas, in particular, comes into the event primed and ready to go having got an early taste for racing on the European track — he competed at the Dutch Motocross Nationals over the weekend, recording a 10th-place finish overall.

Hantis and Woods are well placed for a strong performance, with both enjoying terrific campaigns in the MAXXIS MX3 class of the ProMX Championship which has served as terrific preparation for WJMX.

Currently leading the points race, Hantis has been the model of consistency over the five rounds held to date with two moto wins, several podiums and regular top 10 finishes which validates a worthy spot as part of Team Australia.

Woods returns to WJMX for the second consecutive year and is aiming for a significantly improved performance after mechanical woes resulted in a 39th-placed finish overall.

Despite not contesting two rounds of the ProMX calendar to date, Woods has made his mark when he’s lined up on the starting gate, winning an impressive four motos and regularly finishing in the top 10.

With Team Australia finishing seventh overall in last year’s edition of WJMX, the 2024 squad, under the guidance of Team Manager Ross Beaton are gunning for a solid outing to not only uphold Australia’s motocross talent on the world stage with pride, but collectively gain invaluable experience and exposure that will go a long way to further project their own careers post the event.

Image: Motorcycling Australia