Anthony Gobert to race in Aussie Supermoto final this weekend

Former 500 GP rider Anthony Gobert will be the star attraction in the final round of the 2003 Yamaha Australian Supermoto Championship at the Derwent Entertainment Centre in Hobart on November 23.

The 28-year-old, who finished 15th in the 1997 500 GP title on a Suzuki after a two-year stint in world Superbikes with Kawasaki, has maintained a low profile since parting ways with the Austin Ducati equip in America earlier this year, with Hobart marking his return to the competitive arena.

Gobert, who was also a national supercross champion before embarking on a stellar road racing career, will ride a KTM in the S1 (over 450cc) class in Tasmania, where he will lock horns with the likes of 37-year-old Stuart Bennett (Motorex/Acerbis/AXO), Graeme Cheney (Kirkman Motorcycles) and Greg Moss (Bolton Motorcycles) – the trio also KTM mounted.

The versatile Bennett, who has just returned from representing Australian at the International Six Days’ Enduro in Brazil, is now the short-priced favourite to clinch the inaugural S1 title on the 1km hybrid dirt/tar circuit, with confirmation that current leader Mark Avard (Husaberg) will not compete in Tasmania. Avard has not absconded permanently, but will otherwise be occupied in the final round of the American Supermoto title on the same weekend – where he also holds sway.

Avard is currently a 37pt (454 to 417) leader over Bennett after winning four of the five rounds to date – three of them rain-lashed affairs -- with Bennett emerging victorious in the other. Cheney is on 381pts, and is the only other rider capable of receiving an S1 coronation in Hobart, although he would have to rely on a Bennett meltdown.

“It’s great that Anthony is racing – he first mooted that he might compete when I spoke to him at round five in Tamworth way back in August,” said Bennett. “He’ll be hard to beat, but I’m also ready to roll with a brand new (KTM) 525 SX.

“The track in Tasmania is going to have a really full-on dirt section, which suits me down to the ground. And the jumps are going to be huge – I can’t wait!”

While the S1 battle in the final round – the event forming part of the inaugural Tasmanian Motorcycle Week – should see the opportunistic Bennett prevail, the S2 (under 450cc) class will not be so perfunctory, with only 1pt (420 to 419) separating leader Adam Altham (Subway Yamaha) from another former 500 GP rider, Mark Willis (Noyes Castrol Honda).

In terms of winning, 27-year-old Willis has decimated the S2 opposition in 2003, with three whitewashes (four wins from four starts) to show for his campaign – melded with one poor round. Altham, on the other hand, has collected 80pts or more in every outing, and has led from round three.

Another Honda rider, round three winner Kent Nielsen, is on 339pts in S2 – too far back to win the title, but his battle with Steven Fisher (Honda, 326pts) for third place should be a beauty.

The 18-rider S2 field has also been strengthened by the entries of two former Australian road racing champions: Jordan Coote (Yamaha) and Shannon Johnson (Honda). Coote won the 2002 250cc Production title; the same year that Johnson clinched the ultra-competitive Supersport crown – where he also finished third in 2003.

Johnson already has some high-level Supermoto form to hang his hat on, after scaring the Europeans in the final round of last year’s fledgling world title, which was held at Broadford (Vic).

A support S1 event will also be held at the Derwent Entertainment Centre on November 23, with admission $25 for adults, and $15 for children. A family pass (two adults and two children) will cost $65.