Gas Gas UK are pleased to announce we have now finalised all our Team JSTGGUK riders for 2013. We have purposely waited until all riders have agreed before announcing the full Team Press Release.
We have more or less the same riders for next year with only a few changes and im very confident we can continue into 2013 with the main objective and that is to win!
One GG rider who needs NO introduction is the legend DOUGIE LAMPKIN. Doug is a full GG factory rider and is not yet known what events he will ride next year. I can assure you that whatever events he rides in this country GGUK will be fully supportive. Doug made history this year for himself and for GAS GAS in winning the infamous SSDT for the 6th time which no other rider has done. He also finished 2nd to Michael Brown at the Scott Trial.
Our No.1 rider Michael Brown has signed for another 2 years which is great news. He has good support from the GG Factory and ourselves here at GGUK. Factory Kev remains as his mechanic who gives me confidence that nobody has a better bike than Michael in the UK. Michael starts his 2013 season with the Sheffield Indoor Trial on January 5th.
Alexz Wigg is happy back on GG and is looking forward to next year riding primarily Trials with also a few Extreme Enduros. Alexz has the skill and strength to do very well at Extreme Enduro and I think could hopefully surprise a few people at ‘The Tough One’ on January 12th.
Sam Haslam is well and truly an important Team member and will continue to ride Trials at the highest level in the UK.
Dan Thorpe is very important to the brand which im proud he has been associated with now for many years. Dan rides every weekend and always gives 100% and is still capable of winning many events at National level.
A very welcome return to GAS GAS is Ben Morphett who is really looking forward to next year now he’s back on GG. Ben last rode for us back in 2009 and is a very focused rider that is capable of better things next year with new enthusiasm with a bike and team change. Ben will be also be supported by his long standing sponsor Inta Motorcycles.
Local rider Tom Dexter is now armed with a PRO300 and is loving it. He had his first year this year in adults and still on a 125cc which has not suited him because Tom is a very big lad for a 125 so his results have not been as good as we know he can achieve. I think we’ll now see Toms confidence increase now that he is on 300 and the results will come.
Jack Stones is another JSTGGUK team rider fresh out of schoolboys and has also gone from a 125 to a 300 and his confidence is also growing especially after a superb Scott Trial debut.
We are helping two Youth riders this year. The first is simply the best Youth rider in the UK at the moment in young Jack Price. Jack has won the A Class British Championship this year and is still technically a B rider who has ridden a class higher than his age and still won. I think if Jack ‘keeps his head’ and doesn’t get too big for his boots we could see the ‘next big thing’ in Jack Price and im pleased he is on GAS GAS.
Sam Yeomans will be the best GG rider in B Class next year supported by GG Dealer Kelcoat. Sam has finished 5th in this years B Class Championship but with a few of those beating him moving to A Class he has a real chance to win the B Championship next year.
Katy Sunter remains our top GG girl and needs no introduction to the Trials world. Katy like her boyfriend Thorpey live and breathe Trials and their passion is repaid with good results. They are the ‘posh n becks’ of the UK Trials world and im pleased Katy is party of our GAS GAS family.
Nikita Smith is now maturing well. She has won every round of the British Championship in her girls A Class this year and I hope she has permission to ride in the main adult class next year. Nikita will simply just keep getting better because she is very determined and has a very supportive family behind her.
Moving to Enduro the Team is a lot smaller but we support the best up and coming rider out there in the name of Danny McCanney! He is a full factory GG rider and competed in the World Enduro Championship for the first time this year and finished 3rd in the Junior Class. He is also 2012 under23 (and overall) British Sprint Champion and has finished 2nd in the traditional British Enduro Championship E3 Class behind his countryman and legend David Knight. One goal for Danny for 2013 is World Junior Champion! He comes from a grounded family and if he keeps grafting like he is I know he can be a world champion this time next year. I must give a massive thanks for Danny’s success thus far to Steve Plain who has guided Danny to all his achievements to date.
Good friend and all round nice guy Jack Lee is part of the GGUK Enduro team and will specialize in the Extreme events with his strength, size skill and determination. Jack is young enough to have a real go over the next few years at Extreme Enduro and its certainly a part of the Enduro sport that is growing.
Also as previously mentioned established Trials star Alexz Wigg will have a serious go at a few Extreme events next year where I think he will impress…
I personally will be proud to be part of each riders success and do my best to keep you all informed with ‘Shirtys Say’ which I do to support my team and not for bragging rights! Results speak for themselves…
I will finish by thanking our valued Team sponsors;
- S3 parts
- MOTS clothing (trials)
- NOVOGAR boots (trials)
- PUTOLINE OILS
- MICHELIN TYRES
- RENTHAL HANDLEBARS
- DP BRAKE PADS
“its not the taking part that counts….its the winning!”
Yours in Sport
Shirty
