Last weekend, the Queensland-based Beta Motorcycles Australia Race Team tackled the third and fourth rounds of the Queensland Off-Road Championship known as the QORC at Manar Park, QLD. The event presented a significant challenge with unusually wet and muddy conditions for a QORC round.
On Saturday, round 3 featured a 3-hour Cross Country race on a track laden with deep mud and holes, testing the riders’ endurance and skill. The 2023 QORC champion, Fraser Higlett, built a strong lead early in the race and maintained a steady pace for the first hour and a half. However, he ultimately lost ground in the latter stages and finished in third place. Nielsen, riding her Beta RR 300 Racing, swiftly advanced from the start to seize first place and maintained her lead throughout, securing victory in her class of the QORC.
Round 4 on Sunday shifted to a Sprint format due to track conditions. The five sprints took place on a quicker course featuring rocky river crossings and less mud. The A Pro class saw intense competition among the top three riders, with Higlett alternating between second and third place throughout the sprints before ultimately finishing in third. Meanwhile, Nielsen dominated her class, winning all five sprints.
After rounds 3 & 4, Higlett currently sits in 2nd place in the A Pro Championship standings and Nielsen sits in 1st place in the I Ladies class.
“It was a tough race with the very wet and muddy conditions, but i’m pleased to come away with 3rd place on both days and looking forward to the next race: – Fraser Higlett.
“The conditions on the weekend reminded me of what I’ve seen in GNCC races overseas – wet and with plenty of mud making racing extremely difficult. It was a treacherous race where plenty of riders got bogged and with the holes on the track continuing to get wider as the race went on. It was a very different weekend from the dry, dusty conditions we normally see in Queensland but I’m happy to walk away with the win on both days in class. ” – Ebony Nielsen.
