Three-time World Sidecarcross Champion - Bollhalder

Photo [Left] Emil Bollhalder and Russell Ellis (B) at the statr of the 1984 King of the Cross; and Bollhalder-Ellis lead Joe Grasso-Peter Williams, Ian Smith-John Steyntjes and Colin Cook-Mark Ewens in the 1984 Western Motocross Classic at Noble Falls in Western Australia, the following weekend.

Emil Bollhalder - Reigning World Sidecarcross Champion down under

Australian motocross fans and riders were blessed in 1984 when World Sidecarcross champion Emil Bollhalder, from Switzerland, decided to tour Australia.

The Swiss Champion was the reigning 1982 and 1983 World Sidecarcross Champion (with Karl Busser) and retired from Grand Prix racing that year. His remarkable career also included the 1979 European Sidecarcross Championship, won alongside his brother Roland. It was the final FIM European Championship before the competition was elevated to full World Championship status in 1980.

South Australian passenger Russell Ellis swung for Emil on a 1000cc Yamaha EML down under and the pair kicked off their tour at Southern Cross in Western Australia on 5 August. The pair easily won the King of the Cross ahead of Joe Grasso-Peter Williams (WA, Yamaha EML) and Ian Smith-John Steyntjes (VIC/WA, Yamaha EML), winning all three legs. The following Sunday, the Swiss star continued his winning ways at Noble Falls, on Perth’s outskirts, dominating the Western Classic with four straight race victories.

Bollhalder was a great ambassador for Sidecarcross while in Australia, generating wide publicity across Australia. At the Western Classic he gave Australia’s leading motocross riders Jeff Leisk, Stephen Gall and more, a go swinging for him on his sidecar during the lunch-time break.

Leisk won the Western Classic that year and it was one of the last opportunities for local fans to see him in action before moved to the United States and Europe, becoming the runner-up World 500cc Motocross Champion in 1989.

From Western Australia, Bollhalder and Ellis competed in South Australia and Victoria.

Before returning home to Switzerland, he sold his two Yamaha EML sidecars – one to Western Australian Champion Joe Grasso and the other to Australian Sidecar Champion Brian Stewart from Victoria.

Bollhalder spoke highly of Australia and opened the door for other international teams to compete here. The following year German sidecar legends Josef Brockhausen and Hubert Rebele competed down under winning the Western Classic. Brockhausen was riding and promoting the latest Honda 500cc 2-stroke VMC lightweight Sidecar. Unfortunately, the bike did not arrive in time for the opening event at Southern Cross.

Emil sadly passed away on 30 August 2026 following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

3M Trailer – Emil Bollhalder in the 1984 Western Motocross Classic at Noble Falls (WA)

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Emil Bollhalder photo gallery

[L-R] Reigning World Sidecarcross Champion Emil Bollhalder started his 1984 Australian tour in August at Southern Cross, then Noble Falls the week after

[L-R] Bollhalder and Russell Ellis (SA) collect their trophies at Noble Falls after winning the Western Classic, Bollhalder and Ellis on the 1000cc Yamaha EML sidecar, and Bollhalder-Ellis slip inside Australian Sidecar legend Barry Buckley-David Ahola in South Australia

[L-R] 1984 Sidecar Kings of the Cross Emil Bollhalder and Russell Ellis (By Peter Kitchingman); and remembering Emil Bollhalder (Courtesy Bollhalder family)