RAISING THE BAR | Bikesportnz

With impressive results in junior motocross and supercross classes, James Anderson upped his potential for future success on the track at the Taupo Motocross Extravaganza at the weekend.

Having recently competed in Australia – the Junior Motocross Championships 125cc and 250F and Australia’s opening SX round – Anderson placed his KTM 1st in the 14-16 years’ 250F and 3rd 15-16 years’ 125cc at Taupo.

Given Anderson’s time off the bike – a total of 10 months due to hip injury – the results are more than worthy of recognition for the determination needed to gain bike fitness and race pace.

He has gained some top placings through the junior years: 1st 11-12 years 85cc SX 2009, 11th 85cc Junior World Motocross Championship 2009, 1st 12-16 years 125cc NZ SX Tokoroa Round 2010, 4th 15-16 years 125cc NZ Junior MX Championship 2011.

So, how has this 16-year-old from Levin got there, making the grade in Junior racing, side-lined then back to stand on top of podium?

BikesportNZ.com contributor Sharon Cox caught up with James Anderson at Taupo, enthused and motivated to tell it like it is.

Q: It’s great to see you back on the bike, tell us how it’s been going to get back to bike fitness and racing?

James: Ridings been great, I can’t get enough of it at the moment. Everything has been roughly going to plan, I feel like I’m almost where I need to be fitness wise but riding wise I feel as if I improve every-time I ride, feeling more confident and as one with the bike.

Q: Racing 15-16 years 125cc and 14-16 years 250F this weekend would be a test of fitness and stamina. What did you find hard going while injured and how did you re-focus to get back to motocross?

James: Of course it was hard to go watch but I still went along and watched, I also watched a lot of the pro guys and tried to pick up on a few things while I was injured. Getting back on the bike was good but I felt un-easy on the bike so I had to get back to basics with my training practically learning to ride again. But after I got past that then I just put the past behind me and continued going forward with my progress in my riding.

Q: Results at Taupo (3rd 125cc and 1st 250F) must be pleasing. Has the recent trip to Australia Junior Motocross Championships provided motivation to up your expectations on the track?

James: Yes, the weekend went good for me and was good to know where I stand at this point. Australian Nationals was a good experience, not only that it was good to see where I stand up against all the top junior Australians. I placed 6th on both bikes but I could have done better. Coolum was a hard track at nationals, with bumps everywhere it was hard to go fast, I enjoyed Taupo a lot this weekend because I hadn’t ridden there in a long time and it was so smooth unlike Coolum.

Q: Competing in the Australia Supercross Championship opening round at Dubbo must have been an awesome experience. What were the highlights?

James: Yes Dubbo was good for a while that is, qualifying 3rd was probably the highlight, I was winning my heat race until my hand slipped off going through the whoops and ate the dirt, hard. In the main I was in around 4th but someone crashed right in front of me and I landed on him stalling my bike and falling off, I finished 13th. I was in a lot of pain and extremely disappointed.

Q: Planning ahead, what are the goals?

James: goals for the future would be to finish the rest of the Australian Supercross Championship Rounds and looking forward to NZ Supercross and Woodville which hopefully will go well. I’m also looking forward to stepping up to the big class and racing National 125 at NZ Senior MX Nationals in 2013.

Q: It certainly is great to see you up there on the podium, recovering from injury and back on the bike. Any advice on how to get a handle on it when it all gets too hard?

James: Thanks, when it gets tough you just have to keep going and hope that, in the end, it all pays off.

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