Yamaha Motor Australia press release:

Active8 Yamaha Yamalube teamsters Beau Ralston and Josh Green clearly announced their intentions at the opening weekend of the Australian Off Road Championships(AORC), held at Kilkivan, Queensland, with both riders leading their respective classes and inside the top five outright in a great start to the 2015 AORC season.

Ralston, mounted on a YZ450F and in the premier E2 (450cc) category, kicked off his championship aspirations in impressive fashion taking second outright on the opening day behind Toby Price. Ralston was a model of consistency, placing well in each of the six tests conducted and highlighted with the fastest times in one test.

He backed that up with another consistent day on Sunday and continued to put his Active8 YZ450F near the front of the pack in each and every test. After the opening two rounds, Ralston sits in second place Outright and holds the class lead in the E2 category. This comes on the back of short preparation after he was injured in the lead up to the event.

“It was a good way to start the championship and I’m really happy with the progress I have made over the off season,” Ralston said. “Last year was a real learning curve for me but I now feel I know what it takes to race off road well and with the support of the Active8 Yamaha team behind me, I think I’m in a good position to win some rounds and contend for the championship.”

Josh Green showed that stepping back from the YZ450F to the all-new WR250F hasn’t slowed him down has he put together a solid weekend’s racing to head the E1 class and be sitting fourth outright at the conclusion of the weekend.

Green overcame a foot injury sustained last weekend to ride well at the Queensland round and dominated proceedings in the E1 class, winning every special test on both days to set up a commanding lead in class but more importantly, be within striking distance of the leaders for Outright honours.

“Riding the WR250F has been a great change for me and I’m really amazed at how fast you can go on it and what it is capable of out in the bush. It seems to suit the way I ride and rewards me for being aggressive on it.

“Winning the class is good but outright results are still my main goal so to leave the opening weekend inside the top five, fit and healthy is a great start to the championship and hopefully things can continue to improve from here,” Green said.

With both his riders leading their classes and in the top five overall, Team Manager AJ Roberts, liked what his troops were able to produce over the weekend.

“It was almost the perfect start for both riders,” AJ beamed. “They both kept it on two wheels, rode well and have positioned themselves very well for the championship. Thee bikes are in great shape and we need little more than basic servicing and we are ready for the Hedley round next month.”

The Active8 Yamaha Yamalube Team now turn their attention to rounds three and four of the championship at Hedley in Victoria and will look to consolidate the great start to the championship for both riders.