The 2026 Australian Hard Enduro Championship got underway over the weekend at Towong Upper on the Victorian/NSW border, with Beta Motorcycles Australia’s Ruben Chadwick opening his campaign in winning fashion at the aptly named Kosciuszko Killer.
Aboard the MY26 Beta RR 300 RACE 2T, Chadwick was in strong form across both days of competition, beginning with Saturday’s prologue, where riders were immediately tested by a brutal uphill section that caused plenty of trouble throughout the field.
Chadwick launched well off the start and slotted into third through the opening turn before working his way into the lead during the endurocross section. A bottleneck on the hill climb cost him the top spot, but he remained consistent across the four-lap format to secure second overall in the prologue.
Sunday’s main race saw the Beta rider step things up again. Another sharp start had Chadwick quickly into second before he made his move for the lead in the opening technical sections.
Once out front, he never looked back.
Riding with confidence across the steep, technical terrain, Chadwick steadily extended his advantage and ultimately became the only Gold-class rider to complete three laps, taking the overall win in a commanding time of 4:49:47.
“The track was technical, with plenty of steep sections and slippery rocks, but overall the conditions were excellent,” Chadwick said.
“I felt strong and confident all weekend, and I’m really happy with how the bike is performing. It’s a great way to start the championship, and I appreciate all the support from my sponsors.”
It wasn’t just Chadwick flying the Beta flag either, with Ebony Nielsen also enjoying a perfect weekend aboard her Beta RR 300 RACE 2T, taking victory on both days in the Women’s class.
The result gives Beta Motorcycles Australia ideal momentum to begin the 2026 AHEC campaign, with both Chadwick and Nielsen banking maximum confidence heading into round two.
The championship now moves north to Esk, Queensland, for round two on May 23–24.
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