With the UK set to be hit with an arctic blast this week it’s just as well at the riders from the Rob Hooper Racing team have been training and plying their trade in sunnier climes during the winter months.
Preceding this weekend’s season opening Hawkstone International the racer’s from the Official Yamaha Motocross team have all been enjoying warmer weather to ensure they get the track and bike time they need for their stacked 2018 season.
Team boss Rob Hooper commented “Training in Britain during the winter months is frustrating at the best of times, and with these last few months being so wet it has been important for our rider’s to venture abroad”.
Just a day after receiving his 2018 Yamaha 450F from the team, Ryan Houghton suffered a broken collarbone so his bike time has been limited, but since then has undergone a strict and intensive on and off track with the RMJ Academy. Ryan has also spent 4 weeks riding over in Spain at the popular Red Sands circuit where many of the MXGP riders undertake their winter training regimes.
Ryan said of his winter “I am feeling good. The injury didn’t help things, but at least that happened early in the winter so once that healed it has been all systems go and I am feeling really comfortable on the bike and raring to get behind a start gate”.
Another rider coming back from an injury, albeit a season ending one at the start of 2017, Kristian Whatley has also been over in Spain for two stints, but has been blighted in his UK based testing due to the weather.
“Hawkstone this weekend will be an extension to Kristian’s testing programme as we haven’t been able to do as much as we would like in the last couple of months.” continued Rob. “We are very pleased with his progress so far though, and with more time on the bike we are confident Kristian will be ready to challenge and gain race wins once the domestic campaign begins”.
It’s not all been about training for the team’s MX2 rider Robbie Dowson who has been out touring the tracks in California and in the last few week’s has taken part in R.E.M meetings at the Legendary Glen Helen circuit where he came home with Pro Class win’s on back to back weekend’s.
“Robbie arrives back in the UK on Thursday in the depths of a freezing spell after enjoying the California sunshine, so he is in for a bit of a shock.” Said Rob “He returns on a high though, having had a highly successful run of training, and to get race wins under your belt as well will give him a fantastic boost coming into Hawkstone.”
The Hawkstone International takes place this Sunday 11th February at the infamous Shropshire circuit with a host of the best riders in the world of Motocross taking part. For full event information and ticket details visit www.hawkstoneinternationalmx.com
