Reigning Yamaha Australian Off-Road Champion Toby Price kicked off his 2010 campaign with a bang at Port Macquarie in New South Wales yesterday, taking the round one Outright and Yamaha Championship E2 Class wins.

The 22-year-old from Singleton, of the Motorex KTM Team, was first across the line in today’s 2.5-hour, “mud-fest” of a cross-country race.

Price’s teammate Ben Grabham nearly stole the win however, charging passed the checkered flag in second spot and mere seconds off Price’s rear fender.

Ballard’s Wellard Yamaha rider and AORC number two plate holder Stefan Merriman finished third Outright and second in Champ E2.

Grabham took the Pirelli Championship E3 Class win. Teammate, Jarrod Bewley, was first in GP Industries Championship E1.

“It was a pretty tough event today, you would fall into a rut and have to follow it right through,” Price said. “It was a good event, though, the organisers did a great job and getting the first win was great – hopefully one of many. I’ll go home tonight and recover and come back and do it all again tomorrow.”

Round two of the Yamaha AORC is being held tomorrow in Sprint Format.

Today’s fastest Expert rider was Nathan Castle, who took the number one placing in Expert Outright and Endura Expert E2/E3.

Michael Hand was the winner in Polisport Expert E1.

In Motul Championship Women’s, Lana Stiller was the victor.

RK Chains Championship Veteran’s was taken out by Anthony Smidt, while Championship Master’s was won by Geoff Ballard.

Junior Outright was taken out by Lachlan Terry.

And in the clubman categories, Thomas Jenner won Clubman E1, Luke Parkes won Clubman E2/E3 and Clubman Veteran’s was won by Gary Tomlinson.