After the confusion surrounding the evolution of the final entry of Britain’s three best off road racers to represent the country last year, Team Manager Rob Herring will now by assisted by the ACU in the form of Technical steward Andy Summers. The duo will be travelling to Grand Prix races and be present at every round of the Maxxis British Championships to draw up a shortlist of candidates for the final cut. Meetings and training days will be held with the riders in the running for the three slots on the team.
“To be manager of the British team is always something to be proud of and I am happy to take on the job again in 2005,” commented former Nations winner Herring. “Last year there were a couple of mishaps but I don’t see this as a reason to throw the towel in. I am committed and so are the riders. I know what it takes at that level and also what it feels like to win. I will be working with Andy this time. We are watching the British Championships and will be travelling to some of the GPs and trying to get a rapport with the riders to repair some of the damage that was done last year. We want to be a lot more professional about it this season.”
“People made some valid points about last year, commenting on how I could pick a team when I wasn’t at the races and there was a slight breakdown in communications with the riders on my part,” he admitted. “So this season I will be there watching and taking stock. I will also be talking to the teams as well so that they know the situation and when we come to selecting the line-up there will be no shocks.”
“We want to have a few training days with the guys, not so much to watch them ride but to bond together,” remarked Andy Summers. “We have been waiting ten years now for some success at the Motocross of Nations and it is overdue. I have been long involved with the youth side of the sport and to be a part of something like this is a privilege.”
Britain last won the event in 1994 but still hold the record amount of victories with 16. USA and Belgium are closing fast with 15 and 14 wins respectively in the annual tournament that has run for 58 years.
Pictured are Rob Herring (blue jacket) and Andy Summers with the two riders currently leading the MX1 and MX2 Maxxis British Championships, Paul Cooper and Carl Nunn.
The new website for the series can be found at: www.mxgb.info
The pages include news, results and photos (available for media download) rider profile shots and info on the circuits.
Info photo – copyright MxPress