Highway Patrol and MotoSchool Go Head-to-Head
The hugely popular Beat the Blue community event returned to Sydney Motorsport Park recently and, despite wet weather, almost 20,000 fans turned out to enjoy the unique family event.
Beat The Blue is an annual community engagement initiative, now in its eighth year, that brings New South Wales Highway Patrol officers and the public together in a series of friendly competitions on two and four wheels at Sydney Motorsport Park. The event, which continues to grow in popularity, also featured Yamaha kids come-and-try, a car and bike show-and-shine, a dedicated kids’ zone, food trucks, displays from NSW Police specialist units, and a spectacular light show. This year’s edition also raised more than $70,000 for Police Legacy.
This year, Yamaha Motor Australia—via its supported provider MotoSchool, which holds regular on-track coaching days at Sydney Motorsport Park—took part in the event for the first time. A new motorcycle obstacle course and slalom challenge saw the NSW Highway Patrol’s best riders on their police-spec Yamaha FJR1300s go head-to-head with MotoSchool coaches aboard a variety of Yamaha motorcycles and scooters. The goal was simple: for the lead-out rider to open a gap on the pursuing Highway Patrol officer, with flashing blue and red lights adding to the spectacle. The extremely tight and technical course demanded precision, balance, and control, and the competition was fierce throughout the evening.
While the event carried an atmosphere of camaraderie and fun, the stakes were real—pride, bragging rights, and the chance to showcase the skill required to master a motorcycle under pressure. For MotoSchool coach Matt Shirvington, the challenge was particularly unique, as he is also a NSW Highway Patrol officer.
