The 2022 Manjimup 15000

It's that time of year again...

MXstore headed west to the most remote motocross event in the world, the Manjimup 15000 in Western Australia! Perth is the most remote city in the world and the Manjimup Motocross track is roughly 3 hours south of Perth so if you put the two together it gives you an idea of just how remote this event actually is. We were lucky enough to head to Manji for the first time last year after it was cancelled the year before in 2020. To say we were blown away is an understatement, so for 2022, the expectations were high and we couldn't wait to be back in WA!

The Manjimup 15000 is a unique 3-day event falling on Western Australia's "WA Day" Public Holiday weekend. Practice runs on the Friday followed by Junior racing on Saturday and Senior racing on Sunday plus loads of off the track entertainment. The track is very unique with half of the terrain consisting of deep loamy sand and the other half being a hard clay base dirt making tyre selection a difficult one however, most riders choose to run a sand tyre. MXstore's Ellora and Rikki headed off from our headquarters in Burleigh Heads and flew Thursday morning from Gold Coast airport and travelled to Perth with a stopover in Sydney. Once arriving in Perth they picked up the Motorhome that was to be their new home for the next 4 days and started their journey to the Manjimup 15000 with a bunch of Holeshot awards for both Juniors and Seniors!

Friday:

Practice began the same as last year with Juniors in the morning followed by Seniors in the afternoon. Manji has one of the fastest straightaways in the world with 450s in 5th gear wide open going into the first turn so even practice has you on the edge of your seat providing unreal entertainment for spectators and on looking riders. Practice gives everyone an insight into how the weekend is going to shape up and is extremely beneficial for riders competing for their very first time at this prestigious event.

The track was wet and muddy on Friday which proved to be challenging for some riders however kept the essential moisture in the dirt for the upcoming two days of racing! The Friday night had an opening ceremony at the pub with the mayor speaking about the town of Manjimup and how important the Manjimup Motocross track is to the town. He also spoke about how the track and the event came about giving everyone an insight into the history. It is a one of a kind event with riders mingling with the crowd for the pre-celebration before the weekend of racing starts.

Saturday:

The sun was hardly in the sky as the Junior races began and it was cold, maybe we should say it again, it was cold with temperatures in the single digits. The juniors were absolutely shredding with riders all over the country competing in stacked classes from the 50's all the way up to the Junior Lites classes. Many junior riders commented just how good the track was and how they couldn't wait to hang out in the pits with their mates on Saturday night and get ready to watch the Seniors the following day.

The Juniors received $50 MXstore Dollars in holeshot awards up for grabs in every race with some riders receiving multiple awards and taking home some extra prize money. It was surprising to see just how rough the track got by the end of the first race day with the track crew immediately beginning prep for the following senior's race day. The Saturday night was fairly quiet with juniors running around celebrating with their parents after an epic day of racing.

Sunday:

Being woken up at 6 am by music blaring through the sound system is one way to get you out of bed on a cold foggy morning! There was a thick layer of fog covering the mountain side which made it impossible to see the entire track and proved difficult for the first rounds of racing which didn't clear until around 10 am. Sadly 2021 winner Luke Clout was out due to breaking his leg earlier in the year along with 2019 winner and 2021 runner up Regan Duffy who was recovering from a broken wrist. Regan was there the entire weekend supporting his fellow riders getting endless photos and signing autographs like a true legend! The seniors hit the track which consisted of pro riders Aaron Tanti, Todd Waters, Matt Moss, Ben Townley, Jayden Rykers, Brett Metcalfe and more.

The track claimed a few riders especially in the deep sand late in the motos where fitness and fatigue became a major factor. The racing was epic and hosted a bunch of classes including the All star shootout which saw Matt Moss take the win followed by Todd Waters in second and Brett Metcalfe third. The track deteriorated drastically throughout the day but that didn't stop Todd Waters from taking the top step being crowned the 2022 Manjimup 15000 winner followed by Aaron Tanti in second and Brett Metcalfe in third! It was epic to see New Zealand's Ben Townley make the trek over and throw it down in the pro class contesting for some controversial MXstore holeshot were $100 was up for grabs and some good laughs. The Sunday wrapped up with the presentation which included the typical winner's burnout from Todd Waters and the afterparty to celebrate the success of the 2022 event. 

Until next year:

Thank you to all the sponsors, riders and spectators who made this event possible and certainly the Manjimup Motocross Club for providing the perfect track for one of Australia's best motocross events in the country! The crew of the Manjimup 15000 is already planning for 2023 and to make next year's event even bigger than before with entertainment planned for the nights to really give riders and spectators a weekend they won't forget. If you haven't been to Manji, you have to put it on your bucket list because it's a weekend you have to witness or better yet ride in to experience the best Australia has to offer. We hope to see you there next year.