Three times British National Supermoto Champion Lewis Cornish took up an invitation to race a CRF 450-X in the two round Aussie championship.

Cornish rescues a 'Disaster Down Under'

Three times British National Supermoto Champion Lewis Cornish took up an invitation from www.supermotowa.com race organiser Dave Holden and Yamaha City's Marty Duke to race a CRF 450-X in the two round Aussie championship alongside World superstars of the sport, Italian TM factory rider Davide Gozzini, 8 times British champ Christian Iddon and reining Australian champion Angus Reeke. Before the race the European riders had a few days to recover from the long flights before having civic reception with the Lord Mayor of Perth and a tour of the city.

However on race day and following on from a successful qualifying session aboard the borrowed street-legal bike day one of the Australian S1 Supermoto Championship ended in a visit to Janndoloop A&E as the 17 year-old ace crashed out of race one at the Wanneroo International Raceway meeting, Perth, WA. After qualifying his hastily converted enduro bike in a creditable fifth in the premier S1 class, Cornish's first race came to a sudden halt as he attempted a spectacular pass on the reining Australian S3 champ. Lewis was clearly in his element on the tight and twisting tarmac sections but all the local rider's knowledge of the soft, powder like conditions on the off-road saw the Norfolk youngster loose a little time to his rivals. However as soon as Cornish returned to the tarmac is was only a question of 'when' not 'if' he would make further progress up the field. Lewis' overtake move was going to plan as he impressively drifted his MW Racing tuned bike up the inside only for his rival to 'shut the door' and make contact with Lewis' front wheel causing a painful high-side and a trip to hospital.

Despite being in Jandoloop Hospital for most of Saturday and reacting badly to the pain killers it was confirmed that his already damaged pelvis was in fact OK. Determined not to make a wasted trip 'Down Under' he lined up for the final S1 race on Sunday but a tangle with a fallen rider meant another DnF this time with a broken gear lever. Undeterred, still clearly in pain and suffering from his injuries (plus the 30 degree temperature) he went into the final All-Powers combined S1, S2 finale race and put on an impressive and gritty performance to take fifth place at the flag. As Gozzini took the final win from Iddon

Lewis Cornish and his family would like to thank Dave and Sharon Holden for everything, Marty Duke for the bike (sorry for the damage) and the guys at Westcoast Honda, Joondalup for their generous assistance in making this trip possible.