TWINS Billy-Reece and Ricky-Lee Rive have taken to sand racing like ducks to water. The seven-year-old Vale Junior School pupils swept the cadet class board at Vazon on their Honda CRF 70 machines in their first attempts at the motorsport last weekend.
But their success is no surprise as it is a true family affair - dad Pierre and mother Donna are both previous autocross champions.
‘We got them a couple of little motorbikes when they were three-and-a-half when they had their stabilisers taken off their pushbikes,’ said their father.
The twins have been racing around on a track in St Andrew’s for the past two years but they had no problems adjusting to sand.
‘They had two new motorbikes for Christmas and we thought it would be a step up from that rather than them racing themselves and me around a field,’ said Rive.
‘They are quite nippy little bikes and they can do 50mph.’
‘I think everybody was quite impressed once they were shown where the track is. I have had them racing around in mud, which is good training. I used to do motocross a long time ago and I chase them around a field now and have a job to beat them,’ he said.
‘I have not pushed them to do it - they have been left to their own devices.’
Ricky-Lee is known as a joker and is nicknamed ‘The Jester’.
‘He is always fooling around and does not seem to take things too seriously and will crash and get back on,’ said his dad.
Billy-Reece will go that bit more slowly but does not fall off and is more laid back.
He is into the Dukes of Hazzard, has the competition number 01 and is known as ‘The Rebel’.
‘I have not raced since they were born and gave up when my missus was in hospital ready to have them,’ said their father.
But he believes they are potential motorbike stars of the future and the family is justifiably proud of their achievements.
Rive would like to see more track provision for youngsters to practise racing and hone their skills.
‘They have not really got anywhere to go where neighbours will put up with noise. We have good neighbours and it’s finding somewhere where somebody is prepared to turn their ear off,’ he said.
Article posted on 25th April, 2007 - 12.00am
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