Marmont makes it a three-peat

Yamaha factory rider Jay Marmont has become the first rider since 1983 to win three successive Australian motocross titles in the same class.

Marmont completed his latest conquest in Coolum (Qld) over the weekend, although it went down to the wire as Kawasaki's Billy Mackenzie made a late charge to finish the Open championship only 13pts in arrears.

"It's every rider's dream to win a championship and the whole team has worked really hard," said Marmont. "The bike was awesome the last few rounds, and I think we're the first Yamaha team to win a championship in the world on the new 450, so I'm pumped!"

Stephen Gall won four 250cc national titles between 1980-1983.

After the opening Saturday stanza of last weekend's double-header fixture, Marmont led by 38pts, but he was then hit with a 20-second sanction during yesterday's race two, which saw him drop from second to seventh, elevating Mackenzie to the runner-up spot.

Mackenzie then won the final two motos in a searing end to the title, but Marmont's second and third finishes saw him hold on to make sure of his Open three-peat.

"I made the ultimate mistake out there," Marmont said.

"I had Dean (Ferris) come up on me and I was going flat out racing him and wasn't thinking about the jump, and then I couldn't pull out - I was on the upramp and just committed to it.

"I had to try sprinting off but I paid a 20 second penalty and there was a bit of scrutiny over how long it was -- but hey, what's two seconds when you come in for 20, so it was a tough day.

"I had a lot of pressure on me and it was good to come away with a third for the round but still win the championship fairly easily in the end."

Mackenzie was left to lament a campaign which had its fair share of brilliance, interspersed with a broken wrist and a severe chest infection.

"All I could do was just come into the last couple of rounds and try to win as many races as I could," Mackenzie said.

"But Jay is a strong rider and he's been strong all year so he deserves the championship thoroughly so I have to give it up to him."

Privateer Dean Ferris (Honda) was an excellent third overall ahead of Tye Simmondas (KTM) and Cheyne Boyd (Yamaha).

KTM duo PJ Larsen and Josh Cachia won the Lites and Under 19 titles respectively, and the inaugural Veterans Australian Motocross Champions saw Cameron Taylor (35-40yrs) and Darryl King (40yrs plus) crowned.

"The whole team has been working really hard because we wanted to win the title for (the late) Andrew (McFarlane)," said Larsen, who hails from California.

"The whole goal was to go and do our best, make Andrew proud, and I think that we did a good job of it."