A 70 MPH Storm Couldn't Stop Cooper Webb From Opening WSX 2026 on Top

Round 1 of the season is supposed to shake out the rust. Instead, Calgary handed everyone a lesson in how fast a perfect night can go sideways.

The 2026 FIM World Supercross Championship kicked off Saturday at McMahon Stadium, the first stop on a six-round, five-continent calendar. Two Sprint races into the SX1 (450) program, a severe thunderstorm rolled in with wind gusts reported near 70 mph, blowing debris across the track. Officials threw the red flag and pulled the plug on the Main Event entirely for rider and crowd safety — it was never scored (CTV News Calgary).

That left the overall to be decided on the two completed Sprints. Justin Hill took Sprint 1, then Cooper Webb answered with the win in Sprint 2, and Webb's 2-1 was enough for 19 points and the overall victory — his first race win since signing on with Rick Ware Racing Yamaha (Racer X). Dean Wilson rounded out the top of the SX1 classification behind him (Vital MX).

The real story was the SX2 class — and it wasn't even close

While the 450 field was dealing with points math and abandoned motos, Max Anstie went 3-for-3 in SX2, sweeping every race on the card to open his title defense in the cleanest way possible (Racer X). What made it notable wasn't just the sweep — it was who he beat to get it.

Calgary sits around 3,500 feet of elevation, high enough that gas-powered four-strokes lose real power to thinner air. The Stark Future electric bikes in the field don't have that problem — an electric motor doesn't care about altitude the way an internal combustion engine does, so the Starks showed up to Round 1 with a real edge. Anstie said as much afterward: "It was tough. The track was gnarly and the electric bikes — I think they were maybe the toughest obstacle" (mcnews.com.au). He held them off anyway, in front of an actual thunderstorm, on a new-for-2026 track.

Why it matters beyond one podium

Two things are worth watching as this series plays out. First, altitude is now a variable that can swing a race in favor of the electric bikes in the field — that's a genuinely new wrinkle for gas-vs-electric competition, not just a talking point. Second, WSX opening with a weather-abandoned main is a reminder that a points lead built on partial results can look shaky on paper even when the riding was legit. Expect officials and teams both to be talking about contingency formats before the next flyaway round.

Round 2 heads to Birmingham, England for the British GP on October 10, giving the field two months to sort out setup, travel, and — for the 450 class — how to close out mains that actually finish (Cycle News).

Storms and points penalties are out of your hands, but your own ride data doesn't have to be. Whether you're chasing a series or just trying to beat your last lap time, log every ride with BraapTrax — distance, elevation, and the stats that tell you if you're actually getting faster or just getting lucky with the weather.

Sources: CTV News Calgary, Racer X, Racer X, Vital MX, mcnews.com.au, Cycle News.