Team Australia wins Motocross of Nations
The annual Olympics of Motocross has been won by an Australian team for the first time in its 77-year historyAustralia has claimed its first-ever Motocross of Nations title, with Jett and Hunter Lawrence teaming up with Kyle Webster for the historic win at Matterley Basin.
The three Honda-mounted riders from Down Under, along with their team manager Michael Byrne, lifted the Chamberlain Trophy for the first time since the international team’s competition was introduced in 1947.
Jett Lawrence, fresh of his second SuperMotocross title, finished with the best score of the Aussie riders, taking a 1-2 result in his two races. He comfortably won Race 2 (Open/MX2), while he was pipped at the post by Slovenia’s Tim Gajser in Race 3 (MXGP/Open).
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Hunter Lawrence finished 8th in the opening race (MXGP/MX2), before finishing 4th in Race 3 (Open/MXGP) behind Gasjer, Jett, and Eli Tomac (USA).
Webster meanwhile performed admirably in the MX2 class, trading in his usual 450cc steed for a 250cc machine. He finished 11th in the opening race, while his 19th place in Race 2 was discarded as the team’s lowest score over the three races.
The results meant Australia finished on 26 points, ahead of Team USA on 29, and the Netherlands on 36.
Team USA feature Tomac, Cooper Webb, and Aaron Plessinger, while the Netherlands lineup included Jeffrey Herlings, Kay de Wolf, and Glenn Coldenhoff.
The Motocross of Nations (formerly Motocross des Nations) is often described as the Olympics of Motocross, with the world’s best riders representing their countries to compete for the Chamberlain Trophy (named after former FIM exec Peter Chamberlain).
Great Britain dominated the early years, winning 15 out of the first 21 events, but the USA has been the most successful team since, with at total of 23 titles, and a record of 13 straight between 1981 and 1993.
Australia has finished on the podium three times previously, including 3rd in 2011 (with Chad Reed, Brett Metcalfe, and Matt Moss), 3rd in 2022 (Jett, Hunter, Mitch Evans), and 2nd in 2023 (Jett, Hunter, Dean Ferris). But, until 2024, it had never won.
The annual event has been held on Australian shores on just one occasion, with Manjimup playing host to USA’s 12th straight victory in 1992.
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