Ride Train Race gives back to the Community

Ride Train Race Academy (RTR) gives back to the community through Youth Development.

The Ride Train Race academy (RTR) is all about introducing youth to the thrill of Off-Road Motorcycling and Motocross. This is done by offering training programmes that encourage boys and girls to get into this exciting sport.

Through their extensive network of contacts throughout the industry, the founders of Ride Train Race are uniquely well-placed to inspire the next generation. This is done to inspire them to achieve their full potential in the saddle and hopefully nurture future champions. 

Springbok Motocross legends Tony Riddell and Ryan Hunt (Director Vermont Sales/Tork Craft) are both former MX champions. They won multiple championships and then retired. Just to come out of retirement to continue their winning streak. Today, with the support from leading brands including Tork Craft and Motul, they are focusing on helping young RTR riders achieve their own goals. 

Tony & Ryan’s aim in establishing and supporting RTR is to give back to the sport and to the Motocross and off-road riding communities. Along the way, they are helping kids to have fun and stay safe. Furthermore, if they want to, they can even compete in the Inland, Regional and National Championships.

Ryan and Tony are committed to making the sport more inclusive. Therefore, their training programmes are geared for both boys and girls, aged from 3 to 16 years old. Starting with 50cc all the way up to 125cc classes. 

The young riders can choose their own brand of bikes. As members of RTR, they get great value for money with their monthly training package fees. This includes four training sessions per week. To expand their reach and engage with more young riders, RTR also works with other well-known pro-riders to coach some sessions at different tracks nationwide. This includes people such as Hippocrates “Taki” Bogiages, who is from the Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Motul Team as well as the Technical Manager at Motul. 

In addition to receiving training, students get logistical support at races and events. The RTR offering has already attracted 80 riders with 35 actively racing in competitions like National MX, Regionals, Inland series, GXCC, Madalas and Enduro. All across SA. Recently young riders from neighbouring Botswana have joined the academy choosing to travel to SA for training. 

“We’re delighted about the response to Ride Train Race from young riders and their parents,” commented Tony and Ryan. “It’s extremely rewarding to see how well our efforts to give back have been received. We’re excited to see our young mentees develop and progress in their riding ability,” they added. 

Mercia Jansen commented, “At Motul, we are passionate about making motorsports more welcoming and more diverse.” Janse is the Motul Area Manager for Southern and Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean. “We’re delighted to have the opportunity to help nurture riding enthusiasts. No matter whether they are future world champions or weekend warriors. We support the trainers who are making it happen,” she added. 

The best way to understand what makes Ride Train Race so special is to hear from some of its riders: 

•  Qhamani ‘Q’ Thu (8 years old), MX, currently racing in WOMSA Inlands, MSA Regionals and Nationals. When asked about the sport, Q commented that “Dirt biking needs a lot of concentration and dedication. So be brave, stay calm and enjoy the sport.”
• Katelyn Pretorius (12 years old) offroad, currently 7th in National Cross-Country and 9th in GXCC. She says that “Making friends with kids who have the same interests, improving ourselves and motivating each other to become better riders is what I enjoy most about being part of the RTR academy.”
• Rayden Woolls (9 years old), Offroad, Current standing in championships: 1st MSA Free State Regional Championship, 1st MSA Northern Regions Regional Championship, 3rd MSA National Championship. Rayden described his best moment this year as, “Being chosen to represent South Africa once again in the 2022 FIM Africa MXOAN (Motocross of African Nations) event”.
• Zoe Jae Botha (14 years old), MX, WOMSA Inlands, MSA Regionals and Nationals, has this advice for any child wanting to take up the sport. “Start joining the racing community at a young age and don’t give up when it gets hard!”

Any young rider keen to join RTR should ask their parents to DM Ride Train Race via their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/ridetrainrace/