*Team Wood Motorcycle Youth academy press release January 2023*
The rider line up and profiles for 2023 is a mixture of some previous RIDERS and new ones.
The rider line up for 2023 is a mixture of some previous RIDERS and new ones.
Many of these young riders have been unaware of what’s happening for them in 2023 until now, credit to the family and friend’s members who have kept details secret until now.
The Youth Academy members benefit from being part of “team” and camaraderie!
As an Academy we have to look at ways to adjusting to suit the needs of all type of young competitors. We have always kept our support open to boys and girls. Racing is a male dominated sport and female competitors need much more encouragement as possible. Therefore, the Academy committee agreed to adjust the age limits for female competitors. They also identified that our scholars reaching our upper age limit would still need some support as they move into the more adult type classes (supersport/supertwins etc). Therefore, we will have a Senior Academy Section in 2023.
Ruben Sherman Boyd –
Ruben Sherman Boyd –
As already announced after the 2022 season final USBK championship round, Ruben Sherman Boyd will remain as a supported rider in 2023 and is more likely to be in the Supersport 300 class. Ruben had a fantastic 2022 season winning two Championship. Are confident he will achieve many more good results.
Alex McCalmont –
Alex McCalmont –
Alex McCalmont stays with us and will contest in the Moto-One USBK Championship onboard the Team Wood Motorcycle Youth Academy’s Tianda TDR300 machine. Alex rode a Kawasaki 250 Ninja in 2022 and had great results and learned race craft. We have the faith in him to produce better results in 2023 and enjoy the use of the machine.
Our New scholars are –
Matthew Curry –
Matthew Curry –
A young ambitious rider that has completed in approx. 110 races within the Irish Minibike Championships over 4 years. He has also completed in approx. 30 FIM Mini GP Ireland races. This is a wealth of experience he come to the academy with. Matthew will have the use of one of the Team Wood Motorcycle Youth Academy Kawasaki 250 Ninja’s. He will race this in the Moto-One class, an excellent class for him to move into National championships.
Jack Burrows –
Jack Burrows –
Jack is another tactical, strong willed young rider who started out in kart racing before moving to IMC Mini bikes. Jack who will turn 13yrs in February is the son of the very experienced retired road racer John Burrows. Jack had a successful 2022 induction to National racing achieving several wins and third place finish in the USBK Moto 3 Championship. Jack will again contest the Moto 3 Championship and will be looking for the top step at the end of the year. Jack would like to race at BSB level and hopefully win a Championship.
We would like to introduce you to our Female Academy Members –
–
Jo Crossett –
Sammi Jo Crossett –
We are pleased to bring Jo into the Academy; Jo had a successful 2022 season in the Moto-One class and moves up into SS300 for 2023. Jo got her head down during the season and raced to her maximum. We hope having Jo and Elle in the academy will encourage other young girls/women into the sport. Jo will have her dad again at the tools for her, Sammy is a well-known bike technician around the paddock and Glengormley area.
Senior Academy Section in 2023 –
Lee Hara –
Lee Hara –
Lee has remained one of our scholars from our first season of the Academy. Lee was also the first recipient of the IMC Scholarship, riding their IMC Tianda TDR 300 IN 2021 as well as the Hara Racing Moto3. Lee had championship runner up positions in both classes. 2022 season he campaigned the Floors Plus Doors.ie Kawasaki 650 supertwin. Lee showed grit by consistently returning top five results obtaining third overall in that championship. Coleraine based Lee moved into the supersport USBK class in 2023, this proved another sucessful year for Lee winning the Supersport Cup Championship and finishing a very respectable 13th in the Supersport Pro Class. Ambitions for 2024, again in Supersport Class and hopefully competing in a few road races and NW200.
Cory Barron –
Cory Barron –
Cory from Carrickfergus joined the academy last year coming from the karting. Huge challenge for the teenager. Cory borrowed a machine for the race licence school and only got his new Tianda TDR 300 a week before the first round of the Moto-One Championship. Despite this Cory went about his own business learning the machine. Cory produced great results after mid-season, six 3rd, two 2nd and a very impressive six wins consecutively and second place in the Championship. Cory moved to the SS300 last year and had the support of MadBros for the season. Cory finished 3rd in the SS300 Championship. Cory also had a run on the MadBros Supersport 600 machine and will campaign it this in 2024.
Without all our sponsors and supporters we would be unable to provide the services of the Academy, we are truely greatful.
2021 A SEASON OF FUN, TEAM WORK, WINS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Team Wood Motorcycle Youth Academy race season is over for 2021.
It was another difficult year for everyone with restrictions in place until July. We managed to get two private test sessons for the academy riders to help them improve bike set up and generally get up to speed again. Unfortunately we lost Alexander Rowan as our scholarship rider from 2020 to the British Talent Cup but we managed to support him whenever possible. Rob Ronan from Dublin also moved into enduro racing in 2021 and we hope to see Rob back at tarmac in the future.
Martin Burnett, Lee Hara, Kai McClintock remained for this season and improved greatly with lap times and podium finishes. We also added Callum Clint and Dean Graham to the Academy and assisted all the riders in many various ways to help reduce costs and help their development and riding skills.
Mid July we still had our Academy Tianda TDR300 unused and ready for use, a young 12yr old from mini bikes just achived his nation race licence in June. Ruben Boyd signed his first motorcycle racing contract with the team wood academy for 2021. Ruben coming from mini bikes took no time in adapting to our Tianda Tdr300 at our second academy track test early July. He has since shown great bike and communication skills on how the machine feels and helps improve the set up. Achieving fantastic results in a short few races 2021 the Academy will again fully support Ruben in 2022 season with the team wood youth academy Tianda and look forward to seeing him develop and improve further.
The Team Wood Motor Cycle Youth Academy could not support so many competitors without the help of our sponsors, IFS Gobal Logistics, Pirelli Tyres, Arai Helmets, Ernie Coates Motorcycles, Signstik, Wiz Knee Sliders, ANJ Parts (ebay shop) Nutt Travel.com, Rea Timber Craft, Classic Bike Festival Ireland, Forrest tt shops, Misano Moto Imports.
The Academy are very proud of the teams results, each rider excelled, also Championship and race Wins.
Moto-One class Championship Winner – Kai McClintock on the Studio 16 Kawasaki with 16 race wins.
Runner Up – Lee Hara on the IMC Tianda TDR300
4th Place -Ruben Boyd on Team Wood Academy Tianda TDR300
7th Place – Dean Graham on the Graham Kawasaki 300
Supersport 300 Championship Runner up – Martin Burnett – on the Burnett 300 Yamaha
7th place – Callum Clint on the Clint 400 Kawasaki
Moto 3 Championship Runner Up – Lee Hara on the Hara Moto 3
3rd place – Ruben Boyd on the Boyd Moto 3
4th place – Alexander Rowan Moto 3
Thank you to everyone who supported the riders this year, plans are underway for the 2022 season. Any 12yr-15yr old looking to start national circuit racing drop us a PM. We will be looking for new riders in 2022. SignStik,Nutt Travel,WIZ Racing Products, Arai Helmets UK,Pirelli,Davie Rea,Ernie Coates Race Support, Graeme Hanna, Roger Chen Forrest Chen and Drew Patrick .
Thanks to the many Photographers who captured the riders. Ryan Crooks, Two Brothers, Baylon McCaughey, Derek Wilson, David Doherty, Jim McGann, D Mac.
