Roberts and Bewley star at AORC

Honda's AJ Roberts and Yamaha's Jarrod Bewley dominated rounds three and four of the 2009 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) at Blayney (NSW) last weekend

In wind, rain and a chilly temperature, Roberts, a three-time champion from 2005-2007, stormed through the rain to take his first victory of the year on Saturday, defeating Bewley, Toby Price (Kawasaki), Stefan Merriman (Yamaha) and reigning champion Chris Hollis (Husqvarna).

"I'm happy, you know, it's just coming together, we're getting there with the bike, I'm getting really comfortable on it," Roberts said. "I smashed the first four tests of the day today and just sort of settled in for a groove to just bring it home.

"I was pretty nervous at the same time, I had one crash in test six... I just had to calm down and just bring it home, basically."

Roberts said the 13-minute special test track (which championship riders rode seven times) was the most technical he had seen in several years in the AORC.

Conditions were far from easy today, with challenging, long tracks and wind, rain and chilly temperatures testing the more than 150 riders.

Bewley came within sniffing distance of today's win, gaining on Roberts in the last three heats.

"I started out a little bit slow this morning, but I ended up figuring out how to ride this pretty technical track to come through with a second, so I'm pretty happy," Bewley said.

"You had to just flow and I got a good flow up and came through with the goods... I had a good one at the [Australian 4-Day Enduro] and I'm just trying to carry that momentum threw.

"I felt good today, so hopefully tomorrow I pick it up and go a bit better and get that extra spot."

On Sunday, 21-year-old  Bewley, who recently won the Australia Four Day Enduro from Price, claimed his first AORC win of the year by just edging out Roberts by 1.5secs. Merriman was third.

Roberts led until the final lap before a crash scuppered his hopes of a weekend clean sweep.

"I started off a bit slow again today, but I just kept pushing through in the rough and dusty conditions and it paid off," Bewley said. "AJ was riding extremely well today and yesterday... and Stefan coming back from injury - he's still right there in the top three, top four... the points have added up and now we're all within a couple points of each other.

"We are all on the top of our game and it's kind of anyone's championship."

Bewley is now only 3pts behind Merriman in the championship battle, with Roberts third outright.

Merriman returned to racing at Blayney after recently breaking his shoulder, which forced him to sit out the A4DE. Merriman dominated the opening two rounds of the AORC.

For full results from today and standings in all classes, as well as sourcing video interviews and photos, click here.

Rounds five and six of the AORC will be held at Murray Bridge (SA) on June 27-28.