Give Me My Title Back

Lisburn rider Richard Bird will begin his campaign to reclaim the Ulster Motocross Championship title on Monday in Round One at the Desertmartin Grand Prix.
Richard Bird flies through the air.Richard Bird flies through the air.
Richard Bird flies through the air.

Bird lost out in both the Nutt Travel.com Premier MX1 Class Ulster Championships and the Irish Championships last year to Ballygowan man Gary Gibson.

This year, on his KTM, Richard hopes he’ll be the man coming out on top of their dual for the Championship crowns.

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“Gary and I battled it out all year for the titles but unfortunately I was the man to lose in both of them,” he said.

“It’s alwas good, racing against Gary. We get on well off the track and we know what we have to do on it. The plan is to win both of them this year.

“I’d love to do it because I’m not getting any younger.

“I’m feeling good and I can’t wait to get back into it. I’ve worked hard all Winter.”

Bird won the Ulster Championship back in 2011 but has never claimed the Irish title. Last week, he opened his 2014 Irish campaign but a crash in his first race set him back before the claimed two third place finishes.

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On Monday, the 27 year-old will be hoping for an even better finish at the season-opener in Desertmartin.

“I think I have a good chance,” he said. “I really like the course, it’s one of the best in Ireland.

“It’s a long season though and nothing can be won in the first race.”

Also in the hunt will be multi Ulster Champion Wayne Garrett, back on his beloved KTM machinery after two years on Hondas.

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Also racing are young charger Ryan Adair on the Adair Building Service Suzuki, veteran Tommy Merton on the Monster Norman Watt Kawasaki, and a host of other names including Dublin’s Stuart Edmonds on the CCR Suzuki.

Other local riders in action will be Moira’s triple Irish & Ulster Clubman MX1 Champion Jordan Blakely in the Matheseon Contracts/Laverty Motocross supported Semi Expert MX1 Class on his KTM. Saintfields Scott Leaney will also be up there.

In the Bore a Hole/Eunisure Semi Expert MX2 Class, Lisburn’s Chris Eccles will also be in action.

Racing starts at 11am. Entrance is £5 but under 14s are free. Each class will have three races each.