PARKALGAR HONDA’S Eugene Laverty took it easy over the Christmas holidays with his family back in Toomebridge in Northern Ireland ahead of the pre-season testing which is about to commence.

This is the first Christmas in a couple of years that Eugene has spent in Ireland and being the biking family that the Laverty’s are they spent a large part of the holiday riding various motorcycles. He said: “We had a nice quiet Christmas with all the family there. We went out on both our trials and motocross bikes all through the Christmas holidays and it was great. On New Year’s Day we did a cross country event held at Crossgar, Johnny Rea took part too. We finished eighth overall which wasn’t bad considering we were up against top Irish motocross riders.”

Now with Christmas over Eugene has decided to hit the slopes and is currently in Austria near Saltzberg skiing with some friends. He explained: “A friend who worked with me when I was at Redbull invited us out and she has been giving us skiing lessons. I’ve skied before but just with my brothers and we didn’t really go in for lessons! We have been learning and improving a lot over the past few days.”

Like everyone at this time of the year Eugene has been hitting the gym but admitted that he didn’t over indulge during Christmas. He said: “Training has been good over Christmas as I didn’t let up on it. Usually I’ve no interest in it over Christmas as I want to party but because we were out on the bikes a lot partying wasn’t an option as we were going motocrossing.”

The Parkalgar Honda Team is back on track in Almeria on the 19th January before heading to its home track in Portimao for the first official World Superbike test. Eugene can’t wait to get back on his bike, saying: “I’m really looking forward to getting out there and blowing the cobwebs away. The Parkalgar circuit is one of the most interesting circuits I’ve ever experienced and that is why it is one of my favourites. They have done a great job as it has all the facilities of other big circuits like Qatar but with natural undulations that they don’t have.”

For further up dates on the Parkalgar Honda team’s progress please visit www.parkalgar-honda.com