The 2026 World Supercross Championship kicked off this weekend in Calgary, Canada, on a track made particularly demanding by the high altitude. Venum Bud Racing Kawasaki lined up Mitchell Harrison and Luke Clout in SX1, alongside Jack Chambers and Henry Miller in SX2.
SX1: Mitchell Harrison narrowly misses the podium
After a great start in the opening race, Mitchell Harrison quickly moved into the lead and controlled the race for a large part of the moto. The American remained firmly in the leading group throughout, before eventually crossing the finish line in fourth after losing one position in the final corner.
The second race was another strong performance, with Mitchell once again getting a great start and battling at the sharp end of the field. Running second in the closing stages, Mitchell was passed again in the final corner and eventually finished sixth. A high-level performance that saw him wrap up the opening round of the season with an excellent fifth place overall, tied on points with fourth.
His performance was also rewarded with the SX1 “Rider of the Night” award.
Luke Clout, meanwhile, never really managed to find his rhythm on this unusual track. The Australian struggled with the effects of the altitude and had to deal with difficult physical conditions throughout the day. He finished 15th and 13th in the first two races before the third was cancelled due to the storm.
SX2: A promising Supercross debut for Jack Chambers
Called up to replace Jake Cannon for the opening round, Jack Chambers had completed just five days of Supercross training before arriving in Canada. Despite the limited preparation, the Australian showed plenty of promise throughout the weekend.
With 12th, 7th and 10th-place finishes, Jack came close to grabbing the holeshot in the second race and was involved in several strong battles throughout the night. He eventually secured 11th overall in the SX2 standings.
It was a tougher night for Henry Miller. After injuring his ribs during training the previous week, he gritted his teeth and pushed through the entire event. A false neutral resulted in a heavy crash during the opening race, but he showed great determination to continue and claimed two 13th-place finishes in the following races. He ended the night with a DNF-13-13 scorecard. Results well below the American rider’s true potential, as he is normally a consistent top 6/8 contender in US Supercross.
Venum Bud Racing Kawasaki now has two months to continue working and preparing ahead of the second round of the championship, which will take place in the United Kingdom.
In the meantime, the team will be back in action next weekend in Sweden for another round of the EMX250 European Championship.
And to experience the opening round of the World Supercross Championship in Canada from inside the team, don’t miss our weekend vlog now available on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Fp3a2r59OD4?si=tu74D5Gk18lTcUNs
