GET TO KNOW WorldSBK
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TOM BOOTH-AMOS MOTOZOO ME AIR RACING
Apart from home in the UK , where do you most like to be in the world ? I actually live in North Carolina in the USA . It ’ s mega . The lifestyle , personalities of the people , everyone is more friendly . It is good for training , cheaper to live . As soon as the season finishes I go there and do not go back to England until the first test . I also go there in the summer break .
Describe yourself in five words Ambitious . Hard-working . Quiet . Open .
What is your most treasured personal possession ? My 2005 Honda RS250 GP race bike . That is my baby that one .
How hard was it sitting out the first two rounds of the year , as you are racing the WorldSSP Challenge rounds , in Europe only ? It was hard , and it is hard watching it on TV . Especially coming into this year , when I knew it was going to be a lot better than last year . It is also a little bit more difficult playing catch-up when we do get there . I suppose I was jealous …
On the airplane - chicken or fish ? Chicken . Always . Fish stinks !
Best and worst parts about being a bike racer ? The best parts are the lifestyle and adrenaline . Injuries are the worst .
What ’ s Jeremy McWilliams , your manager and mentor , really like ? He is one of the best blokes I have ever met . He has saved my career , big time . I will always be indebted for him for that .
If not a bike racer , what would you be ? I was a gymnast before , so probably still a gymnast . I only started racing at 16-17 . Gymnastics was my profession , what I did my whole life . I went to school and then just trained in gymnastics . I was in the Great Britain squad . Not many people know because I don ’ t really tell people about my life . My grandad raced cars , my dad raced bikes ; did BSB and then European motocross . But they did not want me to race bikes .
Night time or daytime ? I do not sleep at all . I am up all night . I don ’ t actually need sleep . If I go to sleep at 03.00 I will be up at 06.30 . On a race weekend I sleep a little bit more .
HARRY TRUELOVE DYNAVOLT TRIUMPH
What were your first impressions of WorldSSP ? The way it is organised there is a lot more of a show factor to it . It all feels a bit bigger and grander .
In your leisure time , what would you rather watch a movie , read a book , go on YouTube …? Probably just watch YouTube . On YouTube I watch a guy called Settled , who does RuneScape videos . Or I play computer games .
Did you , do you , have a ‘ real ’ job ? Yes , I am a builder and probably do bricklaying most of the time . I can do pretty much anything because my family builds houses and that is what I do most days . It keeps me grounded a little bit . It is a bit different when you follow other people on Instagram you can see everyone ’ s out riding bikes all the time and I am at home building footings for houses ! It definitely keeps you grounded .
Away from the track , what makes you most happy ? I would say rock climbing . I have not done a great amount of that outside , but there is an indoor place in Hull , about an hour away , and I just enjoy climbing there . Each climb is a problem you have got to get past and when you get to the top the feeling is mega ! It is quite physical and helps me get strong for the biking . Of all the activities I have done in my life , it is up there .
Where are you most looking forward to racing that you have never been to before ? I was really looking forward to Phillip Island and being in Australia , on the opposite side of the world , which added an extra kind of anticipation to it . And now I am really looking forward to Imola .
Nice to be on a British bike this year ? Yes , it is strange . When the offer was there I thought it would be an awesome challenge to go over and do it . With it being a British bike and British rider , and Triumph are relatively new into the championship last year , it does feel a bit more special than going out and riding on another Yamaha , if you know what I mean .
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