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PHOTO LISSIMORE JAMES

MX PERFORMANCE VOLUME 12 ISSUE 6

R A E Y A 2014

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PHOTOS

JAMES LISSIMORE’S BEST FROM 2013

LISSIMORE JAMES

MX PERFORMANCE VOLUME 12 ISSUE 6

OTOCROSS A YEAR IN M FEB

2014

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TION ORS EDI COLLECTNNUAL 2014 PHOTO A

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VOLUME 12 - ISSUE 7 CONTENTS

PHOTO

PAGE 20

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30 FROM THE PHOTO STUDIO WITH JAMES LISSIMORE Reflections

42 UPSHIFT WITH BRIAN KOSTER Year in Review 2013

32 GUEST COLUMN WITH BRETT METCALFE Championship Summer

102 ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR WITH MARC TRAVERS 2013 – The Year of the Aussie

40 STARTING POINT WITH BRETT LEE Looking Back

54 2013 GOLDEN ELBOW AWARDS WITH CHRIS POMEROY

112 ART DEPARTMENT WITH MIKE CHAN Foundations

2014-01-14 5:10 PM

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KAMLOOPS, BC Probably my favourite image I shot in 2013. Photo shoots can be a mixed bag when it comes to track conditions but Brett Metcalfe is a seasoned pro when it comes to making something out of nothing. He sessioned the dried up outside of this berm several times for my camera, kicking up huge walls of dirt each time. Combined with the backlit sun, it really pops.

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CALGARY, AB. The Medaglia brothers, Jeremy (12) and Tyler (7), battle at Calgary.

They may be family but you know neither will give an inch.

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COURTLAND, ON.

Fans are what make the sport go ‘round. Even at the end of a sweltering hot day at Gopher Dunes, they were still as excited as ever to see their heroes.

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WALTON, ON. Dylan Wright is the most exciting amateur I’ve had the chance to shoot over the past few years. I could have filled this issue with shots of him getting sideways but this image of him scrubbing the Walton step down is one my favourites of the bunch.

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MXPMAG.COM Volume 12 Issue 7

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FROM THE PHOTO STUDIO

REFLECTIONS

ombing through photos for this Photo Annual gave me plenty of time to reflect on not only this past year but my love of photography in general. After the better part of a decade chasing the motocross nationals, I still love getting that tingle when a really exciting image comes across my computer screen. That moment, perfectly frozen in time, brings back a flood of emotion that I still have trouble finding anywhere else, which reminds me of how much I truly love my job.

Things may change from year to year, from my first manual focus film camera to autofocus to digital, but at the end of the day the fundamentals never change – composition, light, action and emotion coming together to hopefully make something that stands the test of time. For me, a camera has always been a passport – a way to see the world and meet people I’d otherwise never have the chance to meet.

I look at the images and don’t see just the racing action, the passes and the wins. I see the airports, the gas stops, the morning coffees, the great people that make up our sport and complete our little travelling community that criss-crosses the country each summer. Looking at the images, all those moments come flooding back.

Photography has given me a voice. I’m an extremely shy person by nature but I found out early on I could speak with my images. They say a

C

“I NEVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED THE JOURNEY I WAS STARTING DOWN AT THE TIME BUT I STILL FEEL THE SAME ENJOYMENT WHEN I GRAB MY CAMERAS AND HEAD TO THE TRACK.”

WITH JAMES LISSIMORE PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE

picture is worth a thousand words and picking up a camera allowed me to share my passions, both in the outdoors and my favourite sport of motocross.

I remember taking my film camera down to Mission Raceway on Tuesday nights and trying to replicate the photos I saw in my favourite magazines. I never could have imagined the journey I was starting down at the time but I still feel the same enjoyment when I grab my cameras and head to the track. I still find it crazy, though, when I see my photos in a magazine in Australia or England, or when I’m standing at Chad Reed’s house in Florida, shooting him ripping around his Go Kart track. I still have to pinch myself sometimes.

I shoot, on average, about 50,000 photos in a year. Plenty of them aren’t very good, but they all contribute to the timeline, the bad ones, the good ones, the so-so ones. The photos on the following pages are some of my favourite out of the “good pile” from the summer. Some of what I hope are the best from my summer driving across the most incredible country in the world, from my home on the West Coast to the Atlantic and back again, covering the National series, trying to capture a little slice of the emotion that makes this sport so special.

Hopefully, you’ll look at these images and get a feel for what made the year so great and maybe trigger a few memories of your own.

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GUEST COLUMN

CHAMPIONSHIP SUMMER hen I talked to a few people about racing the Canadian National series, everything was positive. I didn’t hear one bad comment about the Championship besides how crap the first round would be. I even spoke to a couple guys who are affiliated with that circuit and they apologized in advance for the dismal track. Other than that, it sounded like clear sailing and a good, fun time going racing.

My first trip up was in early May for our test session with the Leading Edge Monster Energy Kawasaki team run by Jason Hughes. I flew into Vancouver where I met my fellow teammates Teddy Maier, Austin Politelli and Tyler Villopoto.

We drove from there to Kamloops where the team is based. That was my first experience of Canada right there. The drive was spectacular with mountains, snow and just open country. I remember pulling up to a gas station, getting out and smelling the freshest air I’ve breathed in years - a far fetch from California. Everyone seems much at ease and friendly to talk with.

Heading over to the first round in Nanaimo was also pretty spectacular. The ferry ride and the entrance into Vancouver Island was cool and made it feel like we weren’t really heading there for a race, more like a holiday. The island was super nice and really scenic. It made me feel good about the track and I wondered how it could possibly be so bad. On the way to the track there’s a forest with some mountain bike trails. We watched a few guys hit some jumps, which was cool.

We arrived at the track and it looked pretty good. It had just finished dumping rain but it looked reasonable out there still. I thought the track could’ve been better on race day, but with all things considered, it wasn’t too bad and it was better than I anticipated. That’s probably because I was so informed and prepared for the “worst track in history”. Although it wasn’t far off, I still give props to the club for making it as good as it was with all the rain they had, and they still pulled a good crowd. If only they could change the dirt.

The next two rounds on the circuit were awesome; Kamloops and Calgary were spectacular. Kamloops was cool as it’s my team’s hometown so we had a lot of supporters there. The track at Kamloops was perfect and they let the track get rough, which was cool to see. It was a new layout for this year’s event and it seemed to work well, although I did hear a few guys mention they preferred the old layout. Calgary was maybe the most enjoyable round to race. The track was really good, big jumps and deep ruts. Maybe the best part was it felt like a Supercross event in the USA. You fly into a major city, hotel is right by the airport and the track is just up the road. The convenience was awesome and it’s really rare to see an outdoor motocross event like that held so close to a city.

The next round before the two week break was Edmonton. This track was also a convenient track and the facility was good. However, I didn’t enjoy the track so much, but it made for one of the better

W

“WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP WAS A GREAT FEELING AND A HIGHLIGHT OF THE SEASON WITHOUT A DOUBT. I’M GOING TO SAY THAT THE BEST PART WAS GOING UP THERE AND BEING WELL ACCEPTED BY THE FANS AND EVERYONE ELSE AT THE RACES.”

WITH BRETT METCALFE PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE races of the year in the second moto with a good battle between Teddy, Bobby K and the Medaglia bros. The roost is painful! If you can imagine getting hit by a paintball gun at point blank range for about four seconds straight, that’s how it felt. Especially off the start and the first lap because you can’t get out of the roost. My cool looking Monster helmet was completely thrashed after that one round.

The two week break before Round Five was nice as I got to return to AMA competition at Southwick.

I was very happy with how I finished in Southwick, especially since I was just jumping into the middle of their series. As it turned out, racing Southwick was great preparation for Gopher Dunes.

Gopher Dunes was the round I was most anticipating on the circuit. I heard it was gnarly, deep sand and really rough. It definitely lived up to its hype. The facility was great and the crowd was strong and enthusiastic.

The temperatures were extremely hot and humid that day, which made it brutal. I remember after the second moto feeling pretty empty inside. The one thing missing was a good set of natural sand rollers. Due to the rain, the track actually got pretty choppy instead of rolling whoops, which was a bummer, but still it was awesome and brutal over 30 minutes of racing.

The next two rounds were a couple of my favourites. Sand Del Lee and Deschambault were both great. The facilities were big and the tracks were awesome. They’re both very similar in surface and style with jumps and technical sections. One interesting thing to me was everyone used the sand paddle tyre at each round. That indicates how sandy parts of each track actually were.

Deschambault was my favourite round if I had to pick one. The crowd’s energy at that event was awesome and I loved the feel of being there with the language barrier. I just felt like I was in a completely different country. Although with that being said, that was the only round all of us riders on the team weren’t allowed in the facility gates because our credential passes were sitting in the truck. It was like trying to break into a bank getting into that place.

The final two rounds were both good places and the tracks were okay. Not my favourites but they were still good race tracks, and we had some tight battles in the MX1 class at each event making it fun.

Winning the championship was a great feeling and a highlight of the season without a doubt. I’m going to say that the best part was going up there and being well accepted by the fans and everyone else at the races.

The series promoter, Stallybrass Promotions, CMRC and each club who run each round expressed an open door and were excited just to have me up there. I came up there as a professional to do my job of course, but the enjoyment from racing up there was priceless.

Next year will be much tougher as I feel I’ve come in and raised the bar, but that’s what it’s all about.

Thanks to all the Canadian MX supporters for making the series what it is. See you this Summer!

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RICHMOND, ON. This bump coming into a corner at Sand Del Lee was a great place to shoot.

Morgan Burger gets sideways while lining up to make the turn.

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WALTON, ON. Over my career, I’ve noticed a lot less whips being thrown in practice these days. Not sure if it’s due to track design, four-strokes or everyone’s pursuit of the perfect lap but there’s not as many riders laying it flat. One rider who never disappoints, though, is Nicky Beatty, seen here throwing a mean whip over the natural double.

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RICHMOND, ON. Some of my favourite images are the ones away from the track. Here I found some nice light falling on Bryton Allison as he gave his brother, Parker’s bike a good scrub.

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STARTING POINT

LOOKING BACK...

or whatever reason, when I think of years past or the years to come, the first thing that comes to mind is bikes; race bikes from the past season, my own bikes and the new bikes coming out. I always remember as a kid peering over Motocross Action Magazine at the new bikes for the coming year and imaging myself on one. The year or years in the past in motocross are largely dictated by the bikes we owned, the year we rode our very first bike, or the year we won on another bike. It is the bikes that make our story. For anyone looking back, it is the bike they rode that is such a big part of their story. I can’t help looking back and thinking about all the bikes I have built that have tied me to this crazy sport we all love.

My first bike was an orange and brown tanked Yamaha GT80. I think it was purchased for $150 or something like that, certainly no more. The bike arrived in a box and my Dad insisted on building it into something for us boys to rip around the yard on. Being the oldest, I dominated that bike for its short and unimpressive life. It was a beaten little machine when it arrived and it got no better in the hands of a grubby little 8 year-old. It soon ended its days as a glorious parts bike to a better cared for...yes, another Yamaha GT. Only this one had a silver and blue tank, and for the most part was still in good, original condition.

I remember sitting on that bike. It seemed like the most powerful motorcycle in the world as it puttered under me. Within thirty seconds after I clicked it into gear, I crashed the bike violently at the end of our laneway, came to a rest, and bled on the side of the road. It was my first encounter with functional front brakes and gravel. It was an ugly but solid lesson. It may have been a rough start but that bike gave my friends and I years of fun. It was the bike I first raced, and the first glance I had inside a motor. It was the founding block in a lifelong obsession.

My next bike was a 1986 RM80. It was like my other bikes - used. This bike blew up more times than I filled it with gas. I remember getting a loan from my parents for $650. The thought of having an actual motocross bike was almost overwhelming to me as we drove it home. My Dad was a big believer in learning how to work on our own bikes. I remember in a stretch riding that bike for less than ten minutes and blowing it up three times. I mean, there were pieces of piston blown into the pipe; they were seized solidtype deals. It taught me how to pull an engine apart on my own, change fork seals and win real motocross races. On that bike I still remember winning at Hully Gully and the London Fairgrounds in the 80B class.

The very same night, Kevin Moore jumped further and higher than I ever saw a motorcycle fly.

1989 KX85 - again another used bike I bought from a friend. That bike was the closest to new I ever had. It seemed everyone was on Kawasaki 80s back

F

“THE YEAR OR YEARS IN THE PAST IN MOTOCROSS ARE LARGELY DICTATED BY THE BIKES WE OWNED, THE YEAR WE RODE OUR VERY FIRST BIKE, OR THE YEAR WE WON ON ANOTHER BIKE. IT IS THE BIKES THAT MAKE OUR STORY.”

WITH BRETT LEE PHOTO BY BRETT LEE

then and it felt good to be on a bike that I thought was as good as everyone else’s. My days of checkers or wreckers were still with me; I spent a lot of time wearing that bike as a hat. I cannot look at a Kawasaki 80 without thinking about a fateful, fourth gear get off at RJs that left me wishing I had never seen the colour green before. On that bike I began to feel like a fast kid; I even led a kid named Blair Morgan for a couple laps at Motopark’s Amateur National.

1991 Honda CR125 - my first new bike. It was the first time I rode a brand new bike. I remember it was March. I clicked through the gears up and down the side road out front of my parents’ house. I remember to this day thinking how firm the seat was…weird huh? I won a lot of motos on that bike. I won motos in Alberta at the Amateur Nationals, at Loretta Lynn’s, and locally. On that bike I went from a mid-pack mini rider to a front-of-the-pack Junior. I was young and confident on that bike. I always remember that Honda as a bike I felt I could do anything on. I have vowed to someday restore a 1991 Honda CR125 to remind myself of a special time in life.

I bought a 1992 KX125 from Burr Racing, which at the time was the shop to deal with. The KX125 had a bit of an issue…it blew up a lot. I don’t remember why, but those who owned them spent a lot of time pushing them back to the truck and peering inside the engine. The confidence I had built the year before was zapped from me on that bike. It was the first time in my life I didn’t love racing.

1993 CR125 - I went back to Honda. I was in high school. I always remember the TransCan that year and winning both the 125 Intermediate and GP classes against a fast guy named Brian Sledgers. It was a great weekend and one of the few times most of my local friends saw me race. I always think about that week at the TransCan when I see a 1993 Honda and remember my friends flagging around the track and cheering me on.

1996 YZ250/ KX250 - My 1996 was a crappy bike and I never really felt great about it, but it was my first good Pro bike. I felt even worse when the week before the Barrie National it was stolen. It was a super big bummer but fortunately Mark Stallybrass hooked me up with his Yamaha for the weekend so I was able to race. It was a year or two old, but in Moto 2 I grabbed a 4th place start and ran up there pretty well for much of the moto until the complete lack of training caught up with me. I tanked back to 12th or so. It was a sad run for me. I always remember handing that bike back to Mark. He had new graphics and tires on it when he gave it to me but after two National motos it was less than new looking. I did eventually get my Yamaha back a year later but it had been ridden hard and put away dirty more than a few times.

That same year, Inglis Cycle gave me a bike to use. It

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was a solid bike and I really loved it. I had some pretty strong regional rides on it and a couple good Nationals, but it was always the bike that replaced the stolen one, like a rebound girlfriend. I just never loved her.

1997-2000 Honda CR250s - This was the biggest bummer of my racing career. All winter I trained and was more prepared than I had ever been. I was fast and fit. I really loved the CR250. I had won a bunch of District 14 races against some fast A racers from Michigan. The first Canadian race I hit was Mono Center. I loved that track. I was on the gas in practice.

I was the fastest and most confident I had felt at any point in my life, but on the last lap of practice, I put my foot in a hole and tore up my knee. It has haunted me to this day. I really think that was a year I could have done damage. Unfortunately, I spent the year hurt, limping, and losing confidence and fitness. I stayed with Honda for a few years, but really, it was over. I always remember sitting, looking at that bike on the back bumper of the van. My knee had exploded in size and pain. It was a very tough pill to swallow at the time because I just knew that my time was up.

2001-2003 KTM 450 - That was when I was still a dreamer. I had to work, I was at the awkward age of still being young and fast enough to race Pro, but responsibility and a few aches were pushing me down another path. Racing Pro is a hard thing to do part time, sometimes a dangerous thing to do.

Ironically, that bike was also stolen from me; after some old school detective work it was returned to me about a month later. It was such a relief to get it back as I was too broke to buy a new one and too slow to get the level of support needed to keep racing. It was a bummer when that bike sent pieces of piston through every case in the bike. My last KTM I owned I won a +25 moto at Walton. That year, 2003, was also the last time I won a race at the Transcan.

2005 Honda 450 - This bike was an impulse buy. I was done being a “Pro” at this point; it was all about racing age classes for me. A week before Mono Center, I went into Machine Racing and financed a 450F. It was a great bike although I had moved north of Newmarket and didn’t have a lot of places to ride.

It was cool to have a bike. The times I did ride that bike it reminded me of all the things I love about motocross. I raced it at Trans Can. I always remember one moto getting a poor jump off the gate. When everyone chopped the throttle, I screamed “No brakes, look out everyone”. The guys parted like the Red Sea and I grabbed a monster holeshot. I think about that when I now see an older Honda 450.

2006 Yamaha 450F - This was a good bike that taught me valuable lessons. One, I was too old to race Pro, and two, never push something to happen. I was riding well in the fall, and I even got a third in a local Pro race the week before going to RJ Motosport Park.

I arrived late and was, get this, missing a foot peg. Yes, that is correct. That should have said something about my preparation. After missing practice, I rode around in the back of the Junior class to see the track. Again, a message was being sent. Off the start, I grabbed a third place start behind Ryan Gauld and Chuck Mesley, and beside me were a couple of fast hotshots. Behind the start was a fast double I hadn’t done. At the last second, I decided to go for it. I came up short and immediately, my body was on fire - my wrist, my ankle, and my hands.

I circled the track and pulled into the pits. From there I drove to the hospital and spent the next few years battling a nagging ankle break that refused to heal. There

was no point in racing or trying to clear that jump that day. It annoys me to this day that I tried.

The point is, when I look back at the highs and lows to this day, it is the bikes that spark memories of the years in the sport. I haven’t raced or owned a bike in a number of years, but in my basement office sits a GT80. The paint on the tank has been restored to the original grey and blue, and it looks just like it did thirty seconds before my first ever ride to the end of the lane. It makes me smile and always reminds me of how simply and innocently we start riding bikes, racing and loving a lifestyle that defines so much of who we are, and how fun it is to look back.

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UPSHIFT

YEAR IN REVIEW

hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, a happy Chanukah or whatever else I may have left out; basically a happy holiday is what I’m trying to say. Where I live in Southwestern Ontario it has been a very early winter (about a month early) with lots of snow and colder than normal temperatures. Add that to the recent ice storms where many, including myself, were left without hydro for days and days, some even over a week; it’s already taking its toll. Add that to the fact that we got spring a month late last year, it has me rethinking this whole global warming hoax. Anyway, whether you had been affected by the vast power outages or not, it should remain a good lesson to all about getting prepared for such adversary. Remember, when the power goes out there are no gas stations, bank machines, or grocery stores; basically everything is closed. There were only two people on my street that had a gas powered generator and I was one of them.

It was nice to be able to let my neighbours plug in so they could take care of some basic needs, and for one to keep their turtles warm and alive. It has been a good learning exercise for those affected and probably a good time to invest in an emergency preparedness plan for you and your family. Plus, it would really suck if your power went off before the gate drop of one of the Supercross races and you didn’t have a gassed up genie to plug into!

When the powers that be asked for this article to be a sort of Nationals year in review highlight-type deal, I had no choice but to agree. One has to, at the very least, try to keep the bosses happy, right? For me, it’s hard to write about the highlights without first delving into the lowlights. As always, those lowlights come mostly in the form of rider injuries, and at round one in Nanaimo we had our fair share.

Spencer Knowles’ elbow and Shawn Maffenbeier’s collarbone were probably the most notable. Tyler Villopoto crashed hard there, which put a damper on his day as well. Round two was not favourable for Canadian fans either as it was where, for the second year in row, Colton Facciotti’s season ended. Add in Kaven Benoit’s mid-season practice crash injury, it spelled trouble for Team KTM. To add to their woes, late season starter and multi-time Champion Dusty Klatt had a career ending injury at Moncton, which was more than disappointing for Canadian Motocross.

As in any motorsport, mechanical difficulties can rear their ugly head at any time but this past season seemed to have more than its fair share. Teddy Mair had some untimely DNFs that cost him dearly once the series results were tabulated but so did some of his competitors, which leveled things off a bit. One engine failure that stands out was Brad Nauditt’s in moto one at Walton. It all came down to the final round for him to secure third overall in the Cham-

I

“AS IN ANY MOTORSPORT, MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES CAN REAR THEIR UGLY HEAD AT ANY TIME BUT THIS PAST SEASON SEEMED TO HAVE MORE THAN ITS FAIR SHARE. “

WITH BRIAN KOSTER PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE

pionship. He was in the midst of an epic comeback ride, passing guys left, right and center, while on his way to solidify the required points. That had to be the heartbreak DNF of the year that left Nauditt and his sponsor, Cycle North, teary eyed. They had to settle for fourth in MX2 points.

The highlights though were plentiful throughout the year in 2013. Weather wise, the Nationals could not have been better with virtually rain free main events. The addition of two-stroke 250s in the MX2 class was another highlight for me, and I think the majority of fans agree. Seeing Maffenbeier win the final MX2 moto of the year on his two-stroke after his early season injury was a great moment. For his teammate, Bobby Kiniry, to win a Walton moto was also fantastic for the team. Having Cole Thompson join the series at round five aboard the KTM 450 answered a lot of questions about his skills and commitment to the sport. Cole was an immediate frontrunner who provided the fans with a great deal of excitement in the five races he attended. Oh, he also snared the King of Walton sword, which was a nice touch for him, his family and his KTM team. Many felt that Jeremy Medaglia’s jump up to the MX1 class was ill timed, but he proved everyone wrong and was awe inspiring throughout the year as well. His big brother, Tyler, also impressed and had many great battles during the season, especially with Teddy Mair.

Their duel at Gopher Dunes in the most extreme heat was truly epic. Speaking of Gopher Dunes, how about Kyle Keast’s 2013 debut? He ended up landing on the MX1 box in front of his adoring fans on his home track, which was awesome. Austin Politelli deserved the Championship in MX2 as he was consistently the fastest guy in what proved to be a super competitive class. Pro Am rider Dylan Wright turned more than a few heads on his way to being the first Pro Am rider in Canadian Motocross history to podium. Davey Fraser’s holeshot at his home race in Moncton on the underdog TM motorcycle was also a thing of beauty.

The Allison twins need an honourable mention here because having twin brothers consistently in the top ten is something special. Josh Clark and his new team, Devils Lake MX, hammered their way to second overall in the MX2 series, which was also very impressive. Spencer Knowles’ holeshot at Walton after missing pretty much the entire series was cool to see, so let’s hope he can get the support to try again next year. Also, seeing some fresh blood run up front in MX2 with the likes of Kyle Swanson, Blake Savage, James Roberts, Jessie Wetlands, and Ross Johnson in MX1 was nice to see.

Another highlight was the addition of the Royal Distributing Triple Crown Holeshot Award, which was won on several occasions. It puts a lot more money in the riders’ pockets week to week, with the added

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bonus of a Marin Bicycle to the overall winners at the end of the year.

I suppose we save the best for last. What can be said about Brett Metcalfe that hasn’t already been said before? This guy is probably the most mentally and physically fit rider to grace our series since the venerable Jean Sebastian Roy. Metcalfe is a pro through and through. From his fitness to his diet, this rider leaves no stone unturned in his quest for wins.

Brett is an excellent role model and benchmark for not only young up and comers but for his immediate competition as well. Look for him as the guy to beat when the gate drops in 2014.

I think the biggest highlight for me is just being part of such a cool sport. To see such an improved spectator attendance throughout 2013 could very well be the shape of things to come as we head into the unknown. Buckle up, 2014 is upon us!

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WALTON, ON. I’m always looking for interesting light in my photographs. Walton has amazing light as the beams wind their way through the trees and gulleys that make up the property, striking the TransCan track equipment as they go about their morning track prep.

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WALTON, ON. Like any sport, motocross is about winning but it’s the camaraderie between competitors that makes it so special to us all. Phillipe Gallant and Alex Jeffery (31) celebrate a great Junior moto at the TransCan.

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WALTON, ON. My goal when shooting race action is to try to show as much of the battle as possible. I like the symmetry of this shot.

Bobby Kiniry out front, Brett Metcalfe and Cole Thompson giving chase.

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WALTON, ON. Start photos are always some of my favourite shots from a race, especially when a rider is pulling a huge holeshot and wheelies in front of the pack like Alex Jeffery is doing here at the TransCan.

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CALGARY, AB. City in the background? Check. Three riders going for the same corner? Check. One of my favourite images from Calgary: Jeremy Medaglia (12), Teddy Maier (11) and Brett Metcalfe (123) battle for the lead at Wild Rose.

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RIDER - of the -

YEAR

~2013~ GOLDEN ELBOW AWARDS WITH CHRIS POMEROY - PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

TEAM OF THE YEAR: MONSTER ENERGY LEADING EDGE KAWASAKI TEAM

TEAM OF THE YEAR

~20

13~

The winner of the 2013 Team of the Year goes to the Monster Energy Leading Edge Kawasaki Team. All season long their trio of Brett Metcalfe, Teddy Maier and Austin Politelli were at the front of the pack in almost every moto. Eventually, Metcalfe and Politelli would take both the MX1 and MX2 Championships, proving that hard work and great teamwork pay off. While all of the teams did a great job in 2013, and considering the Leading Edge Team were able to win both titles, this makes them the 2013 Team of the Year.

RIDER OF THE YEAR: BRETT METCALFE

Of all of these awards this was one of the easiest to decide. For the 2013 Rider of the Year we chose your CMRC MX1 Champion, Brett Metcalfe. Right from the time Metcalfe stepped off the plane at round one in Nanaimo he had a plan and was ready to win.

After putting in a safe ride in Nanaimo and finishing second to Colton Facciotti, Metcalfe went on a tear and promptly won the next three rounds in Kamloops, Calgary and Edmonton. As the series moved east wins were a little harder to come by, but like all champions Metcalfe did what he had to do and eventually won the MX1 Championship. He even clinched the title before the final round in Walton.

Another reason why Brett Metcalfe was our Rider of the Year was how he conducted himself off the track with fans, media and even his competitors. At every round of the series Metcalfe had a smile on his face and really seemed to enjoy his summer in Canada. For 2014, Metcalfe will be back to defend his title and will no doubt face even stiffer competition this time around. For now however, we think Brett Metcalfe is a perfect choice for this award.

NT~ ~EVE YEAR OF THE

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EVENT OF THE YEAR: PARTS CANADA TRANSCAN

This was another easy pick for the Event of the Year. For years now, the Parts Canada TransCan has been the event that everyone else tries to emulate. With its huge crowds and multi-day format, the TransCan always provides some great racing.

Over the years we have watched so many great young riders proves themselves on the historic Walton Raceway grounds. Whether it’s the track changes or concerts, the TransCan has led the way with what a major motocross event in Canada should be. Once again, the Parts Canada TransCan wins the award for the 2013 Event of the Year.

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TOP CANADIAN RIDER OF THE YEAR: TYLER MEDAGLIA T O U G H E S T N AT I O N A L ~2 0 13 ~

TOP

TOUGHEST NATIONAL: GOPHER DUNES

RIDER

The toughest track and the toughest race of 2013 was definitely round five at Gopher Dunes. With temperatures up near 40c, the sun was blaring, and every rider had to dig to the bottom of their reserves to make it across the finish line. Not only did the riders have to deal with the severe heat, but as usual, the Gopher Dunes track was super rough with huge sand whoops and deep ruts. By the final moto of the day the track and riders were haggard and everyone did well just to finish. Once again, Gopher Dunes proved to be one of the most challenging tracks in the world and that is why it was the Toughest Race of 2013.

In a series that features many fast riders from around the world, to finish as the top Canadian is a very big accomplishment. In 2013, Red Bull KTM rider Tyler Medaglia battled hard all summer against Brett Metcalfe, who hails from Australia, and Bobby Kiniry, who calls New York State home, to eventually finish third overall in the MX1 class. Tyler has been a Pro for a few years and each year his presence on and off the track grows by leaps and bounds. On the track Tyler is very aggressive and never gives an inch to anyone. Off the track he is always the first to speak up regarding safety or track changes. For all of these reasons, we’re very proud to announce that Tyler Medaglia is our 2013 Canadian Rider of the Year.

MOTO OF THE YEAR: MX1 MOTO 2 AT GOPHER DUNES

Fans and media were lucky enough to have a few very exciting motos to watch in 2013. All summer there were great battles almost every time the gate dropped. To narrow it down to just one was difficult but when we took in all aspects of this particular race, it was a no brainer. For the Moto of the Year we chose the second MX1 moto from round five at Gopher Dunes for a few different reasons.

First, there was the aforementioned heat that everyone had to deal with, and since this was the final moto of the day, the temperatures were maxed out and the track was rougher than ever. The second factor that made this moto so exciting was the multiple lead changes that took place. Cole Thompson, who made his first appearance in the series at Gopher Dunes, was the first rider that looked like they had the win in the bag, but he crashed hard over a tabletop in the back and suffered a DNF. Next up was ironman Kyle Keast who as usual came from way back to the front. With five minutes left in the moto, he looked like he was going to win. Sadly, Keast had an off track excursion and would relinquish the lead. Finally, Brett Metcalfe, who also started outside the top ten, clawed his way to the front and when the chequered flag flew, the win was his. This moto was awesome to watch which is why it was without a doubt the 2013 Moto of the Year.

the

Ye

HARDEST CHARGER OF 2013 - TOPHER INGALLS

MOST STYLISH RIDER OF 2013: JOSH CLARK

While there are many stylish riders who competed in 2013, one that really stood out every weekend was American rider Josh Clark. Not only did Josh almost win the 2013 MX2 Championship, but during every moto his style always stood out. When you have great style you make riding a dirt bike look easy, and every time we watched Josh ride he made it look like anyone could do it. For the speed and style he showed in 2013, Josh Clark wins this award. We hope he’s back in 2014.

Moto

HARDEST

CHARGER

This was another very tough award to choose as there were so many riders in 2013 that battled hard all year. At the end we believe that Topher Ingalls is a very worthy winner of this award. Every weekend Topher battled as a full privateer to win motos and do his very best. No rider at the track is as intense as Topher and sometimes it’s hard to know whether he is happy or not. However, one thing is for sure, once the gate drops his determination to get to the front of the pack is unmatched. Topher Ingalls was definitely the Hardest Charger of 2013.

~MOST~

RIDER

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N I C E~ OSF TT H EC~ I T Y

TRACK OF THE YEAR: WILD ROSE MOTOCROSS PARK IN CALGARY

SERIES

This was one of the toughest awards to decide as almost all of the tracks were great in 2013. After some careful thought and reflection, we have chosen the track from round three in Calgary. Not only is it the track’s close proximity to downtown Calgary that makes it special, it’s also because of the dirt, the elevation changes, the cool jumps and the preparation. For 2013, the track crew received help from Mother Nature as the Calgary area had a lot of rain in the days leading up to the race, which allowed the moisture to get deep into the soil. That helped make race day conditions absolutely perfect. With a lot of different lines to choose from, the racing was great all day. That is why the Wild Rose MX Park is the 2013 Track of the Year.

PASS YEAR of the

PASS OF THE YEAR: ALL OF BRETT METCALFE’S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: COLE THOMPSON

It came as a big surprise to everyone when Cole Thompson joined the 2013 Nationals at round five in Gopher Dunes. With the injury that Colton Facciotti had suffered earlier in the series, KTM ROOKIE OF THE YEAR needed a rider who could both fit in easily with the team and win motos at the same time. Right off the bat Cole challenged for moto wins. It only took him two rounds to win his very first Pro National overall on Canadian soil. After five rounds, Cole had two impressive victories including winning the very prestigious Walton Sword at the final round. For 2014, Cole will be back for the full series so it will be interesting to see if he can pick up where he left off last season. For now, we believe that Cole Thompson is the perfect choice for the 2013 Rookie of the Year.

When Brett Metcalfe was crowned the 2013 MX1 Champion in 2013, not one person could say that he had it easy during his first season in Canada. If he did have trouble with one thing during the series, it was his starts. On more than one occasion Metcalfe was out of the top ten on the first few laps of the MX1 motos. In Calgary, Edmonton, Gopher Dunes and again in Sand Del Lee, it looked as though another rider would win the moto only to have Metcalfe make a final charge to the front in the closing stages. To watch him methodically pick his way through the pack on numerous occasions was amazing for everyone who witnessed it. For all of his passes in 2013, Brett Metcalfe is the recipient of this award.

~HOLESHOT~

Art t HOLESHOT ARTIST OF THE YEAR: THE MEDAGLIA BROTHERS

For this award we had to go with both the Medaglia Brothers. All summer both Tyler and Jeremy owned the white chalk line at almost every round.

Their genetically induced reflexes are something every rider wishes they had. Time and time again they led the MX1 pack around the track on lap one.

If you want to be a consistent finisher at any level, you first have to get good starts. The Medaglia Brothers have mastered this art and that’s why they share this award for 2013.

NICEST AIRPORT OF THE YEAR: VANCOUVER AIRPORT

NICEST AIRPORT ~ OF THE SERIES ~

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Although this category is a little different, we feel it’s very relevant as everyone who is part of the National series spends a lot of time in airports.

After carefully looking at all of the series airports, we feel that Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is the nicest and easiest to use for travelers. With the overhaul that YVR went through for the 2010 Olympic Games, the airport now has great shops and restaurants, plus if you have to spend more than a few hours there, the free wi-fi is very handy. YVR also has multiple Starbucks which is very important criteria for this award. Congratulations to Vancouver International for winning our 2013 Nicest Airport of the Year Award.

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KAMLOOPS, BC. Gate prep is critical. Kaven Benoit makes sure everything is in order before the start of his moto at Whispering Pines.

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CALGARY, AB. I’ll say it again – the best way to get in a magazine is to throw a good whip. Morgan Burger whips with the best of them at Calgary.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS E L C N Y O C RTH TEAM E H T M O R F

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RICHMOND, ON. Early morning light and a fresh prepped Sand Del Lee track makes you want to ride.

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COURTLAND, ON. Emotion is so important in a photo.

Kyle Keast, excited to be back and on the podium at Gopher Dunes.

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MONCTON, NB. Another photo that reminds me why I love motocross. Tyler Medaglia shares a moment with his son, Talon, before the Riverglade National.

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RICHMOND, ON. Big air is always cool but I’m a sucker for a good berm blast. Topher Ingalls explodes one at Sand Del Lee.

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COURTLAND, ON. Always looking for the light, I loved how the morning sunbeams were illuminating Dusty Klatt’s KTM450SX-F as it sat in the pits awaiting his return to racing at Gopher Dunes.

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DESCHAMBAULT, QC. Big crowds are always part of the action at a Quebec National.

A packed crowd watches Tyler Villopoto enroute to his first moto win at Deschambault.

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EDMONTON, AB. The top riders garner the lion’s share of the media attention but it’s the privateers that make the sport tick. PJ Stratton (47) and Brad Lechelt (321) battle for position with Jordon Currington (97) and Eric Jeffery (33) giving chase.

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RICHMOND, ON. Early morning light hits Cole Thompson as he gets crossed up at Sand Del Lee. Cole’s style is so smooth that he makes riding a 450 look effortless.

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DESCHAMBAULT, QC. Life is sometimes tough on young riders, which is what Zach Deiana found out in 2013. He struggled all season to find the results he had the year before in the Intermediate class.

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RICHMOND, ON. I can’t say much about this photo except for the fact that I love the light. Dusty Klatt prepares for practice at Sand Del Lee.

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RICHMOND, ON. It was great seeing the big turnouts for the Women’s Nationals this season.

Alexandrea Raymond (3) leads the pack into the first turn at Sand Del Lee.

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MONCTON, NB.

Throw a good whip, get in a magazine – it’s pretty much that simple. Jeremy Medaglia styles it out at Riverglade.

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EDMONTON, AB. The Leading Edge duo of Teddy Maier (11) and Brett Metcalfe (123) put the power to the ground as they grab a 1-2 start at Castrol Raceway.

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PALA, CALIFORNIA. The photo shoot season kicked off in March with the KTM team shoot down in Southern California. Tyler Medaglia already looking comfortable in his first day on the bike.

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EDMONTON, AB. This photo makes me laugh - Hailey Larson spraying Shelby Turner in the face while ready for the retaliation.

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KAMLOOPS, BC. It’s emotion, again, that draws me to this image. Brett Metcalfe may have won races at the highest level but he’s still as excited as ever to pull off his first Canadian National win.

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WALTON, ON. I love the aggression in this image - turning, wheels up, roost flying. Your 2013 Canadian National Champion.

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KAMLOOPS, BC. Another of my favourites from 2013: Bad weather chased us from the coast up to Kamloops for the Cycle North photo shoot. We managed to get a few of these great berm blasts with Ross Johnson before the weather caught up to us.

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RICHMOND, ON. Shawn Maffenbeier’s YZ250 awaits his first National podium in the morning at Sand Del Lee.

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ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR

2 0 13 - T H E Y E A R O F T H E A U S S I E as it been a year already? Man time flies when you get older. I know I keep saying that, but it’s nothing but true. I mean, it felt like only yesterday that I…OK, enough of the shite, let’s get to it. In my review of 2012 I used the “Year of the Dragon” as my foundation and came up with my top ten “Dragons” for 2012. Pretty creative. To be honest, I thought it was one of my best to date, but when you look at the world through rose coloured glasses, everything looks pretty good. I could just mail this one in and go back to the Chinese calendar for 2013 and “The Year of the Snake”, which sounds pretty good. It may in fact be easier than dragons, seeing as how snakes are real animals, and there are quite a few options in terms of species and what they are all about. For example: My Constrictor of the Year, or My Pit Viper of the Year, or my Garter of the Year, or how about my Spitting Cobra of the Year, but seen it, done it. Really, how can you top last year’s Puff the Magic Dragon of the Year (which by the way was Topher Ingalls). So, when given the task of spewing forth my Top Ten of the Year, I figured I would go to the heart and not the head to make my list to end the 2013 season. Let’s see how it shakes out…in no apparent order:

H

“...WHEN GIVEN THE TASK OF SPEWING FORTH MY TOP TEN OF THE YEAR, I FIGURED I WOULD GO TO THE HEART AND NOT THE HEAD TO MAKE MY LIST TO END THE 2013 SEASON.”

BIGGEST TEAR JERKER OF THE YEAR Dylan Wright on the podium at Gopher Dunes. Are you kidding me? This kid is barely out of diapers, yet he was able to pilot an ultra-trick YZ250 around arguably the toughest track on the circuit for a podium finish in MX2 Moto 2. Gutsy. His Dad was a blubbering mess...Was he? I don’t remember. I just made that up. But if he wasn’t, he should have been. I know I would have been if JT or ST was on the podium.

MX MOM OF THE YEAR This one is a bit biased, as all Moms are special. I didn’t get a chance to meet the majority of them at the track, but for sure, in 2013, Tracy Grey looked after me like my own mother would have (God rest her soul). Special nod to Mrs. Deiana; how she managed to cope with the enormous group her trailer hosted for the Trans Can I’ll never know. I think some of her extended family was sleeping in the cab of the truck.

Serenity now…can’t forget Lisa Snyder also…damn, there are a lot of great Moms at the track.

CUTEST COUPLE AT THE TRACK Simple: Little Dickie Grey and Kaitlyn Petis. Oh my goodness, how do they make it work? Tension between teams, the on track antics, he’s funny looking, she’s beautiful, he’s been shaving since he was 7, she’s been shaving…easy Travs…

SCARIEST MOMENT AT THE TRACK The crash in MX2 Moto 2 at The ‘Dunes that collected Austin Politelli and US Rider Marshal Weltin was downright ugly, and possibly a bit scary. The two riders came into the big sweeping left hander in the top part of The ‘Dunes, vying for the inside line. It’s easy,

WI T H MARC T R AVE RS PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE

after watching the crash in slow-mo, to point a finger and say that this rider caused the accident, or that rider, but in this case, Weltin was on the inside in 3rd place and Politelli was super aggressive riding the second line in 4th. Two riders, one line, boom done.

Weltin was in the hospital for most of the week. Let’s hope he’s back in race shape.

A MAN OF FEW WORDS But when he gets talking, people should listen. He’s funny, likes long walks in the park, crisp autumn days…what the…what is this, Plenty of Fish.com? (Good reference, check it out). Sorry. Shawn Maffenbeier’s Naked Truth this summer was full of interesting tidbits. Shawn loves California, doesn’t have a full time GF, likes to read, and loves drinks with fruit and umbrellas in them. He also came up with the best advice for a young rider on his way up. This tidbit I shared with the ultra fast Jesse Pettis at the Walton Supper on Sunday night. “Patience...training…and Patience” FACILITY / TRACK OF THE YEAR Making this decision is always a difficult one.

Some facilities are so consistent with excellence in presentation year after year, that by not choosing them you’re in some ways disrespecting their efforts.

The Gopher Dunes track always presents well as does the Riverglade facility; either of those two may be an easy choice. So would the Sand Del Lee grounds, or the return to Deschambault. That place was a real eye opener. But in a list like this there can only be one “Track of the Year”. My runner-up goes to Walton Raceway.

The Walton group made some terrific, on site changes with the new Pro start straight, the staging and gate area, and viewing areas for spectators. I loved Walton this year. But the Facility of the Year for 2013 goes to Whispering Pines Raceway in Kamloops. The amount of work that went into creating an enormous track, fully fenced, al-

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F E AT UR ING T R APPE R’S T OP 10

ORE lowing full spectator viewing from the inside at all points of the track was magnificent. All of this on a big flat piece of flood plain. Nice work ‘Loops!

WHAA HAPPEN? Fat Yotes: First of all, I don’t want to comment on whether the red cross flag was up in the right spot, or in time, all I want to say is the Facciotti injury was a true tragedy for the series. We all saw what happened at Round One, then the battle before the crash with Metty and Fatt-Yotes in Moto 1 at Round two. The balance of the season would have been epic. Let’s hope Colt 45 and his new Honda can stay healthy for a full season and possibly bring the title back to the True North Strong and Free. If not by Fatt-Yotes, then by one of the Medags!

UPSETTING THE AUSSIE APPLE CART Big props to Teddy Maier, Jeremy Medaglia, and Bobby

K for taking moto wins away from Brett Metcalfe. Once Facciotti was down, Metcalfe went on a dominating roll, but as we know, the reason you go racing is that you never know what is going to happen. All three of these riders led wire to wire for their moto wins and looked really good doing it. Metcalfe is, if not the, one of the most professional riders I have ever worked with. He totally deserved everything he won, earned, or stole. He is now one of my heroes (I have a few). It’s only December but I’m already jazzed about 2014.

MONSTER GIRL OF THE YEAR Hands down it was the exquisite Monster Mary Lou. From day one, she had the right amount of sex appeal, a lovely back end, a distinctive look, and was really good at taking direction from the Director. I am looking forward to seeing what Rockstar has in the bag for 2014. The Canadian Monster Girl contingent has set the bar quite high!

CROWD OF THE YEAR Certainly on TV and in the multitude of photos I have seen from the 2103 season, the Sand Del Lee crowd in the front section was by far the largest single group gathering I witnessed all season long. There were probably races with more fans in attendance, I’m sure of it, but those images of the first corner and the throngs of people hanging over the fences getting a peak at the holeshot were amazing. For sure the overall attendance was up in 2013.

2013 was a fabulous season of racing. When was the last time we went nine rounds with no rain? That in itself should have made the top 10. Sure, there we a ton of highlights this season, these are just a few memorable ones from my middle aged brain. As I said before, the excitement for 2014 is already brewing. I hope you had a great holiday and enjoyed the start of the SX season.

Travers, OUT!

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CALGARY, AB. Another start photo with plenty of action; Brad Nauditt (16) grabs the MX2 holeshot at Calgary.

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RICHMOND, ON. Deschambault, QC. I love seeing the happiness when hard work pays off. Paul Lavoie hugs his rider, Shawn Maffenbeier, after a podium moto finish at Deschambault.

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NANAIMO, BC. Backlight during morning practice always looks so good. Shawn Maffenbeier rallies through the sweeper at Nanaimo, shortly before a crash that knocked him out of the western swing of the series.

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R O N N I E FA I S S T / / M E TA L M U L I S H A . C O M

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EDMONTON, AB. Ryan Millar gets on the throttle at Castrol Raceway.

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MONCTON, NB. Tyler Villopoto sure knows how to scrub a bike. His scrubs on the step-down at Riverglade were a crowd pleaser.

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ART DEPARTMENT

F OUNDAT IONS

have to admit that prior to designing for MXP I knew very little about motocross. My only real exposure to the sport was one Supercross event in Toronto a number of years ago. What I took away from that day was that beer is expensive at the SkyDome, Ricky Carmichael is a monster, and compared to slopestyle snowboarding, the sport that I grew up with, motocross riders went BIG! With MXP, what initially grabbed my attention, having very little knowledge of the finer details of the sport, was the photography. It was the most accessible entry point to the magazine because it only took a quick glance to appreciate the skill, athleticism and balls these riders have. I went with that, and did my best to make photography the hook that would pull people into the magazine and the content inside.

I am lucky that I’ve always been supplied with top notch photos. From a design standpoint, my job becomes a lot easier when the photographers supply shots that are powerful enough to hold up a page or spread on their own. If I am given a photo that has trouble standing alone as an interesting shot, I have to step up the design around the photo to make the page look acceptable. So when I am supplied with photos that are intriguing, unique and energetic, I actually have to do very little to make the page shine.

The majority of what I’m given to work with for MXP has been outstanding so my approach has been to let the photography draw people in on the opening spread and not clutter the spread with too much text or even more shots. The following pages in the features will be home to the majority of the text and photography; but still I do my best to concentrate on big, strong photos instead of lots of photos.

As great as the photography is, even a pinch of bad design is enough to ruin the whole project, so I’ve focused on maintaining the highest standards possible

I

“COOL DESIGN IS FUN TO LOOK AT, BUT IF YOU CAN’T READ THE ARTICLE THEN MY PRIORITIES ARE ALL WRONG AND I’VE MESSED UP.”

WITH MIKE CHAN PHOTOS BY JORDAN LENSSEN

for the type in the title graphics, and readability and legibility for the body copy. Cool design is fun to look at, but if you can’t read the article then my priorities are all wrong and I’ve messed up.

Our office moved to Liberty Village in Toronto early last year. The area surrounding the office is a community that has embraced and helped bring back vintage design. The vibe from the surrounding shops and restaurants has most definitely influenced the overall look of MXP these days. At the same time my roots in traditional book publishing and my love of The International Typographic Style of the ‘50s has kept a lot of my work structured and clean.

A lot of what I remember seeing in motocross mags in the past, and what I’m still seeing in some mags today is that gritty, grungy style. I think over the years motocross has matured, and so have the sensibilities of its readers. My intention is to show that transition with a cleaner and more mature design style.

From what I see in the photography that James sends me, riders are wearing some pretty bright colours. I’ve been trying to bring some of that colour and energy into my designs too. Picking interesting and vibrant colour schemes is something that I concentrated on this year as often as I could. The trick is to use the bright colours in small portions as accents instead of having large blocks of it. It’s definitely one of those instances where less is more.

In the last year, I’ve gone from knowing next to nothing to recognizing riders when I see their faces and bikes. I learned the importance and significance of the all important red number one plate. As well, I’ve learned the difference between scrubbing and a whip. All of this has been made possible by exceptional photography. Without it, the energy and design of the magazine wouldn’t be what it is today.

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RICHMOND, ON. Tyler Medaglia showed the ultimate focus and determination on his way to third overall in the MX1 class.

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