[Yamaha]

YAMAHA RIDERS ON A TEAR @ THE 2022 A4DE

2 years ago | Words: Andy Wigan | Photos: Troy Pears

ShopYamaha Off-Road Racing’s 19-year-old Kyron Bacon has put in a standout performance last week, winning both the E1 class and Outright at his very first 2022 Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE) in Victoria last week. Bacon became the prestigious event’s second youngest in its 40-year history, and the first 250cc-mounted rider to win it Outright since Daniel Milner (also on a Yamaha) in 2013. Bacon’s breakout ride headlined a super-successful event for Yamaha riders across a number of classes.

Here’s Yamaha’s A4DE PR, which rightfully boasts about the blue riders’ incredible success at the Victorian event, which, by all accounts, was a proper old-school enduro…

After a four-year hiatus from the off-road calendar, the Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE) was back for 2022 with over 250 of the nation’s best off-road riders flocking to Erica in Victoria to contest the event that saw riders compete in 18 special tests, spend nearly 20 hours on the bike, and two-and-a-half hours of special test racing in cold conditions. It was a true test and produced a worthy and deserving winner.

YAMAHA’S 2022 A4DE SUCCESS

Outright: 1st Kyron Bacon / 2nd Josh Green

E1: 1st Kyron Bacon / 3rd Jeremy Carpentier / 4th Blake Hollis

E2: 1st Josh Green

EW: 1st Jess Gardiner

Trade Team: 1st ShopYamaha Off-Road Racing

Stefan Merriman Award (highest ranked Under 19 rider): Blake Hollis

Nineteen-year-old Tasmanian, Kyron Bacon, won the 2022 4-Day by nearly two minutes over Josh Green and announced his world-class credentials. Bacon has been in impressive form in 2022, taking out the opening rounds of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC), but was on another level at Erica for the 4-Day. Mounted on the WR250F, Bacon took control of the event on Day 1, but it was Day 2 where he really broke his rivals with two special test times that separated him from the pack and established a healthy lead for the final two days.

Despite it being his maiden 4-Day, Bacon showed no signs of nerves and kept his composure throughout the event and finished in glory as he won the final moto test in the E1 division, and with it the 2022 A4DE champion in both the E1 and Outright categories.

“It’s been a pretty cool week here at Erica and I’m stoked to win this event,” Bacon starts. “All four days have been unreal, and it’s been so much fun that it’s been like a week-long trailride with my mates back in Tassie. The team has been awesome and it was good to have Greeny on the same minute as me as he was able to guide me the whole week. The bike was prefect all week and aside from throwing on some new tyres, we barely touched it.

“Like many of the guys here, I hadn’t done a 4-day before, so there was a lot to learn and take in, but I really liked this style of racing. With the cold weather and the damp conditions, a lot of the tests reminded me of some tracks I have at home, so I was pretty comfortable in most of the special tests. I had a crash here and there, but no one rides four perfect days and it’s so good to get the win. Thank you to the club for getting this event up and going again, and an even bigger thanks to Yamaha and everyone on the ShopYamaha team. I found out this event is about teamwork, and everyone jumped in to help where they could and we all got along so well, making it so much fun,” Bacon ends.

“I’m not sure what makes me happier; getting second for myself or seeing Kyron get the win,”

Teammate, Josh Green, racked up another podium finish with a first place in the E2 division (450cc) and second Outright behind Bacon. Using his years of experience, Green was able to keep himself at the pointy end of the field all week using his speed and knowledge to stay ahead do his rivals. He had to overcome a challenging Day 2 in wet and slippery conditions, but rebounded strongly on Day 3 and then led the final moto on Day 4 before Todd Waters slipped by with a couple of laps to go.

“I’m not sure what makes me happier; getting second for myself or seeing Kyron get the win,” Green laughs. “He is a great kid and riding so well at the moment, so congratulations to Kyron and his family for the effort they put in and winning this event. Apart from the cold, it was a great event and the banter with the boys on the trail was all-time. With Kyron on my minute, then directly behind us was Todd Waters and Blake Hollis, so it was just a lot of fun being out there. I don’t think I will ever let Todd forget that I had him covered in the final motocross test for a few laps and that it probably should be me who runs the red plate in the ProMX!

“It’s great to have the A4DE back on the calendar and the team did an awesome job in preparing for the event and supporting us through it. You don’t get results like Yamaha did this week without a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Thanks to everyone involved and hope the A4DE is back for good,” Green went on to say.

“My goal was to finish on the podium in E1 and in the top 10 out Outright”

It was also the first A4DE for 18-year-old Blake Hollis and he will benefit from the experience. While disappointed in missing the podium in the E1 class, Hollis showed plenty during the week with fast special test times as he adapted to the conditions. Hollis finished fourth in class, just 10 seconds from the podium, and ninth Outright in a solid A4DE debut. But with just three minutes separating the riders from second through to ninth, there is a lot of positives the rookie can take away from his first event.

“My goal was to finish on the podium in E1 and in the top 10 out Outright, so I got one and just missed the other. I rode pretty well most of the week, so there’s just a few things that I need to improve on to get a better result. I struggled a bit in the final moto test with some arm pump and then a had a few crashes when it was wet and slippery on Day 2. But I got through it safely, learned plenty and will be much better for the next one, now that I know what I’m in for at 4-Day events. As the other guys said, it was a fun week and the team did a great job. We are all mates and it’s good fun cruising around the bush with your buddies.”

2022 A4DE RESULTS

OUTRIGHT

1st Kyron Bacon (Yamaha) – 2.29.38.401

2nd Josh Green (Yamaha) – 2.31.34.604

3rd Thomas Mason (GASGAS) – 2.32.27.991

4th Todd Waters (Husqvarna) – 2.32.35.528

5th Andrew Wilksch (Husqvarna) – 2.33.14.342

6th Cooper Sheidow (KTM) – 2.34.01.318

7th Stefan Granquist (KTM) – 2.34.05.969

8th Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha) – 2.34.32.634

9th Blake Hollis (Yamaha) – 2.34.42.077

10th Fraser Higlett (Beta) – 2.35.58.657

E1 (250cc)

1st Kyron Bacon (Yamaha)

2nd Cooper Sheidow (KTM)

3rd Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha)

4th Blake Hollis (Yamaha)

5th William Price (Kawasaki)

E2 (450cc)

1st Josh Green (Yamaha)

2nd Todd Waters (Husqvarna)

3rd Fraser Higlett (Beta)

4th Brad Hardaker (Yamaha)

5th Wil Dennett (Yamaha)

E3 (450cc+)

1st Thomas Mason (GASGAS)

2nd Andrew Wilksch (Husqvarna)

3rd Stefan Granquist (KTM)

4th Riley McGillivray (KTM)

5th Thomas McCormack (Yamaha)

EW (Women)

1st Jess Gardiner (Yamaha)

2nd Emilie Karlsson (KTM)

3rd Ebony Nielson (KTM)

4th Julie Denyer (KTM)

5th Monique Simioni (GASGAS)

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