Press Release

Matthew Wadsworth on his first ever Motocross Grand Prix!


Hi
guys,




If
you are a motocross fan you might have seen this clip of a blind guy
doing a jump on a motorcycle. If not I suggest you check it out
immediately, right here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mEyDXG70rNk


You
probably already guessed that that guy is me! Because I have been
training in California with Micky Dymond for our ‘Making the jump’
project, it is mostly American fans who know about me at the moment,
although I’m British! The best way to change that is of course to
go out and meet people.



Through
an introduction of a Belgian MX fan I was introduced to Honda and the
LS Honda Racing team. They found out aboutmy story and liked what I
did. Because I ride Honda and regularly spend time in Belgium for my
work –I’m a professional musician- we had an instant connection.
Together with Youthstream, who run the motocross World Championship,
LS Honda Racing invited me to come over and visit my first Grand Prix
in Valkenswaard. Not only was it my first GP, Valkenswaard was also
the opener of the 2012 World Championship. And having studied in The
Hague as a young guy I always like to go to Holland anyway. So what
more could I ask for?



Admittedly,
the weather was way too cold for the time of year but my first race
as a spectator turned out to be a great experience. I was also
pleasantly surprised to learn that some people had already noticed
‘Making the jump’! It’s always funny to me to hear how
differently people react. Some are very enthusiastic about my crazy
stunt, they call it brave, others are speechless or can not believe
that I did or that I am truly blind as a bat! Actually I never
intended to turn my jumping a motocross bike into a stunt. Hollywood
stunt men and women can rest assured I won’t quit my day time job!
Making the jump is about challenging yourself and pushing the
boundaries. That’s also what a lot of the guys and girls did in
Valkenswaard... And will do for the rest of the season, no doubt.



During
the weekend I learned a lot about the sport and how driven and
committed these riders are. Just like anything in life, whether it’s
playing an instrument or excelling in sports, it takes a lot of
practice and dedication to reach the highest level. Take the MX1
World Champion for example. Antonio Cairoli has five world titles,
but his desire to win is still as great as ever before. Or the home
favourite, Jeffrey Herlings who had the weight of the world on his
shoulders and still pulled through. I guess it's very similar to
playing a high-profile concert, where all eyes and ears are on you!
For Jonathan Barragan and the Honda riders the weekend was generally
not as good as they wanted but I’m sure they’ll be back on the
gas this weekend in Bulgaria. I was happy to learn that Jonathan did
well in France this weekend and I look forward to meeting him next
time. Valkenswaard was so busy that I didn't even get the chance to
speak to him!



In
general I found that motocross folks are very warm and approachable.
It’s definitely a family sport and that’s definitely something I
took away from Valkenswaard. For someone who can't see I can
understand why you might think it’s weird for me to visit a
motocross race. As you know people who are born without sight or who
have lost their vision see in a different way. So if we say "see"
it just refers to the collective use of all our other senses, which
help to paint a picture inside our head.


Let
me assure you, motocross is definitely a great spectacle to witness,
in every sense! As a musician and rider I get excited by the sound of
the bikes. It’s also something I talked about a lot with my friend
and riding coach Micky. Than you have the shifting, getting on the
throttle, the squeaks of the brakes, the compression of the
suspension (you needed some serious guts to jump that triple!). You
have the different smells, fourstroke and twostroke, Belgian fries
and hamburgers and of course the general atmosphere! And you could
tell on both days people were really getting into the racing. With
some


personal
commentary I was able to get a good idea of what was going on, but
if my schedule permits I would like to visit the British GP in
Matterly Basin and that should even be better. Especially because it
allows me to appreciate the live commentary in my native language!



I
met a lot of great people in Holland and the list of people to thank
is long. But I would like to start with Steven Lettani from LS Honda
Racing and Marionna, the Youthstream press officer. They really made
me feel welcome. In Valkenswaard I was talking to a lot of media
people, journalists and photographers about ‘Making the jump’ and
on top of that I had some nice chats with very different
personalities. About their passion for motorcycles but also about
music –I even learned about some riders playing an instrument- and
taking chances. I even had the opportunity to say hello to Mr.
Giuseppe Luongo who is


the
president of Youthstream. Of course I checked out the awesome LS
Honda race bike of Jonathan Barragan, with lots of carbon parts and
obviously more trick to it than my own trusty CRF450R. Next time I
would like to see the factory Honda bike, which is I’m told even
more special! One of the coolest meetings I had was with Kevin Wouts
who had just won the MX3 GP. That was his first ever Grand Prix
victory! Kevin was over the moon and it was a very emotional moment
for him. He showed me his huge trophy and I can imagine how proud he
must have been on top of the podium!



As
for my motocross riding. we are currently planning and thinking about
what I could do next. The more I think about the more I would like to
get on the bike again. I think riding a motorcycle or bike is
something that stays with you forever. As a kid I rode a pitbike in a
field behind our house and that’s something I will never forget. In
terms of performances I’m preparing for a very busy and spectacular
summer so I have to be careful about my planning. But I will
definitely keep an eye on the results for the coming GPs and you can
be sure to hear more about ‘Making the jump’ in the months to
come! As they say watch this space.



Thank
you for reading my megalong first post!  If you want to know
more about Making the jump, please visit www.makingthejump.com.
And if you want to learn more about my music and listen to some
pieces check out http://matthewwadsworth.com/


Keep
it safe!





Matt


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