motocross
Published on 03/11/2016Team presentation of Creymert Racing
On Saturday evening I was a guest for MXMag at the team presentation of the Creymert Racing Team. A team where I feel quite at home after working together for almost one year. You are immediately enveloped by the family atmosphere when you enter the building. Everyone knows everyone, the sponsors, the staff, the old and new riders, they are all super friendly. The new drivers have been officially announced a few days ago and it looks like a promising team.
By Yente Dourte
Creymert contacted Shana van der Vlist for the Women's World Championship and Freek van der Vlist for the MX2 World Championship. In the European Championship, one rider from the Creymert racing team will also start in each series, namely the Norwegian Kevin Horgmo in the EMX125, the Lithuanian Dovydas Karka in the EMX250 and finally the Belgian Ken Craeghs in the EMX300.
I'm curious about their expectations for the next season and what they learned from the previous one. I immediately contacted team manager Martin Creyns about this.
Martin Creyns
What are the expectations for your team in 2017?
Martin: “We would like to get Shana into the top 10 in the final rankings of the women's world championship. With Freek we would like to achieve some outliers in the MX2 classes, with possibly a few top 10 places. I will be happy for Ken Craeghs if he can qualify on every course, the rest is a bonus. Kevin Horgmo we hope to push into the top 3 in the Norwegian and European championships. Dovydas Karka has been training with the bike for a few days and the aim is to achieve some top 15 and top 10 places in the EMX250 class.”
What are your intentions for the next season and what have you learned from last season?
Martin: “The most important thing is that we always enjoy it. We hope that the riders and staff are committed 100%. Not only are the riders in our team important, the team cannot exist without riders, but the rider cannot exist without the team either. Everything must be one whole and fall neatly into place. We want to achieve this with our staff who do it all from their hearts. We clearly noticed this last year.”
Shana van der Vlist
Hi Shana, 'Ladies first'. Last season you finished 8th in the women's world championship, how did you experience this?
Shana: “In 2015 I finished 20th after missing some overseas competitions. This year there was only one overseas competition on the calendar. Together with my parents I decided to participate because I wanted to achieve a top 10 place in the championship. I ultimately finished in 8th place, so I can look back on the season with satisfaction.”
Last year you rode a 125cc, this year you are switching to a 250cc. How do you view that?
Shana: “I hope that riding the 250cc goes well. I haven't ridden it much yet, but I do expect to get better starts with the 4-stroke. I experienced quite a bit of a disadvantage last year with the lighter engine. Hopefully I can grab some top 5 places.”
Freek van der Vlist
We stay in the family. Freek, what is it like to be on a team with your sister? Do you often train together?
Freek: “Nice, it's easier because we now ride the same motorcycle together. We also train a lot together. I can train a little more because I don't go to school anymore. We usually do physical training separately. I am supervised by Thorsten Lentink and therefore have my own training sessions that I always have to complete personally.”
How do you look back on last season with a 26th place in the world championship?
Freek: “I participated in two overseas competitions, one competition together with Shana. Then I got injured in England and missed a few more games. I didn't know what to expect at the beginning of the season. I do know that I did not show the utmost of my abilities. I think that's a shame and if you work hard for it, it's not pleasant. I am certainly not dissatisfied with my season, I have learned a lot and with all these experiences I can only perform better.”
Kevin Horgmo
We're going to listen to the international drivers. We start with Kevin Horgmo. What is it like to be in a Belgian team Kevin?
Kevin: “It's extremely exciting, I've never been in a team like this before. It's all new to me, but I hope this will allow me to spend more time in Belgium to train here. In the winter I go to Spain in Red Sand to train and during the season I will always travel between Norway and Belgium.”
How did you get injured last year?
Kevin: “I started training for Montova to better tolerate the heat. During training I had a serious fall on my shoulder. In Montova I tried to ride but crashed again because I could no longer hold my handlebars due to the pain. We then went to the hospital in Norway. There I had to have surgery on my ligaments and muscles in my shoulder. Now I'm still recovering and I would like to get back on the bike around Christmas.”
David Karka
Dovydas, I heard that you are staying in an apartment in Balen? Who are you staying there with?
Dovydas: “Yes, I have been living in Balen for 2 to 3 years now, before that we traveled around with the camper. I am usually alone with my trainer in Balen, my mechanic often stays there and sometimes my parents come by.”
What do you think of the sand in Belgium? Do they have sand like that in Lithuania?
Dovydas: “I have been riding in the KNMV since the 85cc class, so I am quite used to sandy courses. It has gotten to the point where I now have to train more on hard surfaces because I am so used to sand courts. A disadvantage for me is that we only have 1 sand competition on the calendar.”
This year you already participated in the EMX250 championship, how did that go and have you heard the latest news from the two American riders in the EMX250 class next season?
Dovydas: “I mainly had difficulty with the qualifications. I was not qualified in Valkenswaard and England. Sometimes it feels like a lottery, there are 10 to 15 riders in the same second. But the fastest always wins. Yes, Charbeneau and Suratt are two top riders in America, they will ride the AMA supercross competitions this winter. I think the Americans make everything much more interesting and this makes the matches much more beautiful, lively and fascinating.”
Ken Craighs
Finally, Ken Craeghs who will be driving for Creymert racing for the second year, how did the first year go?
Ken: “The first year went well, but I did have some bad luck. Just before Valkenswaard I broke my elbow during training. I came back to England with a very small heart, but in the end I was able to qualify for every competition I took part in.”
How does it work to combine your work and motocross?
Ken: “We have our own business at home and this of course comes first. If there is time left, I get time off and I also get a few extra days off for the important matches. I find the physical training the most difficult because I don't get home until around 18 p.m. I still have to start everything, but the motivation is still there to go for it and that is the most important thing.”
What are the expectations for next season?
Ken: “I would like to be qualified again for every competition. I honestly don't dare say it, but deep down I do hope to gain some points. It is probably a personal goal and I might want to achieve this on the sand track because I still feel most at home there.”
Photo's: Gino Maes & Jochen Reekmans
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