Interview Thierry Klutz, promoter BK enduro
Thierry Klutz likes challenges. When the opportunity arose to become a promoter of the BK Enduro, the Liège native did not hesitate for a second. The two-time Belgian Enduro champion is taking the next important step in his career. Klutz hangs up the helmet BEC (Belgian Enduro Championship) to give it the attention it deserves.
Thierry, your project has been in the pipeline for several months, but it has recently become official through your company TKO, you will be the promoter of the BK Enduro.
Thierry Klutz: “Indeed, I have just concluded an agreement with the Belgian Motorcyclists' Association to dedicate myself to the promotion of the Belgian Enduro Championship. That agreement will initially run for 3 years.”
Before you started promoting the Belgian Championship, you had also been involved in the organization of the Esneux Enduro for several years. How did you come to become involved as an organizer?
Thierry Klutz: “It is a combination of circumstances that has driven me to become involved in the promotion of the BEC. Because I have ridden a lot abroad (Spain, France and the WEC), I have been able to look around a lot and see how things are going there. Then came the Esneux Enduro, which gave me a taste for organizing and promoting. However, the main aim was to further develop enduro and give the pilots something they had been missing in recent years. In the past few years, a number of competitions have been added and we have a stable calendar of 10 BC competitions. That indicates that there is certainly interest in the discipline. Speaking to some organizers I have become aware that they did not know what direction to take to make an enduro race more attractive. The organizers primarily focus on the administrative part to allow their enduro to take place. And that is often a calvary. You not only have to obtain the approval of numerous government services (environmental permits, department of nature and forests, municipal and provincial authorities, Walloon Region, etc.). In addition, you also have to satisfy the riders with good connecting rides, interesting specials and a suitable paddock. And we haven't even talked about the BMB specifications yet. All in all, this is a full-time job, but in reality it is volunteers who put everything together. Volunteers whose only wish is to allow enduro riders to ride legally in their region.
With that knowledge in mind, I thought it was time for someone who knows the discipline inside and out to make himself available to support the organizers, but also to promote the competitions. Last year, while driving, I was thinking about what it would take to improve our championship. Over the course of the season I noticed that I was increasingly concerned with matters besides the race: promotion, organizing the specials, the decoration of the paddock, problems with the chrono, the awards ceremony, etc. To the extent that I wondered if it wasn't time for me to take a seat on the other side of the line and put myself at the service of enduro.”
How do you see your role as a promoter? What is your attitude towards the organizers and the federation?
Thierry Klutz: “As I see it, my job as a promoter, in addition to helping and supporting the organizers, is to bring enduro out of the shadows and make it better known to the general public. Off-road motor sports in general and enduro in particular do not always have a positive image. Finding partners and therefore financial resources will, hopefully, help to improve that image. In addition to my advice regarding the course, I also bring promotional material for every competition. Then we are talking about arches for the start and finish of the specials, a starting podium from which the drivers will leave the paddock, publicity posters, banners in strategic places.
When it comes to creating more media attention, we provide good photos through our official BK Enduro photographer Fréderic David. There will also be an internet site and a collaboration with MXMag. I also hope to put together a professional team for the time control crew in the medium term. By next year we will hopefully have amassed sufficient budget to switch to transponders. Of course, all of this is still new to me, so I am aware that I still have a lot to learn, but I certainly have the will to go for it fully.”
The Enduro is currently doing well in several European countries. Do you look at what's happening in those countries for inspiration?
Thierry Klutz: "Absolute. I think it is better to take over something that already exists than to just want to innovate. Of course I will add a personal touch, but out of respect for the organisers, drivers and the federation I do not wish to take any risks. Don't forget that we live in a densely populated country, which in itself entails restrictions on admissions. We will have to learn to live with that. It is therefore utopian to think that we will ever have a championship of 10 races with connecting stages such as those in Spain or France. Our objective is to get the best out of every organization, and also to work on the image, the quality of the specials and communication.”
How did the championship partners receive your proposal?
Thierry Klutz: “Honestly, overall the response has been very positive. The majority of motorcycle brands (KTM-Husaberg, Husqvarna, GasGas, Sherco, TM) have responded positively to my proposal to become a partner. But there were also many other companies (Magicbike, Smatch-Match, Motoraccess, For Best Houses, Ride and Race, Alphamoto-Michelin, Fdavid) that were happy to support this project. We also have exchange deals with technical partners (MXMag, Kinepolis Rocourt Euro Jam's motorcycle, Max Boisson). The other partners are the federations (BMB, VMBB, FMWB). I know that all our partners believe that we can improve the discipline and that those improvements also mean a plus for their involvement.
The organization of the enduro “Ourthe-Amblève”, in which I am involved together with Guy Wilders, has proven that you can also attract occasional spectators by making the sport more dynamic and attractive. And that for a sport that is otherwise only followed by the riders and their supporters. Above all, we have done this without compromising the basic concept of the enduro.”
On what essential points do you think the BEC needs to evolve?
Thierry Klutz: “As I already said, in the field of image and communication. But there is also room for improvement in terms of the handling of a match. I am thinking of respecting the specifications for the organizers and adhering to the recommendations by the riders. The chronometry must also become more precise and reliable. Finally, there are also a number of things that are sometimes overlooked, but are often more important than people think. Then I'm talking about things such as the decoration of the paddock, start and finish arches on the specials, signage of the connecting stages, and the awards ceremony.
But you have to remain realistic, this is a long-term project, because you cannot possibly get everything changed in the space of a year. That is why it is my intention to make progress step by step, taking into account the wishes of the different people stakeholders (federation, commercial partners, organisers, riders, media…). So slowly but surely move in the right direction without taking too many risks.”
Does the fact that you are now a promoter mean we won't see you on the specials as a rider anymore?
Thierry Klutz: “In the beginning I thought it would be possible to combine the functions of rider and promoter. But over the months I have come to the conclusion that something like this is impossible to achieve. Especially if you want to do it the way I want it. That is, as best as possible! In addition to my full-time job at the French Community and my work as a promoter, there is virtually no time left for training. And I'm not even talking about being concentrated at the start of a special...
Since I don't start to come second, I choose not to drive. I also realize that if I do not commit 100% to my role as promoter, it will be very difficult to achieve anything. Believe me it was not an easy decision to make. You, as it were, end your own driving career to put yourself at the service of others. It will certainly hurt my heart when I see the other drivers at work during the course of the season. Especially because I am going to work so that they can ride in conditions that I have always wanted as a rider. Nevertheless, I am convinced that I made the right decision to become involved as a promoter. The future will show whether I am right. In any case, one day you have to accept that you have to draw an end to your career as a driver. That does not prevent me from starting one or another competition during the course of the season. Preferably one for which I at least have to prepare and concentrate!”
Credit photos: Mxmag.be/Patoun.be/Predrag Vuckovic-Red Bull Photofiles
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