“First round of the Swedish Championship just done at the deep sand track of Saxtorp in the south of Sweden. We raced Friday and Saturday, with qualifying and 2 heats Friday and 1 heat Saturday.Ìý

“Qualifying went okay; I felt good but was hard to get a good time compared to others when it was a completely flat track for us, but I was happy with P5 for my gate pick.ÌýÌý

“Race 1 got off to a terrible start but I could quickly pass and make my way through the pack to fourth. I kept pushing and finally made my way into 3rd. I was hanging on in there with the leaders for a while but made a few mistakes and lost the flow so I settled for 3rd – the first podium finish for me in 7 years!”

“Race 2: again, a bad start and this time could not come through the pack as fast but I again got myself to 4th and on the rear wheel of 3rd but could not make the pass as the track had 1 good line mainly the whole way round pretty much. Unfortunately, I caught 3 lapped riders together that got completely in my way and lost 4th place at the end so went back to 5th and finished there.Ìý

“Race 3: got a wheelie of the start and was at the back going around the 1st turn. I was still 11th only heading into lap 2 but again I rode my heart out and got myself to 5th and right on 3rd and 4th but again, nowhere to pass and trying so hard that I had nothing left to give the last laps so I had to accept 5th place and ending up 4th overall just missing the podium.”

“The results do not show the speed I had and how I rode but I put myself in bad positions of the start and having to always come from the back is not ideal or what I needed. Was extremely nervous also and a lot of wonder in my mind how I would be speed wise to the rest but I know now I have the speed just need to be better of the start and a little stronger.ÌýÌý

“All in all really good start to the championship for me and I had a lot of fun racing for the first time for Kawasaki Sweden and back with BRT racing team.�

“The season got off to the best possible start at the FIM Saudi International Baja. It was a perfect weekend for me, winning every stage and leading for almost every kilometre of the race. Everything clicked, and racing on terrain that the Dakar Rally passes through made it ideal preparation. It really helped me improve both my navigation and riding, and I finished with a lead of just under 35 minutes, which was a great confidence boost.”

“From there, we headed straight to the FIM Jordan International Baja, which was my first time racing in Jordan. The event was held in the Wadi Rum desert, with some seriously cool terrain and landscapes similar to Petra. I decided early on to focus on winning, qualifying to get the best possible start position for the stages, and that plan paid off.”

“In Stage 1 I found a good flow and managed to take the stage win with a solid gap. That meant on the final day I could ride smart, manage the race, and bring it home for the overall win. It was also a really valuable experience, opening more kilometres and spending extra time reading the roadbook in proper race conditions.”

“Next up is the World Championship round in Portugal, where the aim is simple: maximise points and keep the momentum going.�

“The past five weeks have been non-stop, with thousands of kilometres travelled across the Middle East and a packed schedule of back-to-back races. It all began in Abu Dhabi for the opening round of the UAE Rally Championship, where the season kicked off strongly with a third overall, racing on a new bike and with my new team, Sherco UAE.”

“Just days later, we were in Qassim, Saudi Arabia for Round 2 of the Saudi Championship. The pace was strong from the start, and I built a solid lead in Stage 1, going three minutes faster than anyone through the early checkpoints. Unfortunately, a catastrophic mechanical issue ended the race early with a blown gearbox.”

“From there, we moved straight to Qatar for the Qatar International Baja. After an engine change in the pits, things were looking positive. I held second overall through the first two stages with 250km left to race. On the final stage, I was on for a stage win, but after catching the lead rider, a GPS failure caused the bike to pick up an incorrect waypoint too early. The resulting penalty dropped me to 7th overall.”

“The following week, we were back in Qatar for the penultimate round of the Qatar Off Road Championship, where I delivered a comfortable win and took over the championship lead.”

“Finally, this weekend we wrapped up the run at the Dubai International Baja. Day 1 could not have gone better. I opened a five-minute lead at home in the dunes, enjoying every moment. Day 2 meant the challenge of opening the stage, and I gave it absolutely everything, reaching the finish first. Unfortunately, it was not quite enough, missing out on the overall win by just 35 seconds. So close this year, just out of reach.�

“Saturday was the final round of the Swedish championship in Vimmerby. A new track for me as I have never been there before, but I liked the look of the layout and sandy conditions. It had been raining so the trackÌýwas heavy and tricky.

“At the last Swedish Championship round in Göta when I came off the track, I hurt my right wrist a little, but wasn’t so extreme – I just had to rest some days. But last weekend, I was taken out by another rider at a club race and got hit on the same wrist and hand. He smashed it up pretty good but I think I was lucky I was wearing my Mobius wrist brace again, as that saved me from getting any broken bones. I tried to ride on Wednesday and it was sore but possible to ride, so I decided to race the final round of the Swedish championship.”

“Unfortunately, it was not a great day for me at all and I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed even with the cards I was dealt coming into this round. I still felt I could have been better even with my hand/wrist hurting. I just rode bad personally, I had no flow on the track all day, sitting up in turns and I just could not get a good feeling.

“Final round was no qualifying as only the top 25 are allowed to race the final and you go to the gate on the position you are in the championship which for me was 6th.Ìý

“In Moto 1, I had a decent start and showed some speed before a few mistakes and then my hand started to hurt so 6th was the best I could do.

“Before Moto 2, we had thunder and lightning, then the sky just opened, so it was just real survival mode for me. These conditions are not easy for anyone but I have not seen conditions like this or rode in them for years. I spun off the messy start grid and was almost last around the 1st turn. I did my bes,t but 7th was where I got back to.”

“Overall, 7th on the day and 6th overall in the championship total. My goal was to make it to all rounds and be top 10, so I am happy with 6th and proud of myself for doing my first race of any sort in three years, just nine weeks after giving birth to my son. I showed great speed here and there. I led some laps and improved every round. I did not make all my goals but everything has not gone smoothly either with bike troubles, some injuries and personal things. All that being said, I think I showed I’m still competitive on top level and very much ready to keep putting the effort in and be back in 2026.”

“I still did bring home one medal this year: a silver medal for 2nd overall in SM Sprint (Swedish Motocross Sprint event) to add to my collection and a very nice surprise to be given ‘best comeback of the year in the Swedish Championship’ at the prize ceremony on SaturdayÌýevening in Svemo. Really appreciated it and felt respected a lot by the federation and everyone.

“Lastly, thank you so much to everyone for helping me this year and believing in me and my comeback to racing. I may race some more races and would love to race Götland Grand National, but right now, I just have to see how long my hand and wrist will take to recover 100%.�

“Yesterday was the 6th round of the Swedish Championship at Göta Motocross Track – a track I have never been to before, so was all new for me. After walking the track, I thought it looked quite fun, although potentially hard to pass on. This was another hard-pack track so it did not help that it decided to rain all morning.Ìý

“Like always, I struggled in the wet conditions and to do one single fast lap in qualifying, so 6th was the best I could do but I did feel I could be a lot better.”

“Race 1 – I got an average start but made some smart decisions and found myself in 3rd after a few laps. Unfortunately, I lost my rear brake on the mud and went off-track, dropping back to 5th and it took me a few laps to get the brake working fully again. Then I could push harder and managed to catchÌýup and pass for 4th on the last lap.Ìý

“Race 2 – I got an OK start again, but this time got myself in 3^rd out of the 1st corner and going on through the lap, I took the lead! It has been 6 years since I lead a race, so I pumped up and got a little bit too excited and jumped off the track. I hurt my wrist and stomach where I have my scar from having my child, and I just could not get back into it again after that so would end up 5th in the end.”

“4^th and 5^th finishes meant 5th overall, which again a I took a lot of positives and improvements from; it felt awesome to lead a race again, even if I pumped myself up too much. Going to get a lot more riding in before the last round and let’s see what we can do…�

“I’ve just finished my first weekend of racing since September 2022, at the Women’s Swedish Championship in Uddevalla. It’s crazy to think it’s been that long but time just disappears and that is why I was so adamant to make it to the first round of the Swedish Championship if it was at all possible.

“I have missed the start of the European Championship, but my main goal this year was the Swedish National Championship and I hope I get to do other races, depending on how everything progresses for me.”

“Making it to the 1st round of the Swedish Championship now for me was a win by itself so everything else was just a bonus this weekend. My son was nine weeks old on Friday and I raced Saturday and Sunday. Again, like I said in general, the past three years I have been riding a maximum of 15 hours in total due to different reasons and other things happening in my life, but I have been looking to be back riding/racing for a long time so I am really happy to actually be back now.

“I secured 10^th in qualifying and finished 9/9/7 in the Motos, for 8^th overall. I struggled a lot as I am still recovering from having the baby and trying to get back in full shape and fitness. Obviously, I need to ride a lot more as motocross is no joke and if it was that easy to ride then everyone would be fast!

“Anyway, I feel I got better all weekend even though the results don’t necessarily show it, but I am in general so happy with my weekend and enjoyed it a lot. A lot of work to do to be riding like myself and feeling good fitness wise to really have fun but I will continue to work hard to be the best I can and we will see how the next round goes in three weeks.�

Solid Prologue Sets the Stage

“Alex kicked off the rally with a confident run in theÌýprologue, finishing justÌýoutside the top 10 – an ideal starting position for the first full stage. With momentum on his side and a perfect spot to chase down the leading pack, he was ready to battle it out with the factory riders.â€�

Stage 1: Speed Meets Setback

“The opening stage started on a high, with Alex quicklyÌýcatching the rider aheadÌýand mixing it up with the sport’s elite. However, disaster struck when anÌýelectrical issueÌýcaused his bike to shut off, costing him overÌý35 minutesÌýto resolve. Though he pushed hard to recover, the damage to his overall time was done.â€�

Stage 2: More Misfortune

“Determined to bounce back, Alex attackedÌýStage 2Ìýwith his usual intensity. Once again, he was off to a strong start – until aÌýheavy impact damaged the chassisÌýandÌýsnapped the main axle. Forced toÌýlimp to the refuel pointÌýand take the tarmac back to the pits, it was another gut-wrenching setback.â€�

Stage 3: The Final Blow

“With the bike repaired overnight, Stage 3 brought both hope and risk. Alex pushed hard, clockingÌýtop-10 timesÌýthrough the early checkpoints. But the lingering damage to the chassis caught up with him – anotherÌýhard impact snapped the axle again, ending his rally with aÌýDNF.

“It wasn’t the result Alex had hoped for, but his pace and determination were clear. With eyes already set on the next race, he’ll be back –Ìýstronger and hungrier than ever.

“Onto the next…�

“Alex McInnes came close to a clean sweep at the opening round of the FIM Bajas World Cup and Saudi Rally Championship, missing out on the prologue win by just four seconds before delivering a dominant performance in the main stages to take the overall victory.�

Strong Start in Slippery Prologue

“The rally began with a short but technical qualifying stage, where Alex finished second. The terrain was slick, making it easy to make mistakes, and while disappointed not to take the top spot, he remained focused on the bigger challenge ahead.�

Stage 1: A Statement Win

“On the first full day of racing, Alex found his rhythm and dominated the stage, winning by a massive 10-minute margin. The fast, open terrain played to his strengths, similar to the conditions he trains in back home in Dubai. This result firmly put him in control of the overall standings.�

Stage 2: Navigating to Victory

“Despite the challenge of opening the road – meaning every competitor behind him could follow his lines – Alex still managed to extend his lead, winning the stage by another six minutes. Navigating flawlessly and maintaining a relentless pace, he crossed the finish line as the undisputed overall winner.

“This victory marks an incredible start to the season, setting the tone for what promises to be a thrilling year of racing at the highest level.�

A Promising Start

The rally opened with a 10-kilometre prologue stage, where Alex’s smooth riding earned him 5th place, allowing a strong starting position for the first full day of racing. While unfamiliar with the rocky terrain, Alex was eager to take on the challenge and push himself in the demanding conditions.

Stage 1: Navigational Struggles

The first stage began well, with Alex finding his rhythm after a few kilometres. However, trouble arose when the organisation’s GPS device fell off his bike, leaving him unsure of his waypoints. The issue was resolved at the mid-stage refuel, and Alex rallied to finish the stage feeling good about his performance.

Back at the bivouac, though, he was disheartened to find himself relegated to 48th overall due to a one-hour, fifteen-minute penalty for an apparent road section infraction. Knowing this couldn’t be correct, Alex appealed but was forced to start the second stage from the back of the pack before receiving a resolution.

Stage 2: Climbing Back

Starting deep in the field meant battling through dust and slower riders in rocky and sandy conditions. By the time Alex reached the refuel point, his tire was completely worn, making the final section through the sand dunes even tougher. Still, he pressed on, passing multiple riders and finishing the stage strong.

Upon returning to the pits, he was relieved to learn that the penalties had been removed, elevating him to 3rd overall in the standings, with 2nd on the stage and 1st in the junior category.

Back-to-Back Racing

After completing the event’s formalities, including a podium ceremony, Alex packed up and drove overnight back to the UAE to compete in the Abu Dhabi Rally Championship the next morning. Running on just 30 minutes of sleep, he gave it his all on his Husqvarna FC 450 motocross bike equipped with 91´«Ã½, finishing just 20 seconds off the podium while earning valuable championship points.

“Well, that’s the end of a successful year: Round 6 of the Fastest40 MX Championship, combined with 2 Stroke Festival at Sellindge MX.

“Sean came away with 6^th overall after the two days’ racing, securing 2^nd overall in the championship!

“Sean Frayne rode four solid races over the weekend.�

Saturday

Qualified: 6th

Race 1: 6th

Race 2: 3rd

Sunday

Race 3: 5th

Race 4: 5th

“Massive shoutout to all our sponsors – you have been a massive help with supporting us and helping us fund the championship, thank you!”