Lachlan Turner has done it again. Despite a difficult final round at Ironman Raceway, the Australian secured her third consecutive WMX championship title after a dramatic weekend that saw Charli Cannon dominate both motos.
The two rivals arrived at the final round with Turner holding a 13-point advantage in the championship. By the end of the weekend, Cannon had done everything possible to put the pressure on her rival, but Turner managed to withstand the comeback and leave Ironman with the title by just six points.
Cannon makes the perfect start
Charli Cannon immediately put herself in control of the opening moto on Friday, taking the holeshot ahead of Mayla Herrick and Lachlan Turner. The Honda rider quickly established the pace at the front, but Turner remained close enough to keep the pressure on during the opening laps.
The two championship contenders soon began to pull away from the rest of the field, setting up what looked like another direct battle for the win. Cannon, however, responded every time Turner attempted to close the gap and remained firmly in control.
The turning point came in the woods section of the Ironman track. Turner lost her balance in a rut and ran off line, allowing Cannon to gain valuable breathing room. The Yamaha rider appeared to have settled into second position, but another mistake in the same section late in the race proved even more costly. Turner crashed and dropped several positions before getting back on her bike in sixth.
With Turner out of contention for the moto win, Cannon took advantage and completed a dominant wire-to-wire victory. Daniela Guillen finished second, ahead of Herrick, while Turner recovered to fifth at the chequered flag.
The result reduced Turner’s championship advantage to 13 points, leaving everything to play for in Saturday’s final moto.
A champion’s comeback
The final race of the season delivered even more drama. Cannon once again grabbed the holeshot, but Turner immediately went on the attack and managed to take the lead briefly.
It was then that disaster struck once again for Turner. A crash in the same woods section sent the championship leader all the way back to 17th position, giving Cannon a huge opportunity to turn the championship battle completely around.
Turner knew she could not afford to panic. With a top-10 finish enough to secure the title, she began working her way through the field, passing riders one after another while keeping the championship firmly in mind.
Her comeback gathered momentum as the race progressed. Turner had already moved into the top 10 with more than half of the moto remaining and continued to climb the standings. By the closing stages, she had fought her way all the way into fifth and was still pushing forward.
At the front, Cannon was once again in control, although Herrick kept her honest throughout the moto. Behind them, Guillen moved into third, while Turner continued her charge towards the finish.
The Australian eventually crossed the line in fourth, completing an impressive 13-position comeback from 17th and, more importantly, securing the points she needed to become champion.
Cannon completed a perfect weekend with another moto victory, taking the chequered flag just 3.4 seconds ahead of Herrick. Guillen finished third, while Turner’s fourth place was enough to put the championship beyond doubt.
A champion’s comeback
The final race of the season delivered even more drama. Cannon once again grabbed the holeshot, but Turner immediately went on the attack and managed to take the lead briefly.
It was then that disaster struck once again for Turner. A crash in the same woods section sent the championship leader all the way back to 17th position, giving Cannon a huge opportunity to turn the championship battle completely around.
Turner knew she could not afford to panic. With a top-10 finish enough to secure the title, she began working her way through the field, passing riders one after another while keeping the championship firmly in mind.
Her comeback gathered momentum as the race progressed. Turner had already moved into the top 10 with more than half of the moto remaining and continued to climb the standings. By the closing stages, she had fought her way all the way into fifth and was still pushing forward.
At the front, Cannon was once again in control, although Herrick kept her honest throughout the moto. Behind them, Guillen moved into third, while Turner continued her charge towards the finish.
The Australian eventually crossed the line in fourth, completing an impressive 13-position comeback from 17th and, more importantly, securing the points she needed to become champion.
Cannon completed a perfect weekend with another moto victory, taking the chequered flag just 3.4 seconds ahead of Herrick. Guillen finished third, while Turner’s fourth place was enough to put the championship beyond doubt.
Three consecutive titles
Cannon’s 1-1 result earned her second career WMX overall victory and provided a fitting end to what was her strongest weekend of the season. Herrick secured a career-best second overall with a 3-2 scorecard, while Guillen celebrated an impressive debut in the championship with third overall after finishing 2-3.
For Turner, however, the overall result mattered far less than the championship. Her 5-4 finishes placed her fourth overall, meaning that for the first time in her WMX career she failed to finish on the overall podium.
But she leaves Ironman with the most important trophy of all.
Turner is the 2026 WMX champion, adding another title to the championships she secured in 2024 and 2025. Her latest crown was arguably her hardest fought, with Cannon pushing her all the way to the final moto and finishing just six points behind in the final standings.
Nielsen takes third in the championship
The fight for the final championship podium was almost as close as the battle for the title. Mikayla Nielsen and Jordan Jarvis finished the season tied on points, with the tiebreaker ultimately going in Nielsen’s favor.
The Honda rider therefore finishes third in the championship for the second consecutive season, while Jarvis ends the year fourth.
Further forward, Guillen’s breakthrough weekend at Ironman provides another positive storyline from the season finale. The Spaniard’s 2-3 result gave her a well-deserved first WMX overall podium on her debut before she returns to the MXW World Championship.
Six points decide the championship
In the end, the 2026 WMX title came down to just six points.
Cannon could hardly have done more at Ironman, winning both motos and putting maximum pressure on Turner. But Turner’s ability to recover from two difficult races and secure the necessary points once again demonstrated why she has been the benchmark of the championship over the past three seasons.
The Australian leaves Ironman as champion for the third consecutive year, while Cannon has firmly established herself as the rider most capable of challenging her crown.
After such a dramatic finale, the stage is already set for another fascinating chapter in the WMX rivalry.
