Lachlan Turner Earns Third Straight WMX Crown in Dramatic Ironman Finale
Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha’s Lachlan Turner overcomes adversity at the season finale to secure her third consecutive WMX Championship / Aug 31, 2026 /
It was a drama-filled conclusion to all three title fights at the Pro Motocross season finale at the Ironman National, and the WMX Championship was no exception. After seeing her points lead start to evaporate, Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha’s Lachlan Turner showed heart and determination to earn her third consecutive WMX Championship with 5-4 moto scores.
Turner got the weekend off to a great start, topping both qualifying sessions aboard her YZ250F to earn fastest-qualifier honors. She entered the title-deciding round with a 21-point advantage, a cushion built through four moto sweeps and eight victories over the opening five rounds. By the end of Friday, however, that advantage had been cut to 13 points, setting the stage for a dramatic final moto and a fight to the finish for the three-peat.
In Moto 1, Turner got a decent start inside the top five and quickly made her way into the runner-up spot on the opening lap. Meanwhile, title rival Charli Cannon opened up a gap at the front. Turner began to close the distance before an error sent her off track and cost her some ground. Unfortunately, with two laps to go, Turner had a tip-over in a tricky turn under the cover of the trees and lost valuable time before rejoining. She ultimately finished fifth.
On Saturday, Turner got a better start in Moto 2, slotting into the runner-up position before claiming the lead early. Unfortunately, the same turn that had been her Achilles’ heel on Friday struck again. Turner went down and found herself 11th after the opening lap.
With the championship on the line, she continued to push. Turner worked her way through the field to fifth after the halfway mark and kept fighting until the checkered flag. On the final lap, she made the pass for fourth, securing the crown and ending the day fourth overall.
Emotions ran high as Turner celebrated the title with her family and team after the checkered flag. Her title defense had become a fight to the very end, making the relief of sealing the deal on championship number three that much sweeter.
“It’s definitely a big weight lifted off my shoulders,” said Turner. “It’s been an emotional two days. I just – I don’t even know. Anyone who knows this feeling can relate to me, but this just means so much.”
Turner’s third consecutive WMX crown capped a remarkable season on both sides of the globe. The 19-year-old won eight of 12 motos in the six-round WMX Championship, sweeping four of the opening five rounds and finishing on the overall podium at each. That early-season success proved crucial at Ironman, helping Turner ultimately secure the three-peat by six points.
“I’m so glad I did the work early on in the year and went into the last round with 21 points,” said Turner. “Putting so much pressure on myself that didn’t need to be there just made the weekend so emotional, but yeah, overall the year was awesome. I’m super pumped I made it count when I needed to, and that’s a three-peat.”
Her success wasn’t limited to the U.S. Earlier this summer, Turner completed an undefeated title campaign in the Australian ProMX MXW Championship aboard the Monster Energy Yamalube Yamaha Team YZ250F, sweeping all eight motos on her way to the crown. Between the two championships in 2026, Turner amassed 16 moto victories in 20 starts, adding the Australian MXW crown to her third consecutive WMX Championship in a banner year.
Turner's 2026 season isn't over yet. She’ll head back to Australia to make her FIM Women’s Motocross Championship debut at the MXGP season finale at the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex in Darwin, Northern Territory, on September 18-20. Turner will then return back to the U.S. for the inaugural WMX Invitational at the SuperMotocross World Championship Final at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, on September 26.