The Biker Place

Click here for news and stories concerning Graeme Gowland

I got my first bike, a Honda QR50, when I was just 3 years old and I would take it to the enduro races when my dad competed and ride in the woods. When I was aged 6 I competed in my first ever motocross competition on an automatic Malagutti and this was to be the start of a roller coaster career over the next 13 years.

I won many races and championships as I climbed through the ranks of the automatics, 60cc, 80cc, 100cc and 125cc classes at Club, National and International levels, experiencing all the highs and lows which are all the characteristics of racing. I often sustained the usual injuries common with this sport, some more serious than others and each time I returned a stronger, more determined, motivated and committed rider.

I took my first British Championship race win in 2001 in the 125cc class on my return to Britain after having ridden for Team Great Britain in the FIM Junior Motocross World Cup which was held at Talavera in Spain. I was then asked to join the newly formed ACU BYMX Elite Academy in 2002, along with 11 others. The academy offered nutrition advice, fitness routines and riding skills all of which I still use everyday.

As I had finished 3rd in the 2001 ACU British Youth 125cc Motocross Championship I took the option to move up to the adult British Championship class at 15 years old and over the next 4 years competed in the British Under 21 Championship, Maxxis British MX2 Championship and selected European rounds.

In the autumn of 2003 I left my family and moved to the Midlands where I could focus totally on my fitness routine and be nearer the tracks to improve my riding skills with my trainer Paul Malin, an ex Grand Prix winner.

It was 2004 which saw me take my first ever adult British title, the ACU British Under 21 Motocross Championship, which I dominated by taking 7 wins from 12 races and being on the podium at every round despite riding the final two rounds while suffering from post viral fatigue due to overtraining.

The following year, 2005, saw me out for most of the season with a broken collarbone and then a shoulder injury and it was at this point I decided to try my skills on the tarmac having become interested in road racing while playing Moto GP on my playstation while recovering from my illness in 2004.

I decided in August 2005 to go to the Ron Haslam race school to see if this was the career path I wished to take and despite riding a road bike with road tyres on, on a very wet Donington Park circuit I fell in love with the sport. I returned a week later to ride again but this time in dry conditions before making my final decision.

My father and I purchased a written off 2003 Yamaha R6 and made it into a race bike and two weeks later I turned up with my family to compete in my first event at Elvington on a bike with the tyres it came with, no tyre warmers and very little experience. The first session was wet but I made good progress throughout the day and took a 2nd place in race 3. I took my first ever road race win at Croft only 4 weeks later.

I managed to compete in 9 meetings before the end of the season and then I decided my aim was to take part in the 12 round one-make Yamaha Virgin Mobile Cup series the following year where the bikes were identical, using road tyres and the only adjustment allowed was different clicks on the forks and shock, with the ultimate prize being a Superbike or Supersport ride with Virgin Yamaha. I knew it was ambitious but I always give 110% and I love a challenge.

I managed to secure some sponsorship from M&S Motorcycles and despite still being a novice rider I was able to join the 2006 Virgin Mobile Cup series, a support class to the British Superbikes. This is a high profile series which is televised on Sky plus a fly on the wall documentary showing behind the scenes of the riders being televised on Channel 5. This was a huge new experience for me as although I had been on TV before I was suddenly in the spotlight as here I was an experienced motocross rider but an inexperienced road racer intending to make a huge impression on the road racing circuit against vastly experienced riders.

The first round was at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit and despite racing against riders with 3 to 4 years experience I took a well earned 4th place. Although I was inexperienced I was constantly in the top 8 during the next 7 rounds and at each event I learned some new skills which I could take to the next meeting.

At the mid-season point I decided to do more club racing to learn more race craft and by the time the final 4 rounds of the Virgin Mobile Cup started I was at my best. I headed to Croft with a new found confidence and took pole position, the holeshot and the largest first lap gap record of over 2 secs since the series began in 2003. I took the win by almost 6 secs and my first podium of the series. My next win was at Cadwell Park two weeks later and I took the win by over 14.5 secs, the biggest winning margin ever in the series. My 3rd win was at the final round at the Brands Hatch GP circuit, my first ever ride on the full circuit, in atrocious conditions when I made a daring pass in the final corner.

I finished 4th in the championship but I had equalled the number of wins in the series with both the winner and runner up and proved all the doubters that it was possible to go into such a high profile series and be a serious contender so early in my career.

In November 2006 I was given the great opportunity to go out to Spain and take part in three races with the Honda Joe Darcey Team. This was another new experience as I had never ridden a Supersport bike, let alone race gear change, quick shifter, good brakes and race tyres and I was to ride tracks I had never even seen before.

I flew out and met the team and we headed straight to Valencia where I took part in the Catalonian Championship and took 6th in the race and posted a best time of 1:41.480. I then competed in the final 2 rounds of the CEV Championship the first of which was held at Valencia one week later. I was running in 8th place with a lap time of 1:39.711 before I crashed but was able to remount and finish 25th. The following week I competed at Jerez, this was my first visit to the circuit and the weather was wet on Friday and Saturday for practice and qualifying but the race was dry so I was in unknown territory but I managed to finish 10th and post a time of 1:50.883.

This was enough for the Honda Joe Darcey Team to offer me a full time ride with the team for 2007 to compete in the CEV Championship and other selected European rounds.

The season got off to a great start when I managed to claim pole position at the first round of the Championship at Albacete and then stepped onto the podium with 3rd position in the race, which was the team’s aim for me towards the end of the season. The next round at Catalunya saw me qualify down in 10th but the race was awesome, the closest and most exciting of my career so far, as I was in a seven rider battle for the final two podium positions and I once again crossed the finish line in 3rd. The third round of the Championship saw me on the podium once again, this time with a 2nd after a hard fought race where positions constantly changed and a laptime which was over three seconds faster than when I rode there in November 2006.

Valencia hosted the 4th round and there was an influx of World Supersport riders but I was still able to qualify on the second row in 6th with a time just 0.4 secs off pole. The race didn’t go so well though after nearly going off the track twice but I still managed to get 5th. The next round took us back to Albacete and I took pole position after breaking the lap record for the fastest ever lap on a 600. The race started perfectly when I got the holeshot and led but then the red flags came out and the restart was a disaster. I messed the start up and then ended up in the gravel, and dead last, twice before having a ride through penalty for moving before the lights went out. I finished 7th and those 9 points proved to be vital.

The final two rounds saw an influx of World Supersport riders again but I was running their pace and qualified 3rd at Valencia before finishing 2nd in the race after passing Josh Brookes. I headed to the final round at Jerez leading the Championship by six points. I took my third pole position at Jerez and I came home 2nd in the race behind my nearest Championship rival to become the 2007 Spanish Supersport Champion.

During the summer break of the Spanish Championship I competed as a replacement rider for Team Benjan Motoren in 3 rounds of the World Supersport Championship and scored my first world points at Vallelunga where I finished 11th. I also competed in my first endurance race when I rode for Catala Motors in the 24 hour Endurance race at Catalunya where despite a pit lane start in 73rd place we finished 4th after a grueling 24 hours.

Popularity: 4% [?]