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AMX History - October 2026
Team Belgium wins its first MXoN in 13 years in France
The 2026 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations was held at Ernée, France, on 2–4 October, bringing together the world’s leading motocross nations for one of the sport’s biggest annual events.
Team Belgium reclaimed the Chamberlain Trophy, ending a 13-year wait for victory, ahead of Spain and The Netherlands in front of more than 100,000 spectators over the weekend.
Australia finished ninth overall, arriving in France following its historic victories in 2024 and 2025, but without the riders who had delivered those triumphs. The 2026 squad, which consisted of Jed Beaton, Aaron Tanti and Alex Larwood, represented Australia’s 39th appearance at the Motocross of Nations and was the first all-rookie Australian team since 1997.
The 2026 result was a reminder of just how difficult it is to win the Motocross of Nations. Australia’s previous championship-winning trio of Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence and Kyle Webster was replaced by three riders making their Australian MXoN debuts. The Lawrence brothers decided to sit out the 2026, while Webster was recovering from shoulder surgery.
Jed Beaton demonstrated that Australia still had competitive pace at the highest level, but the team’s overall result reflected the challenge of combining three newcomers against nations fielding established international stars. Beaton was Australia’s standout performer. He qualified sixth in MXGP and recorded 11th and 10th in Sunday’s races, securing sixth in the individual MXGP classification against a strong international field.
Alex Larwood finished eighth in the MX2 class after two 21st-place results. Tanti endured the most difficult weekend, retiring from Race Two before finishing 24th in the final moto. Under the event’s scoring system, his retirement became Australia’s discarded result, but his 24th place in the final race counted toward the team total.
The final team standings were:
1. Belgium – Lucas Coenen, Sacha Coenen and Liam Everts (23 pts)
2. Spain – Jorge Prado, Guillem Farres and Francisco Garcia (26 pts)
3. Netherlands – Jeffrey Herlings, Glenn Coldenhoff and Roan van de Moosdijk (34 pts)
9. Australia (87 pts).
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Photo: Australian Swedish expatriate Pelle Granquist with Australia’s first Motocross of Nations team in Varberg, Sweden in 1984 – Vaughan Style (NSW), Stephen Gall (NSW), Trevor Williams (Vic) and Steven Armstrong (QLD).
Australia’s first attempt in MXoN’s in Varberg, Sweden on 16 September 1984 (the last year before new combined format) was the most popular story in September, as part of the countdown to the 2026 Motocross of Nations in Ernee, France.
Stephen Gall (NSW, Yamaha), David Armstrong (QLD, Honda), Vaughan Style (NSW, Honda) and Trevor Williams (VIC, Kawasaki) created history over the 15-16 September 1984 weekend becoming the first riders to compete for Australia.
That year, Stephen Gall and one of his early mentors, Len Williamson (Team Manager) took on the challenge to organise Australia’s participation in the Trophee Des Nations in Varberg, Sweden.
Between 1947 to 1984, the format consisted of three separate events over three weekends in different countries – the Coupe Des Nations (for the 125cc class), the Trophee des Nations (250s) and the Motocross des Nations (500s), having run this way from the very beginning in Holland.
As the cost to enter an Australian team in each event was simply prohibitive, it was decided to only enter the Trophee des Nations in Sweden for 250cc bikes. Equally, it was felt that Australia would have a better chance of success in this class. Also, four-times Australian Champion Pelle Granquist from Sweden and other Swedish expatriates were eager to assist the inexperienced Aussies with logistics and costs – Peter Kalen and Leif Nicklasson.
Despite being fairly competitive, due to a series of mechanical failures the Australian team was relegated to the B final. Stephen Gall and Trevor Williams finished in third and fourth places, respectively, but Australia finished in third last position as Armstrong and Style dropped out with machine problems.
The Australian Team members were all devastated with such a disappointing result. But despite this, it was a marvellous experience and the learnings and contacts established set up Australia for our ongoing involvement in the event.
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Photo: Newly crowned 2026 Kawasaki MX1 Champion Jed Beaton (Yamaha) – Foremost Media/Motorcycling Australia
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FORMER FIM WORLD SUPERCROSS CHAMPION KEN ROCZEN IN ACTION DOWN UNDER
Photo: German Ken Roczen on his way to winning the Queensland round of 2025 World SX Championship aboard a Suzuki – By Peter Coward
Peter Coward recently sent in some great photos from the 2025 FIM World Supercross Championships and Australian Grand Prix in Brisbane on 29 November, incuding this briliant action shot from foemr FIM World Supercross Champion Ken Roczen.
After the Australian round at the Cbus Super Stadium in Queensland on 29 November 2025, the series moved onto Sweden and South Africa.
Two new World Champions were crowned at the final round in Cape Town, South Africa on 13 December. American Jason Anderson claimed the SX1 World Championship, while Great Britain’s Max Anstie secured the SX2 title after a dominant campaign.
Roczen was a standout in the early rounds, including a clean sweep at the opening round in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 8 November, followed by a second overall victory in Queensland. But limited participation across the season restricted his final points tally despite race-winning pace.
No easy way - Motocross legend Stephen Gall’s autobiography now available
AMX History pays tribute to Australian Motocross legend Stephen Gall who unveiled his autobiography at an exclusive event in Melbourne that coincided with the AUSX Open at Marvel Stadium in November.
Titled “No Easy Way: The Stephen Gall Story”, the book is scheduled for release in coming weeks and will be priced at $69.95.
Orders are now available via the www.noeasyway.com.au web site, with a limited number of advance copies signed by Gall himself. The book is also available through www.mxstore.com.au and select physical outlets.
“I’ve been so fortunate to have enjoyed a successful and varied career, both on the bike and off, and I’m so excited to now be able to chronicle every chapter of it in ‘No Easy Way – The Stephen Gall Story’, Stephen said.
“There are a lot of stories to tell, and a lot of never-before-published images to reveal, to give my generations of fans and followers a deeper insight into my life and my racing motorcycles and speedway cars.”
From Menai in New South Wales, Stephen Gall burst onto the Australian motocross scene in the mid 1970’s. During the early eighties Gall virtually owned Australian motocross and supercross events – winning the prestigious Mr. Motocross series (Mr. MX) four times, including a hat-trick in 1980-82.
After breaking through to win his first Australian Championship in 1980 at Dargle in New South Wales, Gall went on to win five Australian Championships. This included winning the 250cc class a record four years in succession (1980 -1983).
Gall was also a pioneer in the development of supercross across Australia in the late 1970s, early 1980s, before the Australian Supercross Championships were introduced. He won the majority of national supercross events and was the main local rider to be competitive up against the visiting American and other international riders. He also won three Australian Dirt Track Championships during that era.
Gall’s duals with close friend, team mate and arch-rival Anthony Gunter in the late seventies were epic. The Gall vs Gunter battles became legendary and the two riders slugged it out in successive rounds of the Mr. MX series as well as the more traditional State and Australian Championship titles.
In addition to his national motocross titles, Gall won more than 30 State motocross titles then moved on to other sports with success, including winning the 1988 Australian Speedcar Speedway Championship at the Parramatta City Raceway and twice winning the Finke Desert Rally. Gall helped take motocross in Australian to a new professional level both on and off the track.
Along with early mentor Len Williamson, he started Australia’s effort at the Motocross of Nations World Teams event in 1984, competing in Australia’s very first entry at the Trophee Des Nations in Varberg, Sweden, then later on becoming the Australian team manager from 1985 to 1992.
In 1987 Gall established the “Stephen Gall Academy of Off Road Riding” and has been teaching riding techniques to young riders since then. For his contribution to motorcycle and motorcar racing, in 2016 Stephen Gall was inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame.
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"It’s important to preserve the heritage of the sport and where it came from – so people can enjoy their era again and the young people can see what it was like."
Jeff Leisk quote – Motor Sport Retro interview, March 21, 2012
Photo: Australian Jeff Leisk, 1989 Runner-up World 500cc Motocross Champion
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Australian motocross champions
West Australian Jeff Leisk was the first Australian to place in the World Motocross Championships, finishing second in the 500cc class in 1989. He competed during the 1970’s to 1990’s and won a Junior World Championship in 1978 at age 13. He twice won the prestigious National Mr Motocross series before he headed over to the US and Europe, opening the door for other Australians. He also won eight Australian Championships, including all classes at Mackay, Queensland in 1988.
Top International Australian competitors Jeff Leisk, Chad Reed and Andrew McFarlane picked up many Australian Motocross Championships between the 1980s and 2010.
They would have won more championships had they remained in Australia. The same applies to ‘all-time great’ Gary Flood who won eight Australian Titles while also racing scrambles and pursuing an International solo speedway career in England.
The 1970s through to the early ’90s were possibly the ‘Golden era’ of Motorcycling in Australia peaking with the World Motocross des Nations, World 125cc Grand Prix being held in Manjimup, Western Australia in ’92 and ’93, respectively. The West held three big International events each year during the eighties, with the prestigious Mr Motocross series in the Eastern States the pinnacle for national riders.
During this era New South Wales riders Glen Bell, Stephen Gall, Craig Dack and Kim Ashkenazi racked up a handful of National titles each.
In earlier times, Ken Rumble (Vic), Ray Fisher (Vic) and Charlie West (WA) won the most Australian Championships in the 1950s to 1960s, with seven, seven, and six titles each, respectively. Fisher and West too spent time racing in Europe.
The South Australians dominated the sidecar class for many years with Murray Williams winning nine titles in the 60s-70s and Barry Buckley eight in the 70s-80s.
australian motocross champions
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World Motocross Champions
Gaston Rahier from Belgium won three World 125cc Motocross Championships between 1975 and 1977. In 1975 and 1976 he toured Australia competing in various events across Australia to promote the new lightweight Suzuki motocross bikes, winning three Australian Championships in Sanford, Tasmania.
World Motocross des Nations
The Australian Team in the 1992 World Motocross des Nations team at Manjimup, Western Australia – Jason Marshall (500cc), Dale Britton (250cc) and Kim Ashkenazi (125cc). Team USA took out this event winning 13 consecutive times between 1981 to 1993.
World Sidecarcross Champions
Reigning Swiss World Sidecarcross Champion Emil Bollhalder toured Australia in 1984.
He competed at and won both the King of the Cross (Southern Cross) and Western Classic (Noble Falls) events in Western Australia after competing in a host of other events across Australia.
World Supercross Champions
Australia’s own Chad Reed is the record holder for most main event starts in AMA Supercross history. He had 228 starts as of 2018, with his career spanning almost 20 years. He won the World Championships in 2004 and 2008.
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