2026 National MX Champions are crowned
Photos by Ruben Louw Photography
Eight classes, a season of racing and a roll of honour celebrating South Africa’s national motocross champions!
The 2026 South African National Motocross Championship is officially done and dusted, and MSA has released the final championship points. We can now put the numbers alongside the names and give the riders who finished at the top of their classes the recognition they deserve.
From the premier MX1 class to the youngest competitors in 50cc, these are the riders who finished the season on top. We’ve also included the championship runners-up and third-place finishers, because a season’s results are about more than just the number-one plate.
MX1 – #337 Slade Smith
#337 Slade Smith takes the 2026 MX1 national championship with 326 points. #4 Ethan Hoffman finishes second on 270 points, followed by #81 Jayden Proctor on 255.
Smith and Cox were both absent from the domestic finale while representing South Africa at the Motocross of Nations (MXoN), making their championship achievements particularly noteworthy in the context of a busy international racing calendar.
The final-round MX1 race winner was #4 Ethan Hoffman, with #747 Jordan van Wyk second and #24 Mark Carty third.
Final championship top three:
1st #337 Slade Smith Yamaha – 326 points
2nd #4 Ethan Hoffman Yamaha – 270 points
3rd #81 Jayden Proctor Yamaha – 255 points
MX2 – #37 Trey Cox
#37 Trey Cox claims the MX2 national championship with 308 points. #81 Jayden Proctor takes second place on 255 points, while #337 Slade Smith finishes third with 248.
Cox also missed the final round while competing at the MXoN. #747 Jordan van Wyk took the MX2 race win at the finale, followed by #81 Jayden Proctor and #229 Riley Roucher.
Final championship top three:
1st #37 Trey Cox KTM – 308 points
2nd #81 Jayden Proctor Yamaha – 255 points
3rd #337 Slade Smith Yamaha – 248 points
MX3 – #73 Brandon Wheeler
#73 Brandon Wheeler finishes the season as the MX3 national champion with 347 points, ahead of #94 Keegan du Plooy on 238. #15 Jonathan du Plooy takes third with 230 points.
Wheeler also finished the final round on top, taking the race win ahead of #10 Matthew Lockhart Ross and #17 Jason Hill.
Final championship top three:
1st #73 Brandon Wheeler Honda – 347 points
2nd #94 Keegan du Plooy Yamaha – 238 points
3rd #15 Jonathan du Plooy Yamaha – 230 points
125cc High School – #300 Trent Valsecchi
#300 Trent Valsecchi takes the 125cc High School national championship with 315 points. #28 Evan Frost finishes second on 273, with #94 Trenton Kretzmann third on 269.
Kretzmann won the final-round race, with Valsecchi second and Frost third. The championship standings tell the bigger story, though, with Valsecchi finishing the season at the top.
Final championship top three:
1st #300 Trent Valsecchi GASGAS – 315 points
2nd #28 Evan Frost Yamaha – 273 points
3rd #94 Trenton Kretzmann KTM – 269 points
Ladies – #349 Mackenzie Bam
#349 Mackenzie Bam claims the Ladies national championship with 338 points. #21 Jessica Osner finishes second on 284, just one point ahead of #16 Kelly Beetge on 283.
Bam also won the final-round race, with Beetge second and Osner third.
With the top three separated by just two points between second and third, the final standings make for an interesting finish to the season.
Final championship top three:
1st #349 Mackenzie Bam Husqvarna – 338 points
2nd #21 Jessica Osner Yamaha – 284 points
3rd #16 Kelly Beetge Honda – 283 points
85cc – #30 Brody Bircher
#30 Brody Bircher finishes the 85cc championship at the top with 341 points. #85 Ross Mackenzie takes second on 267, while #42 Aiden Retief finishes third with 249.
Bircher also claimed the final-round race win, with Mackenzie second and #801 Seth van der Merwe third.
Final championship top three:
1st #30 Brody Bircher KTM – 341 points
2nd #85 Ross Mackenzie KTM – 267 points
3rd #42 Aiden Retief KTM – 249 points
65cc – #33 Riley Geldenhuys
#33 Riley Geldenhuys takes the 65cc national championship with 316 points. #104 Richard Smith finishes second on 285, followed by #117 Trey Dean on 268.
The final-round race was won by Richard Smith, with Geldenhuys finishing the championship as the overall class winner. #20 Luan Jordaan completed the final-round top three according to the race results supplied.
Final championship top three:
1st #33 Riley Geldenhuys KTM – 316 points
2nd #104 Richard Smith Yamaha – 285 points
3rd #117 Trey Dean Yamaha – 268 points
50cc – #72 Nate Small
#72 Nate Small rounds off our list of national champions, taking the 50cc title with 338 points. #11 Gianno Ferreira finishes second on 306, while #181 Casper Kruger takes third on 265.
Small also won the final-round race, with Kruger second and Ferreira third.
Final championship top three:
1st #72 Nate Small KTM – 338 points
2nd #11 Gianno Ferreira KTM – 306 points
3rd #181 Casper Kruger KTM – 265 points
Support Class – Final-Round Results
The Support class is a non-championship class, but it deserves a mention in our season wrap-up. At the final round, #94 Krige van der Merwe took the win, followed by #34 Shaun Johnson and #26 Divan Pretorius.
Manufacturer Championship – KTM Takes the Top Spot
It wasn’t just the riders battling for championship honours in 2026. The manufacturers were also fighting it out for bragging rights, with KTM coming out on top.
KTM claimed first place with 949 points, ahead of Yamaha on 899. GASGAS secured third with 548 points, followed by Husqvarna on 450.
Honda finished fifth with 106 points, just one point ahead of Triumph, which ended the season sixth on 105.
Final manufacturer standings:
1st KTM – 949 points
2nd Yamaha – 899 points
3rd GASGAS – 548 points
4th Husqvarna – 450 points
5th Honda – 106 points
6th Triumph – 105 points
That’s a Wrap!
Congratulations to all eight national champions on their 2026 titles, as well as the riders who finished second and third in their respective classes.
Motocross takes a massive team effort, from the mechanics and families to the sponsors and supporters who keep riders on the starting line throughout the season. They all deserve a nod for the work that goes on behind the scenes.
With the final points now published, the 2026 National Motocross Championship has its official roll of honour. The riders can celebrate their achievements, and the rest of us can start looking forward to another season of racing.
