FIM Junior Motocross World Championship
— Aussie youngster Hunter Lawrence scores 85cc World MX Podium
Motorex KTM Junior Race Team rider Hunter Lawrence has done his team and his country proud at this year’s Monster Energy FIM Junior Motocross World Championships in the Czech Republic, finishing with a silver medal in the 85cc class.
After qualifying fourth-fastest in Pool B the 14-year-old Sunshine coast racer powered to fourth in the first moto, then performed an incredible charge from 15th place to win the second moto.
The outstanding performance brought him 2nd overall in the 2013 85cc FIM World Motocross Championship, a single point behind British rider Conrad Mewse.
KTM-mounted Lawrence now becomes the third Aussie rider to medal at the junior worlds in the last five years.
The distinctly orange flavoured green and gold squad made up entirely of KTM riders raced exceptionally well at the Jinlin circuit and gained creditable results.
In the 65cc ranks Rhys Budd and Bailey Malkiewicz were 12th and 14th respectively, Caleb Grothues finished 20th in the 85cc class, while in the 125cc division, Ritchie Evans was 16th overall and Aaron Tanti finished with 33rd and 25th place finishes.
The team was supported by the German KOSAK KTM team and managed by Motorex KTM Junior team Manager Glenn Macdonald, who was delighted with the progress of Lawrence.
“I am so very proud of Hunter,” said Macdonald, “he rode so well and fought to the very end. The title came down to just one point. Hunter and his family work very hard and the result well deserved. This is the third World Championship medal for a Motorex KTM junior racer in the five years I have been involved – 2009 85cc Wilson 1st, Long 3rd and now Lawrence 2nd , so it was an extremely proud moment for me.”
Lawrence: “I had good speed over the weekend and the bike was good. Going into the final moto I knew I was a chance for a podium. My start wasn’t the best again but I concentrated on passing as many as I could. I had good fitness and before I knew it, I was in the lead! I wanted to win because I have always wanted a mountain bike which went to the winner of my class ha ha!
But seriously, a big thanks to everyone who organised for my dad and I to attend especially Jeff Leisk from KTM Australia.”
The tenth edition of the Monster Energy FIM Junior Motocross World Championship took place this weekend in the Czech track of Jinín and once again it was a big success. The best forty riders in each class were racing to become the 65cc, 85cc and 125cc World Champions at the same time that they were representing the colours of their Nation. After sixth exciting races – 2 per class – Aiden Tijero from USA was the best 65cc rider, Conrad Mewse from Great Britain was the best in 85cc and Pauls Jonass from Latvia finished on the top of the 125cc podium.
Team USA was on the top of the podium after obtaining the best overall result taking into account the best rider in each class, and the Czech Republic and Spain were second and third respectively. Sweden finished fourth and Italy completed the top five.
85cc Race 1 top ten: 1. Sean Cantrell (USA, Kawasaki), 24:33.170; 2. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:03.340; 3. Jakub Teresak (CZE, KTM), +0:12.270; 4. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, KTM), +0:15.250; 5. Enzo Lopes (BRA, KTM), +0:17.520; 6. Michael Mosiman (USA, Suzuki), +0:20.500; 7. Glen Meier (DEN, KTM), +0:27.950; 8. Chase Sexton (USA, Yamaha), +0:39.840; 9. Gianluca Facchetti (ITA, Suzuki), +0:53.070; 10. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:55.970.
85cc Race 2 top ten: 1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, KTM), 24:40.591; 2. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:04.874; 3. Chase Sexton (USA, Yamaha), +0:33.486; 4. Jakub Teresak (CZE, KTM), +0:45.715; 5. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:50.273; 6. Glen Meier (DEN, KTM), +0:50.736; 7. Gianluca Facchetti (ITA, Suzuki), +1:00.072; 8. Gabriel Chetnicki (POL, KTM), +1:02.551; 9. Tomás Kohut (SVK, KTM), +1:03.082; 10. Filippo Grigoletto (ITA, KTM), +1:09.966.
85cc Overall/Championship top ten: 1. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 44 points; 2. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, KTM), 43 p.; 3. Jakub Teresak (CZE, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Chase Sexton (USA, Yamaha), 33 p.; 5. Glen Meier (DEN, KTM), 29 p.; 6. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 27 p.; 7. Gianluca Facchetti (ITA, Suzuki), 26 p.; 8. Sean Cantrell (USA, Kawasaki), 25 p.; 9. Tomás Kohut (SVK, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Filippo Grigoletto (ITA, KTM), 21 p.
125cc Race 1 top ten: 1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 29:28.278; 2. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA, Yamaha), +0:00.239; 3. Anton Lundgren (SWE, KTM), +0:12.855; 4. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, Suzuki), +0:22.884; 5. Brian Hsu (GER, Suzuki), +0:26.595; 6. Matthew Malan (RSA, Yamaha), +0:29.204; 7. Kade Tinkler (CAN, Suzuki), +0:36.245; 8. Jarek Balkovic (USA, Yamaha), +0:38.451; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +0:40.795; 10. Davide Bonini (ITA, KTM), +0:53.066.
125cc Race 2 top ten: 1. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 29:36.055; 2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:09.574; 3. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +0:26.597; 4. Martin Krc (CZE, KTM), +0:29.315; 5. Lorenco Locurcio (VEN, Yamaha), +0:32.197; 6. Davide Bonini (ITA, KTM), +0:35.971; 7. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, Suzuki), +0:42.620; 8. Jarek Balkovic (USA, Yamaha), +0:46.260; 9. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA, Yamaha), +1:01.705; 10. Dan Houzet (FRA, KTM), +1:02.685;
125cc Overall/Championship top ten: 1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 47 points; 2. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 37 p.; 3. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA, Yamaha), 34 p.; 4. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, Suzuki), 32 p.; 5. Davide Bonini (ITA, KTM), 26 p.; 6. Jarek Balkovic (USA, Yamaha), 26 p.; 7. Lorenco Locurcio (VEN, Yamaha), 25 p.; 8. Kade Tinkler (CAN, Suzuki), 23 p.; 9. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 22 p.; 10. Brian Hsu (GER, Suzuki), 21 p.
Nations Overall: 1. USA, 11 points; 2. Czech Republic, 17p.; 3. Spain, 25p.; 4. Sweden, 27 p.; 5. Italy, 28p.; 6. Australia, 30p.; 7. France, 42p.; 8. Germany, 46p.; 9. The Netherlands, 6p.; 10. Russia, 24p.
65cc Race 1 top ten: 1. Aiden Tijero (USA, KTM), 18:34.819; 2. Petr Polak (CZE, KTM), +0:08.726; 3. Anton Nagy (SWE, KTM), +0:23.218; 4. Hardy Munoz (CHL, KTM), +0:39.174; 5. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), +0:45.475; 6. Jo Shimoda (JPN, KTM), +0:52.838; 7. Raivo Dankers (NED, KTM), +0:53.579; 8. Bailey Malkiewicz (AUS, KTM), +1:01.165; 9. Timur Petrashin (RUS, KTM), +1:04.116; 10. Ben Hess (GER, KTM), +1:09.247;
65cc Race 2 top ten: 1. Raivo Dankers (NED, KTM), 18:02.462; 2. Aiden Tijero (USA, KTM), +0:06.877; 3. Anton Nagy (SWE, KTM), +0:09.394; 4. Petr Polak (CZE, KTM), +0:12.027; 5. Jo Shimoda (JPN, KTM), +0:12.485; 6. Max Miller (USA, KTM), +0:19.050; 7. Maxim Kraev (RUS, KTM), +0:58.614; 8. Daniel Stehlik (CZE, KTM), +0:59.767; 9. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +1:01.411; 10. Rhys Budd (AUS, KTM), +1:02.694.
65cc Overall/Championship top ten: 1. Aiden Tijero (USA, KTM), 47 points; 2. Anton Nagy (SWE, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Petr Polak (CZE, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Raivo Dankers (NED, KTM), 39 p.; 5. Jo Shimoda (JPN, KTM), 31 p.; 6. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 25 p.; 7. Hardy Munoz (CHL, KTM), 25 p.; 8. Maxim Kraev (RUS, KTM), 20 p.; 9. Timur Petrashin (RUS, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Daniel Stehlik (CZE, KTM), 16 p.;
