YAMAHA’S RUPRECHT RULES IN ROMA

Wil Ruprecht kicked off his 2026 season campaign in just the way he wanted to, dominating the opening round of the Australian Enduro Championship in Roma, Queensland. Set for two full days of racing, the weekend was cut short as overnight rain turned Roma’s normally dry, dusty fields into a muddy, rained-out mess.

From the get-go Ruprecht was on a tear and won the opening test by 17 seconds over his nearest rivals. As the day went on, he won five of the six tests and finished second in the final test when the rain began to come down. Such results meant Ruprecht won the Pro Enduro class, as well as the E2 (450cc) division in a great first outing for the season. It was a massive statement from the former world champion and one he hopes sets the tone for the rest of the year.

Wil Ruprecht:
“I was pretty keen to get the championship off to a good start and the conditions we had here at Roma last year were good for me. From testing, we had the bike in a good place, and I felt like my off season had gone well, but you never know until you get racing and find out how things unfold. The conditions were dry but there was still traction out there and there were definitely elements that you could attack, while there were sections that needed some respect with log crossings. I was also aware of the weather forecast so I wanted to start the weekend positively and that’s what we were able to do. Unfortunately, the rain did come, and we weren’t able to race today. The course would have been difficult and dangerous in sections with running water in the creek beds and even the conditions in and around the pits. It was the right call to make, so we pack up out of here, and get ready for the next rounds of the championship at Dungog. Thanks to the team for a big effort in the off season. We wanted to improve and be better than we were in 2025, and I feel like we have made some gains. Now it’s important to carry that momentum into Dungog and keep working hard.”

Maximus Purvis entered the weekend fresh off his success at the New Zealand Motocross Championship, but he and the team were aware that his preparations for off road were a little behind. But Purvis is a talented rider as previously shown and has the ability to quickly find his feet. Not only was he swapping from the groomed and flowing motocross tracks of New Zealand to the rough and wild nature of off road, he also was shifting from a 450cc machine back to a 250cc bike, so there was a bit to work through as things got started.

Purvis started the day slowly, and a couple of crashes in the opening test put him well behind the eight ball early in the day. Purvis worked his way back into contention in the E1 class and after five tests, found himself back inside the top three and looking for a big final test to consolidation his position. Ultimately, it wasn’t to be and some more mistakes meant an E1 podium was out of sight. He finished the day P4 in E1 and P7 in Pro Enduro, but bolstered by the fact that despite so many challenges he was still able to show he will be a contender, and there is plenty of time to get things back on track.

Maximum Purvis:
“They don’t have logs on motocross tracks and every time I was near one, I had issues. I hit them at weird angles, I was slow over them, or sometimes, I just crashed trying to get past them, so it wasn’t pretty. But, with the motocross over and time between the next rounds, I can get to work on some off-road riding and hopefully come back next time and be a lot more prepared. I have an off-road bike back in NZ now and there is no shortage of riding around my place, so I will be able to get some riding in and feel a lot more at home. The team did a great job and the bike felt good. I can’t complain about that, and I like the environment of off-road racing. It’s good fun. I wouldn’t have even minded racing today, but I know the danger of it, and it was simply too wet in many sections out there. I’m looking forward to Dungog and hopefully I can step things up a bit at rounds three and four.”

AusEnduro riders now turn their attention to Rounds 3 and 4 at Dungog, NSW on April 11-12, which features an old school enduro format that many riders enjoy.