Lachlan Turner Makes History with WMX Invitational Victory at SMX World Championship Final
Three-time WMX Champion caps a remarkable 2026 season with a victory at the inaugural WMX Invitational in Missouri / Sep 29, 2026 /
It was a history-making weekend for women’s motocross at the SuperMotocross World Championship Final, and three-time WMX Champion Lachlan Turner rose to the occasion. Racing on an SMX track for the first time, the Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha rider continued her top form, adapting to the format and riding a smart race to win the inaugural WMX Invitational at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri.
The landmark event put WMX on the big stage alongside the SMX World Championship contenders, with an all-new format and a challenging hybrid track that combined elements of supercross and motocross. Despite having no previous experience racing or training on an SMX track, Turner quickly adapted, topping qualifying aboard her YZ250F to head into the main event with the number-one gate pick.
After the gate drop, Turner got a top-five start and moved into third on the opening lap after riders ahead made contact. With a three-rider battle developing, she closed in on second and moved into the position on Lap 3 after avoiding a fallen rider in the sand. From there, Turner stayed patient amid the chaos. With Charli Cannon joining the fight and applying pressure from behind, Turner kept her cool and waited for her opportunity. At the halfway mark, she made a decisive pass for the lead and began to build a gap at the front.
Turner’s title rival from the WMX season began to reel her in as the clock wound down, setting up another thrilling battle between the pair. Cannon closed in on Turner and attempted a pass on the final lap, but the three-time champion held her off to take the checkered flag and become the first winner of the WMX Invitational.
“I started the day off with a nice and fun first qualifying and got P1,” said Turner. “I felt super good on the bike, and then going into the main event, I was a little nervous because I’ve never raced on an SMX track before or even trained for racing SMX. I got a decent start and just waited behind them and watched all the crazy things. I was just waiting for the right time to pass, and then I just stuck to my lines, rode smart, and won the first-ever WMX race in SMX. It was an amazing feeling.”
The historic victory put an exclamation point on a stellar year for Turner. The 19-year-old earned her third consecutive WMX Championship earlier this season and went undefeated on her way to the Australian ProMX MXW Championship before adding another milestone to her 2026 résumé in Missouri.
“I checked everything off my vision board this year, and it’s a dream come true to look at that thing every day and just say that I completed everything,” Turner said. “This just means so much to me – a history-making first WMX race in SMX, and I’m so happy I won. Let’s see more of these.”