Mitch Kellner wins MA Readers’ Choice Junior Rider of the Year award

Rising Enduro star Mitch Kellner capped off a brilliant 2010 season by taking out the coveted Motorcycling Australia (MA) Readers Choice Junior Rider of the Year award at the last weekend’s ADB Awards in Sydney.

 Mitch Kellner - Rider Of The Year

The 15-year-old enjoyed a stellar season in the Australian Off Road Championship, winning all 10 rounds on his way to the J4 class title and fifth overall in the Junior Outright standings.

A delighted Kellner said the Junior Rider of the Year award came as a shock.

“It really came as a big surprise for me to win this great award,” he said.

“It was just great to be nominated and awesome to make the top three, but to win has left me pretty speechless.”

Still eligible to compete in the AORC Junior Championship in 2011, Kellner has himself the goal of winning the Junior Outright crown, but still wants to enjoy his riding above all else.

“Next year’s going to be no different for me, I’m just going to go out there and enjoy racing with all of my mates,” he said.

MA is pleased to sponsor the Readers Choice Junior Rider of the Year award and is proud to be supporting the development of junior riders in Australia.

This year MA committed more than $42,000 to send an Australian team to the 2010 FIM World Junior Motocross Championships held in France and will continue to grow the sport at the junior and grassroots level.

Mototrcycling Australia launches 2010 Trial des Nations event website

Motorcycling Australia (MA) has launched the 2010 Trial des Nations website, dedicated to the Australian Team’s competing at the event at Myślenice, Poland.

You can find the website by going to the MA website at www.ma.org.au and clicking the Event Websites tab and selecting 2010 Trial des Nations.

Included in the site is a news section for all the latest updates, photo galleries, and rider profiles where you can find out more about Australia’s best Moto Trials riders.

On Tuesday both the Men’s and Women’s Teams received a helping hand from some of the World’s best Trials riders.

Former World Champ Iris Kramer and Diego Bosis spent the day, helping Australia’s best master the slippery and muddy European conditions ahead of the Championship this weekend.

Speaking after the training session, Team Manager Colin Scott, said that it was rare to have access to such highly experience instructors and that the riders made the most of the opportunity.

“Iris and Diego are brilliant riders, and for them to take the time out to come and help our teams out was incredible,” Scott said.

“The riders were incredibly focused and really wanted to make the most of the day, and learn everything they could from these guys.

“The terrain is so different over here in Europe compared with Australia, many of the sections are slippery and quite muddy, so having the coaching sessions in that environment should help place the team in good stead.”

For more information stay tuned to the MA website: www.ma.org.au.

Chad Reed out of Aussie MXoN Team as Marmont steps up to the plate

Jay Marmont

Motorcycling Australia (MA) can confirm that Chad Reed has withdrawn from the Australian Team for the 2010 Motocross of Nations to be held in Colorado, USA on 25-26 September.

Diagnosed with Epstein Barr Syndrome little more than a month ago and unable to defend his 2009 AMA Motocross Championship title, Reed made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Australian Team.

In a statement released earlier, Reed said that without a doubt Marmont the best candidate and his performance was the benchmark of the Australian Motocross scene.

"Trying to make the "smartest" decision, isn't always the easiest decision so it is really hard for me to announce that I am not going to be racing in the 2010 Motocross of Nations,” Reed stated.

"I am always extremely proud to represent my country at this event, not only is it an honour to be chosen, Team Australia has always been a case of my best mates and I racing together. 

“However, based on my performance and health this year I have to make a smart decision and I feel that there is someone else who deserve this honour more than I do.

"For the past three years no one has come close to Jay's performance in the Australian Motocross scene - even in the middle of the greatest personal adversity he didn't drop the ball once and I think he will truly do his country proud.

"Getting well is my number one priority right now, I have to be healthy and ready for the 2011 AMA Supercross Series and AMA Pro Motocross Championship.” 

Reserve rider and three times Australian Motocross Champion Jay Marmont will have some big shoes to fill, as he steps up to replace Reed.

Speaking after the announcement, the Wollongong local was excited about the opportunity to represent his country for the first time.

“This is a dream come true for me,” Marmont said.

“I was wondering if I would ever get my shot because the last few years, even though I’ve done well domestically, there’s always been a strong group of riders based in America.

“When I got the call I was over the moon and now I’m just so excited to go over there - to race guys I’ve never raced before and most importantly to represent my country.

“I’ve always been a team player and been consistent in my racing so I’m going to give it all I’ve got to put myself and the team in the best position possible.

“Dacka [Marmont’s Team Manager and former Mr Motocross Champion Craig Dack] likes to remind us every time the des Nations is on, that when he went over to race they were the highest placed Aussie Team and that no one’s has topped it yet, so this is my chance to go one better!

“We’ve got a strong team – on paper it may not be as strong as we’ve had in the past – but it’s a team with nothing to lose so everyone is going to go out there and give it their all and hopefully we can do well.

“I was reading the other day that the Australian Team came third at the Junior Motocross World Championship - good on them – that is something they can be very proud of and if we can go out there and do what they did or even better that would be a huge feat for us!”

Alan Cathcart to ride Irving Vincent’s at the HBBB

Motorcycling Australia (MA) is pleased to announce that British journalist Alan Cathcart is heading to Australia to appear at the 2010 Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza (HBBB) over the Easter weekend on 3-4 April.

Cathcart’s attendance will help to establish the event internationally, as he currently syndicates his work in more than 70 magazines all around the World.

A former top-line competitor in Historic Racing, with a fourth place at the Isle of Man to his credit, Cathcart nowadays limits his racing to once a year, at the Goodwood Revival, but regularly appears in non-competitive events such as the HBBB.

At the HBBB, Cathcart will demonstrate several examples of the Melbourne-built Irving Vincents that currently dominate local Period 5 Historic events.

Ken Horner, who built the bikes along with his brother Barry, is returning to Daytona in USA prior to Easter, where Sydney’s Craig McMartin will race an Irving Vincent in the prestigious Speed Week, before it is then air freighted home in time to appear at the HBBB.

The HBBB will also feature demonstrations by US Motocross Champion Gary Jones, Enduro and Motocross star Pelle Granquist, former Australian Road Racing Champion Warren Willing, and Honda’s first Australian Motocross Champion Brian Martin amongst others.

The future of Mototrcycling Australia licenses

Following recommendations that were put forward to Motorcycling Australia’s (MA) National Council by an MA licensing committee earlier this year, the Council has adopted plans to reduce the number of different Competition licence types.

Currently there are four types of Competition licenses including; Senior National, Senior Club, Junior National and Junior Club, and two types of Restricted licences including; Senior Restricted and Junior Restricted.

Under the proposal, the Senior National and Senior Club licenses will roll into a single Senior Competition licence in 2011, while the Junior National and Club licenses will form a single Junior Competition licence.

In 2012, the Senior and Junior Competition licenses will combine to form a single ‘Competition’ licence with the same price point.

Throughout this time, the Senior Restricted and Junior Restricted licenses will remain unchanged.

More information about this plan will be made available as it comes to hand.