Honda honours the Quiet Champions and Riders
With Yarrive Konsky
The first motorbike you give your children is the beginning of a dream. For many of us in this industry, it all started with a minibike—the feeling of freedom and power that came with it. Our parents gave us that gift. They sacrificed and yearned to provide us with opportunities and happiness.
Some parents had more means than others; my dad was a modest man who gave everything he had. He drove a taxi and, before that, he picked up rubbish the old-fashioned way, hanging onto the back of a truck. Regardless of their financial situation, our parents all shared their time, love, and support to give us the chance to ride and race. They are the quiet champions.
Every weekend, our parents loaded the car, van, or trailer. The nights leading up to race day, they would come home from work and prepare the bikes. Throughout the weekend, they continued to work on those bikes, helping their sons and daughters become the best versions of themselves.
They coached us, teaching from a young age that motocross requires dedication, a willingness to learn, and an understanding that losing is not permanent. Each loss is a lesson, a chance to improve—whether by one position or ten. Motocross teaches us that both winning and losing provide valuable lessons, as long as we’re willing to learn.
The parents of our four champions have spent their lives giving their children every opportunity in the best way they knew how, themselves, learning along the way. We are honoured to continue providing a pathway for their children to grow and become their best selves.
We don’t overlook the countless hours spent at the track, on the road, in the gym, in hospitals, or in the shed. We recognise the mental struggles they’ve endured, coaching their children through setbacks. These parents are the quiet champions, the ones who have lifted their children up.
We deeply respect the trust they place in us and don’t take it for granted. It’s a privilege to work with such great champions. Honda also acknowledges the thousands of people behind the brands that support the team. Each one is part of our success, each one lightens our load, and each one keeps the wheels turning.
Resilience, determination, dedication, and an unwavering belief—they live inside our riders, who have taken everything they’ve been given by their families and the Honda team and turned it into championships.
For some, it’s their first title; for others, it’s their third. Honda Racing Australia builds dreams, and their riders turn them into reality, with their families as the foundation from which champions are shaped.
2024 has been an unforgettable season. First, Charli Cannon led Australia to the Oceanic Championship just two weeks after surgery on her leg.
Then Kyle Webster, Brodie Connolly, and Charli started the Australian Championships with wins in round one, while Jake Cannon began his comeback after earning no points following a serious injury.
Each of them pursued their goals with tenacity.
In the end, the Honda Racing Australia team combined won 49 motos and finished on the podium in second and third place 17 times. These results happened because everyone came together with one purpose. Thank you.
Yarrive Konsky
