A generational battle reshaping Australian motocross is set to headline this year’s Manjimup 15,000 weekend.
By Tom Shanahan
The two title challengers in Australia’s Pro MX1 Series, Honda Racing Australia’s Kyle Webster and Monster Energy CDR Yamaha rider Jed Beaton, have both announced they will be heading back West to tackle Australia’s fastest track, Cosy Creek MX Circuit, at this year’s Manjimup 15,000.
Webster, a WA local, will be looking for redemption this year, after he had what was set to be be his inaugural Manjimup 15,000 victory stolen away from him at the last grasp after crashing in the final race, having lead the All Star’s class all weekend in 2024.
Beaton snatched victory on that consequential first corner to claim his first Manjimup 15,000 title, and the first for Yamaha since 2021.
“It’s racing, it’s a tough track, and it’s a hard first turn,” a deflated Webster said after watching Beaton take victory last year.
“Third place seems to haunt me here. I’ve been third too many times.”
The two took this momentum from last year’s Manjimup 15,000 weekend into the remainder of the 2024 Pro MX1 series, with the two trading wins across the remaining rounds in what MX site fullnoise.com.au described as “the tightest fight in Australian motocross history.”
The two finished the 2024 Pro MX1 season equal on 382 points, with Webster taking the crown by means of a countback, having claimed a higher number of wins across the year.
Now, after 3 rounds in the 2025 Pro MX1 series, the close battle continues, with this time Beaton leading Webster 113 points to 100, again sitting first and second in the title race respectively.
In an interview with Dirt High Promotions, the event organiser for the Manjimup 15,000, Beaton said he and Webster are rivals on track, but have developed a good friendship off track.
“For the fan side of things, our rivalry is probably the best thing for Australian motocross at the moment,” he said.
“We’re rivals on the track, but off track, we train together every day with my brother on his program.
“So yeah, we kind of know where each other’s at and I think, in one way, we help each other raise the bar a little bit.”
Anyone could win Manjimup, but anyone who knows Australian motocross knows it is Beaton vs Webster.
The 2025 Manjimup 15,000 is set to take place around the Cosy Creek MX Track on the WA Day long weekend, May 30 – June 1.