CODY COOPER CONFIRMED FOR NZ SUPER-X

Cody Cooper confirmed for both New Zealand Super X rounds

Thursday November 4, 2010; One of New Zealand’s greatest ever motocross exports, Cody Cooper, has confirmed he will be at the start gates in the Auckland and Dunedin Super X events, on Saturday November 13 at North Harbour Stadium and Saturday November 20 at Carisbrook Stadium.

The multiple NZ and Australian champion, who finished fifth overall in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in 2008, will put his exceptional motocross skills into action for the Australasian Supercross Championship events, to ride alongside his good friend Ben Townley and represent his country on home soil.

Cody Cooper

The 27 year old from Mount Maunganui will be riding for the Rockstar Motul Suzuki team, who he competes for in the Australian Motocross Championship.

“I can’t wait to race in Super X this year after I missed out last year due to injury. I have been practicing a lot and feel great on my bike,” said Cooper.

“Super X is an awesome series and it’s great the promoters have decided to host two rounds here this year. I have raced a lot of the Aussie guys in the motocross championship over there so it will be good to finally have the home advantage.”

All of the best riders competing in the series in Australia will make their way to New Zealand for both rounds including US competitor and current championship leader, Monster Energy / Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Josh Hansen, Jagermeister KTM’s Mike Alessi (USA) and his brother Jeff Alessi (USA), who will make his Super X debut in Auckland and go on to contest all of the remanding rounds for the CDR Rockstar Yamaha team.

The lineup of Australian riders includes CDR Rockstar Yamaha’s Jay Marmont, Rockstar Motul Suzuki twins Matt and Jake Moss as well as young gun JDR Motorex KTM’s Tye Simmonds.

The Monster Energy Super X was incepted in 2008 through a partnership between Chad Reed and Global Action Sports and has revolutionised the sport of supercross by introducing a range of exciting new race formats, live television coverage and the construction of innovative full sized US designed supercross tracks for the first time in Australia and New Zealand.

The New Zealand tracks will be custom designed and built by internationally renowned American track designer, Jason Baker, and will incorporate many unique challenges for riders.

Tickets are on sale now through www.ticketdirect.co.nz. For more information on the Monster Energy Super X and series announcements please visit www.superx.com.au

Monster Energy Super X series schedule:
Date Location Venue
October 16 Newcastle Energy Australia Stadium
October 23 Canberra Canberra Stadium
October 30 Launceston Aurora Stadium
November 13 Auckland North Harbour Stadium
November 20 Dunedin Carisbrook Stadium
November 27 Sydney Parramatta Stadium
December 4 Brisbane QSAC

About Monster Energy
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it MX, rally, insane distance jumping, SX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Visit us on the ‘Net’ at www.monsterenergy.com

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MOTO2 TEAMS FOR 2011

IN A FORMAL statement, the Federation Internationale de Motoclisme (FIM) has released the names of the teams who will be contesting the World Moto2 Championship in 2011.

The FIM statement reads as follows:
"The Selection Committee comprising delegates of the FIM, Dorna and IRTA met on 31 October in Estoril (Portugal) to select the final teams which will be invited to participate in 2011

"Accepted teams now have until 5 November to confirm their riders and until 12 November to lodge a security deposit with IRTA. Should any of the accepted teams propose riders not acceptable to the Committee, or if the security deposit is not paid, then consideration will be given to other teams."

ACCEPTED TEAMS
Forward Racing
G22 Racing Team
Gresini Racing
Holiday Gym Racing *
Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 *
Iodaracing Project
Italtrans Racing Team
Jack & Jones by A. Banderas
JIR Moto2
Mapfre Aspar Team
Marc VDS Racing
Monlau Competicion *
MZ Motor
QMMF Racing Team
Racing Team By Quereseno
Stop and Go Racing Team
Tech 3 Racing
Technomag CIP
Tenerife 40 Pons
Tuenti Speed Up
Viessman Kiefer Racing
WTR/Speed Master Team *

* One entry only. All other teams two entries.

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NEW YAMAHA TEAM MANAGER

THE Sterilgarda Yamaha World Superbike team has a new manager, 38-year-old Andrea Dosoli.

Dosoli brings a wealth of road racing experience to his new role with the team, having been chief mechanic, responsible for data acquisition, MotoGP team manager and Moto2 team manager/co-owner for the duration of the 2010 season.

He will take on the responsibility of team management with the Yamaha World Superbike Team from November 10, 2010.

Dosoli replaces lomg-serving team manager Massimo Meregalli who has been appointed manager of Yamaha's MotoGP team for 2011 following the departure of Davide Brivio to Ducati, along with Velentino Rossi and his crew.

In a formal statement, Yamaha Motor Europe said it: "wishes to express thanks and appreciation for Massimo’s loyalty, dedication and hard work with the World Superbike Team and wish him all the best in his new role with the factory MotoGP team next season.

"After several years as team manager for the Yamaha Motor Italia Supersport Team and then manager for the World Superbike Team from 2005 to 2010, Massimo Meregalli will now move across to join the Yamaha Factory MotoGP Team in 2011 in a management role.

"Massimo Meregalli’s career with the World Superbike Team reached a high in 2009, securing the World Championship title with American rider Ben Spies. Over the five year tenure under Massimo’s management the WSB team achieved an impressive 24 Superpoles, 104 podiums and 33 race wins with riders including Spies, Noriyuki Haga, Troy Corser, Cal Crutchlow, Andrew Pitt and James Toseland.

"The team also secured the World Superbike Constructors’ Championship in 2008 for Yamaha."

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LAVERTY KEEN TO GO

STERLIGARDA Yamaha World Superbike Team's new rider Eugene Laverty visited the team’s workshops at Germo di Lesmo in Italy after his first test on the bike following the final round of the 2010 championship at Magny Cours.

Laverty had the opportunity to see first hand the mechanics in the workshops making the adjustments of the bike from the data gained at his first test and get a first impression of the 2011 YZF-R1 racebike he will ride to challenge for the title next year.

There was also a chance to meet some of the team members not usually present at the race weekends and get a deeper insight into the team’s base.

The team’s workshops are just a stone’s throw from the Monza circuit and sit next to the Yamaha factory MotoGP team’s workshop. Frankie Carchedi, Laverty’s crew chief for the 2011 season, was also present, both enjoying the chance to discuss changes to the bike’s settings in advance of their one day test in Valencia next week and following test at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia at the end of the month.

Laverty joins the team for the next year having completed two successful years in World Supersport, taking second in the championship, fighting for the crown right to the last race in both seasons.

“It was nice to spend the day at the workshop and meet the guys who don’t always come to the race track,” said Laverty. “We also studied some data with Frankie from the first test in Magny Cours and looked at where we can improve. It gave some good information for me to understand what I need to do differently and work on at the next test. It has all been really positive and a great opportunity to do it away from the race track with no pressure.

"The workshops were really impressive and I got to see everything, you can it’s very well organised. I’m really looking to getting on the 2011 racebike for the first time next week at Valencia and then Phillip Island at the end of the month to get cracking again!”

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HAUSER: ANOTHER BMW CASUALTY

FOLLOWING the news that BMW Motorrad Superbike Team Manager Davide Tardozzi had left the team (see: http://krnewsroom.blogspot.com/2010/10/bmw-split-tardozzi-gone.html ) we now have word that he was not the only casualty in what appears to be an internal battle of wills.

Tardozzi was released from his three year contract over "differences of opinion about the way the team should be organized," with rumours that he and BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Berthold Hauser (right) were clashing over the way the team should be run.

Tardozzi was one of the most widely respected team managers in World Superbikes, and credited with much Ducati's Superbike World Championship success, where he was team manager for many years before joining BMW.

It has now emerged that Tardozzi was not the only victim of that encounter, with the BMW team issuing a press release announcing that Hauser is also to be replaced, with immediate effect.

The press release is as follows:

BMW Motorrad Motorsport is heading into the future with a new management structure. Bernhard Gobmeier will replace Berthold Hauser as BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director with immediate effect. The move comes two weeks after BMW Motorrad and Team Manager Davide Tardozzi agreed to part company by mutual consent. Gobmeier will be responsible for all BMW Motorrad Motorsport activities, including the company's factory involvement in the Superbike World Championship.

"I'm pleased to announce this fundamental realignment," says Hendrik von Kuenheim, General Director of BMW Motorrad.

"The new structure puts BMW Motorrad Motorsport in extremely good shape to meet the challenges of the future. Bernhard Gobmeier has filled a variety of roles within the BMW Group over the years and brings his experience in motor sport to the job. I'm in no doubt that he will continue to take BMW Motorrad Motorsport forwards with his analytical and structured approach. He will bring himself up to speed with the current situation as quickly as possible and put the necessary measures in place."

And von Kuenheim continues: "I would like to thank Berthold Hauser for all his good work over recent years. He can look back on some impressive successes in his career as BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director. Under his leadership Richard Sainct won the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1999 and 2000 as BMW Motorrad made its return to the event. And Berthold Hauser was also responsible for the team's successful start to life in the Superbike World Championship and its first podium finishes. He will continue to perform a managerial role for BMW Motorrad."

New BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Gobmeier, adds: "I'm looking forward to taking on this new challenge in a top-class race series with a professional racing team and two strong riders. Our aim is clear: to build consistently on the positive foundations which Berthold Hauser and his team have put in place over recent years, so that we can be in a position to win races on merit as soon as possible."

Gobmeier, a qualified engineer, has worked for BMW AG for more than 16 years, during which time he has performed a variety of roles. In 1994 and 1995 he was responsible for overhauling the company's sales activities for BMW M vehicles in North America and restructuring its racing activities in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with the BMW M3 GT. The native Bavarian then filled various management positions within BMW M GmbH between 1996 and 2008, before taking over as head of chassis development at BMW Motorrad in 2008.

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TRIUMPH LAUNCHES 3 NEW MODELS AT EICMA

Triumph launches Tiger 800, Tiger 800XC and Daytona 675R at EICMA

Triumph has completed its 2011 model line-up with the introduction of the eagerly awaited Tiger 800 and Tiger 800XC adventure touring models, as well as a premium version of its award-winning Daytona 675, the Daytona 675R, at the EICMA show in Milan today.

Following on from the introduction of the new Speed Triple, Thunderbird Storm, America and Speedmaster at last month's Intermot show, Triumph's 2011 model range represents the strongest in the company's 109 year history.

The all-new Tiger 800s represent Triumph's first entry into the mid capacity adventure touring sector. Powered by a 95PS long-stroke 799cc three-cylinder engine, the two models also share the same tough steel frame, but each has their own distinct flavour.

Designed for the city and open road, the Tiger 800 offers outstanding accessibility and manoeuvrability. Running on cast alloy wheels, the adjustable seat can be set as low as 810mm to make the Tiger 800 an adventure bike for the masses. Meanwhile, the taller Tiger 800XC delivers true off-road capability thanks to its highly-specified long-travel suspension and 21" spoked front wheel. With its higher riding position, the Tiger 800XC provides a commanding view of the road ahead and absorbs even the worst road conditions.

Confirming the new Tigers' 'round the world' capability, both models come with a wide range of official accessories designed to help owners get the most out of their machines. Top quality soft and hard luggage options, designed especially for the Tiger 800s, make the new Triumphs exceptionally capable touring machines, while low and comfort seat options make the bikes even more accessible. A range of off-road protection parts have been developed for riders who plan to go off the beaten track, while the class-leading 550w generator ensures that the Tiger 800s will have no problem running the auxiliary lights and heated handlebar grips that are available as official accessories.

The 2011 Daytona 675R offers a real experience for the sportsbike connoisseur. Taking the multi award-winning Daytona 675 as its base, the Daytona 675R has been developed in conjunction with Swedish suspension masters Öhlins to deliver the ultimate supersport class machine, dripping with high quality suspension identical to that used in some of the world's toughest race championships.

The Daytona 675R features Öhlins' revolutionary race-developed 43mm NIX30 forks, and its MotoGP-developed TTX36 rear suspension unit, while radially-mounted monoblock calipers and radial master cylinder from Italian specialist Brembo were specified to ensure the Daytona 675R also has class-leading stopping power.

Further track-spec items included as standard on the Daytona 675R include a standard-fit quickshifter and a host of carbon fibre bodywork, including hugger, silencer heat shield and front mudguard. The Daytona 675R also utilizes the Daytona 675's comprehensive instrumentation, which includes a lap timer and programmable gear change lights.

Full details of the 2011 Triumph range can be found at www.triumphmotorcycles.com

Source: Bikedeadline - Pics to follow.

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SUPERBIKES ARE GO!

Max Biaggi will defend in '11

By MICHAEL ESDAILE

WITH seven motorcycle manufacturers represented, the Superbike World Championship can lay claim to being the best supported road-racing class on the planet. And while the season-opening race for 2011 may seem a long time away, in truth it is only just around the corner.

Set down for Australia’s scenic Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, the opening round of the 2011 HANNspree Superbike World Championship will be held from February 25 to 27 but the countdown has already begun with pre-season testing in full swing.

New to the 2011 Superbike World Championship calendar is a race at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain and the top teams tested there from October 27 to 29.

The BMW Motorrad, Alitalia Aprilia, Kawasaki Racing Team and Alstare Suzuki teams were confronted with a challenging 5.077 km layout that has plenty of elevation changes and several blind corners.

A number of riders used the three days of testing to to familiarise themselves with new teams. Included in this group were Leon Haslam, joining BMW as Aussie Troy Corser’s new team-mate, and Italian Michel Fabrizio who will be the sole rider for the Alstare Suzuki team which this year fielded Haslam and Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli.

Michel Fabrizio to Suzuki

Fabrizio got the Suzuki ride after he was left up in the air following the decision by Ducati not to field a factory-operated team in 2011. Thus the Italian rejoins the team that helped take him to the 2003 European Superstock Championship.
Continuing racing Ducatis is the Italian Althea team, spear-headed by Spaniard Carlos Checa who was a revelation in 2010, his victory at the Phillip Island opener and subsequent consistency seeing him emerge as Ducati's top challenger. Checa celebrated his new two year contract with wins in both races at Imola, the penultimate race of the 2010 season and the Althea team has been promised much more support from Ducati in 2011.

So while Ducati will not be involved as a factory entrant, it has confirmed it will provide substantial backing to its customer teams, most notably Althea, who beat the official Xerox team on the way to third in the 2010 standings. With Checa staying on board for another two seasons, Althea Racing will essentially become the semi-official Ducati representative.

Checa back for two more, too

Ducati’s Superbike technical director Ernesto Marinelli was on hand at the Aragon tests to help the Althea team and was pleased to see Checa set fastest time on the first day before he headed off to Portugal to race the Pramac Ducati V4 in the Estoril round of the MotoGP World Championship, missing the next two days of testing at Aragon.

The Althea Racing Ducati man was outstanding and was the only rider to dip under the 1m 59s second mark on the first day. It's early days yet, but Checa has clearly let his rivals know that he is one of the candidates for the win next year, and that the 1198R Ducati can still be a contender for victory in 2011.

Indeed, it took two more days before anyone bettered the 1m 58.3s lap Checa set that first day. The rider who did it was newly crowned Superbike World Champion Max Biaggi on the factory Alitalia Aprilia RSV4. Biaggi was quickest on the second day at Aragon, but even then his best lap was three tenths of a second slower than Checa’s first day effort. However on the third and final day, Biaggi got down to a best of 1m 58.0s to be fastest over the three days. Checa’s first day lap time saw him finish up with second fastest lap for the three days, ahead of the 1m 58.6s best lap recorded by Tom Sykes on the brand new Kawasaki ZX10-R.


Haslam was fourth-fastest on the S1000RR BMW at 1m 59.0s then it was Fabrizio on the Suzuki, a recovering Leon Camier on the second factory Aprilia, Troy Corser on the second factory BMW and Japanese veteran Noriyuki Haga trying out the Pata Racing Aprilia RSV4 all sharing the same lap time, 1m 59.2s.

Leon Haslam (seated) and Troy Corser are chasing BMW glory in 2011.

Rounding out the factory riders testing at Aragon was Katsuaki Fuijwara (Kawasaki Racing Team) who carried out sterling testing work for the team, under the watchful eyes of Chris Vermeulen, in the pit garage but still on crutches.

There is enormous intrigue heading into the 2011 SWC campaign after a major end of season rider shake-up, which sees only two of the six factory teams running the same line-up as they campaigned with in 2010.

For the other four teams it’s been a mixed bag, including drafting in a MotoGP refugee, recycling former riders, and opening up opportunities for the rich vein of talent that’s been lurking in the Supersport class.

Kawasaki will again pin its hopes on Aussie Chris Vermeulen and Brit Tom Sykes with Spaniard Joan Lascorz moving up from a Supersport class ZX-6R to the new ZX-10R to make it a three-pronged Superbike attack from the Paul Bird run Kawasaki team.

Vermeulen is set to make his return to riding in early January after two months’ intense rehabilitation following knee surgery for the injury that shortened his 2010 campaign. While the Australian had to sit out the Aragon test, Tom Sykes got plenty of track time on the brand new Kawasaki, continuing on from the tests he ran for the team at Magny-Cours immediately after the last Superbike race of the 2010 season.

At Sterilgarda Yamaha, the addition of Marco Melandri from MotoGP and Eugene Laverty from Supersport has added even more spice and depth to the World Superbike Championship grid.

Melandri is the latest rider to seek a fresh start after a less than fruitful few years in MotoGP by joining the Superbike ranks while Laverty is making the jump from World Supersport as one of the most highly credentialed rookies. Twelve months ago, Cal Crutchlow was in the same position, and he’s now scored a MotoGP ride with Yamaha.

And just to strengthen Laverty’s claims, he was the fastest in a two-day test immediately following the final round of this year’s championship at Magny-Cours, impressing the team with his calm and measured approach.

Meanwhile, there is some strong intelligence which suggests that Melandri’s erstwhile contemporary in MotoGP, Alex de Angelis, could also be cajoled into signing as the second rider at Ten Kate Honda alongside Jonathan Rea.

Yamaha’s new look has come at the expense of double world champion James Toseland, who was sent packing but has now found sanctuary at the BMW Motorrad Italia team, which has already hired a number of key personnel from the now defunct Xerox Ducati outfit.

The BMW Motorrad Italia team will receive technical support from the BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory team, which is providing engines and electronics for the BMW S1000 RR. The team will be led by Andrea Buzzoni, Director of BMW Motorrad Italia and Manager of the Superbike project; Serafino Foti, who will serve as Sporting Director and Gerardo Acocella as Technical Director.

In 2010, BMW Motorrad Italia made its début in international competition and won both the riders' and constructors' titles in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, with Ayrton Badovini as lead rider for the team. The Italian squad will also continue in that series with Lorenzo Zanetti.

"It was an inconsistent year in 2010, says Toseland of his season with the Yamaha team, “so in the current climate I am thankful to BMW for seeing some potential there to put me in such a good team. I am going to go into next season injury free and with everything fully mended, and with a winter plan of training and physio completed. I intend to give it my best shot,” says the 2004 and 2007 Superbike World Champion.

And the ex-Ducati factory pilots, Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio, will also remain in the SWC fold, with Fabrizio returning to his old friends at Alstare Suzuki while Haga has linked up with privateer Aprilia operation, Pata Racing.

Meantime former Alstare Suzuki rider Sylvain Guintoli joins the Liberty Cz Group alongside Czech rider Jakub Smrz on a Ducati 1198R. The team is based in Prague in the Czech Republic and will be called Liberty Ducati.

But based on his 2010 form, and the fact that the factory Aprilia V4 is already a proven race-winning package, Biaggi must start as the favourite to win his second successive title in 2011, but we will know a lot more once the official pre-season tests have been held at Portugal’s Portimao track on the Algarve coast and Australia’s Phillip Island coastal circuit.

Following the Aragon tests, a number of other private tests will be held from November to January at circuits in Europe and Malaysia before the two official pre-season tests at Portimao (January 26-28, 2011) and Phillip Island (February 21-22, 2011).

This will be the second year running that all the top Superbike and Supersport teams will make their way to Phillip Island for the second and final official test, before round one is held at the high speed Australian layout from February 25-27.

Some of the top teams in SWC racing have now made their other pre-season testing plans more concrete. Yamaha Sterilgarda is waiting until November 11 to give new boy Marco Melandri a run out at Valencia, after his MotoGP commitments have been discharged, and between November 30 and December 1-2, Aprilia and Yamaha will run at Phillip Island to try and guarantee good weather and consistent testing conditions in the European winter.

For the same reasons, the next planned track appointment for the Kawasaki Racing Team will be at Sepang, in Malaysia. The extensive tests will take place over four days, and be split into two blocks – January 10 and 11 then January 13-14.

BMW has two more European outings scheduled, at Jerez between November 24-26 and Portimao from November 29 to 30.

STOP PRESS:

KiwiRider's Todd Sutherland is putting together a tour to the Phillip Island series opener in February, with prices starting at $875! He only has a dozen places, so the race will go to the swift.

For details, contact Todd Sutherland on 09 416 5307,

021 709 989

or e-mail: todd@kiwirider.co.nz

Tell him you read about it on the KiwiRider website.

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