Australian Supermoto - Round 6 (Final)

The final round of the Yamaha Australian Supermoto Championship was held at the Derwent Entertainment Centre in Hobart on November 23, with KTM’s Stuart Bennett and Honda’s Mark Willis crowned as the inaugural national champions.

Bennett, 37, easily clinched the S1 (over 450cc) class on his Motorex-backed 525 SX, running out a 55pt (511 to 456) winner over Graham Cheney after claiming overall victory in the final round – his second of the six-round championship. Meanwhile, Willis’ route to the S2 (up to 450cc) title on his Noyes Honda was a more nerve-wrecking affair, with the 27-year-old outlasting Adam Altham (Subway Yamaha) by just 7pts – 492 to 485.

Final round S1 hostilities in Tasmania were played out without Husaberg’s Mark Avard, who was a 37pt leader over Bennett after round five. In Avard’s absence – he was competing in the final round of the American Supermoto title – Bennett’s ascent to national champion was made a lot easier, although he still had some big names to contend with on the hybrid 1km circuit – among them road racing champion Anthony Gobert on his KTM 540.

The latter – who has six world Superbike race wins to his credit – won two of the four S1 races in his series cameo, although a stall and flat tyre in the other two outings saw him finish only fifth overall on 64pts, behind Bennett (94), Greg Moss (KTM, 76), Cheney (75) and Husqvarna’s Brock Wilson (72).

Bennett shared the S1 victories with Gobert, and fittingly won the final race to complete a stellar year – which also included a victory in the 500cc and over four-stroke class at the Australian Four-day Enduro.

“Everything went to plan in Tasmania, so I couldn’t be happier,” said Bennett. “I had a bit of arm pump in the early races, but once I knew that the title was mine I relaxed a little and it all came together.

“I half expected to play second fiddle to Gobert in Tasmania, but it was good to stay on his pace in the final race – it was just disappointing that he got a flat tyre.

“The circuit was great, and the dirt section was really supercross-orientated. Once section had a small kicker bump followed by six stutters, and it was there that I passed a lot of riders during the day.”

With Bennett a sure thing to clinch the S1 title, the main sidebar to the day’s action was whether Cheney could usurp Avard to claim second. He eventually hit pay dirt by just 2pts -- 456 to 454. Anton Lafforgue (KTM), who also did not compete in the final round, finished fourth on 346pts from Wilson (297). Thirty-five riders scored S1 points in the six Supermoto rounds, in what was a successful year for the fledgling national championship.

Like S1 at the Derwent Entertainment Centre, two riders shared the S2 winning spoils: 2002 Australian Supersport champion Shannon Johnson (Peter Stevens Motorcycles Honda) and Suzuki’s Rob Jones. The latter won the first two instalments before it was Johnson’s turn to wield the guillotine on the opposition – all this while Willis and Altham were battling for championship honours.

The Willis/Altham battle was a corker – at least for the first half of the S2 program. In the opener, Altham finished second from Willis, who recovered well from a small crash. However, race two proved to be a watershed, with both of the championship aspirants crashing – but Willis recovered better to finish third, with Altham outside the top 10.

Willis (73pts) then went on to finish third on the day behind Jones (94) and Johnson (90), with Altham (65) fifth – the only time he didn’t pass the 80pt mark in all six rounds.

“I did what I had to do in the final round – keep an eye on Altham,” said 27-year-old Willis. “The final round was a lot more technical than the others, but I enjoyed it immensely.

“Now I want to defend my title in 2004, as well as riding in a couple of the American rounds if I can.”

Kent Nielsen (Honda) held onto third in the final round to finish on 386pts, from Honda’s Steven Fisher (Seaside Motorcycles, 374) and Yamaha’s Kym Gross (Gas Strut Marine & Industrial, 330). Gross was fourth overall in round six, ahead of Altham.

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 1 - Bairnsdale
Report - Results
Pictorials - Gallery A - Gallery B - Gallery C - Gallery D - Gallery E - Gallery F - Gallery G - Gallery H

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 2 - Wagga Wagga
Report - Results
Pictorial - Gallery A - Gallery B

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 3 - Stanthorpe
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 4 - Coffs Harbour
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 5 - Tamworth
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 6 - Hobart
Report - Final S2 Points - Final S1 Points
Pictorial - Gallery A - Gallery B - Gallery C - Gallery D - Gallery E - Gallery F - Gallery G

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 1 - Bairnsdale
Report - Results
Pictorials - Gallery A - Gallery B - Gallery C - Gallery D - Gallery E - Gallery F - Gallery G - Gallery H

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 2 - Wagga Wagga
Report - Results
Pictorial - Gallery A - Gallery B

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 3 - Stanthorpe
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 4 - Coffs Harbour
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 5 - Tamworth
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 6 - Hobart
Report - Final S2 Points - Final S1 Points
Pictorial - Gallery A - Gallery B - Gallery C - Gallery D - Gallery E - Gallery F - Gallery G

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 1 - Bairnsdale
Report - Results
Pictorials - Gallery A - Gallery B - Gallery C - Gallery D - Gallery E - Gallery F - Gallery G - Gallery H

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 2 - Wagga Wagga
Report - Results
Pictorial - Gallery A - Gallery B

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 3 - Stanthorpe
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 4 - Coffs Harbour
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 5 - Tamworth
Report - Results

2003 Australian Supermoto - Round 6 - Hobart
Report - Final S2 Points - Final S1 Points
Pictorial - Gallery A - Gallery B - Gallery C - Gallery D - Gallery E - Gallery F - Gallery G