JAKE CANNON – EMX250 CHALLENGE

As we have seen year after year, many talented riders come out of the EMX250 championship and their move to the MX2 World championship is successful. In 2025, we again have a group of riders, who could easily make the step to MX2 in the future and progress their careers and 17-year-old Australian, Jake Cannon might just be one of those who make it in the big time.

Having won an Australian MX3 championship in 2024, Cannon was signed up by the French based Bud Racing Kawasaki team, and quickly felt the excitement of racing in Europe, but it was also an eye opener for the teenager.

“It is definitely hard living by alone.” Cannon said. “Living in a place not many people speak English, but I am lucky, I am in a good area, right next to the team and they help me a lot, so they are like family. That has made it easy to adjust, so it’s been good. I feel like I have adjusted pretty well. It hasn’t been too bad just yet.”

Tough times could come if everything doesn’t go to plan, and living 20,000 kilometres from his family might make those moments a challenge. We have heard it time and time again from New Zealanders, South African’s and Australians how tough it is in those early days of moving to Europe to race.

“As the racing begins and if I have a bad weekend, I might get lonely and want to go home, but it’s been pretty good so far and I have talked to my parents every night, so it isn’t too bad. It is an eye opener, talking to new people, meeting new people, something I don’t usually do. It has been great, and I have learnt a lot, not just about motocross, but also about myself.”

In a little over a week’s time, the Aussie will get a shot at impressing his team, and his fans back home when he lined up at round one of the EMX250 championship at Cozar, Spain. His goals for his career are big, but for now, just to compete in Europe and do his best in the EMX250 championship is his short-term goal.

“I mean, I have had the goal to be World champion, and I am into the MXGP. I didn’t care where I went, just race World class riders and I am now here. In EMX250, I definitely want to be at the front, top three. I would be happy to be top five in the championship, but I do want to be top three, and I would be disappointed if I didn’t get that.”

So, like so many Australian riders before him, names like Jeff Leisk, Chad Reed, Andrew McFarlane, Dean Ferris and Todd Waters, this teenager will know sooner rather than later, if he can reach the same heights as the Aussie who came before him.

Photo Credit: Bud Racing