This weekend sees the 2023 Junior World Championship event in Romania for what is classed as the youth version of the MXoN.
The entry lists are stacked over the 3 classes, 65cc, 85cc and 125cc, with a total count of almost 250 riders entered. For the second consecutive year, the only MCUI licence holder on the starting lists is Milwaukee KTM rider Cole McCullough.
This is primarily a team event, but with Ireland not being officially represented, Cole will be competing as an individual, just like he did in Finland in 2022. McCullough was asked several weeks back to represent Team GB, a decision that his father and him deliberated over for a while, but eventually decided to go solo.
Philip McCullough: It was obviously a great honour for Cole to be asked to ride for Team GB, but with the politics in our country, then throw in the religion and flags issue, I felt that Cole could suffer a backlash of abuse and criticism regarding it, which really is a shame but that’s the world we live in right now. At the beginning of 2023 I had pushed to get it passed that Ireland would send a team and I was going to manage it, unfortunately with no racing in the south this year due to insurance issues, together with a few other disagreements between myself and Laurance Spence I decided to stand down as team manager as it would been a make shift attempt, something I would not want my name associated with. To do a proper job as team manager it takes a lot of planning for months prior to an event of this magnitude I read somewhere recently that there was a 3 man team going from Ireland which Cailum Meara was running, I look forward to seeing them in Romania, or maybe as is usually the case, people only talk about doing the things that I have been doing for years now.
Cole McCullough: I’m looking forward to this years JWC event, last year in Finland I had a really strong qualifying finishing inside the top 10 and just narrowly missed out on points in the races. I have had a great few weeks riding with GC on various hard pack tracks at home, my speed and fitness are both really good right now, so like always, I will give it my best shot this weekend
The 4500 mile round trip certainly takes a lot of dedication and commitment from everyone involved, Cole and his father would like to thank everyone that has supported their team this year in any capacity, and hats off to Davy Dickson for clocking up all those miles. Also, a big thanks to the Mary Peters Trust for supplying funds.
We wish them a safe and successful weekend of racing.
Words: Press Release
Image: MX July
