World enduro champion back on local soil
Former world enduro champion Wil Ruprecht is returning home to contest the 2025 Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore (AEC), setting up a mouth-watering battle against riders like Daniel Milner and Jonte Reynders.
After leaving Australian shores at the end of 2018 with multiple Australian off-road titles in his CV, Ruprecht has enjoyed a successful stint in the FIM EnduroGP World Championship, including victory in the 2022 E2 title – one of only four Australian riders to reach the world enduro summit.
But the desire to return to Australia was strong and Ruprecht has now reconnected with his former outfit, ShopYamaha Off Road Racing Team, where he will ride alongside Will Dennett.
Both will contest the E2 category, where they will go head-to-head with KTM’s Daniel Milner.
“I have remained in contact with [ShopYamaha Off Road Racing Team manager] AJ Roberts over the years and he has been a bit of a sounding board for my career during my time in Europe, so when I mentioned to him that I was thinking of coming home, he was quickly abled to get something together for me,” said 26-year-old Ruprecht.
“Europe and racing the Enduro World Championships has been an amazing experience where I have met and worked with some great people and I wouldn’t change it, but the time was right to come back to Australia. AJ always told me something would be here for me when I came back, so I’m excited to work with him again.
“So far things are going well and I’m settling back into the Australian way of life, but the opening rounds aren’t too far away so it’s time to get serious and get after it.”
Ruprecht will replace Kyron Bacon at ShopYamaha Off Road Racing Team, who will compete internationally in 2025.
Meanwhile, Cooper Sheidow and Jett Yarnold will compete under the Yamaha bLU cRU support banner in 2025 – Yarnold stepping into the senior ranks in E1 after winning the 2024 junior title – while multi-time Australian Off-Road Championship and ISDE winner Jess Gardiner will return with her JGR Yamaha Ballards Off Road Racing team in 2025.
JGR will also field Lorna Lock in the junior girls’ class on a YZ85, while Yamaha will also have further representation in the women’s class with Madi Simpson.
And the GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing duo of Marcus Nowland and Harley Hutton will be back for 2025 chasing the J4 and J3 championships respectively.
2025 Yamaha AEC calendar
Rounds 1-2: March 1-2, Kempsey, NSW
Rounds 3-4: April 5-6, Traralgon, Vic
Rounds 5-6: May 31-June 1, TBA, SA
Rounds 7-8: June 28-29, Casterton, Vic
Rounds 9-10: September 13-14, Kyogle, NSW
Rounds 11-12: October 11-12, Gympie, Qld
