SUPERMOTARD SENSATION
Text and photos by Andrea Di Marcantonio

The Italian Supermotard championship this year is all set to become "the" event of the 2002 racing season. This "parallel" discipline, has reached new turning point in every sense, while the great turn out of both teams and riders at the first race held in Ottobiano, seems to highlight the increasing popularity of this biking specialization. The Motard racing events in fact offer a high degree of spectator involvement, as well as a high degree of technical skill; and hence their popularity.
This year's racing season opens with an important novelty: the "management" of the championship itself has changed from that of Revenge into the hands of DA Sports, the name behind two individuals actively involved in the off-road sphere. I am of course referring to Alfredo Lenzoni and Danito Boccadolce, who are well known names and great off road enthusiasts. The other important news of the 2002 season is the "important" and official presence of all the leading motorbike companies amongst which we can cite VOR, Husqvarna, Vertemati, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha etc; therefore a host of skilled technical personalities, but bikes……. Big bikes above all.
To these must be added all the single brand bikes, essential for the enthusiasts who want to enjoy the sport without spending a fortune on a SM. There has also been a significant increase in the number of riders who have registered for the event: and this is undoubtedly the most significant aspect both for the public, the operators and the media. Another novelty is the launch of the PromoCup event, a promotional trophy event that is open to all with bikes of any size; the initiative is backed up by the DJ Ringo and the "downhill" star Christian Ghedina.
But let us now consider the Italian SM Championship. The first competition in Ottobiano highlighted the excellent shape of the Italian riders, who have made great inroads in competitive terms; this means that the French riders are no longer so far ahead as in the past, as demonstrated by the fantastic performance of Massimo Manzo who is, as from this year, involved in the Prestige category.
Max Verderosa is equally brilliant (the star of a great race in the second Italian trials held on the Pomposa Circuit), riding the new VOR, as well as Emanuele Giovannelli, riding a YRRD Yamaha (placed 4th and 6th in Pomposa), Fabio Farioli who experienced a little difficulty in the first trial but was the winner of the Superpole in Pomposa, not to mention Alex Gramigni who gave a spectacular performance on his Husaberg, and Vinzenzo Pierpaoli in his second SM year, as well as a host of other truly dynamic riders.
But perhaps the most important aspect is that the public has begun to understand the high spectator value of the SM event. Not long ago the Supermotard event was considered a venue for former-motocross-bikers and speed bikers; whilst this is partly true, Motard riding is in no way related to these disciplines. The Supermotard has its own specific and special riding technique, which is unique and not easy to learn. As demonstrated by the fact that our own riders have needed two seasons to truly master the riding skill and come into their own…...
The public likes Supermotard !. It is a spectacular, hair- raising event, where everything can change in a single lap, everything being at the limit of equilibrium, the off-road section (which is compulsory from this year) further separating the good riders from the best.

Then following the Italian and European championships, the World Supermoto championship will take off as from this year…. Another challenge which will be sure to involve the media, the public and television to an even greater extent thanks to the degree of coverage given to this event.
But I shall come back to this at a later date…… For now a word of advice …. Go and see a Supermotard event and you will discover a sensationally new experience. That's a promise !!!

To be continued...

2002 RACE CALENDAR

13-14TH April Ottobiano (PV)
28-28th April Pomposa (FE)
22-23rd June Busca (CN)
6-7th July Pomposa (FE)
20-21st July Iesolo (VE)
24-25th August Ottobiano (PV)