Warm Welcome Starts Off the PATRON MXGP of Russia.
Another year and another epic opening in Orlyonok for the 2019 PATRON MXGP of Russia! Today the 8thround of the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship was kick started with a Media Event and Opening Ceremony under the Sunshine and warm temperatures at the Russian Children’s Center of Orlyonok.
More than 1,500 youth from the camp joined MXGP and MX2 riders including Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle and Julien Lieber, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli, Jeffrey Herlings, Tom Vialle, and Jorge Prado, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass, Arminas Jasikonis, Jed Beaton, and Thomas Kjer Olsen, Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP Team’s Gautier Paulin and Arnaud Tonus, Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha Official MX2’s Ben Watson andJago Geerts,Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Brian Bogers,Gebben Van Venrooy Kawasaki’s Alessandro Lupino, JWR Yamaha’s Vsevolod Brylyakov, BIKE IT DRT Kawasaki’s Darian Sanayei, Yamaha SM Action MC Migliori’s Michele Cervellin, Team Honda Redmoto Assomotor’s Stephen Rubini, Brent van donink and Mathys Boisrame, Gebben Van Venrooy Kawasaki’s Alessandro Lupino, AG Racing’s Artem Guryev, Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee’s Bas Vaessen, JK Racing Yamaha’s Jere Haavisto, E2T MX2 Racing Team’s Enzo Toriani, Hampus Kharle and Rob Holyoke and others.
Students welcomed the riders as they arrived just outside the brand new Orlyonok Amphitheater with a dance performance. Following the welcome all the riders were given a handmade clay medal to inscribe their autograph on which will later become part of the Orlyonok museum. The youth then got to receive their own autographs from the riders along with free posters and plenty of photos. A family photo concluded the media event, but the athletes then headed inside the new Amphitheatre for the Official Opening ceremony.
As the riders took their seats inside the arena filled with camp members the stage came to life with impressive traditional dance performances by Orlyonok’s youth. Also on the stage were Yamaha sponsored Orlyonok motocross students before a video recapped the 2018 visit and action on track.
Following the top-class performances officials including Youthstream COO Daniele Rizzi, FIM/CMS Director Antonio Alía Portela, President of Motorcycle Federation of Russia, Master of Sports, and Director of Russian Children’s Center „Orlyonok“ Alexander Dzheus, Minister of Culture and Sport of Krasnodar Region and Honored Master of Sports Andrey Markov, and Director of the Federal State Autonomous Institution for Organizing Sporting Events Alexey Kurashev were introduced and took their place on stage. Each of the officials then spoke about the event sharing their excitement and anticipation for MXGP’s return to racing in Russia.
Youthstream COO Daniele Rizzi, “First of all a message to these young artists and opening ceremony participants, congratulations! This welcome event is very enjoyable, as always you have done a great job. On behalf of Youthstream I have a message also to the organizing committee, we want to congratulate them for the good job that they have done with this project from the Junior Motocross World Championship in 2016 to hosting the MXGP World Championship all while developing this amazing kids center to a level that is unlike anything we have seen anywhere else in the world. We also look forward to seeing what you, and we together, will accomplish in the future. To the youth who are here today, I hope you are inspired by the passion, the values, and the spirit that motivates the riders of the MXGP Championship, the best riders in the world, every day they ride”
FIM/CMS Director Antonio Alía Portela, “I wish to thank you very much for this impressive welcome and performance on behalf of the FIM. I am sure that our stay will be very pleasurable. I would like to give a special welcome to our defending Champion Jeffrey Herlings as he returns to race here in Orlyonok and thank you all for this impressive turnout, this impressive welcome, and I hope that you will enjoy these two days of racing by the best riders in the world!”
Alexander Dzheus, “Dear friends I want to thank you for the chance to organize the Motocross World Championship for the third time. We hope that the government of the Russian Federation, the FIM, and Youthstream are satisfied with our organization and we hope to organize this event again next year. A special thanks to the riders who are getting ready to race starting tomorrow, we have worked hard to prepare for them, and the track is ready. Welcome everyone to Russia!”
Andrey Markov, “Hello Orlyonok, I am glad to see everyone and welcome you all to the 2019 PATRON MXGP of Russia. Krasnodar is a region of hospitality and sport, when we organize competitions it is our goal to create the best conditions of sport for everyone coming from around the world. Motocross has been in Orlyonok since 2016 and every year we have had good impressions, I wish for the same good outcome to all guests again this weekend.” Andrey Markov continued to speak on behalf of the Russian Federation Minister of Sport Pavel Kolobkov, “I welcome all the riders, organizers, and spectators to Orlyonok for the 2019 World Championship of Motocross from the government of Krasnodar region and from the government of the Russian Federation Minister of Sports. Motorsports from year to year becomes more popular in Russia especially for the youth. It is very important for the youth to become acquainted with sport at a young age to become even more healthy and strong. I am sure all the riders and spectators will be full of emotion as they witness the riders battle. I wish success and victory to all and in every aspect of your lives.”
Alexey Kurashev, “Dear friends we are glad to see you, this is a unique opportunity for Russia to organize the World Championship of Motocross for the 3rd year and to be here on the shores of the Black Sea in Orlyonok. The skill, bravery, and strategy are combined in motocross, tomorrow and the day after we will see this great and beautiful sport. I wish for the spectators and fans a great show and for the riders a great result. I thank the organization and lets go racing!”
The event was then concluded with more performances even a specially choreographed dance routine with motocross and racing references. Finally, after the closing moments the riders, officials, and students of Orlyonok joined together for a family photo. The event has started off the weekend on a high note and as the sun sets on the Black Sea, Russia, it’s youth, the fans, and the riders are ready for the weekend’s racing to start tomorrow.
Text/Bild: Youthstream