Former GP winner Stephen Sword spent most of his career with Kawasaki, from the British youth scene to the MX2 and MX1 FIM Motocross World Championships. He is now back in the paddock in a new role, working for the ACU in order to share his experience with young British riders. We had a chat with him at the recent MXGP of Germany.
There are currently only a few British riders competing in the European and World Motocross Championships and the ACU, which is the national governing body for motorcycle sport in Great Britain, implemented a new strategy earlier this year. In common with other national federations such as those in Italy, France and Spain have done in recent decades, the ACU has now appointed Stephen Sword and Mark Chamberlain in new roles, coaching and helping youngsters to give them the opportunity to progress at international level. “The ACU needed a presence in the paddock to help young riders. For sure it will take some time to succeed and I’m working closely with Mark Chamberlain for the ACU. It’s good to be involved, to recognise some talents and help them, as some other federations have done for several years,” explained Stephen, who is taking this new role very seriously.
The High Performance Academy by ACU
Swedish, British and Belgium riders have been fighting for titles since the Motocross World Championship was launched in the 1950s, and Jeff Smith, Graham Noyce, Neil Hudson and James Dobb each claimed world titles, the most recent in 2001. So, for the first time in its history, the ACU has now put in place a new strategy to encourage young riders.
“Everyone has noticed that there are not so many British riders coming to the GPs, and it will take time, but we have some good talent in the 85 class. One of the problem at the moment is that there are not many British teams in the paddock; Steve Dixon and Shaun Simpson already have riders in their teams so it’s difficult for a young British rider to find support,” explained ‘Swordy’, who stopped racing a few years ago.
“Racing was everything in my life and when I stopped racing I struggled, as is the case with many riders I think, to find a new path in life. I started to coach some riders and help some guys as to stay involved in the sport is the next best thing. But you cannot replace racing; it’s difficult to rekindle this feeling. But hopefully there is the family around you, and I’m busy with the kids who are growing up!”
A career linked to Kawasaki
Stephen had a very long career, as he started racing when he was six years old. It didn’t take long for him to join Team Green in UK.
“It all started with Team Green in the UK when I was really young, seven years old! Alec Wright was taking care of the youth and adult motocross teams; I won all of the titles in the schoolboy classes and was in this team from when I was seven to fifteen years old,” he recalled with a smile, his head full of good memories. Thanks to his results and potential, he raced for several teams to race the 125 GPs but his most successful time came when he was back in Green with the factory team of Dutchman Jan de Groot.
“My best results came when I joined Jan. I never had any podium before, but when I joined his team I got regular podium results, race wins and the red plate; it all came together when I was with him racing the Kawasaki factory bikes. Jan gave me the confidence; he had this reputation to make a rider better, as he did with Greg Albertyn and several other riders; he won so many GPs and titles. He was a really good tuner and the team was very well organised; we went to Japan testing and at this time my teammate was Mickael Maschio, a nice guy who helped me a lot. The combination of everything just brought me to another level,” explained Stephen, who won his first Grand Prix in the 2004 German round at Teutschenthal. That 2004 season was the best of his career, with a fourth position in the MX2 World Championship.
“2004 was for sure my best season; I never had a podium before and that season I won a GP. At the first GP at Zolder I made the podium, then at the next GP in Spain another podium and the red plate! Then Ben Townley took it but after my GP win in Germany I was again leading the championship; later in the season I injured my wrist but I managed to carry on racing though it wasn’t quite enough for the title,” he recalled. After another season and three more podiums in the MX2 class, Jan De Groot offered Stephen the opportunity to contest the MX1 World Championship alongside Tanel Leok. Unfortunately he only raced a few rounds as an injury stopped his season.
“I have good and bad memories from Teutschenthal as in 2004 I won here, but in 2006, when I was racing for Jan in the MX1 class, I broke an ankle here,” he added. Back in the MX2 class in 2007 with the Molson Kawasaki team he enjoyed his final GP podium in 2008 and stopped racing GPs at the end of 2010.
Now it’s time for him to help young riders to improve their skills and to allow them – who knows? – to walk in the footsteps of such legendary British riders as Graham Noyce, Neil Hudson, Dave Thorpe, Paul Malin, James Dobb or Tommy Searle.
