2025

Williams does the double in 2025 Oceania Junior Cup opener

By MA Media 0

The BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup (OJC) opened its 2025 account at Sydney Motorsport Park on March 28-29, with a damp (race one) and wet (race two) track serving up tricky conditions for the 20 riders on race-prepped Yamaha YZF-R15s.

Rookie Chaz Williams was one who embraced the challenge, winning both typically tight six-lap races to leave Sydney with a healthy 15pt lead in the championship over Connor Lewis (4-3) and Hunter Charlett (3-4). Polesitter Ghage Plowman and Rossi McAdam also finished on the podium.

Race three was red-flagged due to an incident on lap one, and then wasn’t restarted due to time constraints.

OJC SYDNEY RESULTS

As well as the scintillating on-track action, it was also announced in Sydney that Motorcycling Australia, in partnership with Yamaha Motor Australia, has launched the Yamaha OJC Scholarship which will see the winner of this year’s OJC receive a fully supported ride in the 2026 Yamaha R3 BLU CRU Asia-Pacific Championship.

For more information on the exciting new Yamaha OJC Scholarship, click here.

Connor Lewis (#77) and Chaz Williams (#77) at the front of the OJC pack

Race one under lights on Friday night kickstarted a huge 15-race program at the ASBK Championship round, with light drizzle and slick tyres making for some nervous energy.

The riders all got through with flying colours, though, as Williams forced his way to the front on the final lap to flash over the finish line just ahead of early leader Plowman, Charlett, Lewis, Xavier Curmi and Charlie Nichols.

Williams (#18) and Charlett (#73)

There was no uncertainty about tyre choice in race two, with wets on the menu as Williams defeated McAdam, Lewis and Charlett in a blanket finish.

The quartet cleared off from the rest of the pack, led by Curmi ahead of Phoenix O’Brien, Stevie Middlebrook – the only female on the 2025 grid – and Thomas Cameron.

Middlebrook and Nichols were then involved in a crash on lap one of race three, which brought out the red flag and eventual cancellation of the restart.

Round two of the 2025 OJC will be held at Queensland Raceway from May 2-4.