With 3 weeks before 2015 Junior World Motocross Championship at El Molar, Spain, NZ’s sole entry Josiah Natzke continues a path set by former Kiwi’s to make the podium- no less than NZ’s Hamish Dobbyn in 2009.
I wrote this article post Hamish’s 3rd podium, 2 steps from 2nd Tye Simmonds (Australia) and Overall 1st Eli Tomac (USA). The publication was in NZ’s DRD magazine. Here’s a re-cap- Part One.
‘An interview with Hamish Dobbyn – 1 week after taking 3rd in the Junior World MX Championships 2009 was an opportunity to find out ‘how did this guy do it’?
Troubled by injuries making fitness and bike time difficult along with the recent switch to Kawasaki- was the challenge to race Junior Worlds too big?
Hamish: ‘Nah- never- the challenge is never finished. 3rd podium that was that challenge now I’m focused on what’s next. MX is challenging that’s what we do, it’s what I enjoy’.
Hamish as always honest on what matters prompted a re-cap on the 2 day FIM Junior World MX Championship event held at Taupo Motorcycle club’s Digger McEwen Park.
SC: What was upper most in your mind going into Junior Worlds?
Hamish: ‘Definitely not to underestimate how strong riders like Eli Tomac (USA) and Tye Simmonds (Australia) would be at the end of the race. Tye and Eli have so much experience, they stay strong til the end of the moto’.
HD: ‘Their mental strength as well as being physically super fit keeps them focused to the last lap’.
HD: ‘Mostly I had an open mind. I knew I couldn’t give up’.
Particularly challenging for all rider’s racing was Taupo’s infamous sawdust section.
Hamish: ‘I just love it. The sawdust section is my favourite part of the whole track, and in fact of any track in the world that I have ridden. I think riders overestimate what it takes to go through the sawdust section, you have to fully commit. It has so much give, the bike absorbs the bumps, there are no kicks and I just go in pinned’.
Hamish: ‘You have to attack it like watching Eli working through the field in attack mode and Tye- I went in landing before the table-top, pick up and skim over the bumps. It’s all about attack’.
Part Two to come.
Words: Sharon Cox
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