Last weekend, 15 of South Australia’s top trial talents took on the nation’s best at the 2024 GASGAS Australian Trial Championship in Ravenswood, near Bendigo—and our riders certainly made their mark! From crowning the first-ever South Australian Trial 1 Open Australian Champion to securing multiple podium finishes and several top-10 placings, 2024 has been a standout year for our SA contingent. Before diving into the full SA results, let’s highlight a few of the weekend’s standout moments.
Fresh from representing Australia at his seventh Trial des Nations (TdN) and competing against world-class riders in Europe, Connor Hogan returned to Australian soil in sensational form. Tackling the challenging Open Solo/Trial 1 class, Connor barely put a foot wrong over two days, finishing 25 points clear of NSW’s 9-time reigning, Kyle Middleton to be crowned the 2024 Trial 1 Australian Champion and Australian #1 for the first time. Reviewing his historic win, Connor said, “It’s taken a long time and a lot of hard work, but I finally managed to take the win.” He continued, “Congratulations to all the other riders in the field, in particular Kyle Middleton who I have idolised for many years and whose level has always been a goal to strive towards. Biggest thanks need to go to the Turners; without Paul and Harry Turner it would have been extremely difficult to do what I did overseas this year, not to mention all the guidance Harry provided on the bike. This one means a lot!”
This monumental achievement places Connor among an elite group of South Australians, as only Kym Powell (1981) and Adrian Harry (2002/03) have previously reached the podium in the Trial 1 Australian Championship.
Several other South Australians joined Connor with Championship podium performances after the 2 huge days. Rob White claimed third place in the Veterans 55+ class, Hayden Eardley secured third in the Youth category, and Cadance Long achieved third in the Junior Girls 7 to Under 13 Championship. Special recognition goes to Aaron Long, who set aside his 2024 Championship campaign to support and mind his daughter, Cadance, as she earned her well-deserved podium finish.
Special mention and kudos to Lucinda Cowan and Ashley Barwick, who both stepped up to ride in the Open Women’s class, as there were no Open Junior Girls class featured over the weekend. Their determination to compete at this higher level demonstrates the resilience and talent emerging from our South Australian riders.
In the State Team Championship, the Team SA Wallabies, featuring Connor Hogan, Hayden Eardley, Kody Irrgang, and Lucinda Cowan, delivered a stellar performance, securing third place ahead of Queensland. Meanwhile, the Team SA Taipans—comprising Alisha Harry, Harry Petersen, Cadance Long, and Oliver Schultz—finished in a commendable 7th place. The Taipans were closely matched with Western Australia, narrowly missing out on sixth by just 8 points.
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With such a high level of trial expertise across all classes, our SA riders have made us incredibly proud. We are confident that many future Australian champions are in the making, ready to leave their mark in the coming years. A massive congratulations to all our South Aussie Trial 2024 Championship competitors!
SA’s 2024 GASGAS Australian Trial Championship Results –
