Motorex KTM pro rider, Ryan Marmont has confirmed the final round of the Nokia Australian Supercross Championship to be staged in Wollongong NSW on 29 October, will be a testing ground for his entry into the Bercy Supercross, Europe’s most prestigious supercross event, taking place over three days from 11 to 13 November.

Set up in the heart of Paris at Palais Omnisport, the Bercy Supercross is going into its 24th season, where Pro Lite riders from around the world all compete to be crowned the King of Bercy.

The event’s origins stem back to a competition between France and America but today Bercy welcomes the best supercross riders in the world, with three groups of entry 1) France 2) America 3) The Rest of The World.

Marmont will ride under the Rest of the World banner on-board the KTM250SXF. It will be the second year Marmont has entered the Bercy Supercross event, where he hopes to follow in the footsteps of other Australian riders who have made their mark in Europe. Australia’s Chad Reed has finished second at Bercy in his riding career, while Ryan’s older brother Jay, has secured a fourth place finish at Bercy, which resulted in Jay securing a full time ride with KTM America.

Whilst using the Wollongong event as a training ground for Paris, Marmont will also be out to seal second place in the Pro Lites class of the Australian Championship event, as first place was secured by Queenslander, Daniel Reardon at the previous round in Melbourne.

Marmont currently shares second place in points for the Australian Pro Lites title with two other entrants including Melbourne rider Troy Dorron and Queensland rider Robbie Marshall, making the Wollongong grand final the decider between the three state riders for second place.

Marmont’s hoping a home town advantage and his determination to prepare for Bercy will be the key to his success at the Australian Championship finale.

“It’s always great to ride in front of home town fans, said Marmont.

“The track at WIN Stadium will be the first outdoor Supercross Masters event held this year, so the set up is likely to be bigger and resemble international standards.

“The competition for second place in Australia will only be half the battle for what lies ahead of me at Bercy. The American team for Bercy is looking very strong with KTM factory rider Mike Alessi returning, along with factory Honda rider Andrew Short. Plus France has confirmed Sebastien Tortelli and Steve Boniface, so the Rest of The World Team is going to have their work cut out for them.

“Last year at Bercy, I was the only rider entered on a KTM125SX but this year I will be stepping up to ride the KTM250SXF, so I will have more power behind me to take on the big guns.

“Motorex KTM is sending me over to Paris a week before the event to prepare with my mechanic Danny Apro and my dad Peter, who both provide awesome support for me on the race track.”

While Marmont prepares for his battle to take second in the Pro Lites class of the Australian Supercross Championship, the Pro Open class number one spot is still to be decided.

Title contenders Troy Carroll and Craig Anderson will be in the spotlight, meanwhile KTM’s international contender, Tyler Evans from California is unable to return to the grand final due to a knee injury, leaving Lee Ellis as the only Motorex KTM factory rider to contend the Pro Open class.

Another rider to be nursing serious injury though is Jay Marmont who was recently recruited to the American KTM Racing Team. Jay suffered an unfortunate accident whilst practising at his home track in Wollongong NSW, which could take him off the bike for up to six months.

Whilst landing a triple jump, a split pin worked loose on his foot peg, providing Marmont with no landing structure but the dirt.

Marmont’s right leg took full impact of his crash, clean breaking his right femur just above his protective knee brace. Marmont underwent immediate surgery at Wollongong Hospital where a metal rod was placed from his hip through his femur to his knee.

Commenting on his accident Jay Marmont said, “I had only just recovered from a snapped interior cruciate in my left knee that happened back in June, so to now break my right femur I’m obviously extremely disappointed.

“I was going to take on the American East Coast Supercross Championship with KTM next year in late February but I now look like missing the first few rounds.

“Doctors said it would take longer than it did for my earlier injury to my knee to recover, so hopefully my femur will also heal sooner than the proposed six months.

“KTM’s American management team Larry Brooks and Kurt Nicoll have both confirmed their support for me to return to the KTM America Factory Team as soon as I’m fit enough. It’s comforting to know my international ride is not in jeopardy which makes me all the more determined to focus on recovering as soon as I can.

“The Australian dirt bike community has also shown great support for me including my former Australian factory team, Motorex KTM. Fans and industry folks have also been sending me their well wishes and I’m very grateful for their encouragement.”

Jay Marmont rose to fame in 2004 winning his first Australian Supercross Masters Championship with the Motorex KTM Racing Team, he then followed up with another win in 2005 at the Australian Supercross Nationals before signing with KTM America to ride in the USA.

Marmont is now recovering at his home in Wollongong NSW, where he will be stationed for at least four weeks before he can begin physiotherapy and then look to return to the States early next year.

Marmont will also be making a guest appearance at the final round of the Nokia Supercross Masters at WIN Stadium in Wollongong on Saturday 29 October, in support of his younger brother Ryan, who will be racing in the Australian Championship finale.

Dirt bike fans wanting to email Jay their well wishes can drop him a line at jay.marmont@ktm.com.au

In more Supercross news and hot in from Las Vegas, well-regarded US motorcycle professional Jason Thomas is a late entry for the Grand Final of the Nokia Supercross Masters at Wollongong’s WIN Stadium on Saturday week (Oct 29).

This late international invasion will call for a change in strategy for the leading local teams who had assumed there would be no foreign disruption to their championship plans.

Only two points separate championship leaders Troy Carroll and Craig Anderson. While not contending for the crown, the American can take points highly sought-after by the local Honda and Yamaha combatants.

Thomas, lead man for the Subway Honda factory support team, is riding at the peak of his career.

His last two outings have netted him a blazing win in the Montreal Supercross (October 1) followed by fifth outright at the US Open against the best supercrossers in the world.

And he still has a race commitment this weekend (Oct 22) in Spain before flying back to the USA and then on to Wollongong.

Based out of Melrose, Florida, Thomas took home huge prizemoney from Las Vegas – the richest motorcycle event in the world which is waged over two nights at the fabled MGM Grand Casino.

Wollongong will be the first appearance for Thomas outside North America and he has anxiously quizzed his Australian contacts on the track layout and rider opposition he will confront.

“Jason is definitely on a roll,” his Aussie agent Matt Eastbourne said.

“He is so excited the way his career has taken off in recent months, he doesn’t want the year to end.

“Jason has been contacted by European promoters and has heavy bookings right up to Christmas.”

The narrow points margin between championship leaders Carroll and Anderson should produce real sparks with all the best qualified riders clashing three time over the night.

With aggregate points determining the round winner, both riders need three mistake-free performances… a big task bearing in mind the aggressive opposition and now the presence of Jason Thomas.

Carroll’s team – CDR/Nokia Yamaha – are treating the Wollongong meeting with such respect that they have flown all their members to Queensland for a fortnight to avoid weather in their Victorian home state.

Track construction commences Wednesday morning with some 4,000 tonnes of dirt being trucked in to recreate all the daunting challenges of rugged outdoor terrain.

In a mix of extreme sport and show business, the serious matter of full-on motorcycle racing is supported by freestyle motocross, a celebrity demonstration race on Yamaha TT-R 90 bikes… even a flame-throwing jet car and Top 40 rock band End of Fashion.

Reserved seats are available through Ticketek and online www.ticketek.com.au