16 05 MXP Magazine

CANADA’S SOURCE FOR MOTOCROSS AND OFF-ROAD PASSING GRADE

THE TOP TEN GET THEIR MARKS

FIRST RIDE 2017 YAMAHAS

THE BOBBY KINIRY STORY WORKIN’ MAN

Plu s

HOW TO BE A GOOD PRO

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World Class PERFORMANCE

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CLASS CHAMPIONS

DAVI MILLSAPS 2016 CMRC MX1 CHAMPION

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COLE THOMPSON 2016 CMRC MX2 CHAMPION

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M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E // V O L U M E 1 6 , I S S U E 5

MX P C O N T E N T S

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C OV E R S T O RY Team Canada gives a world class performance in Italy.

F E AT U R E S

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HOW TO BE A GOOD PRO

TURNING ON THE LIGHTS

THE WORKING M AN

TE A M C A N A DA G O E S T O I TA LY

Palms looks at what it takes to be a good pro.

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Brett Worrall talks about indoor racing in Canada.

Mike McGill speaks to Bobby Kiniry about his career.

Kourtney Lloyd writes about her trip to the 2016 MXoN.

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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COLUMNS 2 2 FA M O U S L A S T W O R D S

by Chris Pomeroy

2 4 G U E S T C O L U M N

with Brent Worrall

2 8 U P S H I F T

by Brian Koster

9 4 E V O LV E D N U T R I T I O N

by Drew Robertson

9 6 I N S I D E L I N E

with Andy White

9 8 F R O M T H E D E S K O F

Mark Stallybrass

SPECIALS 14 EXPOSED 2 0 CAUGHT ON CA MER A 90 GEARING UP

86 R I D I N G I N J A PA N

Lawrence Hacking and his incredible ride through Japan.

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PA S S I N G G R A D E S

M I E S H A TAT E V I S I T S O N TA R I O

A L B E R TA S T R O N G

FIRST RIDE: 2 017 YA M A H A S

We take a look at the class of 2016 and give them their grades.

Read all about UFC athlete Miesha Tate as she toured Ontario.

Andy White takes a Look at Canada’s unsung hero Keylan Meston.

Palms rides the new Yamahas and tells us why it’s cool to be part of the Blu Cru.

PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

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NEW RED RIDER Photo by James Lissimore

EXPOSED At the 2016 Monster Energy Cup, Ken Roczen looked right at home on his new Honda.

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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GLOBAL WA R FA R E Photo by James Lissimore

EXPOSED Team Canada was front and center when the best riders in the world battled at the 2016 MXoN.

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MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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T H E I TA L I A N S TA L L I O N Photo by James Lissimore

EXPOSED Tyler Medaglia had no problem launching himself above the crowd in Italy.

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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CANADIAN MOTO SHOW

STARRING

Brent Worrall

the chair on the air Wednesday Nights, 6pm www.canadianmotoshow.com

MXP MAGAZINE

THE

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE VOLUME 16 ISSUE 5

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES CALL SUBSCRIPTIONS: 416-635-MXP1 PUBLISHER: Charles Stancer/Mark Stallybrass V.P. OF SALES AND MARKETING: Charles Stancer EDITOR: Chris Pomeroy SALES MANAGER: Al Jaggard SENIOR WRITERS: Brian Koster, Brent Worrall STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: James Lissimore

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Mike McGill, Brent Worrall, James Lissimore, Drew Robertson, Brian Koster, Virgil Knapp, Leticia Cline, Andy White CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Virgil Knapp, Clayton Racicot, James Lissimore, Bill Petro, Matt Wellumson, COVER PHOTO: James Lissimore

MXP has the exclusive rights to the CMRC’s mailing list of racing license holders. Every CMRC license holder from coast to coast receives and reads each issue of MXP. In addition to this exclusive list of readers, we are partnered with several motocross and offroad enthusiast organizations across the country.

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Above: Alex Martin surveys the impending battle in Italy.

Above Right: Kaven had his biggest fan with him in Italy.

Above: Josh Snider had no problem hitching a ride to the track.

Below: Tenth overall must have looked good on this pit board.

Left: Oh to have the luck of the Irish on your side.

Bottom Right: Our old friend Kerim Fitz-Gerald was back racing on the world stage.

Bottom Left: Can you find the Canadian flag?

WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS!

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P HO T O S BY JA ME S L IS S IMOR E A ND M X P S TA F F

Send your pictures via Facebook or hashtag your photos on Twitter or Instagram with #MXPCaughtonCamera and you could see your photos in an upcoming issue!

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MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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Above: Hometown boy Tony Cairoli points to all of his screaming fans.

Above: Thankfully for Team Canada, it was still summertime in Italy.

Above Right: Michael Byrne keeps a close eye on Team Australia.

Left: Team France definitely won the lottery in Italy.

Below: Sun’s out, guns out Canadian style.

Bottom Right: Our old friend Kerim Fitz-Gerald was back racing on the world stage.

Bottom Left: We think all of Canada was holding their breath.

WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS!

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MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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FA M O US L A S T WO R DS W I T H C H R I S P O M EROY

JUST BE YOURSELF

P

rior to sitting down to compose this month’s column, I was down in beautiful Orlando attending the 2016 AIM Expo with many of our industry friends. As I was waiting for my flight back home, I was sitting in an airport Starbucks enjoying a Verona blend coffee (my favourite coffee). While I was killing time, in walked a man, maybe in his mid to late thirties, wearing pink running shoes, grey jeans and some cool looking shirt, oh, and a fedora hat. His unique outfit caught my eye and it got me thinking how much times have changed and how much we’ve evolved.

I know in this sport we’re forever talking about how good things used to be in yesteryear. Twostrokes were the only bikes on the track with their snappy, cool sound and their light-as-a-feather feel. These days when we watch our riders sometimes lug the big four-strokes around the track, one can’t help but miss the old days. If you ever corner an old rider from the 1980s, they’ll definitely reinforce just how the good ol’ days were.

While I admit that I’m sometimes one of those advocates for how good things used to be, I must admit that we have come a long way.

Watching this guy at Starbucks reminded me that these days, unlike thirty or forty years ago, it’s cool to be different. Conforming to one idea or one way of life has become a thing of the past.

Today, boys can wear pink and it’s okay, girls can wear blue and race dirt bikes, and I’m sure their friends are now envious and not weirded out.

These days, most parents encourage their kids to march to the beat of their own drum and set the trends, not just follow them. Heck, even as I write this I’m wearing a pink t-shirt. “Anything goes” appears to be the new mantre in life, and while there are rules that we still must follow, it’s refreshing to know that kids are not being judged (for the most part) for what type of clothes they wear or what type of music they listen to.

Every weekend at the race track we are wit-

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“ These days, most parents encourage their kids to march to the beat of their own drum and set the trends, not just follow them. Heck, even as I write this I’m wearing a pink t-shirt.” nessing this type of mainstream thinking. Most of our young riders appear to get along and are at least civil with each other. On the starting line you see fist pumps and high fives between competitors as they wish each other luck. Yes, there are still disagreements among riders at times, but they’re few and far between. If we go back to the ‘old days,’ our sport was very clicky and sometimes riders would never even speak to each other.

Sometimes, that hard core way of thinking came in handy, however it did take a lot of the fun out of what really is one of the most enjoyable sports on the planet. On the track we’re witnessing today’s rider usher in an entirely new style. Even kids in our youngest age groups are throwing their bikes around in the air and using the whole track.

In this issue we cover a wide range of stories and events. Our historian, Mike McGill, takes a close look at the career of Bobby Kiniry, one rider that definitely did things his way. There are obviously a ton of stories out there about how tough Bobby K was over the years, and Mike McGill touches on a bunch of them. However, after getting to know Bobby quite well over the past few years, I was taken back by just how kind and gen-

erous he is. To see him away from the hustle and bustle of the track was pretty cool as he became a different person. One of my treasured memories was during the London AX last year, a week before he got injured. Bobby had his wife and kids with him in London, as did I, and he wanted to get something to eat prior to the night show. So we went to the local Subway where Bobby had to have his ‘lucky’ sandwich before racing. We sat there with our families and chatted while we all ate. And while I’m sure that he didn’t expect to crash hard the following week, you could just get a sense that he was exhausted!

Tired of the travel, tired of the ups and downs of being a professional athlete, just tired of the grind I suppose. I could see it in his eyes and I knew exactly what he was feeling. Later that night, Bobby took the final win of his illustrious pro career.

Bobby K was not afraid to be a little different, a diamond in the rough if you will. In this day and age, I feel like that is how we all should be.

As we head into our dreaded winter season, I hope you enjoy this issue of MXP Magazine, and I hopes it warms you up just a little bit. See you at the races!

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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GUEST COLUMN WITH BRENT WORR ALL P HOTOS BY JA MES LISSIMORE

TOGETHER WE CAN “ In the New Year I will put all of these duties on hold and take the opportunity that has been presented to tell my story in the form of my own autobiography.”

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s the calendar year winds down into the winter months, this time of year usually has my thoughts of reflection and anticipation racing. In the past few weeks I have found myself looking back on what a great season we had in Canadian Motocross on many levels. I have also been focussing ahead on what the next chapter in our sport and my own personal life will bring (more on that at the end of the column). I have often thought that if 25 years ago I could see myself today and living life as I now do, what would have my reaction been? A good question?

Maybe, maybe not. I believe my point, however, is legitimate. We all know that there are things in life that we can control and others that are determined well beyond it. So my guess is if you are reading this, you are still fortunate enough to be as passionate about life, love and the pursuit of Motocross dreams, whatever they are, as I am.

I am not sure exactly what my involvement in this sport will entail in 25 years time, but I am hopeful that by then we will have made many positive strides forward. No matter what the displacement, stroke or propulsion method, two wheeled dirt bike racing will likely survive the test of time. What exactly it will look like in 25 years in our own country is, without doubt, uncertain.

There is one thing, however, that I assure you is certain and that is the collective power of positivity we all possess. Being involved in this sport over the years at the different levels as a racer, media person, promoter and race fan, I have learned many different things. There are many things about people, places and situations that some of which, I will admit, I wish could have remained a mystery. The one fact that remains a constant and pervades over all of this is that we always need to work together as best we can. No single person in the sport is more important than any other; our strength is in our numbers and unity. At this time of year, how often do you hear riders, teams,

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families, dealers, retailers, you name it, say the budget has been spent. How do we as a unit help those who help us benefit and continue to grow?

Wouldn’t we all like to see those budgets increase to the point where there is more support for all of us involved taking the risks both physically and financially. You may not realize this but the best salesman the sport of motocross has in helping it grow is you! You are the mentor to the new era no matter how old you are; age is not a factor. Young or old, Junior, Veteran or Pro, you have the ability to be a difference maker.

If you are like me and want to see the sport grow for our future generations, now is the time and you can make a difference. Instead of complaining or pointing fingers at who is not doing their part of living up to your standards, be the difference maker, even if that difference is keeping those negative thoughts to yourself. In the sport of Motocross, long term success, at least in my opinion, hinges on the ‘High Road’ becoming the road more travelled. We are all in this together and my personal experience has shown me that not one of us is perfect and we all make mistakes. Let’s do our best not to make our sport pay for something that it doesn’t have to. I am sure you have heard the term, “Be the bigger man.” I wasted many of my younger years as the result of a resentment that I kept to myself and it kept me from pursuing my true passion. In the end I suffered immeasurably and lost something I did not have to. Looking back at that question of wondering what life would be like 25 years down the road, I would hate to think where I would be without the fortitude this sport has given me.

My wife and I have just purchased a brand new PW 50 for our grandson and granddaughter who are 2 and 6-years-old. It was not an easy decision to make as I know firsthand what kind of risks are involved. The thing that keeps me grounded is that this is hands down the best sport on earth and is responsible for every ounce of my positive character that I value. My upbringing was very strong and my parents instilled a solid value system in me at a young age. Motocross, however, provided me the resiliency I needed to handle the kind of adversity life can throw one’s way. It has also given me “Winners never quit, winning is not always

about the results, and real winners never give up.

They keep working and learning to get better.” I am very excited to watch my grandkids learn to ride and enjoy what I can look back upon as the most carefree days of my life. I think back to enjoying many different things as a youngster but nothing compares to the joy riding a dirt bike gave me. Will my grandkids share the same passion? Maybe. If not, that is okay too as my desire to share what I was so freely given was out of my love for them.

Part of me hits the fast forward button and sees many great things in their future around Motocross. The other part of me sees my daughter and her husband sharing some of the best quality time imaginable with their kids. I think back to the first time I put my two girls on a bike. Was I scared? A little bit but that fear soon subsided to joy when I could see how happy they were to be riding carefree.

As I promised at the beginning of the column, I will now shed some light on what the near future holds for myself moving forward. For the past three years I have been a senior contributor here at the magazine writing many articles, which has been very enjoyable as I love to write about our great sport. I have also been a regular announcer on race weekends here in the West, and of course have just celebrated a third anniversary with my Canadian Moto Show. In the New Year much of this will change! In the New Year I will put all of these duties on hold and take the opportunity that has been presented to tell my story in the form of my own autobiography. I know that the time is right and I owe it to myself to follow my heart on this one. At this point, I am very tired and feel as if I have spread myself way too thin in an effort to try to give back to my love of this sport, as I really believe it saved my life. I would like to thank each of you who have read my contributions, and thank you all for your feedback. I would also like to thank each of you for your part in my ongoing re-creation and my recovery. To me you are and always will be family.

Keep that Moto passion pinned friends, and remember you are the best salesman our sport has. See you at the races!

Brent ‘Airmail’ Worrall

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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U P S H I F T W I T H B R I A N KO S T ER

MAKING HEADLINES

H

ere we are entering another season change up here in the Great White North. Leaves are changing colour and falling from trees, and chilly temperatures are blowing in with the wind. After a summer of record breaking heat and minimal rain, the rain has finally come, albeit a little too late for the farmers who struggled with a drought in my area. This brings on age old question, is it the Russians or the Chinese who are manipulating our weather or perhaps an even more nefarious, unknown entity that is pulling the strings? Of course in the cold war era the blame would land squarely on the Russians, but in this day and age, who knows? I speak partly in jest but remember the Beijing Summer Olympics back in 2008? Well, the Chinese openly admitted to spraying some sort of aluminium particulate concoction into the atmosphere from specially adapted aircraft to prevent the forecasted rain for the mountain bike medal races. And the rain did hold off o this is one example of weather manipulation that is publicly documented and not some off-thewall crazy assumption. I remember that time well because a friend of mine, Seamus McGrath, was competing for Team Canada in the men’s mountain bike final, and I was following that event very closely. Seamus was riding like a man possessed and I was going crazy watching the live feed from home as he was passing his way towards a medal when disaster struck in the form of a flat rear tire, which crushed his 2008 Olympic dream…and mine (lol). Anyway, with today’s news headlines stating “Russian Missiles on NATO Doorstep,” it looks like the good ol’ Cold War days are being ramped up once again for public consumption.

With the global reality show unfolding in the news, it’s nice to just tune out the world and mess around with dirt bikes. This past weekend was the first Arenacross event in Sarnia, but unfortunately Thanksgiving family commitments prevented

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“ Let’s hope Team Canada can keep this momentum moving forward and through various fundraising events can continue to fund a solid showing.” me from attending. It was nice to see Colton Facciotti’s name near the top of the charts and to see he won the 20 lap ‘Clash for Cash.’ It was also nice to hear Colt’s beautiful wife, Jocelyn, gave birth to a healthy little girl just four days prior to gate drop in Sarnia! It was cool to see Colton ride both a 250 and a 450; can’t wait to see more of him up front to remind everyone that he has some serious Arenacross and Supercross skills. Round 2 is in Barrie and I know a ton of people amped to go, but again that weekend has me committed out of town so once again denied. I’m super bummed as that event is quite local for me, and let’s face it, Arenacross is an absolute blast to attend. It is fast paced, a little more intimate than SX, and you can get up close and personal with all the action.

I wish all the athletes a fun, safe and successful night of racing.

Okay, so best for last. How about Team Canada at the MX des Nations this year? Wow, a solid tenth place, and just a few scant points out of 9th.

It was so awesome to see our team back after a disappointing no-show off n 2015. I must say it seemed Team Canada had a lot of support in Italy this year with many Canadian moto fans mak-

ing the trek to Europe for this prestigious event.

From most accounts, it was a fabulous showing by everyone involved right from the organization to the riders themselves. It was not hard to be proud of our riders; Kaven Benoit shined and Tyler Medaglia, as always, is a true professional and brought a nice wealth of experience to the team. Shawn Maffenbeier was the newbie and rode solid and steady despite a gnarly track and the weight of the world on his shoulders. Let’s hope Team Canada can keep this momentum moving forward and through various fundraising events can continue to fund a solid showing.

And to think, our guys did so well without, arguably, a couple of our finest riders. Facciotti was out primarily due to his wife’s due date, and Cole Thompson’s shoulder surgery put the kibosh on his availability to attend after an amazing performance taking the MX2 title and his first Professional Canadian Championship. In their absence, our guys pulled together strong and showed the world who we are, and I am super pumped for all three of our riders who made us proud. Well done and congratulations to everyone involved in making the 2016 MXoN a reality.

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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T EAM CA NADA’S

World Class PERFORMANCE

BY CHRIS POMEROY | PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

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ll summer long there was a certain excitement surrounding Team Canada and their 2016 MxoN effort. First, there was the fact that the event was going to be held on the very scenic Maggiora circuit in Northern Italy. It has been a long thirty years since this facility hosted this famous race, so with its rich history on everyone’s mind, Canada’s team of Kaven Benoit, Tyler Medaglia and Shawn Maffenbeier was primed and ready to race.

For 2016, Team Canada welcomed in a new manager to help guide this team to greatness, Prince George, BC native Kourtney Lloyd. From the moment she was named as the team’s manager, Kourtney’s enthusiasm was very evident. Not only did she raise funds like a demon, but she also made sure that the team had everything they needed while they were in Italy.

With a rented villa, a personal chef, a large support staff, and a factory team’s transport trailer, Kourtney gave our team all the comforts of home if not more.

For this unique cover story, we wanted to let the riders tell their stories about what they experienced in Italy. So sit back and let Kaven, Tyler and Shawn talk about just how proud they all were to represent their country at the 2016 MXoN.

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comfortable for sure. I mean, right from our arrival in Italy it didn’t really feel like we were in another country. It felt like we were at a race back home. The team was also able to get two good days of riding in during the week so that was important. To be able to spend a day riding with Team France and Team USA really helped. Tyler, Shawn and I were close to the same lap times with those guys, so that definitely gave us a lot of confidence heading into the weekend.

Once we arrived at the track and were able to see it in person, it was pretty amazing. The hills were so steep, the photos and television certainly didn’t show how extreme everything was. Right from my first lap in practice I felt really comfortable on the track, my lap times were good and my KTM was working great.

I had a decent qualifying race; I was a little bummed because I crashed and wasn’t able to finish as high as I would’ve liked. However, the team did what we had to do and we made it into the A main event.

As I sat on the starting line for the opening moto, I really felt confident. My summer was good, my

preparation throughout September was good and now it was time to go racing. Obviously my start in the first moto was incredible, and during those first few laps I felt great. The pace up front was fast, but it didn’t feel too bad. At one point, I kind of let a few riders get by because I didn’t want to push too hard and make a mistake. I definitely could’ve finished a little higher in both motos, but I just wanted to finish strong and not do anything to hurt the team. All in all I’m very proud of how we did, the entire week was amazing and I thought we all came together at the right time. We had everything we needed over there and Kourtney did an amazing job with everything. I hope I have a good 2017 so I can go to England next year and represent Canada again.

Tyler Medaglia: Open Class

I’ve been to this event before and I’ve travelled overseas to race a few times, so I definitely knew what to expect heading in. I also had a strong finish to the nationals this past summer so my confidence

Kaven Benoit: MXGP Class

The entire trip over to Italy started off eally good with how well Kourtney had us set up. For once we were staying in a house and not a hotel, so that was

Left: After a great summer of racing in Canada, Benoit felt very confident on the Maggiora track.

Bottom left: Before you race the world’s best riders, first you have to get loose.

Below: The northern region of Italy that the team was staying in was filled with breathtaking views.

Right: From the moment the gate dropped, Tyler was charging with his elbows up.

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was high before I even departed for Italy. Throughout September I did a lot of riding and training so I was definitely as prepared as I could’ve been. I just felt like I had a lot of energy going overseas this time and I honestly felt better than I ever have before.

From the moment we arrived at the house I just knew we were going to have a great week. The team gelled right away and our set up was incredible. To be able to stay in a nice house, eat quality meals and just enjoy ourselves was without a doubt one of our keys to success. This is obviously a huge event and as a rider you need to feel prepared. With the work that I did back home and how Kourtney looked after us during the week, all that was left for us to do was ride the way we knew how.

Another thing that we were able to do, which worked out great for us, was go to a nearby track to practice during the week. Team USA and Team France were there also, and obviously when you’re in that situation you’re going to gauge yourself off f them. We were all kind of going the same speed which gave us a huge boost of confidence as the weekend approached.

Once we got ourselves into the A main event on Sunday, I think we all breathed a sigh of relief, but we by no means were satisfied. During my motos on Sunday I felt really good on my bike. The track was

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fun to ride, the dirt was good, the jumps were fun and the elevation changes were crazy. I felt like I rode really well in my races, I just had a little bad luck, that’s all. In one moto I went for a pretty aggressive pass and ended up bending my chain guide on a berm wall that I tried to rail. My chain ended up derailing twice, which obviously cost me some valuable time. I still pushed on and we ended up finishing tenth overall, which I thought was good, but I also thought that we could’ve done a little better. All in all, it was a great week in Italy and a great result for Canada.

Shawn Maffenbeier: MX2 Class

Leading up to the race I thought I had an idea from videos and pictures of what to expect of the crowd and the atmosphere of the race, but as we showed up on Friday, reality was kicking in and I knew I was going to be taking in an experience of a life time!

The track was its own unique element as it wound through the mountains of Italy. It had this unique flow of a Canadian and American track put together. With the time of year, the sun played a big factor going up the hills. In the morning on the far side of the track, you’d be blinded by the sun, and by the afternoon races we’d be struggling to catch a line on the hill where Cooper Webb fell that lost the USA the title.

The element that the crowd plays is one that cannot be described until you experience it in person.

They’re passion and enthusiasm is something I’ve never experienced. Screaming on the edge of fences with chain saws and smoke bombs, there were laps I couldn’t see sections of the track due to the smoke bombs going off.

The part of the race that was amazing to me was the amount of teamwork it took. With very little time between motos, the mechanics pulled together to assist one another. As riders, we shared as much info as we could about the track, and with both Tyler and Kaven experiencing the event before helped me as I was tackling my first MXoN. With two riders on the track at all times in the main events, this means that one guy starts on the inside and one on the outside.

We as a team felt that Kaven and Tyler needed that inside gate pick to get the best results. Being stuck on the outside on a 250F wasn’t the ideal position for the smaller bike, but I put my head down in those motos and tried to put myself in the best position I could.

In the end, the entire experience is one that I will never forget. The energy and pride I felt to represent our country is one that’s indescribable to others. Thank you to Canada for picking me to represent and thank you to Kourtney Lloyd for making this happen.

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How To

Be A Good Pro

BY CHRIS POMEROY | PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

hen almost every young child begins playing sports, their dreams are big and the sky is the limit. With a child in deep imagination, pretending to be their favourite athlete is easy. I think everyone has a story of imagining they were Michael Jordan shooting hoops, or in hockey crazy Canada being Wayne Gretzky setting up the Stanley Cup winning goal from behind the net. In motocross, I doubt there is one rider out there who hasn’t dreamed about lining up at Anaheim 1 against the legends of the sport. This is how it all begins, and for the superstars that were at one time dreaming, their journey to super stardom began exactly the same way.

Rising through the amateur ranks is a long and difficult journey in any sport. Along the way a young athlete has to deal with such things as pressure from coaches and sometimes pressure from parents, untimely injuries, missing out on normal kid things, and unavoidable life events like puberty. They have to do this while balancing schoolwork and the effort of trying to be a somewhat normal kid. If any of these items get out of sorts and turn negative, it can throw off the entire balance of a young athlete’s life. In hockey, for instance, the proper path for a young player is supposed to be full of skill development and fun, both on and off he ice. Hockey Canada, through their research, has determined that skill based knowledge, as well as the need for pure enjoyment while playing the game, is an absolute must for any successful player. Obviously, work ethic and other necessities are needed for a player to make a big impact on the game, but first you need skills and the desire to practice these skills. This is where the fun part comes into play.

If a young athlete is allowed at an early age to work at their craft and enjoy that process, he or she will be much better off ater in their career.

Over the years, I’ve witnessed countless young motocross riders who appear destined for greatness but for whatever reason fail to reach their full poten-

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tial. When I was 13 years of age I had the pleasure of racing against multi-time Canadian Amateur Champion Steve Bulyovsky. Back in 1986 and then again in 1987, Steve was virtually unbeatable in Canadian amateur motocross. In fact, in 1987 alone he won the 125, 250 and 500 Junior Championships in Manitoba, and then moved up to Intermediate and won all three classes the very next weekend. This was an unbelievable accomplishment; few people doubted that Steve wasn’t going to have a long and successful career when he turned pro the very next year.

After doing so much winning during his amateur career, Steve found the transition to the pro class very difficult. When things didn’t go very well in 1988, he started to think about life after motocross. Soon after he enrolled in university and that was it. For anyone who watched Steve Bulyovsky ride 30 years ago, everyone would have agreed that he didn’t lack talent, speed or fitness. I believe that because of his pressure packed childhood, filled with expectations.

By the time Steve turned pro however, he was already tired and was over the constant weight of having to perform every weekend.

So what is the perfect balance for a young motocross rider to have as they follow the long and winding road to the Pro class? When you look at a few of our current top pros, while they may have different styles on a motorcycle, they all seem to share the same attributes. First, they all started riding at a very young age and have logged a lot of seat time.

Going back to hockey for a minute, Hockey Canada did a study and determined for an athlete to be an absolute professional at what they do, they need to have invested at least 10,000 hours of practice time. When you think of it that way, it’s no surprise that riders like Colton Facciotti, Cole Thompson and Kaven Benoit have all been riding dirt bikes since they were kids. That is a lot of hours of painstaking motos under the hot sun, a lot of gas burned, and also a lot of unfortunate crashes. We all know, the

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How To

Be A Good Pro

Above: Tyler Medaglia is a Canadian Champion, a family man, and a true professional in every sense of the word.

Bottom right: After a very successful professional racing career, which included five MX1 titles, Jean Sebastien Roy is now in charge of the KTM Thor Racing Team.

more we ride, the more our chances of crashing and getting injured increases. For any rider who spends hours upon hours practicing, you all know that there comes a point during the season when you’re almost always sore and at least one part of your body is hurting. This is one reality that many people might not understand about being a pro. Other than maybe the off-season, almost every top rider is injured with something during the course of a season. One time I asked Bobby Kiniry how he managed to stay healthy during the long Supercross series. He replied, “Don’t kid yourself, by the halfway point of the series, almost every rider has some sort of injury. You just have to deal with it and keep going.”

One point that is overlooked when talking about the 10,000 hour rule is the amount of practice doesn’t just teach us the skills we need to be a successful pro, it also teaches us perhaps the biggest lesson we need to learn, and that’s how to be resilient. Think about the amount of ups and downs pro riders have during their careers. They have their good days and good motos, and then they have their moments they’d like to forget. However, the top riders regroup and keep coming back for more.

Throughout their 10,000 hours, they’ve learned not only how to ride a dirt bike extremely well, but they’ve also learned that if they keep working and stick to their program, things will turn around. I spoke earlier about some of the traits that all of the top riders in our sport share.

I believe that for any rider to be successful they need the following three very important attributes:

"They have their good days and good motos, and then they have their moments they'd like to forget. However, the top riders regroup and keep coming back for more."

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1. Talent

Without an abundance of natural talent, very few athletes are able to succeed at the pro level. This doesn’t mean that a rider has to be super smooth on the track and look like Cole Thompson all of the time. However, they do need to have a firm grasp on how to ride a dirt bike efficiently and how to make it do what they want it to do. They also need to be able to adapt to changing track conditions and be able to pick good lines. All of this falls under the talent umbrella and it’s a must for any good pro rider.

Above: Since he spent his entire career racing both motocross and snowcross, Blair Morgan had to learn early how to balance his life.

Right: Dusty Klatt was probably one of most talented riders this country has ever produced, and in 2006 he dominated the MX1 class en route to the championship.

2. Drive

Having a strong drive and the desire to work hard is absolutely imperative for any successful pro rider. In any sport, the road to the top is long that has many twists and turns. The ability to stay the course and not give up is so very important. Also, our most successful riders are also our most fittest riders, so training and eating right must become not just something they do during racing season but it has to become their lifestyle. As the age old saying goes, work beats talent when talent doesn’t work. These are words that every rider should have written above their beds.

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How To

Left: Part of being a good pro is to work together and share success with your teammates.

Be A Good Pro

Bottom left: Early on in his career, Vancouver Island native Darcy Lange realized that hard work and perseverance would take him anywhere he wanted to go in this sport.

"For any rider who spends hours upon hours practicing, you all know that there comes a point during the season when you're almost always sore and at least one part of your body is hurting."

3. Confidence

The third and final item that is mandatory for any successful rider is the need to believe in yourself. Without a lot of self confidence, it doesn’t matter how hard you work or how much talent you possess. When you’re sitting on the starting line with 39 other riders who all want to beat you, believing in your abilities is all you have at that moment. This sport will knock you down, stomp on you and leave you to rot if you don’t believe that you can overcome any obstacle, then it will eat you alive. Every top rider from Brett Metcalfe to Dylan Wright truly believes they are capable of anything. For some, this is tough as it can take years to build one’s self confidence. However, if you surround yourself with the right people and take the proper steps, you can achieve this great feeling and fly very high.

There are three qualities that any rider must possess if they hope to be successful in the Pro class.

Over the years we’ve seen many examples of riders who have exemplified these traits, or at least possess part of each trait. If you think back to riders like Blair Morgan, JSR, Darcy Lange, Tyler Medaglia, Cole Thompson, Kaven Benoit and Colton Facciotti, each of them is a poster child for these three important items. They each had or are still having successful racing careers simply because they were all talented, they performed the work, and they all believed in their abilities. If you want to be a good pro then you need to follow in these riders’ footsteps when it comes to their attributes and maturity. Being a professional athlete isn’t easy, if it was then everyone could do it. However, it’s a dream that every young rider can make into a reality. All they need to do is try and follow the proper road, regardless of how tough that road may be.

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S s T t H h G g I i Ll N R T U

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ith the 2016 Motocross calendar winding down and the colourful Fall season that is upon us, the focus of the Moto world now becomes Arenacross. This very technical and high energy discipline of our first love is by no means new to our homeland. There have been many great Canadian Arenacross series over the years that have been pointed to for refining some of our country’s best ever talents. In this type of racing where fractions of a second, bike set-up and mental toughness are everything, the entertainment value for race fans is the best money can buy and is non-stop.

Who can argue this discipline’s value with the likes of Darcy Lange, Colton Facciotti, Kyle Beaton, Dusty Klatt and Ryan Lockhart crediting it as a critical building block in their storybook-like careers. Last year saw the successful AX-Tour from south of the border break ground in the backyard of current series owner, Justin Thompson. The inaugural voyage of the Canadian AXTour laid a critical building block in cementing something that is likely here to stay. The series, like many of its predecessors, has high hopes but comes to our country with something that not all others can claim.

That of course is a winning track record with the success of its southern events as well as its deep roots in the Motocross industry. When it comes to household names in Canadian Motocross, chances are that if you ride a dirt bike you have heard the name ‘Thompson’ mentioned once or twice.

Justin Thompson and his Jetwerx crew have inked five dates for the 2016 version of the schedule for

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Above: Kawasaki teammates Chris Blose and Jacob Hayes give each other a tiny bit of room on the tight Penticton track.

Below: Even after banging bars for 20 laps, riders in AX are usually quick to congratulate their competition.

Bottom right: A good start on a tight AX track is always very important.

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Saturday nights. This year’s format is a little bit different than last year’s, but it is part of an evolution that I believe will continue to grow and be around for many years to come. This year’s schedule will be highlighted by a combined event in Penticton, BC at the high profile South Okanagan Events Centre, teamed up with Future West Moto. I believe this is a great move on behalf of both organizations as the Penticton round will see new faces working together for the first time with a common goal. So what is the goal of Arenacross and what are some of the benefits to the future of our sport as well as those who are already making their mark?

Some of the answers may be plain and simple but I really believe we are seeing the complexity of such questions answered in our sport right now. The growth of Arenacross and having it flourish on Canadian soil is imperative if we are to see the momentum continue to build with our up and coming talent. On my side of the country in the West, I have seen top riders and amateurs alike continue to improve upon personal bests and make waves in Canadian Motocross. This has been a result of their commitment to continue to polish and improve upon their skill set in the intimate, close contact venue-type racing.

When the AX-Tour touched down on Canadian soil in 2015 for the first time, we saw many riders in parts of our country experience this luxury for the first time. Contradicting what the calendar warrants us doing in the off-season, the AX-Tour has given riders and their fans nationwide more gate drops throughout the calendar year. I believe the AX-Tour, with its

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coast to coast mission, is hitting a mark and filling a void that has been long overdue. With the forward focus of the AX-Tour being long term, the prospects of having Canadians make their presence known on a the grand stage of Supercross will only get better and better. Before a rider reaches this level, should it be his ultimate goal, there are many things that need to happen first.

First and foremost, the fun factor must remain a top step priority or the ultimate mission will have no chance to materialize. Many riders have reached a level of burnout whether it be mental, financial, or physical in this sport long before greatness was ever accomplished. If you are a little perplexed and wondering how could grinding out a couple more months of racing after an already lengthy season achieve this, let me explain. Arenacross provides racers, their families, supporters and fans a new and improved carnival-like vibe that really needs to be experienced to be appreciated. In its close confines, the racing action at these venues is as intense as it gets on two wheels and is accommodating for all involved. As a race fan, your seat is comfortable and the dirt you see on the race track will likely not end up on the floor matt of your vehicle upon arriving home.

These facilities are top shelf and everything is at your disposal. That, coupled with the fact that all of the action can be seen right in front of you! But don’t be fooled, things happen so quickly in Arenacross that you, like those on the track, must be at attention every second of the evening. Something else I had the benefit of experiencing last year with the AX-Tour was watching all of the foot soldiers that travelled with the series performing double duty. Double duty?

Well, let’s face it, it takes an army of track workers to walk into a hockey rink with ice on a Thursday and have the gate drop for a Motocross race some twenty-four hours later.

There is a lot that goes into one of these events before the gate drops and they come together quickly. When race fans file into their seats on race night, I am sure many of them spend more than a few minutes trying to visualize what it looked like the last time they were there. Whether it was a hockey game or a rock concert, they are now experiencing something that is much needed in the sport but very different to most. Some of the riders that helped this series out in the trenches last year like Tanner Ward, Taylor Ciampichini, Austin Watling, Steven Anderson and many others had the time of their lives doing so.

“ THERE IS RACING ACTION TO BE EXPERIENCED FOR ALL AGES, NOT TO MENTION THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAN GET AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR SPORT IN SOME OF THE MOST COMFORTABLE SPORTING CONDITIONS IMAGINABLE.”

They worked their tails off, on and off he track, and I really believe the experience helped them achieve what they did this year in Canadian Motocross. At this year’s Trans Can in Walton, I was amazed to see what I will call the biggest improvement I have ever seen in an amateur core of racers in any single season. Yes, this is a bold statement, but if you were there and watched how far some of these riders have come in a short period of time, you know exactly what I mean.

To me this is a great sign of what this type of racing and the fun festive atmosphere of it can do for the potential of the future of our sport. The AX-Tour, much like its counterpart in the West, is very forward thinking. There is racing action to be experienced for all ages and levels of riders, not to mention their friends and family can get an introduction to our sport in some of the most comfortable sporting conditions imaginable.

Many of our country’s great riders, who have made and are currently making their mark in Canadian Moto, believe that Arenacross played a big part in their success. I decided to give a few of them a call and ask them what they thought about the new AXTour and how they feel Arenacross helped them along their path to greatness. I also threw in the question as to what aspects of riding and skills Arenacross helped them with, and what helps the average rider.

1. KYLE BEATON

Kyle, on your road throughout your racing career, what types of things do you feel racing Arenacross benefited you and your skill set?

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unnoticed outdoors, for whatever reason, gets great exposure indoors. This racing is very unique and provides a great experience for riders and fans. I really look forward to it.

3. COLE THOMPSON

Sadly, the 2015 AX Tour Champion, Jacob Hayes, will not be back this year as he was injured prior to the start of the series.

Kyle Beaton: Arenacross was my first ever race so it is how I was introduced to Moto. I think over my career I had more success overall indoors than out.

I was always very involved and never afraid to push and try a section or jump that had not been done before. I ended up getting involved to help build the track for race weekends so that always helped me as well. I feel like Arenacross helped develop my skills like throttle control and corner speed very quickly in my career. Arenacross gave me a type of confidence that I don’t feel could have come from anywhere else.

The technical ‘go for it’ style of tight racing in Arenacross helped with outdoors lots. Outdoors is more just pin it and hang on whereas indoors your skill is required constantly.

What do you feel Arenacross racing offers one who is new to the sport or maybe just new to racing indoors?

Also, what do you feel they need to prepare for that might be different than what they are used to?

Kyle Beaton: First off, I am sure, like me, they will like the fact that they won’t get muddy or have to wash their bike from racing Arenacross. I feel Arenacross offers newcomers some of the most exciting type of action the sport can offer. Everyone racing Arenacross gets treated like a ‘big deal’ in the sense that all levels of riders race the same track in front of the big crowds. Riders do need to be prepared, though, as things happen at a much quicker pace indoors, and the jumps and obstacles are usually a lot steeper than outdoors. One of the things we like to teach at our schools is for riders to relax and breathe while riding. A rider coming into a tight venue with so much happening so quickly can easily forget to breathe. I also feel like riders need to work on steady throttle control indoors. Once the throttle control is down

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then you can start to work on shaving tenths of seconds off f lap times. Indoor racing can be very intense but that’s what makes it so much fun for riders and spectators. I feel like all riders can benefit somehow form racing Arenacross.

2. RYAN LOCKHART

Ryan, you are a veteran of the sport and Arenacross has always been something you have never shied away from. How do you feel this type of racing benefits our sport and the average racer? Also, tell us what kind of things you feel Arenacross helped you with throughout your career?

I think it is good for the sport in general as it keeps our young talent going from one season to the next with an option to continue racing. It seemed for the longest time that if you were not out West or in the part of the Quebec that had that series, this was not an option.

As far as what Arenacross racing helped me with over the years, there are a couple of things that come to mind. First off, maybe it’s because I am old school but I believe the best practice for racing is racing. I always liked being able to race around the calendar and also liked the chance to make some money. Arenacross racing nowadays gives riders a chance to make some pretty good money that is not always available. Arencross racing helps riders mould a different race strategy, technique, and riding style along with intensity, and it definitely helps to build mental toughness.

Overall, Arenacross is a great time and experience for riders and their families. The venues are comfortable and heated, and everyone is a part of the show. In Arenacross everyone who participates gets showcased in some way. A rider that may go

Cole, what does it mean to have your brother’s endeavour at home in Canada? Also, could you shed some light on how this kind of racing helped you develop into a National Champion and how it benefits other riders moving up?

Cole Thompson: I have been racing my brother’s series pretty much since he took over, and it was right around the time I turned pro. He had the idea some time ago to bring the series to Canada and he made it happen last year. The first season was great but I really feel like it is going to be even better this year.

His crew and everybody involved has that year under their belt and is a little more familiar with everything so it should be a good one. The racing is a lot of fun to be a part of from Amateur to Pro. Everyone just seems to be having fun at these events. I feel that in this type of racing, having to make passes quickly and aggressively in tight spaces on the tight tracks helps a lot. Once a rider gets comfortable with this type of racing it just seems to make it easier to race outdoors. I think Arenacross racing helped me with my confidence and overall riding abilities. It also helped me to become more confident and relaxed racing outdoors. Arenacross is a new experience for a lot of racers, and if you start when you are younger it is only going to give you more ability on a dirt bike.

Building confidence and improving abilities is the key to success in Moto and this type of racing helps improve those very quickly.

4. MATT GOERKE

Matt, I hear you are coming up to race the AX-Tour as well as the Amsoil Series this winter. Could you tell us what you are looking forward to and how you feel Arenacross racing has helped your overall racing program?

Matt Goerke: Yes, I am looking forward to racing the AX-Tour in Canada this Fall as well as the Amsoil Arenacross series, which I last raced in 2015. I am not really sure what to expect up in Canada as this will be my first go around with that series. In 2015 when I raced the series in the States, I was in the title hunt right down to the end until I broke my collarbone. It took a little getting used to the smaller bike and stuff ut I feel my previous experiences will help me in both series. As for the competition, I really do not know what to expect this year but know it will be good; it always is. For me the biggest difference is the intensity required early and the type of sprint speed needed. I feel this type of racing really helps you with that all around. Also, the other main difference is the ‘Aggression.’ Even though the motos are very short in duration there is really no room anywhere or a chance to back off t all. So yes, the main difference between outdoors and indoors for me would be the aggression required.

If you have never tried racing an Arenacross or even been out to spectate at one of the great venues in our country, all I can say is that you are missing out. Get after it friends, let’s go racing!

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WORKI N’ MAN: THE BOBBY KI NI RY STORY

BY MIKE MCGILL I

PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

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ON THE BIKE AT THE AGE OF FOUR AND SHOWING ENOUGH PROMISE AS A RACER, HE LANDED HIMSELF A COVETED TEAM GREEN RIDE BY THE TIME HE WAS THIRTEEN-YEARSOLD. TEAM GREEN WAS A BIG DEAL IN THOSE DAYS. 2016-10-26 3:47 PM

Below: During the 2015 season, a few tough injuries began to add up.

Right: Bobby K could almost always be found up front and leading the pack off the start.

Kiniry flies past the Calgary skyscrapers.

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hroughout the years of Canadian Professional Motocross, it certainly has not been unusual for American riders to venture up to the Great White North and try their hand at winning our National Championship. Way back in the mid-seventies, in fact, a veritable horde of American and European riders tried their luck at winning the highly competitive Canadian

series. In ‘75 and ’76, California Aces Mike Runyard and Jim Turner actually took home top honours in the series. As time wore on, many more have inserted themselves into the heart of Canadian Professional Motocross Racing. Names like Doug Dubach, Seam Hamblin and Paul Carpenter, to name a few, have won titles, and while this was obviously great for them and their sponsors, it is something that has not always sat well with the hometown fans who would obviously prefer to see the big #1 plate on a Canadian rider’s bike. One American rider, however, who, while he never won a National Championship, defini ely won the hearts of the Canadian fans was native New Yorker Bobby Kiniry.

Kiniry spent seven seasons contesting the CMRC Canadian Nationals from 2009 to 2015, fi st for the Canadian Monster Energy Kawasaki team and then the Rockstar OTSFF Yamaha Racing Team. His best overall result in the series came in 2013 when he finishe runner-up to Australian Brett Metcalfe in the MX1 Class. Kiniry’s hard charging, no nonsense style on the track and friendly demeanour

in the pits endeared him to the Canadian faithful, and he always had a large contingent of supporters at every round of the series right up until his sudden retirement at the end of the 2015 season.

It was a full throttle motocross life for Kiniry from a young age. On the bike at the age of four and showing enough promise as a racer, he landed himself a coveted Team Green ride by the time he was thirteenyears-old. Team Green was a big deal in those days. A ride with them meant that Bobby was fl wn to all of the major amateur races throughout the country. In fact, Kiniry landed on the podium at all of the major amateur races such as the Mini O’s, Ponca City and Mammoth Mountain during his mini bike career. Even though he made the trek to Loretta Lynn’s every August as well, he never managed to hit the top of the box at the prestigious event. “I could never string three good motos together there,” laments Kiniry as he recently made his daily drive home from work.

The fact that Kiniry’s graduating class was stacked with future motocross superstars speaks very highly of his accomplishments in the amateur

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at a race. They were not helpful at all.” Things actually got to the point where, once when Bobby had come to school limping or with a cast on for the umpteenth time, someone from his Middle School called Child Protective Services and had them sent to the Kiniry home to investigate.

“They thought I was being abused or something,” recalls Kiniry. “It was crazy and my parents got pretty upset. They supported me in my racing, though, and although my Dad was hard on me, he encouraged me to take a shot as a racer and go for it, which I did.”

Following his stellar amateur career, Kiniry made the jump to Pro Motocross in 2003. While he never landed that elusive “Factory Ride” in his homeland, he rode for a slew

ranks. “I was always going up against guys like Mike Alessi, James Stewart, Davi Millsaps and Ryan Sipes to name a few,” remembers Kiniry.

“Although the best battles I ever had were probably with Kyle Chisholm.

We always seemed to get together. It was a good thing we were such good friends,” he laughs. Chisholm and Kiniry also ended up as teammates on more than one occasion during their professional careers.

Kiniry even made his way up to Canada to race the Trans Can on his Team Green Kawasaki in 1998. “I won the 80 class that year,” remembers Bobby. “Gavin Gracyk was there, he was my biggest competition, but there was also a Canadian kid named Corey Snelgrove who was very good and gave me a run as well.”

Kiniry’s impressive amateur resume and list of championships did not come without some controversy, however. “I don’t think the kids at school really believed me when I told them what I was doing, they thought I was full of it,” recalls Kiniry. “And my teachers had no patience for it at all. It was always a battle to try to get my assignments from them for when I was going to be away from school

of different teams and booked many impressive results. Some of his career highlights in the US include 7th place overall in the Supercross Lites East in 2006, followed with a 9th overall in the Lites West in 2008.

His podium 3rd at the US Open Supercross Lites in 2006 was huge, and equally impressive was a 3rd at the AMA Supercross Lites West, San Diego round in 2008. Kiniry also scored a 10th place overall ranking in the World Supercross Championship in 2008. Along the way Bobby threw his leg over machines backed by teams such as Moto World Suzuki, Escondido Cycle Centre, Motosport Outlet, Team Solitaire, Butler Brothers MX, Star and TI-Lube Yamaha to name a few. Of course Kiniry didn’t confine his base of operations to just America as he was a regular participant in European Supercrosses throughout the early part of his pro career. “I was on the road racing forty-two weeks a year,” claims Kiniry. “No complaints though, I’ve had podiums in American Supercross and won outside of the country. I lived my dream and made a career out of it. You can’t ask for much more than that.”

In 2008, Kiniry, who admittedly was not a fan of living and training in California, spent the winter Supercross season at Billy Whitley’s

UNFORTUNATELY, INEVITABILITY IS A FACT OF LIFE AND ADVANCING AGE AND THE INJURIES BEGAN TO TAKE A TOLL ON KINIRY AS HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY APPROACHED. THOUGHTS OF RETIREMENT BEGAN TO CREEP INTO HIS MIND FOR THE FIRST TIME. ranch in Texas training with fellow New York racer Paul Carpenter.

Carpenter was fresh off winning the 2007 CMRC MX1 Championship for Whitley’s Kawasaki team, and although they were both planning on racing the US Nationals in ‘08, Whitley and Carpenter presented the idea to Kiniry of racing in Canada. “It sounded good to me,” remembers Kiniry, “so I decided the next season to give it a shot.”

For the 2009 season, the “Factory Ride” that Kiniry had always yearned for was final y his in the form of Billy Whitley’s Monster Energy Cernic’s Racing Kawasaki Team. A bonus for Kiniry in his fi st pro season in Canada was the fact that his good friend Paul Carpenter also re-joined the series as his teammate after a

full season in the US. “It all clicked right off the bat,” remembers Kiniry.

“It was a really laid back atmosphere up in Canada. The tracks were mostly good and the racing was great, as well as being a lot of fun.” Having Carpenter by his side proved to be extremely advantageous for Kiniry as the former Champ was willing to mentor his teammate when it came to the tracks and facilities that he was encountering for the fi st time.

“That helped a lot,” recalls Kiniry.

“We were a real team that year. It was a lot of fun.” Unfortunately, Carpenter missed out on another championship after being injured with a couple of rounds to go, and Colton Facciotti took top honours. Kiniry finished on the podium, a solid 3rd overall in MX1 in his rookie season in the series, a

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I can’t lay a hardwood floo . I don’t serve my country in the military. If someone wants to talk to me about my job, there’s no excuse for me not to talk about it.” This attitude endeared Kiniry to the Canadian fans who have adopted him as one of their own. “Yeah, it’s really a cool feeling,” states Kiniry. “At most races it seemed like my cheering section was just as big if not bigger than most of the Canadian guys.

The people in Canada were always really nice to me and I certainly appreciated it.” Andre Laurin, who was Kiniry’s boss at OTSFF Rockstar Suzuki and then Yamaha for six years, couldn’t agree more with the fans’ assessment of ‘Bobby K,’ as he refers to him. “He was an absolute pleasure,” states Laurin. “He was

Top: Bobby K gets hosed off after a difficult moto in Nanaimo, BC. Right: Kiniry’s ability to dissect what his bike was doing on the track was one of his most cherished strengths.

Below: During his first few seasons in Canada, Kiniry rode for the Cernics Kawasaki Team.

successful debut to be sure.

Following the ‘09 season, Billy Whitley lost the Canadian Kawasaki deal to Leading Edge and Kiniry was left looking for a ride. Luckily for him, Bobby was a hot property in the Canadian series and Andre Laurin, who ran the OTSFF Rockstar Suzuki Team at the time, was quick to make the free agent an offer. OTSFF became Kiniry’s home for the next six seasons, fi st on Suzukis and later on Yamahas. Although he never won a National Championship while racing in Canada, Kiniry was consistently at the top or near the top of the leaderboard. He won many overalls during his time here and finishe a best 2nd overall in the series to Australian Brett Metcalfe in 2013.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment Kiniry experienced in the CMRC series occurred in 2010 when he was riding a 40-point lead into the penultimate round in Sand del Lee but two DNFs at that race basically handed the Championship to Dusty

Klatt. Kiniry did win the final race of the season that year at Walton, however, in convincing fashion which took a little of the sting out of losing the championship.

One thing that remained consistent with Kiniry throughout his career was his phenomenal work ethic. “Well, it was my job and I treated it that way,” states Kiniry. “Lots of studying, lots of training; it was 9-5 for me. Actually, probably a lot more than 9-5. I rode the bike more during the week than most people did but that’s what I felt I needed to do. I was lucky I guess. I was a workaholic but I loved my job.”

Kiniry’s love for his job was evident not only in his results but in his interaction with the fans as well. I asked him if he always made a conscious decision to be so gracious with the fans or if it just came naturally to him. “Both I guess,” was his answer. “Listen, all I did was race dirt bikes. I was just lucky that I did something that people enjoyed watching, but hey,

awesome, never complained, nothing ever phased him, always positive and always grateful. Just a great guy to be around.”

Another key to Kiniry’s success throughout his career, or maybe it was a curse, was his uncanny ability to ride through injury. Most professional motocross racers have a long list of injuries but Kiniry’s may be the longest I’ve ever seen. “I stopped counting the broken bones when I reached sixty,” states Kiniry.

“And that was years ago. It could be over a hundred by now.” “He was an absolute gladiator,” states OTSFF Head Honcho Andre Laurin. ”I’ve had some premium athletes on this team over the years and they are all extremely tough guys but Bobby K was on another level in that department, that’s for sure.” It’s true things that would have kept most racers on the injured list and at home on the couch rarely stopped Kiniry.

“If I could ride and possibly get some points, then I would be out there.

It’s 30 minutes. You can put up with pretty much anything for 30 minutes.”

Once again Kiniry makes an analogy to military service when explaining this. “It’s not like I’m in the army fighting for my country or anything.

Think about what those guys do.

It makes what we do not seem as rough.” Kiniry has a fascination with the military, which is quite evident

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when speaking with him. “I’ve just always been really interested in it, ever since I was a little kid,” he states. Perhaps this explains his no nonsense, take no prisoners attitude when it came to racing.

Unfortunately, inevitability is a fact of life and advancing age and the injuries began to take a toll on Kiniry as his 30th birthday approached.

Thoughts of retirement began to creep into his mind for the fi st time. “Thirty seems to be the magic number in motocross,” says Kiniry.

I talked to a few friends like Paul Carpenter and Billy Whitley and they all said the same thing. Once you turn 30 your reaction times start to slow down. You can still go as fast, you just can’t correct as fast which obviously can be a recipe for disaster.” The crashes were coming a little more often than they used to and 2015 was a rough year on the Canadian National circuit for Kiniry. He battled a nagging ankle injury throughout the entire season and because of that his results were mediocre. Things were looking up, however, as fall and the all new Canadian Arenacross Series approached. Kiniry, a veteran of the American Arenacross Series, was feeling much better on the bike. In fact, he won the opening round in London and was feeling confident as the series moved down the road the following weekend to Sarnia, Ontario.

So confident in fact that he was regularly doing a tricky triple jump section that only a couple of other guys were even attempting. That’s when Kiniry suffered the worst crash and subsequent injuries of his career.

A massive endo resulted in a myriad of injuries including a broken femur, dislocated hip, broken collarbone, broken ribs and a concussion. “The worst wreck I ever had,” says Kiniry.

“At fi st I thought I was paralyzed. My next thoughts were, that was it. I was done with racing.” Kiniry had planned to race one more year but the crash in Sarnia effectively ended his career.

He seems to be pretty much okay with that now. “It’s been an awesome thirteen-year career for me,” states Kiniry. “I got to travel the world and live out my childhood dream. Not

During his time in Canada, Kiniry made many trips to the podium.

too many get to say they did that and I’ve made a pretty good living along the way. I’m very appreciative of everything I have from racing motocross.” Kiniry is of course still a young man, young enough that he could probably make a comeback if he wanted to. “No way,” says Kiniry.

“Not gonna happen. It’s funny, a bunch of my friends have asked me to go out riding lately just for fun but that’s not for me. Racing. Trying to lower my lap times and going faster and faster was what I enjoyed about the sport. Going out and doing jumps isn’t what I find to be fun. That would just lead to trouble for me now.” Just to make sure Kiniry stays true to his word he got rid of every shred of motocross equipment that he owned so there would be no way he might be tempted. “I didn’t even watch Supercross or the Nationals on TV this year,” he states. “It would just be frustrating for me.”

So what does he do for fun these days? “Well, believe it or not I’ve

gotten pretty good at Bass Fishing.” says Kiniry. “I’ve actually been at it for quite a while now and within the next two years the plan is to turn pro. It’s my competitive outlet these days,” he says. “And the money is pretty darn good as well, ten grand for 50th place in the Elite Series.

A little better than moto and the events are pretty intense.” Looks like OTSFF might be getting into the Pro Bass Fishing scene in the near future. While he didn’t commit to anything, Laurin does admit that the hunting and fishing world is a natural offshoot for his OTSFF transportation business and something he would be open to investigating.

In the meantime, Kiniry currently spends his days working heavy construction with a crew building highway bridges. Considering the fact that he is probably facing a double hip replacement in the very near future, he should probably just kick back and relax for a couple years, but as anyone who knows him will

tell you, that’s not Kiniry’s style.

“Working and family,” says Kiniry.

Bobby is married with children; two girls - a three-and-a-half-year-old and a fif een month old. “I don’t think they will be interested in motocross, they’re pretty girlie girls,” chuckles Kiniry. Of course Bobby mentions his Canadian moto people as family as well, specifi ally those within his OTSFF Rockstar Yamaha group such as Laurin, Iain Hayden, Shawn Maffenbier and Stu Robinson. “It sure was a lot of fun,” reiterates Kiniry.

“I was able to make a career out of something I loved. It’s just been great. Thanks to everyone.”

And now for Bobby K, it’s time to get back to work.

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BY KOURTNEY LLOYD

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PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

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TEAM CANADA GOES TO ITALY

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The entire team was very relaxed on race day.

Thankfully, Dina and Andre from OTSFF had everything planned and organized so well for us that it was easy. Summer and I decided we should go get the groceries and water for when the riders and mechanics arrived the next day. We jumped into the nine passenger van we rented and realized it was a standard. She looked at me and said “Can you drive a standard?” to which I replied “NOPE, but here we go.”

This story is long and embarrassing

TEAM CANADA GOES TO ITALY THE BOYS TOOK TO THE TRACK AND LOOKED INCREDIBLE, ALL THREE OF THEM.

Y

our flight has been cancelled, Ms. Lloyd” is what I heard on the phone two days before I was supposed to be leaving for the biggest race in the world in which I was to lead Team Canada.

I was panicked, how could this be happening now? I jumped on the computer; if I left fi st thing in the morning and rerouted through Frankfurt I could still get to Milan on time to meet Stu and get the vans and cargo (by cargo I mean all of the bikes) and all would be okay. So I packed my stuff, switched my flight cancelled my hair appointment and was off at 6am the next day.

The next morning, Stu was scheduled to arrive, and Sascha, our German angel, was driving the van from Meyer Racing down to meet us in Italy. Summer Knowles was also scheduled to arrive later that day so we final y had the four key organizers together. We arrived at the house and it was basically like living inside of a postcard or a painting; it was magnifi ent. We spent that evening going over the plans for the week, making sure every detail was covered and everyone knew their jobs that needed to be done.

Sascha and Stu left the next day to go to Milan to pick up the cargo, which was going to take two trips.

so I won’t write the whole thing out but needless to say we made a few friends, hit a tree, blocked traffic, got swore at, finge ed and laughed at all for the sake of the team.

The team arrived and we were so excited to have everyone there.

Max, our amazing chef at the house, made us a spread like no other.

We had three courses served to us every night by our amazing caretaker Malvena and Max the chef, who also came every morning at 7 to make us breakfast. The big hit was the pie we got every morning, which is a tradition I think we could take home with us. Max also made us food for test days and sent us with coolers full of sandwiches, fruit, veggies and snacks.

The fi st day of testing was Tuesday so we all headed out to Malpensa MX Park, which is the most similar to Maggiora in the area.

When we arrived there it was just us and Team France booked in for test day (how lucky is that, the current champions and us?). The boys took to the track and looked incredible, all three of them. At one point, Shawn Maffenbeier was practicing starts with Gauthier Paulin, which was a very cool moment for all of us. We had a few guys come up to our pit and say “WOW, Team Canada is back!

Very impressive, the lap times are not

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that far off France.” We were stoked!

We went back to the house that night so happy and feeling confident that we were going to be okay.

Wednesday was a down day, we planned to ride Thursday again so this day would be for resting... another day of rest... or the most competitive soccer match in MXoN history. We had our own soccer fiel at the house, so while myself, Sascha and Stu headed to the track to sort out our parking space, the team had a full-on soccer tournament; it was a take no prisoners and wage war kind of game. I saw bruises and cuts when I got home, three bee stings and a few tears (mostly from Summer), but they had a blast.

We also decided to take a leisurely walk into town with Tyler… I have learned anything Tyler Medaglia does is not leisurely. We scaled rock walls, went through water, jumped fences, crawled through glass, it was basically American Ninja Warrior, Medaglia-style. I had cuts all up my leg and bled from my thigh to my ankle. So much for wearing shorts from here on out.

Thursday morning we headed back out to Malpensa to test and ride, because the boys were going to do motos, I had to go to the Welcome Offi e and collect the passes, so Stu and Sachsa took the boys. We were the fi st in line, holeshotted that one, so once it opened at 10am, we got our package and wristbands and headed to the track. When we pulled in, the fi st thing I saw was Roger Decoster sitting there drinking coffee; how is this even real life right now?? Then we noticed no one was riding. Uh oh, turns out the track was too wet from the rain all night so they were just waiting for it to dry. About an hour or so later, two go getters jumped on their bikes and went out.

It didn’t look too bad so after USA did a few laps the boys decided to head out. Mark Stallybrass and Paul Kingsley came by, they even missed out on a garden tour their wives had planned for them (I’m sure not on purpose…ha). Tyler, Kaven and Shawn looked great out there and we

Top: During the week, the team got some valuable testing in as they prepared themselves for the race.

Left: In order to get themselves ready to battle the world’s best riders, Team Canada engaged in a fierce game of soccer.

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TEAM CANADA GOES TO ITALY

At that time, Max the chef was trying to get in but he wasn’t having much luck with his van so I ran to the Youthstream offi e to see Nikki, who by the way is the most organized and unappreciated person in motocross history, and she gave me a delivery pass, so I ran back to the road to fin Max and get him in with the food.

I ran up to the tower just in time to see the qualifie s. I saw Kaven go down, then in the same corner Maff, next Moto I found Tyler on the track and he just didn’t look like himself.

Something was wrong, you could see how he was riding that something was not right with T-Dags. After the moto I went to the pit and found him with a lip so swollen that he was unrecognizable. Off the start he got a rock in the mouth and thought he lost

Right: All three Canadian riders got along and were very supportive of each other.

Centre: No, this is not George Clooney’s house in Lake Como, this is the villa where Team Canada stayed during their week in Italy.

Bottom: For Team Canada in 2016, Ms. Lloyd definitely crossed all of her Ts and dotted all of her Is.

had Stu dialing in the suspensions for all three. It was another great day of practice. Kibby, Mathieu, Josh, Sascha and Stu had everything dialed in perfectly and we were ready for what the weekend would bring. We had a huge work area at the house and we hooked up the pressure washers. While we were all relaxing by the pool, the mechanics were once again working. These guys, I tell ya, they are the true heroes of the sport.

Friday - The KMP Honda Repsol Team of Germany had our rig at the track and ready to go for the weekend. Alex and Heiko were so accommodating and made sure it felt like our home. We were official y ready to go racing!

Friday night was the Team Presentation. We got into the back of a Toyota pickup with the Monster Girls, our country’s sign and they drove Kaven, Tyler, Shawn and myself in front of the whole crowd; it was crazy! There were people with chainsaws, airhorns; every noise

maker available, and they all cheered for us! People were so happy that Canada was back. That was probably the proudest moment in my life.

Saturday was one of those mornings when you wake up and think “Oh my gosh, we are here, all of our work and planning comes down to this day.” We met again at our family dinner table for breakfast and everything was relaxed and fun, no one seemed anxious or stressed, even though I had spent three hours gagging because I had anxiety so bad upstairs (haha). We all left for the track in our Team Canada gear and from the moment we got there we knew this was going to be something special. The boys got ready and I headed to the managers meeting where they would also draw for our gate picks: When he pulled Canada out and then the 14, I thought, not bad, not bad at all. I rushed back to the rig to tell everyone the good news, 14th out of 38, we were in good shape.

a tooth and his eyes were watering so bad he couldn’t even see. It was a miracle he could finish the moto.

Summer was on a mission to fin ice, which sounds easy but it wasn’t, and I was on a mission to find more bananas. I ran up to the tower in time for the last race and spent more time adding points and calculating than I did watching. By my calculations, after the last lap we hadn’t made it. I was devastated. I did the math in my head, and it didn’t add up, we weren’t going to the A Final. As I pouted on my way back to the pit, I stopped in at the media center just to see if my math was wrong...AND IT WAS!!

We had made it. I started crying and cheering all by myself and ran to the pit and announced the good news.

WE WERE IN GUYS!!! The whole team was cheering and hugging and high fiving; what an amazing moment! We went back to the house and Max had made us a dinner fit for a winning team!! JSR came for dinner as well and had said that he was proud of the program and of me, which feels pretty good coming from a Champion like him. Thank you JSR for the confiden e boost!

Saturday was an early morning for me. I woke up my roomie, Summer, again with my anxious breathing and gagging, I grabbed my Zantac and we headed downstairs. Everyone was sitting, eating, and talking about

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Top: On the eve of the biggest race of their season, Team Canada was relaxed and ready to race.

Right: The rented sprinter vans wait to take the team to their mid-week testing session.

Left: Adam Robinson keeps a watchful eye over the team as they prepare for battle.

Bottom: It’s safe to say that Team Canada had everything they needed in Italy.

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TEAM CANADA GOES TO ITALY Top: Like a scene out of Ocean’s 12, Team Canada relaxes after a swim in their private pool.

Below: With all the preparations over, Kourtney Lloyd was all smiles as her team took to the race track.

YouTube videos, and everything was fun and calm. We drove to the track and got settled in for another day. You only get passes again if you qualify so I went ahead early and got the passes from Nikki and waited out on the road like a scalper for the team to arrive. They all headed in and I went to find brake cleaner and wash as we were almost out. I scoured the pits until I saw a Motorex logo on a bike and Shawn Simpson’s team was it. They gave me what I needed and I ran back to the pit. Everyone was ready to go. We listened to some music, even danced, took some team photos and then headed up to the Pit Lane to ensure our spot. We ran out of flat water; sparkling water is a big thing here so I went to go find some.

I found it, put it in the truck and ran back to the pit lane suite. When I had just got to the box I saw Kaven come flying over the jump in 2nd and I thought, “Wow, he’s sure sending it on the hot lap,” then I looked at the board and “HOLY CRAP, HE’S IN 2ND!!” I had missed the sight lap and the start on my water journey but that moment was something special!

I don’t think any team was cheering louder than us, actually I know they weren’t. Shawn was in a pretty good position and he was making up good time. He gained a few positions and was making very smart moves, keeping in mind he had to ride back to back motos. Summer went to meet Max to let him in so I could focus on paperwork and scoring while running back and forth to the media center to grab time sheets and lap scores.

During Tyler’s second moto, which was also back to back, he was in a good position until he had to come in because his chain came off. Kibby

rushed and got it fi ed and Tyler went back out, gaining HUGE ground, then again it slipped off and Tyler came in.

I rushed down to the mechanics area and it was decided that it just wasn’t safe and he would need to pull off. He wanted to stay out, no doubt about that, but to leave healthy is a win in itself. Shawn and Josh and everyone came up to cheer on Kaven in the last moto; the whole team was cheering for one another. Once the moto was over, again thanks to my brilliant math skills, I had us in 16th overall, then again stopped in the media offi e and saw the results: CANADA Position 10 WHAT!!!! OMG, I ran so fast, crying and smiling, and came into the pit and said “WE FINISHED 10th!” I don’t think anyone else thought we hit top 10 either because everyone started hugging and high fiving. We were so happy with what we accomplished here, not only results-wise but as a team how we came together. I will never forget this experience, ever!

Kaven, Tyler, Shawn, Mathieu, Kibby, Josh, Stu, Sascha, and Summer, you guys are the greatest team I could have ever asked for and I am so grateful for this experience with you.

WE WERE SO HAPPY WITH WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED HERE, NOT ONLY RESULTS-WISE BUT AS A TEAM HOW WE CAME TOGETHER. I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS EXPERIENCE, EVER!

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Passing The Class of 2016

BY MXP STAFF | PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

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MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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g Grades WITH SCHOOL STARTING RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, OUR FOCUS TURNS FROM RESULTS ON THE RACE TRACK TO THE TYPE OF GRADES WE GET IN SCHOOL. JUST AS WE DID LAST YEAR, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COOL IN THIS ISSUE TO COMBINE SCHOOL AND MOTOCROSS TO GRADE THE TOP TEN RIDERS FROM THIS SUMMER’S ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MX NATIONALS. IN 2016, WE WITNESSED PERFORMANCES IN BOTH THE MX2 AND MX1 CLASSES THAT WOULD MAKE EVEN THE MOST INTELLIGENT SCHOLAR PROUD. FROM DAVI MILLSAPS’ RAW SPEED TO COLE THOMPSON’S SMOOTH DISMANTLING OF THE MX2 CLASS, THERE ARE A FEW RIDERS WHO DESERVE TO BE ON THIS YEAR’S HONOUR ROLL. THANKS TO ANDY WHITE, BRIAN KOSTER AND OUR EDITOR CHRIS POMEROY, WE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE CLASS OF 2016.

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MX1 Class of 2016

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#1 Davi Millsaps

#2 Matt Goerke

ight from the first time Davi Millsaps landed on Canadian soil this past summer, he was our resident motocross genius.

Racing his trusty factory KTM 450 that was imported from the USA, Millsaps was a very quick learner who took control of the MX1 class early. On the rough Kamloops track he was fast, on the hard packed and slippery Nanaimo track he was fast, and much to the dismay of his fellow MX1 students, that trend continued for the remainder of the series. Coming into the 2016 series, everyone knew that Millsaps would be very good, after all he did win multiple supercross main events during the past three seasons. However, few thought that Millsaps would be as good as he was at the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals.

Throughout the series Millsaps proved that he was capable of riding in all conditions, and even when a mid-series practice crash slowed him down, he was still able to score maximum points. After ten rounds and twenty tough motos, Millsaps won the 2016 MX1 title, his first professional outdoor title. It was definitely an unbelievable season for Millsaps and his entire KTM Thor Racing Team. Will he back in 2017? We doubt it, but at the same time we sure hope so as he made every student in the class that much better.

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att Goerke is a Champion, plain and simple, and he has two MX1 titles in Canada to prove it. For the highly competitive Floridian coming in second holds little value compared to winning. Of course coming in second this past year to Davi Millsaps definitely was a feat to covet considering the speed and talent of the rest of the field. Back on the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha, Matt rode well this past season and at a lot of times his finishes on paper did little to indicate his true speed on track. 2016 was not overly kind to “The Goerkman.” Even though he won the opening moto of the season, it was not until Round 5 at Gopher Dunes that he won another moto as well as the overall, going 1-3. Ironically, he went on to win the first moto the following weekend at Ulverton and the overall as well with the same 1-3 scores. Matt had a fight on his hands from there and was challenged heavily by his competitors and most notably by his teammate Brett Metcalfe. In the second half of the series, Metty was kickin’ it into overdrive as he became more and more familiar with his new Yamaha ride, and the pair were dicing hard enough to make any team manager uneasy during the motos. At the tenth and final round, “Goerkesauce” had it all go his way with a solid 1-1 day, cruising in relatively unchallenged for the clean sweep. Millsaps, who was on cruise control all day, didn’t even ride the second moto after clinching the Championship in Moto 1. Davi was rolling around that first moto for an easy (to him) sixth when he landed hard off he triple and tweaked his wrist on the second to last lap, so he opted to sit out the final moto. Furthermore, Metcalfe got hurt at Round 9 and Facciotti had been out since Round 7 after his horrific incident on the first lap at Pleasant Valley. Plus, Alessi was riding with broken ribs so it was a bit of a runaway for Matt, who by the way also qualified fastest that day. When you look back on his season, it’s easy to see that he deserved that final double moto win. Matt had a lot of things not go his way throughout the year, but he never gave up and that’s what deems a Champion.

He had several first turn incidents, which left him way back and fighting for every inch of real estate and every single position. He rode like a man possessed on many occasions, and like I mentioned earlier, some of those results don’t even come close to doing his performance justice.

For all his commitment, heart and for never quitting even with the odds stacked against him, I give Matt Goerke a solid A.

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A #4 Brett Metcalfe don’t need to tell you how impressive Brett Metcalfe is on a dirt bike, but this year was an off year for the veteran. I think he came into the series in shape but he was not feeling comfortable on his OTSFF Yamaha.

I feel Brett’s problem was that he had just returned from Australia, competing down under on a Husqvarna 450, a brand of bike that is nothing like a Yamaha. I’m not saying the Yamaha was bad, what I am saying is it took Brett far too long to get comfortable on the Yamaha YZ450. Round 1, finishing sixth overall and off he pace was not a good start to the series. To win this class you need to be ready weeks before the opening round. If the series had started at the end of June I’m sure the results would have been different.

Brett finally started getting the YZ dialled in to win motos. By Round 6, the real Brett Metcalfe was in town and ready to podium.

Unfortunately at Round 9 in Deschambault, Brett hit a kicker and flipped the bike over and drove himself into the ground pretty hard. That was it for the Australian. I feel he had third wrapped up in the series if that crash hadn’t have happened. That gave Brett a fourth overall for the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. The only advice I would have for Brett would be to please make sure you have at least a month of seat time before you come back up.

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#3 Kaven Benoit oming into the 2016 season, very few people gave rookie MX1 rider Kaven Benoit any chance of finishing third overall. Many felt that although he was a two-time MX2 champion, racing against the big boys for the first time might be too overwhelming. Well, as we look back at the summer of 2016, we think it’s safe to say that Kaven Benoit had other ideas. Doing what champions do, Benoit took the off-season to prepare the best he could. He trained hard, he tested his 2016 KTM 450SX-F relentlessly, and he got himself focused and in the perfect frame of mind to battle for ten rounds of the nationals. Furthermore, when his team signed Davi Millsaps to race as

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B+

#6 Tyler Medaglia his rider does not need any introduction, because he is probably one of the toughest riders in the series today. Tyler Medaglia has been competing for a long time and has lots of great results. He is a twotime MX2 Champion and is a solid MX1 rider.

The 2016 series started off a ittle rough for the Halifax resident, as Tyler chose to try racing the 350 Husqvarna in the MX1 series.

Most critics thought it would be the wrong year to try competing against heavyweight 450 riders like Millsaps, Facciotti, Metcalfe and Goerke, to name just a few. I think Tyler and his team figured it out in the west that maybe it would be best to trade in the 350 for a full size 450. Well, that was exactly what he needed. In the second half we saw a new Tyler Medaglia, who was very impressive in Truro and at RJ’s, finishing on the podium in both. What a great way to finish the season off ith some great results. This moved Tyler up the standings to sixth overall. I sure hope Tyler comes to Round 1 with that 450 he used at RJ’s in 2016!

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# 5 Mike Alessi onster Energy Alpinestar Kawasaki rider Mike Alessi came into 2016 with a lot of promise.

Not only was he coming off ne of his best supercross performances in the early part of the year, but we also remember back to 2014 when Alessi finished second overall to Colton Facciotti in the MX1 class. However, for whatever reason, right from the beginning of the 2016 MX1 series, something wasn’t right with the #800. Whether it was the switch from Honda to Kawasaki for the Canadian outdoor series or a slight case of burnout from his busy supercross season, Alessi had trouble finding the speed needed to reach the podium. However, on a real positive note, we witnessed a different type of Mike Alessi than ever before. Even though his results weren’t exactly what he was looking for, throughout the entire series Alessi was relaxed and extremely happy to be back racing in Canada. From Kamloops to the final round in Barrie, Alessi gave it everything he had, and because of this effort, he was a fan favourite from coast to coast.

We’re hoping that Alessi will be back for at least one more season in Canada.

After a little more time off uring the off-season, he should be refreshed and ready to battle in 2017.

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his teammate, Benoit used this late signing as motivation to get himself even more prepared.

All season long Benoit gained experience and speed so that when the time was right, he would be able to go for his first career MX1 victory.

That time came at Round 9 in Deschambault in front of his enthusiastic home province fans.

After an entertaining battle with Millsaps in Moto 1, in which he would finish second, Benoit came storming back in Moto 2 and led wire to wire to take his first MX1 moto win, as well as the overall for the day. It was an incredible result for Benoit, and it was one that vaulted him into third overall for the series. With another eye opening ride in September at the 2016 MXON, Benoit is certainly in the driver’s seat as we look toward next season.

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MX1 Class of 2016

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B

#7 Cade Clason

ith 2016 being Cade Clason’s second full year in Canada, he came into the season with the advantage of knowing the tracks and being more familiar with his surroundings. Cade was also fresh off a reakout year in Supercross having qualified for main events quite consistently, which in itself is a huge accomplishment. The likable Clason also seemed to be in amazing shape and looked physically stronger. He had a modest air of confidence about him that we did not see or recognize the previous season. Back on board with Redemption Racing KTM, Cade proved his worth with a seriously consistent season. He placed in the top ten in every moto he entered except the last round at RJ’s in Barrie, Ontario where he went 4-11 for 6th overall. He was top ten overall every weekend and his best combined moto scores earned him a 4th at Deschambeault, Quebec and a 5th at Round 2 in Nanaimo. He backed those up with a pair of 6th and 7th overalls as well so you can see his pattern of consistency. At times it was not until the very late stages of the motos that some of the more established factory MX1 boys were able to make the pass on the smooth and wide riding Clason. The Ohio native earned a lot of respect from his fellow pro riders in 2016, and with a positive upbeat demeanor, he is a rider who is always one to offer up a good conversation and insight into his program. Watch for him this winter in Supercross.

If you ever get a chance to see him at the track, be sure to get an autograph, a photo and offer some encouraging words.

For being an all-around solid performer in MX1 and considering the deep talent pool he was up against, I give Clade Clason a solid A- for his 2016 season.

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#9 Morgan Burger merican rider Morgan Burger returned to Canada in 2016 looking to once again finish inside the top ten.

Not a threat to win motos, Burger is a professional and steady rider who represents everything that is good about our sport. Simply put, Burger loves to ride motorcycles and it shows each and every summer that he has travelled north to race our pro nationals. With his best finish being an eighth and his worst a 12th, Burger had a very consistent summer aboard his Yamaha and that is why we gave him a very solid B grade for 2016. This sport needs more riders like Morgan Burger, so hopefully he will be back in 2017 and beyond. Burger is also a great guy off he track who always has a lot of time for media and fans alike.

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#8 Keylan Meston

eylan Meston, from Calgary, Alberta, was a great edition to the top ten. Did any of us think Keylan would be a top ten guy in 2016? Not many. This young man put in time down south training with Goerke, Wright and his best friend Maffenbeier. Not too far out of the top ten last year, Keylan knew if he put in the effort it would pay off. Keylan came into the series ready and prepared. He had spare practice bikes, a good mechanic and a great family to support him from round to round. Riding super consistent every moto paid off, scoring an eighth overall for the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals on his Cycle Works/Yamaha/FXR team. The only areas I can see Keylan improving would be his starts and to work on hanging it out a little more, even though some of the jumps in the series are pretty intimidating. I look forward to seeing an even faster Meston in 2017.

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#10 Colton Facciotti

B-

eading into the 2016 MX1 series, most people predicted that Honda Canada GDR Fox rider Colton Facciotti would carry the Canadian flag as he battled his American (and Australian) competitors. When Colton came from behind to almost pass Davi Millsaps for the second moto win in Kamloops, his chances looked very promising. After two rounds, Colton and his team actually held the MX1 points lead and the red plate that went with it. Everything under the Honda tent appeared to be going as planned. But, as his competitors began to get more comfortable, Colton found himself struggling to get good starts and his customary podium finishes.

Whether it was a small injury, a bike issue, or just simply Colton not wanting to ride at the pace that Millsaps, Goerke and Metcalfe were setting, his results weren’t close to what we’re accustomed to seeing from the 4-time MX1 Champion. In the past we’ve seen Colton start a series slow, then build momentum and confidence until he’s either leading the points or close to it. Unfortunately, in 2016 it was the opposite, as he started strong and then was unable to maintain it. To make matters worse, a hard crash at Round 7 in Pleasant Valley left Colton with a shoulder injury and an early exit from the series. With more fast Americans set to come to Canada in 2017, Colton will have his work cut out for him if he wants his record-tying fifth MX1 championship. However, we’re talking about Colton Facciotti, a rider with a massive amount of talent and resiliency. Colton will now go back to the drawing board and return in 2017 more prepared and possibly 2016-10-26 better than 1:53 PM

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MX2 Class of 2016 #1 Cole Thompson ith the type of summer that Cole Thompson had in 2016 it’s impossible not to give him a big A+. Right from the opening round of the series, Cole was the rider to beat in the MX2 class. From the hard packed tracks in the west to the sandy and loamy tracks of the east, Cole and his factory KTM were a dominant pair. Coming into 2016, Cole and his team had definitely done their homework. His starts were solid all summer, his fitness was top notch, and as we witnessed at Gopher Dunes, he was able to charge to the front after a first turn crash. Cole Thompson was without a doubt at the top of his class in 2016, and that is why he is now CMRC’s MX2 Champion. As we look towards next year, it’s hard to predict where or what Cole will be riding. When you have the type of season that he had in 2016, he’s certainly in the driver’s seat when it’s comes to signing a contract. Our prediction is that Cole will race supercross this winter and then return to Canada to defend his MX2 championship on a KTM.

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#2 Shawn Maffenbeier hawn Maffenbeier, or “Little Muff” if you will, is one heck of a strong individual.

He broke onto the scene in the MX1 class and is surely championship material, especially in the MX2 class. Shawn has many strengths and few weaknesses, but in this game, to become a champion, the weakness must nearly vanish…or become invisible. A hard trainer and a very likable “kid” from the Prairies of Saskatchewan, Shawn has endeared himself to the throngs of Canadian moto fans. For 2016, Shawn found himself on not only a new team but on a new brand of motorcycle, Redemption Racing and KTM respectively. After several years on Yamaha, “The Muffster” seemed to adapt well to not only his new surroundings in the pits but to the orange bike as well. In my humble opinion, Shawn’s strengths are obviously his fitness, his physical power for his size and his unwavering determination. From there it is his cornering speed and the style in which he can toss his bike into a rutted berms. At times, to me, he defies gravity!

I think his overall strength helps a lot in this regard as well as his desire to go faster and to win. On the downside, he has sometimes had very ill-timed, low slide-style crashes while leading or passing his way up towards a victory that have cost him big time in not only points but in cold hard cash as well. This is a culmination of him wanting it so bad that he pushes just over the allotted traction, or perhaps it’s something mental that he will need to work out if he is ever to win a Championship that I believe he is so worthy. Again, his strengths far outweigh his weaknesses, and though his team does awesome within their budget, I believe he deserves another shot on a full-fledged competitive factory ride to really show his true potential. I know speaking with Shawn he was just dying to try Cole Thompson’s factory KTM just to see what the differences were between the two bikes. Maffenbeier finished 2nd overall to Cole in the Championship and gave the dominant Thompson some good runs for his money throughout the year. Starting out the season with 2-2 scores for 1st overall, then following that up with 2-2 scores and a pair of 2nd overalls at the next two rounds was impressive. But it was his home province race where little Muff roke out. He won, or should I say dominated, the first moto in style but was docked ten positions for jumping on the Red Cross flag. Under some controversy, he was guilty as charged but the infraction did little to improve his track position out front, then while leading the second moto, his bike let go resulting in a DNF and zero points. From there Shawn podiumed at least one moto per weekend except RJ’s in Barrie where he went 4-5 for 5th overall.

Finishing the series 2nd to the uber-talented Cole Thompson is a testament to his ability and his will. For his efforts, we will give Shawn a solid A rating for 2016.

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A

#4 Brad Nauditt

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#3 Dylan Wright

an, what a season it was for MX101 Yamaha rider Dylan Wright. Not only did he win his first MX2 pro moto and overall of his young career, but he also solidified himself as a true championship contender. With this past season being Dylan’s third as a pro rider, there was some newfound pressure on the Ottawa area speedster to perform. However, after a very productive off-season in California, Dylan came into the 2016 series more prepared than ever before. With a moto win in Kamloops to kick off he summer, Dylan’s confidence appeared to soar, and by the time the series moved east, he knew he could win whenever he lined up. The only reason that we gave Dylan an A instead of an A+ was that Cole Thompson was just a little better. Heading into 2017, Dylan Wright will have a new type of pressure on him, the pressure of expectation. He is now a championship favourite, and with that title comes a new set of challenges. But, Dylan will also be a year older, and more than likely, a much improved student.

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MX2

Class of 2016

B #6 Mark Worth

ue to an opening round injury to Monster Energy Alpinestar Kawasaki rider Jacob Hayes, the Kawasaki team enlisted the services of Arizona rider Mark Worth to compete for them for the remaining nine rounds. Worth was definitely fast and confident early on in the series, and throughout the western rounds it looked as though he may win a moto or two. However, as the series moved east to the softer tracks, Worth began to struggle. After a couple of crashes and the increased speed of a few of his competitors, Worth found himself battling to stay inside the top five. When the MX2 series concluded in Barrie, Ontario, Worth ended up in sixth overall.

Considering that this was his first time racing in Canada, Mark Worth had a pretty decent summer and we’re sure that he learned a lot along the way. Will he be back in 2017? We hope so as he was a great guy off the track, and there is no doubt that he will be better after his experiences this past summer.

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rad is a rider from Washington State that has been a series regular for many seasons. Brad has had several strong years up here in Canada, and is quite familiar with the tracks and the way things are done at the Rockstar Nationals. The “Flying Burrito” is known for his great starts and is also a very accomplished Arenacross rider who came off a olid indoor performance heading into the outdoor series. The thing about Brad is he is a very good hard pack rider but struggles a bit in the softer terrain of Kamloops and the softer eastern tracks. For 2016, I would say he looked to be in the best physical racing shape of his career. Though he had somewhat of a lousy second moto at Round 1 in Kamloops, he did manage a fifth in the first moto and started the season reasonably well with a 14th overall. From there Nauditt was in the top ten at every round. He rode really well in Nanaimo for 3rd overall, which really showed his mettle. Brad’s highlight was at Round 4 in Regina where he went 1-5 for second on the day.

Of course that was with Maffenbeier’s ten position penalty for jumping on the Red Cross in the first moto but for Brad it was a well-earned 2nd step on the box and a good payday. Another highlight for “The Burrito” was getting the call to ride the injured Jeremey Madaglia’s Factory GDR CR250F. His results on the factory team didn’t amaze but as usual Brad was consistent and always upbeat about his racing. Nauditt is also known for his clean riding, and as far as I know is a rather well-liked rider in the pits, but is always a threat for a holeshot and a good result. Brad had a good year, but with so many fast guys in his class it was hard for him to be a regular top 5 guy where we think he can be. We will give Nauditt a solid B+ for his efforts this summer.

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#5 Jess Pettis

his young man impressed me and everyone else this year. The MX101 Yamaha/ FXR program scored when they signed on this guy. The word on the street hinted that he was riding really fast and he had a good winter training with the Champ, Colton Facciotti. The first round in Kamloops was unreal. Moto 1, Jess was third overall and Moto 2 it looked like it could be a win until the last few laps when he ended up with a mechanical issue. What a start for the Prince George resident!

The balance of the west was okay with top 10 results, but once in the east we saw a new and improved sand rider in Pettis. He had a lot more confidence and was not afraid to hang it out. As the series continued, this MX2 rider started to get faster and faster, and you could count on Jess to get solid starts every moto. That’s one way to finish on the podium. If Jess can work on his sprinting speed and become a little more aggressive, he will be a podium rider in 2017. Finishing fifth overall and five points out of fourth for the series was impressive. Well done.

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#7 Dakota Alix

#8 Hayden Halstead

hen Dakota Alix showed up for the first time in 2016 at Gopher Dunes, few people knew exactly what to expect from the young and fast American. Riding a KTM, Alix received a little bit of help from the KTM Thor Racing Team, however, for the most part, racing in Canada was all his own effort. Right from the start, Alix was fast and was in the hunt in the MX2 class. Although he wasn’t too familiar with any of his competitors, he appeared comfortable with his new surroundings. Moto by moto, as the east rounds progressed, Alix’s confidence grew, and when the MX2 series made its way to Moncton, NB, he was ready to take his first win in Canada. Due to the fact that Alix missed the first four rounds of the series, his seventh overall is very admirable, which is why we gave him an A- grade for his effort. Who knows what might have happened had Alix competed in the entire MX2 series? Our guess is that he would’ve battled for podium finishes right from the start. Heading into 2017, we think that Alix would make a great addition to any team in Canada. Now that he has some knowledge of at least six of the national tracks, and the fact that Alix appears to be a quick learner, he might just be a title contender if he returns next season.

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B#9 Davey Fraser

urrently the fastest MX2 rider out of the Maritimes, Davey Fraser and his sponsors, Freedom Cycle Husqvarna and FXR, hit the road to compete in the 2016 series.

This dude is a true privateer! One bike in the trailer, not many spare parts and just enough budget to make sure he can hit all ten rounds. There were no hotels in Davey’s budget this year, just a small trailer that subs as a camper slash cargo trailer. I was impressed with the passion and the drive.

Oh yes, one more thing, Davey was competing on a two-stroke as well. True that Benoit won the series two years in a row on one, but this was a privateer with no real support. Mr. Fraser put in a solid effort and was able to score enough points to finish ninth overall for the series, thanks to four 7th overall finishes throughout the series.

If he had a bit more support I am sure we would have seen him in the top five. For Davey to crack the top five, he needs a little more support, a practice bike and some seat time in the spring prior to the series.

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#10 Ryeley Gallup

iding a KTM 250 two-stroke, this young Canadian kid with the cool hair and complicated spelling of his first name was very exciting to watch all season long. Also, with maturity beyond his years, Gallup was fast right from the beginning of the MX2 series. After getting some valuable experience in the opening three rounds, Gallup came out swinging at Round 4 in Regina and grabbed a very impressive fourth overall, his best of the season. Once the series headed east, Gallup kept up his fast pace and earned a couple of well-deserved top ten overall finishes.

Unfortunately, an injury at Deschambault kept Gallup out of the final four motos and most likely the top eight in the final standings. However, due to his early series success, Gallup held on to a top ten finish and a very impressive A- grade from MXP Magazine.

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oining the MX101 team was a big bonus for Hayden, plus dropping down to the MX2 class was a good plan. Hayden now has two super fast teammates to learn from. I feel he did a great job of proving that the team made a good call signing this aggressive rider from Ontario. Hayden came off a retty good 2015 season racing the full series in the MX1 class and finishing 18th. The MX2 class was stacked this year and it wasn’t going to be easy, which he realized after the first two rounds. Sitting in 15th with eight rounds to go, it was time to get down to business. Once the series hit the sand tracks in the east, Hayden was able to hand it out on dirt on which he felt way more confident. Hayden grew up in the sand, and it was time to get some top ten finishes. I would have to say Hayden was pretty consistent this year; his worst moto overall was a 17th and the best was an 8th. Going into the last round, Hayden had figured out that to get a top twenty number he would have to ride both motos in the sand at RJ Motosport Park; not an easy task at one of the roughest tracks in Canada. Well, the curly haired kid from Ontario put in four solid motos and was able to finish the year in eighth in the MX2 class, enough points to be rewarded the #19.

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Crossing Over UFC Athlete Miesha Tate Visits Ontario

n many athletes’ lives, it’s often difficult to make time to get away. Professional athletes are dedicated to their sport and when it comes to training they usually don’t take a break. For Miesha Tate and Bryan Caraway, it’s about having a balance. Both are extremely dedicated to mixed martial arts and are both ranked within the top three in the world as bantamweight fighters for the UFC. As professional fighters, their schedules usually don’t lineup to get away, but when it does they like to go to places that they can get out and enjoy another passion of theirs…Powersports!

Years ago, one of Bryan’s friends from Ontario invited them to come up to enjoy the backcountry and wilderness of Ontario. Bryan could not pass up the invite, but was struggling to take some time away from the gym to head north. In the Spring of 2016, coming off ne of the biggest wins of his career, Bryan could finally spare a few days off efore having to return to training in the summer of 2016. Miesha, who was also rebounding from a huge fight, was in much need of a break as well to recharge the batteries before hopping back into the octagon. Well, just before Labour Day, the stars aligned and these two athletes were able to head to Ontario for the time of their lives. Yamaha Motor Canada was able to help equip these guys throughout their journey. Their trip started in the region of Grey Bruce Simcoe where the Horseshoe Valley Resort was their host.

After a little bit of training with Clinton Smout, the athletes were on their way to check out the trails of the Barrie area. These two fighters had a blast trying the trail bikes as well as the dirt bikes. What an adventure.

They even had time for a quick run down the zip line before continuing on to Haliburton County. They were met by Cal and Dudley of Backcountry Tours and Cottages. Most people don’t realize that this incredible, remote wilderness is just a couple of hours from the world’s busiest airport.

Backcountry Cottages is so remote and quaint that it only had enough room for the athletes. Our crew stayed just out from the beautiful village of Haliburton at the Pinestone Resort overlooking the golf course. “Riding the quads was the best of both worlds,” Tate mentioned in reference to the fact that she rides a dirt bike and a side by side at home. The guides at Backcountry made our athletes feel at home, in fact, they didn’t want to leave, but their vacation had a lot more in store. The pair set off or North Bay where they stayed at yet another Northern ‘green’ at the Clarion Pinewood Park. It was in there that they were able to catch up with a little gym time and go ‘punk’ the students of Grounded Studio. To see this, just search for the clip of Bryan and Miesha in North Bay, and you’ll see the full video on YouTube.

Their final day was spent visiting the Mattawa-Bonfield area of Northeastern Ontario to ride the notoriously known VMUTS trail system. Bryan really loved the neat little spot they stay at called Cedar Gables, and the two of them got a chance to ride some unspoiled terrain with nobody on the trails. The experience was surreal for both Miesha and Bryan who vowed to come back to ride the trails by

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BY MXP STAFF | PHOTOS BY VIRGIL KNAPP

" The pair set off for North Bay where they stayed at yet another Northern 'green' at the Clarion Pinewood Park. It was in there that they were able to catch up with a little gym time and go 'punk' the students of Grounded Studio."

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Crossing Over

snowmobile in the winter.

You can clearly see from the full video that has been posted on northernontario.travel that this was a much needed vacation for both Miesha and Bryan.

At the time that I’m writing this, Miesha is now in Thailand, training for her upcoming fight at UFC 205 to be held at Madison Square Gardens on November 12th where she is making her return for another run at the world title, and Bryan is waiting for his shot at top Bantamweight in the world, after a well-deserved break in the province of Ontario.

For all of us at MXP, good luck guys!

Catching Up With Miesha Tate

MXP: First off, tell our readers what it’s like being a UFC fighter?

MT: Fighting is a number of different things. It’s beautiful, it’s incredibly intense, and it’s obviously very competitive. I don’t think you’ll find a more competitive sport out there, and for some reason I’m really drawn to it.

MXP: Most people out there see all forms of fighting as being entertainment, and it has become very popular. What is it like doing this as a job?

MT: Well, I guess being a UFC fighter is a lot like any other tough 9-5 job, except it doesn’t really include a desk or an office. When I’m training I show up for work in the morning at the gym, I get thrown around, punched in the face and pretty beat up some days.

I have my good days and my bad days like everyone else. I love it, though, and I really feel like it’s made me a better person, and it’s made me really grow.

Because of this, it’s a really addictive lifestyle for me.

MXP: Being a professional athlete really involves a lot of learning. Do you find the constant learning very motivating?

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MT: Most definitely, I think that is the most exciting part of my job. Every day I learn new things about how to perform and I learn things about myself. I think that the day we stop learning is the day that life becomes boring.

MXP: Like motocross, your sport can be very glamorous to the public eye. However, I don’t think a lot of people understand the effort that goes into it behind the scenes.

MT: You’re right, people see us in the octagon under the lights and it looks very cool. Don’t get me wrong, it is very cool but there is so much that goes on to prepare for our 15 minutes in front of the cameras.

They don’t see the amount of blood, sweat and tears we put in at the gym, the diet we have to follow, the sleep regiment we go through, and the weight cuts we have go through right before our fights. Being a UFC fighter is a real “get out of it what you put in to it” sport, for sure.

MXP: So having described all of that, coming to Ontario to relax and recharge your batteries must be exactly what you need after a fight.

MT: Coming to Ontario is just such a change of pace for us and it provides a perfect place to reflect on what we’ve done and what to look forward to in the future. For instance, when I was out on Turtle Bay on that Waverunner, the water was calm and glassy, there was no one out there, and it was just so peaceful. You know, I’ve always heard stories about how beautiful it is up here, but once I saw it for myself, it’s really better than I could’ve imagined. Our trip to Ontario has accomplished exactly what we wanted it to.

MXP: Over the course of your time here, you’ve been recognized numerous times. How does it make you feel to be able to affect people in such positive ways that you can actually improve a person’s day?

MT: Without a doubt that is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. I take great pride that I’m able to meet someone for the first time and connect with them. As I said before, yes my job is a difficult one with many ups and downs, but I feel really blessed to be able to do what I do every day. There are a lot of people out there who live very tough lives, and if meeting me, talking and maybe getting an autograph makes their day better then I’ve done my job.

MXP: Who have been you’re big influences on your journey to the UFC? MT: Throughout my life I’ve had a number of good people in my life to help guide me. Surprisingly, not a lot have been female, most have been male. I’m lucky enough to be part of a great organization like the UFC that has so many talented individuals in it. All of the UFC greats have influenced me over the years either knowingly or unknowingly, their toughness, their resiliency, their technique, just everything. I’ve prided myself on being open to learning from them and I think that is why I am where I am right now.

MXP: Overall, how would you say your trip to beautiful Ontario was?

MT: It was incredible, it really was. The people, the scenery, and all of the activities were great. There was even one day when we rode for half the day in the trails and then headed to a gym to meet some fans.

That day was really long and lasted almost 12 hours, but it was still fun and that was a compliment to the people I’ve met.

MXP: Final question Miesha. You obviously had fun riding; are we going to see you on two wheels again soon?

MT: For sure, I have to travel overseas to train for my next fight. Once I get that over with then I will definitely try to ride again.

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ALBERTA STRONG

The Keylan Meston Story

By Andy White Photos by James Lissimore

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his is a story of a rider that caught us all off guard in 2016.

Keylan Meston from Calgary, Alberta put in one solid year, finishing eighth overall in the MX1 class on his Yamaha YZ450 sponsored by Cycle Works Calgary and FXR. How did Keylan get to this point in his career? Well, it started pretty late. At the age of ten, Keylan’s dad came home with his first dirt bike, a Honda XR70. For most racers, they usually start on a PW50 but Keylan was already too tall for that size of mini bike. “Riding the XR was a blast. I had lots of fun ripping around with my cousin,” Keylan explained. Dirt bike riding was just for fun, with his focus drawn more to lacing up and playing hockey. Meston was a tall kid for his age, which is every hockey coach’s dream, but the only problem was that Keylan kind of sucked at it. Playing with other kids wasn’t much fun, as he really didn’t have control of the game. The dream of becoming a hockey superstar started to wear off, and dirt biking became much more fun than he thought. Time to get a real race bike!

The next race bike that showed up in the garage was Dean Wilson’s two-year-old

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Honda CR80 of all things. “This bike was so fast compared to my XR70. I had a hard time controlling the power but the suspension was incredible,” said Keylan. After a few years they traded the two-stroke rocket for a new Honda CR150 four-stroke. This is where Meston started to really feel the need to race. Like all young racers, Keylan competed locally for many years and worked his way up to the pro ranks. In 2013, Keylan was going to try and put a full season in as a pro. Unfortunately at Round 1 in Nanaimo near the end of moto one, he went down pretty hard, but was able to get himself back up to finish the race. In between motos he repaired the KTM 250SXF and headed back for Moto 2. Once the moto got underway, Keylan could tell something was not quite right, he started to feel faint and light headed. Time to pull off nd head to the pit area. Thinking it was just due to the heat and pushing hard, Keylan focused on Round 2 in Kamloops. Well, the same thing happened again, no real energy to push hard. This went on for the next two rounds until Edmonton when they thought they better get the body checked out. It turned out that Keylan was suffering from a concussion from the fall in

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ALBERTA STRONG

" With these results, Keylan was rewarded with a single digit number for 2017 season. Ten rounds in eleven straight weeks is not easy."

Nanaimo. Keylan went on to explain, “The balance of the year was really hard. All I wanted to do was race.

I worked so hard to save my money and train for the 2013 season. I felt I let my sponsors down and I started to get depressed. It’s hard to explain but I really had no motivation to do much at all. It was a crazy feeling. I finally started feeling better when I got the green light from the doctors that I could get back on my dirt bike again. It took some time but I rebounded back and I was back on the bike and everything was good. The following year I moved to the 450 class and started racing for Cycle Works on a Yamaha. I headed down south and tried qualifying for the Glen Helen US National.

What a trip! Racing the same tracks as the top guys in the US was so different to what I am used to. I learned that you need to pin it in practice because if you don’t, you’re done for the day before noon.

I missed qualifying by a few seconds in the timed practice so I had to race the qualifier. My start sucked so I had to push

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hard, but in four laps it’s hard to get in the top four spots.” Just as the Canadian series was ready to get started, Keylan crashed and hurt his wrist. The plans changed and once the wrist was good, Meston drove out east and started racing the series.

The following season, 2015, was much better, competing in all ten rounds and finishing in 13th overall. Keylan knew if he put in more of an effort he would see better results. Time to head back south and practice with faster guys. Keylan’s best friend is Shawn Maffenbeier who has been racing for many years and has had some great results. The two of them teamed up, headed to California and started training. They hooked up with Dylan Wright and 2012 Canadian MX Champion, Matt Goerke. These riders knew they had to train and they meant business.

“It was the perfect winter training program,” said Keylan. “I now had three friends that were faster than me. Do you know how much that sucks? I hated knowing I was the slowest out of the four. This really motivated me to give it everything I had while I was down south. We would ride the roughest tracks around. We would ride as much as we could and we trained at the gym if we were not on the track. I knew these opportunities don’t come too often so I took advantage of it.”

The summer of 2016 started off eally well. At Round 1 in Kamloops, Keylan went 12/10 for 10th

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PHOTO : JEFF LAIRD

2014-2016 CANADIAN WMX CHAMPION

CARBON MATRIX

EVE BRODEUR

COMFORT PERFORMANCE STYLE

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Below: One of the highlights of his pro career was holeshotting the Nanaimo, BC national.

Right: Racing in front of his hometown Calgary fans is always very special.

" As we all know, racing is not cheap, which is why the Meston family worked hard together to help their son get to the races. It took a group effort." overall. Top ten is an awesome result when you look at who he is competing against. Round 2 in Nanaimo was even better with two 9th place finishes to give Keylan 7th overall, and his best MX1 result ever. The results stayed consistent from weekend to weekend. Keylan was able to finish in the top ten eight times out of the ten rounds. With these results, Keylan was rewarded with a single digit number for 2017 season. Ten rounds in eleven straight weeks is not easy. It takes everything you have to complete the series. I asked Keylan what the difference was this year.

“My spring training really helped me out. I felt I was in the best shape ever.

I knew going into Round 1 that I was feeling confident. Round 2 I was able to race and finish both motos in the top ten, which gave me the motivation and the confidence. Now when I race I have enough strength to think while I am racing. Instead of hanging on for dear life and not really focusing on line choices, I can do that now. It

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really makes a huge difference when you’re in charge and you have the energy and confidence to try different lines. I also feel I have way more heart this year compared to other years.

One area I need to work on is my starts. It’s fun having to come from behind.”

I asked Keylan, when he was growing up, what US rider did he look up to. Keylan said, “You’re going to laugh at the answer. Davi Millsaps. I really liked his style on the bike. He is tall like I am so I kind of started watching him. When I heard he was coming to race the Canadian series I thought, that’s going to cool. I can tell you he is a pain in the butt during timed practice. When he is not on his hot lap, he rides in the fast line. I had to yell at him a few times this summer [laughs]. My top Canadian rider would have to be Dusty Klatt. He gave it everything he had. I really respected him. He was not consumed in racing like some riders. He had a life outside the industry.”

As we all know, racing is not cheap, which is why the Meston family worked hard together to help their son get to the races. It took a group effort. Dad helped drive the set up around to the series, and Mom attended all the westerm rounds plus a few in the east. Keylan also had a full-time buddy who helped as his mechanic too, but along the way they had their problems. The truck had a tranny issue in the Maritimes and they had to leave the truck at a dealer for service, so they had to find a replacement pickup that could pull their fifth wheel trailer. Lucky for them, someone they hardly knew offered their truck up for the time theirs was in the shop. A pretty stressful time for Team Meston.

Now that the season is over, what’s next for Keylan? “It’s time to get to work and pay off 016 and start saving for 2017,” said Keylan. He is really hoping that he may have turned a few heads last season and a team will give him a chance in 2017.

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First Ride:

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2017 yamaha YZ250F and YZ450F For any seasoned motocross pilot, fall riding is one of the most special things we get to do. Not only are the tracks usually in great condition, but the weather and the surrounding landscape is usually picture perfect. We had one of these incredible days recently when the Canadian media gathered at one of the longest serving tracks in Canada, Moto Park, for the 2017 Yamaha press launch. For the past few years, the awesome folks at Yamaha Motor Canada have been using Moto Park as the facilit y to launch their new off-road models. With miles of trails and a perfectly maintained motocross track, Moto Park always provides a great place to ride.

ith massive success all over the globe, Yamaha has certainly taken on the idea for 2017 that if somethings works really well, then why fix it? As we all witnessed this past season in supercross with Chad Reed and Cooper Webb, as well as outdoors with Matt Goerke, Brett Metcalfe and Dylan Wright, Yamaha has built dirt bikes that are both unique and rider friendly. Whether it’s Yamaha’s patented rear slanted engine design or their spring KYB front fork, the 2017 YZs have remained true to their nature and on the cutting edge of technology.

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“FOR THE 2017 YZ250F, IT HAS BEEN GIVEN MULTIPLE REVISIONS, INCLUDING A NEW CYLINDER HEAD WITH CHANGES TO THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST PORTS, A NEW CONNECTING ROD, A NEW HEAT TREATING PROCESS FOR THE CRANKCASE, AND FINALLY A REVISED SHIFT DRUM AND SHIFT LEVER.”

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First Ride:

2017 yamaha YZ250F and YZ450F What’s New for 2017?

There are not too many new features when it comes to the 2017 Yamahas. With major changes made in the past few years, Yamaha wanted to go with what already works for 2017. Most of what is new for next year are revisions to the current platform. The 2017 YZ450F is back with the EFI rearward slanted engine. This proven powerplant is not only incredibly powerful, but it also provides the YZ450F with mass centralization for better overall balance and handling. For 2017, the engine has received a revised piston for better durability and performance. With this engine’s fuel flow being controlled electronically, it is fully adjustable to make maximum power wherever and whenever you need it.

For the 2017 YZ250F, it has been given multiple revisions, including a new cylinder head with changes to the intake and exhaust ports, a new connecting rod, a new heat treating process for the crankcase, and finally a revised shift drum and shift lever. All of these changes may appear to be subtle, however they’re revisions that have come from not only hours of testing, but also from their factory teams in Europe and the USA. Both the 250F and the 450F engines were already incredibly durable and fast, but for 2017 they’re even better.

Over the years Yamaha has been a progressive company with very little fear when it comes to trying new things.

If you think back to the late 1990s and the introduction of their four-stroke motocross bike, who would have believed that as we sit here some 20 years later, the vast majority is racing fourstrokes? The same could be said with Yamaha’s decision a few years ago to turn their 450 and 250 engines around and face it the opposite way than every other brand. Many thought that this was crazy and that it wouldn’t work, but Yamaha has proven everyone wrong and these new 2017 YZs fully illustrate their correct decision.

I must say that from the first moment I took to the perfectly groomed Moto Park track, I noticed how easy these new Yamahas are to ride. The 450 feels light and predictable with power that is both plentiful and smooth. As I made my way around the track, I could literally leave the 450 in one gear and power through each section. I was also very impressed with how the 450 felt in the air. With the frame and the rearward facing engine providing a balanced package, the bike felt light and stable over the large Moto Park jumps. These days, every 450 has enough power for the average rider. The key is how to make this abundance of HP usable on the track. For 2017, Yamaha has toned down the ‘hit’ of the 450 and made it more smooth and manageable. The result is a fun, rider friendly machine for everyone who throws their leg over it.

The 2017 YZ250F is the exact opposite when it come to the type of the power that the engine puts out. This 250cc four-stroke is a rocketship out of the corners, almost to the point where it sometimes felt like a 250 two-stroke.

With its large amount of bottom end and torque, the 2017 YZ250F was also easy to ride as you never had to worry about getting the revs into their optimal range. As you exited the corners, all you had to do was point the front wheel and turn the throttle. This new and exciting bike did the rest.

In attendance on this day was top Yamaha amateur prospect Marco Cannella who has extensive experience on the 2016 YZ250F. After he tried out the newest version of this MX2 class machine, I asked Marco how he liked it. He smiled and responded, “I cannot believe how fast the 2017 YZ250F is, I mean it really isn’t much different than

my 2016 race bike. Actually, I think it has more bottom end than my 2016, which makes it so easy to ride. With the 270mm front brake rotor, the braking action is amazing. I’m also glad that Yamaha has stuck with their KYB spring SSS forks. They work great, and even as the track got rougher today, the suspension worked really well. I honestly cannot wait to get my 2017 and head south to test it out.”

Obviously, Marco is a Yamaha kid so of course he’s going to love their new bikes. However, over the past few seasons, I’ve taken notice of how articulate Marco is and the feel he has for how his bikes work. He’s also a well brought up and honest kid, so if he says he loves the new 2017 YZ250F then I believe him.

I think everyone who rode the new Yamahas at Moto Park will agree that these new bikes are just really easy to ride. They jump well, corner smoothly, the power is amazing, and the handling is predictable. In this ever more complicated day and age of this sport where you have to be more at one with your motorcycle than ever before, the new Yamahas fit that profile very well. If you don’t believe me then just ask Matt Goerke, Brett Metcalfe, or Dylan Wright who all won nationals this past summer.

If you want a bike that just plain works on the race track, then go to your local Yamaha dealer and become a member of the new Blu Cru. MXP Magazine would like to thank Yamaha Motor Canada and the staff t Moto Park for this great day of riding.

“THEY JUMP WELL, CORNER SMOOTHLY, THE POWER IS AMAZING, AND THE HANDLING IS PREDICTABLE. IN THIS EVER MORE COMPLICATED DAY AND AGE OF THIS SPORT WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE MORE AT ONE WITH YOUR MOTORCYCLE THAN EVER BEFORE, THE NEW YAMAHAS FIT THAT PROFILE VERY WELL.”

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ENDURO NINJAS

BY L AW RENCE H ACK ING | PHOTOS BY HIROYA SU H ATA K E YA N A

hen you get the call to head to Japan to ride the Hidaka Two Day Enduro or H.T.D.E, Japan’s longest running and most important off-road event, my advice is you drop everything, clear your schedule and pack your gear bag. Flying over the Pacific Ocean to Tokyo then to the city of Sapporo on the Northern-most Island of Hokkaido takes patience but the reward is one of the most enjoyable off-road motorcycle experiences on the planet. Hokkaido is covered in lush vegetation, and the host town of Hidaka is nestled in the hills along a river valley.

The Kougensou Resort peak is not as high as some of the taller mountains in the area, however the paddock and hotel that the HTDE is based out of is at the bottom of the ski lift. The elevation at the top is 750 meters; one of the two enduro special tests took us just shy of the summit in a wild ride up a two-track gravel access road and down a gnarled, fresh-cut trail through the forest onto a muddy open ski run to the bottom. The total distance of that test was 6 kilometers and the only other timed special test was winding forest access road that climbed up along a mountainside in a 6.4 kilometer, high speed run that challenged the bravery of the riders.

The HTDE has a rich history. Over the past 32 years, Malcolm Smith, Larry Roeseler, Heinz Kinigadner, Mika Ahola, Roman Michalik and Kevin Hines all have ridden the HTDE. I was honoured to be invited for this year’s edition and my good friend Lyndon Poskitt made the trip as well. Lyndon is a well-known adventure rider who is on his way to ride the Dakar Rally in 2017 in the Malle Moto class. The HTDE would be a good tune up ride for Lyndon and a great way for me to get back into enduro riding after many years being absent.

The headquarters for the HTDE is in the parking lot of the ski resort that doubles as the site of a well-frequented Onsan or hot springs bath or spa. The resort’s rooms are clean and simple, only a toilet and sink in each; bathing is done in the communal bath. The Japanese ritual of bathing is a peaceful, introspective time to share with your friends. Loud talking or brash behaviour is frowned upon as would splashing the person next to you during the mandatory and thorough scrub down you give yourself before sliding into the steaming hot pool of natural water. Oh yeah, ev-

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eryone is naked, men and women have separate pools and no one blinks an eye, but if you are timid about stripping down in front of your buddies, the HTDE may not be for you.

The cultural side of the experience of a trip to Japan is as fascinating as it is educational; the attention to detail and the level of commitment by the organizers is nothing short of astounding.

Every detail is well attended, even live TV coverage of the ski hill enduro test played non-stop on a massive truck mounted TV screen in the paddock. The hospitality of the Japanese is truly overwhelming; everyone seemed to take time to say hello or they welcomed you into their pits for a chat or drink. A visit to Japan is a real eye opener.

Everywhere you look something is done differently and usually better than at home. Quality abounds, the windows slide on real ball bearings, the door handles fit and close perfectly, there is an automatic wash system in the toilets; you press the appropriate button and presto, you are cleaned up!

This year the HTDE was Rounds 3 and 4 of the JEC or Japanese Enduro Championship, and over 170 competitors made the long trek to Hokkaido, which is 1,000 kilometers from Tokyo and requires at least one ferry ride depending where you live in Japan.

Each competitor has impressive pit set ups, most arrived driving small vans, and a tent city popped up on Friday afternoon. KTM, Yamaha and Husqvarna had large installations with a long row of tents and a number of riders each. Beta and Sherco were also present along with a number of smaller shop teams. Surprisingly, two of the fastest riders overall were on trail bikes. One rider competed on a highly modified Yamaha Serow and the other on a Honda CRF 250L. To give you an example of the organizational level that JEC Promotions operates, I watched while they installed the parc ferme and work area. The diagram they worked from was measured to precisely to 54.5 meters and they used a long tape measure to drive in the stakes to support the banner on exactly 1.5 meter increments. The end result was a beautiful paddock, and the way the event flowed was flawless. At the technical control, which was overseen by members of the Japanese Federation or MJF, a slight glitch occurred. My Arai helmet, which was an export model, didn’t have the right sticker so the MJF

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ENDURO NINJAS person simply gave a call to the factory to confirm it met the domestic standards. Problem solved!

All the bikes needed to pass tech then be impounded overnight before the race. All bikes have to be street legal, and the large street license plate only needed to be removed just before the final motocross race. Just like in the EWC or ISDE, certain parts are marked with paint and after each day the marked parts are inspected on each bike.

The event went off ike clockwork. There was a strict time schedule; at 9:02am my two new Korean friends and I rode off he start line and straight into a sighting lap of the Enduro test. The entire route was 61 kilometers around, and my class (National) rode the route twice on Saturday and once on Sunday. The trail itself varied from short, paved road sections to mountain two-track and some freshly-cut single-track trail that dropped in and out of valleys. Sometimes the going got pretty nasty; deep ruts formed in the climbs and descents due to the great number of riders and a single

line developed. The surface was wet in the rain forest-like conditions but not impassable. We started at the back of the National class and traffic was thick, but we dealt with a few bottlenecks handily.

Fortunately, I had relatively clear runs through the special tests; the Husky TE 250 was an ideal choice for this ride. I couldn’t imagine riding anything bigger in such tight, technical trails. At the end of the first day we were at the top of the National class results through sheer consistency. The Husky and I were not always the fastest in every test but we were close to the front on all laps; the scoring is based on accumulated time. The organizers gave us enough time to ride the liaison sections with minutes to spare allowing time to drink and eat at one of the outlying time controls.

The first day lasted from 9am until nearly 3pm giving us a fairly low speed average for the 122 Kms. The time controls were placed to prevent speeding on the roads and there was an allowance built in to make the trail section on time. After the long first day I eased into the Onsan for a hard earned soak all the while thinking the HTDE has be the most civilized enduro I have ever ridden. After dinner, I hit the hay early as Sunday’s start time was moved earlier.

I woke up to the sound of rain thrumming on the roof of the hotel; it continued into the morning but eased around start time for us making a

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rain jacket unnecessary. The conditions became quite messy in the off-road sections with seat-deep ruts forming in the hills. We rode through a number of creeks and mud holes, and nearly everyone had at least a couple of bikes stuck in them.

It felt really good to complete the enduro. I was tired but satisfied with how I rode, all things considered. At the end of our ride around the route, we impounded our bikes for a final time until our class was called up and we gridded on the start line for the final motocross again, just like the ISDE. The muddy grass track was well chewed up for our moto and finding traction was like looking for a needle in a haystack. It was fun to cut loose on a closed course but I soon realized the Japanese guys can really pour it on.

The corners were greasy mud and traction was at a premium. I crossed the line in 4th place but hung onto to the class win.

The awards ceremony drew lots of cheers for each of the many class winners; every podium had a champagne fight as a celebration.

After riding across the finish line I was reminded of how completely satisfying it is to ride a ‘real’ enduro. The HTDE was the perfect way to get back into enduro riding the way it should be.

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Gearing

Up DRAGON NFX The Dragon NFX goggle is a comfortable and effective set of goggles. The field of view is the largest in the industry, thanks to the frame-less lens and overall lens receiver being large. The lens and goggle lens receiver is flexible, allowing swapping out lenses with ease. These goggles look cool, function well and fit in most mx helmets.

GAMMASALES.COM

FLY F2 CARBON RETROSPEC NEW for 2017 the Fly F2 Carbon RETROSPEC. This bitchen graphic takes this already top of the food chain helmet to the next level. The F2 Carbon in its standard form is as close to a factory race bike helmet as a helmet can get. Used by top FLY racers Trey Canard, Andrew Short, Weston Peick, and Justin Brayton, this helmet is out-of-the-box and on-tothe-racetrack ready!

FOX LEGION OFF-ROAD JACKET The Legion Jacket blends off-road durability and functionality with pure race performance. Abrasion resistant fabric is used on the front, shoulders and outside arms, so you’re well protected from overhanging branches, brush and other obstructions. For increased range of motion, stretch Cordura® is used on the back, inside arms and side panels. For versatility, there are large zipper vents on the arms and chest that channel refreshing air in, while two zippers on the back open to allow heat out.

Available in two colours – navy and charcoal.

GAMMASALES.COM

FLY REVEL ROOST GUARD This is the all new redesigned FLY REVEL Roost Guard. Available in a race model and in black, (race model does not come with shoulder and arm guards), the FLY REVEL roost guard offers full upper torso plastic, a revolutionary biofoam chassis that is removable for washing. Removable panels make this roost guard neckbrace compatible. Bottom line -- safety and comfort for all riding styles.

FOXHEAD.COM/CA

GAMMASALES.COM

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FOX LEGION OFF-ROAD EX PANT

THOR PRIME FIT ROHL

The Legion EX Pant are an over the boot riding pant that combine durability, excellent venting, and mobility, making them an ideal choice to conquer the trails. Built with the toughness of Cordura® ripstop, the Legion EX Pants can handle anything mother nature throws your way. The double layer knee system is made of full leather and abrasion resistant material to provide high durability. Zonal stretch panels give you movement and two zipper vents provide adjustable airflow to keep you well ventilated. Available in two colours – blue and charcoal.

Everything you need – nothing you don’t. When the gate drops, you need racewear that is going to perform which is why ThorMX developed their most progressive kit to date. Featuring a fitted chassis with compression sleeves, four-way stretch fabric and flatlock seams, the Prime Fit jersey provides a pure race fit. The lightweight, flexible pant offers unparalleled comfort and performance. To enhance durability, the pant is fabricated with double and triple stitched seams, abrasion resistant materials and full grain leather knee panels. The PRIME FIT™ kit is designed to allow maximum mobility, comfort and ventilation, with solid durability. Whether you’re railing ruts or tapping into uncharted single track, the benefits of PRIME FIT™ are universal. Twist your throttle and enjoy responsibly. www.thormx. com Distributed in Canada by

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LUCAS COMPLETE ENGINE TREATMENT

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Lucas Complete Engine Treatment is a unique formulation that cleans and lubricates multiple systems in your vehicle.

When added to fuel, it cleans and lubricates all components from the fuel tank to the cylinders. It removes deposits, protects against corrosion and helps the fuel to burn more completely, which helps to lower emissions, improves fuel mileage and increases power. When added to your oil, Lucas Complete Engine Treatment cleans your engine and forms a protective barrier against heat and friction, improves oil flow in cold weather and extends oil life. FOR ALL ENGINES AND OIL TYPES.

Lucas High Performance Motorcycle Oils are the result of technology gained through years of blending motor oils and gear oils for the racing industry.

These are TRUE racing oils that FAR exceed all manufacturer specifications and can outlast other oils up to 4 times on the track or on the street. Built for endurance, these oils are formulated to lower engine temperatures, extend the life of vital components, and raise oil pressure, reduce noise and increase performance. ALL LUCAS MOTORCYCLE OILS MEET JASO SPECIFICATIONS. LUCASOIL.COM

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FALCO BOOTS EXTREME PRO 3.1 The Extreme 3.1 Falco motocross boots come standard with “MicroSynth” upper and “Air-Tech” vented lining. Also, the “Eso-Motion 2 MX” rear articulation system and DualMotion P.U. molded shin-plate offer great support and good flexibility to help you feel your pegs and brake!

The heavy-duty leather heat shield and dual-density rubber sole with reinforced arch support ensure your boots will protect you in case of impact. Furthermore, all 3.1 Falco boots come standard with the D30 technology. This technology is molded to the insoles and will absorb any big hit you will take to your feet!

BELL MX-9 MIPS EQUIPPED The Bell MX-9 with mips technology offers you the protection, comfort and cooling you need to ride those hard moto days! The MX-9 offers you 3 Shell and EPS Sizes for a Personalized Fit, Fully adjustable Flying Bridge Visor™ with air intake vents, Industry-Leading Five-Year Warranty, Integrated Vented Roost Guard, Lightweight Polycarbonate/ABS Shell Construction, Padded Chin-Strap with D-Ring Closure, Removable/ washable anti-bacterial interior and the Velocity Flow Ventilation™ system for maximum cooling.

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LS2 FAST HELMET Perhaps the best value on the market in a lightweight, MX helmet, LS2’s Fast is a technically advanced weapon for serious off-road riders. The shell is made from our Kinetic Polymer Alloy, (KPA). This innovative material is ultra-lightweight and offers a bit of energy absorbing flexibility, but with a penetration resistance that rivals high-end composites. LS2 Fast helmets also features Dynamic Flow-­t hrough Ventilation. Fully adjustable intake ports and vented EPS work with the rear spoiler and exhaust ports to create a constant, light flow of air helping to keep the rider cool and comfortable.

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Gearing

Up ALPINESTARS TECHSTAR FACTORY Providing excellent freedom of movement, the Techstar Factory Jersey is constructed from a lightweight main chassis incorporating strategically positioned mesh inserts for airflow and ventilation. With pre-curved sleeves and an extended rear profile, the Techstar Factory Jersey is fully optimized for comfort and riding performance. The class-leading Techstar Pants now utilize Alpinestars Adaptive Stretch Technology for excellent strength and durability. Alpinestars unique Adaptive Stretch Technology is constructed from 4-way stretch panels on the thighs, frontal stretch fabric in the crotch, stretch accordion above the patellas and a large rear stretch panel above the thigh.

The 3D ‘Babel’ knee construction, and lightweight mesh perforated panels offer ultimate mobility and comfort with 30% weight savings from its predecessor, keeping the rider cool and content under pressure.

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BLADE REVAMPS HANDLEBAR LINE UP We’re proud to introduce several new Blade product offerings, from the ultradurable Steel Series Handlebar to the aerospace grade Profile Series Aluminum Handlebar. Our lineup has been completely revamped and now features a bold new look and a wealth of options, all at very attractive price points. From the use of select materials, like aluminum alloy, to a shot peened & anodized finish (for an optimal fatigue life), no detail has been overlooked. In addition, our handlebars and crossbar pads are easily customizable, with several bend options and colours available.

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AMERICAN KARGO GEAR BAG Big and bad, the Gear Bag is made to hold everything for your day at the track and more importantly, heading home.

Both ends are designed with large pockets that include ballast walls that can be fully expanded so far that they touch in the middle. This makes a world of difference when you want to keep your dirty gear separate from your clean. Exterior and interior pockets provided to keep your stuff rganized. Also included is the integrated exterior number plate (number kit sold separately) and a concealed built-in changing mat. Seriously, that’s included. You’re going to love it and you’re going to love the durability and functionality of our full size Gear Bag. WWW.AMERICANKARGO.COM DISTRIBUTED IN CANADA BY WWW.PARTSCANADA.COM

SHOT RACE GEAR With a complete range of specialized equipment for Motocross and Off oad, SHOT® offers a wide range of products that will appeal to the amateur rider, as well as the professional racer. For over 20 years now, SHOT® has developed, in partnership with the world’s fastest racers, the lightest gear on the market. We are constantly improving the comfort and technological features of our products. Our collection is made from the finest hand-picked materials and is engineered to meet the most challenging racing conditions. SHOT® provides an effortless riding experience, while enhancing your performance, in the lightest, most comfortable and durable gear available today.

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MOOSE RACING QUALIFIER Many manufacturers have thrown their hat into the entry level gear ring, but nobody has done it longer, or better, than Moose Racing. Moose continues to raise the stakes with their Qualifier racewear, made with quality materials and good looks that won’t send your wallet into a tailspin. When everyone is showering you with compliments on how great you look during your next ride, you can just smile knowing they spent way too much on their gear.

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IT FEELS INVISIBLE. YOU FEEL INVINCIBLE.

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E V O LV E D N U T R I T I O N W I T H D R E W R O B E R T S O N

INDOOR TRAINING

ith the weather getting colder, we quickly switch gears to Arenacross!

What does that look like in terms of training?

On a bigger picture we have to make sure that we are still laying the groundwork for next season’s Motocross races, long aerobic based bike rides, dealing with muscle imbalances and things like that.

When training for Arenacross we want to focus on higher output training over a shorter duration.

Interval training, in terms of weight training, and cardio, with a combination of the two every once in a while.

Here are a few examples:

W

CARDIO Intervals on the Concept2 Rower

Workout 1 ∙ Warm-up ∙ Row 100M - as hard as you can ∙ Rest 90 seconds ∙ 10 rounds ∙ Cool down with an easy 10 minute row

Workout 2 ∙ Warm-up ∙ Row 1000M ∙ Rest as long as the 1000M takes ∙ Row 500M ∙ Rest as long as the 500M takes ∙ Row 250M ∙ Rest 3 minutes ∙ Repeat 3 times

“ When training for Arenacross we want to focus on higher output training over a shorter duration.”

INTERVAL WEIGHT TRAINING

Workout 1 ∙ Warm-up ∙ 1 minute - as many push-ups as you can ∙ Rest 15-20 seconds ∙ P erform the following, always focusing on form ∙ 1 minute - as many shoulder presses - use two Dumbbells ∙ Rest 15-20 seconds ∙ 1 minute - Pull-ups ∙ Rest 15 - 20 seconds ∙ 1 minute – Dumbbell flat bench press ∙ Rest 15-20 seconds ∙ 1 minute FLR ∙ Rest 15 - 20 seconds ∙ 1 minute - body weight squats ∙ Rest 3 minutes ∙ Complete 3-4 rounds

ARENACROSS CIRCUIT

Workout 1: Warm-up Row 1000M 10 burpees Rest 1 minute 4 rounds

Workout 2: Warm-up Row 500M Med ball slams x 10 Med ball lateral throws x 10 per side Med ball chest passes on wall x 10 Rest 1 minute 5 rounds

As with any workout, before starting a new program check with your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough for exercise. If you need help putting a program together, make sure to get a hold of me!

Drew Robertson drew@evolvednutrition.com Till next time, train, eat, rest and Braaaaaap!!!

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THE INSIDE LINE ANDY WHITE

brought to you by

WITH

W I T H A N DY W H I T E

END OF SUMMER

T

ow that Fall is here, it’s that time of the year when I get to travel to lots of motorcycle shows, races and prep for the supercross season.

My first event was in Cologne, Germany, which is held annually in October. If you happen to own a company in the motorcycle industry, you really need to pack your bag and be there. Even if you are starting a company in the industry, you need to go there and check it out. It you have attended a motorcycle show in Canada and thought it’s a pretty big deal, well my friends, you need to get over to Cologne. There must have been six massive halls with hundreds of booths.

One hall would be loaded with custom bikes and chrome parts, and the next hall would be anything to do with just Italy. That means lots of fashion or trick looking sport bikes like Ducatis! Oh yes, don’t forget the scooters too. The Chinese hall is where you will find just about anything. If you are in need of a carburetor, well you’re in the right place. If you need kick starters for your future bikes, well, you will find them there too. I walked around that hall thinking ‘how many companies are really looking at all these machined items?’ I guess there are buyers for everything these days. It takes a good three days to walk the entire show. If you plan to walk up every isle and check everything out, you better be wearing good, comfortable shoes.

It’s really hard to fathom the scale of the Cologne show but if you think you just attended the biggest motorcycle show around, think again

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- the Milan, Italy show is even bigger. I didn’t think it was possible but yes. I would have to say if you want to experience a show please head to Milan.

The show runs for five days with just over 500,000 attendees. Yes, you heard it right. They even build a supercross track in one area to keep the paying customers entertained. The days I attended were for dealers only and it was already busy. I live in Montreal so I hear people speaking French and English in the streets. Over there you hear pretty well every language going. If you don’t understand the question, everyone switches to English. It’s kind of strange how everyone in that building that is hustling for business can speak two to three languages. I must have seen five motorcycle companies that I have never even heard of. Then there are all the scooter companies as well. There were probably ten helmet lines I had never heard of either. Then there were all the tire companies. It is shocking to think that all these companies are selling product around the world. These companies don’t have a simple 10x10 booth, they go all out! The booths are built like a custom condo with all the bells and whistles. It must take them a week to build them, and they are super impressive when completed. The local hotels know you’re coming, so book early or you will pay through the nose. I booked two months prior and I had to pay just over $350 per night, but it was well worth it.

Then the fun begins, time to head off o the MEC in Las Vegas. This event is pretty well sold out a few days before you arrive. Make sure you buy your tickets in advance or you will be sitting in the cheap seats facing a corner that really has no action. If you’re going all that way, you might as well spend the cash and get a great seat. If you get there at noon you can make your way into the pit area. Most of the riders are hanging out, fine tuning their grips or making sure the bars are set perfectly. There is lots to check out. They even schedule in a freestyle event with lots of top riders. The Monster people bring in a few rally cars and have a small track set up so you can see them sliding around. You always seem to bump into the same people year after year. I guess they’re crazy about the sport just like me.

Next on the list comes signing riders and teams for the 2017 season. Okay, so I need to hire rid-

ers that will get good results and help brand the product, but at the same time without costing the company a fortune. I like working with privateers.

These are the riders that give 110% to make the show. They don’t get paid to race, it’s a passion or their dream. These are the riders that really help promote your product, but there are a lot to choose from too. Checking out social media like IG helps me better understand the rider. Does he have lots of followers? Does he post good riding shots or just pictures of him shooting a gun or pictures of his dog? It does help to spend a few minutes making sure you know who you’re supporting. Once you have your riders set up with product and everyone is dialed in, it’s about time to prepare for Round 1 of the supercross series at Anaheim 1. Sixty thousand people usually show up for the first round. Most factory riders are healthy and hungry for Round 1. The media are there in full force and the fans are excited to see who has done their homework and is ready. Historically, the first round is won by a rider that usually doesn’t win the series. Most top riders are looking to make it through the first night without a trip to the hospital. You can’t win the series if you’re busted up.

The pit party at A1 is massive. This is the perfect time to get the attention of the paying customer, and get them to your pit area to check out the latest and greatest. These are the people that you need to sell to; they are all right in front of you.

Supercross is awesome but the schedule is brutal. There are two weekend breaks in the seventeen round series. I really don’t know how the factory teams can keep up the pace for that many rounds, start the outdoor series for another twelve rounds then hit the one-off vents. If you do the math, that’s like thirty-five weekends a year. This is why I think there is a high turnover of mechanics in this industry. If you’re young and have no real family to support, this is a really good experience. You get paid to travel all across the US and attend all those events, you get to meet lots of interesting people, plus this is a perfect time to network. If you’re really good at your job you will be in demand in no time.

Okay, now it’s time to get back to work and start looking through all these resumes! See you at the

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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RIDE LIFE TO THE FULLEST Explore the possibilities at ontariotravel.net/goride

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F R O M T H E D E S K O F M A R K S TA L LY B R A S S

CANADIAN PRIDE

just got back from the Motocross of Nations in Maggiora, Italy with Paul Kingsley. We really wanted to go because it was the 30th anniversary of the infamous ride when Team USA (Johnny O’Mara – 125, Rick Johnson – 250, David Bailey – 500) went 1-2 each moto, and where Johnny O’ laid a beatin’ on David Thorpe on a 125.

They called it the “Dream Team.” I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how Johnny O’ could have beaten Thorpe, who was riding a 500, because there are numerous, power robbing uphills every time you turn a corner. I found out that it wasn’t the uphills where the O’ Show made up his time, it was the downhills where he never let off he throttle.

This is the fourth time I’ve attended an MXoN – ’86 Unadilla, ’07 Budds Creek, ’15 Ernée, ’16 Maggiora. They are the biggest outdoor motocross events I have ever attended. Budds Creek was really an eye opener until we went to Ernée. I was overtaken by the massive crowds but especially the flags from a number of nations waved by the fans to support their riders and country. It was a cool event but there was something missing…

Team Canada.

On the Thursday before Maggiora, King and I drove down to the Malpensa motocross track where Team Canada was practicing. Team USA was there plus a few other riders that would be racing the MXoN. When everyone finally got out on to the track, we got our stop watches out and compared the Americans’ times with our boys. We were down about 3-5 seconds a lap, which wasn’t too bad considering the Americans were one of the favourites to win, so we figured our guys had a good chance to make the A final.

On Saturday morning, the first thing we did was hit the pits to say hello to the team and wish them luck. That’s when the excitement started for us, compared to Ernée, because we had riders from our own country to cheer for, guys that we had spent almost every weekend with in the summer

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racing the CMRC Nationals.

It wasn’t the best track to watch a race. The track was basically divided into three sections, and at best you could see one and half but that was it. Adding to that, the only place to sit was on the hills, and the hills were at about a 70 degree angle. We found ourselves a big rock and dug holes for our butts and feet so we wouldn’t slide down the hill; it was a little uncomfortable on the cheeks but we made due.

Shawn and Tyler had pretty good qualifiers.

Shawn’s start wasn’t the best but he charged like a mad man and passed at least twelve guys.

A really good effort. Tyler’s start wasn’t the best either, but as he told me afterwards, he got a rock in the chops off he start and could barely see for a while. Regardless, he charged hard too and ended up with a respectable finish.

After watching the two qualifiers from one side of the track, we ventured to the other side and found a spot at the top of a hill by the fence that had a flat spot to sit. Kaven’s qualifier was up. We couldn’t see the start or about the first fifteen seconds of the race so we didn’t know what was coming. Cairoli came around the corner leading the race, then when I saw who was in second place I almost filled my drawers (I lied, I almost cried)… it was Kaven!!! I couldn’t believe it…well I could… but you know what I mean. And to boot, he was in front of the current MXGP World Champion, Romain Lefebvre, and held him off or three laps.

He was on the gas. Kaven went down right as he entered our section of the track, got up in tenth and worked his way back to eighth by the end of the moto. I knew then we had a good shot to get

into the A final.

I won’t go into the details of the race because everyone knows what happened by now. What I will say, though, is the tenth place finish was without question a team effort. Not just with the three riders, who I believe each rode their personal best that day, but the mechanics, advisors, team manager, cook, the German dude that leant the PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE team the rig, everyone. It was fantastic to witness firsthand. I was proud of every one of them, and especially proud to be a Canadian and have a little to do with the speed of our top Canadians.

What was the biggest result at the MXoN in Maggiora? Team Canada put themselves on the international motocross map, and legitimized the country and its riders. We’re only talking about a second or two per lap between the frontrunners and our top guys. The depth of talent in Canada is increasing every year so WE ARE going to get faster. Benoit is now known throughout the world for his performance, because every nation in the world was watching.

Canada may not be a flag waving country because we keep our pride to ourselves, but now that our boys have established our country as one of the best in the world when it comes to motocross, we should. Unfortunately, the MXoN at Glen Helen was cancelled and it will now take place at Matterley Basin, England. If you’ve never attended a Motocross of Nations and want to have the experience of watching the best of the best in world motocross rankings, you have to put it on your bucket list. And it’s addictive, that’s why King and I are already making plans to go. This time I might take a flag.

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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