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Local teenager Cooper Archibald celebrates a history-making victory aboard a Ducati Desmo 450. The 17-year-old became the youngest rider ever to win the Australian Dirt Track Championship.
I 30 June 2026
Awards shine on music legends
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New rules for local dog owners
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Local teenager celebrates championship birthday win BY SARAH JANE SCOTT LOCAL teenager Cooper Archibald celebrated his 17th birthday in unforgettable fashion, claiming the 2026 Australian Dirt Track Championship and etching his name into Australian motorcycle racing history as the youngest winner of the demanding race. The championship victory, achieved against a field of up to 50 professional riders, made Cooper the first and youngest competitor to win an Australian title aboard the new Ducati Desmo 450.
The Australian Dirt Track Championship attracts up to 50 riders in the premier Pro 450 class, with only the 12 fastest competitors earning a place in the championship final. Raced on a flat dirt circuit featuring at least one right-hand turn, known in the sport as a dog leg, the event includes four, four-lap heat races and a four-lap qualifying race. The championship is ultimately decided in a six-lap final, where the winner is crowned Australian champion. For the North Arm teenager, the achievement did not immediately
sink in. “The feeling of me winning didn’t come straight away,” he said. “It was a busy four hours after I won the title as I had to catch a plane home to go for my drivers licence. It really didn’t fully hit until I got off the plane and jumped in my mate’s car, where I [had to] tell him his music was too slow for the occasion!!” Having first climbed onto a dirt bike at just three years old, Cooper has spent years building an impressive racing résumé. He is a two-time Australian Flat Track Nationals junior champion and won the Australian 85cc
title in 2022. However, stepping into the senior ranks presented new challenges. “The biggest challenge that I faced stepping into the pro 450 class was facing new opponents that I had not raced before,” he said. His championship success also marked a significant milestone for Ducati. “It’s been an honour to race with the Ducati 450,” Cooper said. “The achievement of winning the first Australian title on the Desmo 450 is a historic moment for both myself and Ducati.” Away from the track, Cooper recently received a Duke of
Edinburgh Award, an achievement he describes as a personal highlight. “[Receiving] this award is a huge self-accomplishment,” he said. “It has bought me so much joy to hold that trophy and have my name carved into it permanently next to some major Motorsport names. Behind the success is a strong support network. Cooper credits his family and friends for helping him reach the top level of the sport. “My biggest supporters are my mum and dad, [family friend] Rob and brother Jackson,” he said. Continued page 2
Living in the Hinterland Where Lifestyle Guides You Home In the Noosa Hinterland, lifestyle is never an afterthought – it is the starting point. That is why property decisions rarely begin with “How many bedrooms and bathrooms do we need?” Rather, they take shape with a simple but powerful question:
“How do we want to live?”
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Cooroy Rag, 30 June 2026 - Page 1