KURTZ IS 2016 AUSSIE CHAMP

POOLE’S winter recruit Brady Kurtz has been crowned 2016 Australian Champion following a dramatic finish to the final round in Mildura.

Entering the final round as series leader Kurtz had an indifferent start to the meeting with just three points from his opening rides. But he mustered a further 8 from his last three programmed rides to secure a place in the B final.

At that juncture his title hopes very much hung on whether he could join top scorer Justin Sedgment (14), Max Fricke (12) and main title rival Sam Masters (12) in that crucial last race of the championship. Kurtz was nursing a two point series advantage over Masters and by securing that precious place in the grand final he found himself in the driving seat for the title. But at one stage the chance looked lost in that B final as he was trailing former Pirate Rohan Tungate before the new Somerset Rebel rider took a last lap fall forcing a re-run, from which Kurtz took full advantage.

But the drama was far from over, for in that final Kurtz infringed at the tapes and was ruled out of the re-start handing a golden opportunity to Masters to snatch the Australian title from Kurtz's grasp. But to the relief and joy of Cowra born Kurtz it was Justin Sedgmen who came out on top ahead of Max Fricke with Masters' third place and two points not enough to deny the 19 year old his maiden senior Australian title.

The championship result makes Kurtz eligible for the GP qualification rounds for the 2017 GP series.

1. Josh Pickering 1, 1, 1, 0, 2 = 5
2. Alan MacDonald 2, R, 1, 0, 0 = 3
3. Josh MacDonald R, 1, 0, 0, 0 = 1
4. Rohan Tungate 3, D, 2, 3, 3 = 11
5. Jack Holder 2, 3, 2, 3, 1 = 11
6. Sam Masters 3, 2, 2, 2, 3 = 12 + 2 = 14
7. Ty Proctor 1, 3, 1, 1, 3 = 9
8. Brodie Waters 0, 1, 2, 1, 1 = 5
9. Kieran Sproule R, 0, 1, 1, 1 = 3
10. Justin Sedgmen 3, 3, 3, 2, 3 = 14 + 4 = 18
11. Mason Campton 1, 2, 0, 3, 0 = 6
12. Nick Morris 2, 2, 3, 2, 2 = 11
13. Jordan Stewart 1, 2, 0, 2, 1 = 6
14. Brady Kurtz 2, 1, 3, 3, 2 = 11 + 1 = 12
15. Dakota Ballantyne 0, F, 0, 0, 0 = 0
16. Max Fricke 3, 3, 3, 1, 2 = 12 + 3 = 15

Reserves
Jack Fallon 0 = 0

Heat 01: Tungate,A Macdonald,Pickering, J MacDonald (Retired)
Heat 02: Masters, Holder, Proctor, Waters
Heat 03: Sedgmen, Morris, Campton, Sproule fell/ retired
Heat 04: Fricke, Kurtz, Stewart, Ballantyne.
Heat 05: Holder, Stewart, Pickering, Sproule
Heat 06: Sedgmen, Masters, Kurtz, A MacDonald (Retired)
Heat 07: Proctor, Campton, J MacDonald, Ballantyne (fell)
Heat 08: Fricke, Morris, Waters, Fallon
Heat 09: Fricke, Masters, Pickering, Campton
Heat 10: Morris, Holder, A MacDonald, Ballantyne
Heat 11: Kurtz, Waters, Sproule, J MacDonald
Heat 12: Sedgmen, Tungate, Proctor, Stewart.
Heat 13: Kurtz, Morris, Proctor, Pickering
Heat 14: Campton, Stewart, Waters, A MacDonald
Heat 15: Holder, Sedgmen, Fricke, J MacDonald
Heat 16: Tungate, Masters, Sproule, Ballantyne
Heat 17: Sedgmen, Pickering, Waters, Ballantyne
Heat 18: Proctor, Fricke, Sproule, A MacDonald
Heat 19: Masters, Morris, Stewart, J MacDonald.
Heat 20: Tungate, Kurtz, Holder, Campton

B Final: Kurtz, Morris, Holder, Tungate (Fx)
A Final: Sedgmen, Fricke, Masters, Kurtz (exc/tapes).

Australian Championship Final Standings (Top 5):
Brady Kurtz 55
Sam Masters 54
Max Fricke 52
Rohan Tungate 51
Nick Morrris 48

Pictures: DAVID PAYNE