It’s Christmas Eve and even though I’m 24 years old I’m pretty excited about tomorrow. Christmas Day is the one single day in the entire year when the stresses of everyday life are set aside. No phone calls and no emails is always pleasant, it’s a chance to be on holiday in your own home. The snow has been falling for nearly a month now but I’m enjoying it. It doesn’t disrupt my life too much other than doing all my training indoors but I don’t mind that. It means the sessions are of better quality as opposed to quantity. I’ve just finished up my last session of the week as I settle down for the Christmas weekend and I’m very pleased with my conditioning at the moment. I’ve already surpassed the goal I’d set for my endurance level before I started my winter training programme which is a rather nice feeling with still two months remaining before Round One! A few weeks back I received delivery of two Yamaha motocross bikes so I’m looking forward to doing some riding once the snow subsides. I plan to convert the 450 to supermoto trim, I caught the bug last summer after doing some laps with Michael and Chaz Davies. They’re both incredibly quick so I have some work on my hands if I want to reach their level before next summer!

The test at Phillip Island went brilliantly. We were on the pace throughout all three days and I’m really enjoying working with my crew Frankie, Pete, Ali, Guiliano and Michele. I’m confident that we can win races next season but I’m remaining realistic and aiming for a top six finish in the championship. I believe my main rivals will be Biaggi, Checa, JR, Haslam and my teammate Marco. It’s tough to know who’ll come out on top in the World Superbike Championship but I’ve a fair idea who I’d put my money on to win the MotoGP Championship. He’s a previous MotoGP World Champion and he’s just joined Honda. I’m happy I don’t have him as a rival next season as I reckon he’s gonna be unstoppable in 2011! The British Superbike Championship will be a hard one to predict with rumours that John Hopkins may be heading to the UK. If that turns out to be true then Kiyonari, Brookes, Hill, and my brothers are going to have their hands full! I always attend the opening round at Brands Hatch so long as there isn’t a date clash so I’ll be pencilling that one into the diary.

The most recent news has been my change of number for next season. Sylvain Guintoli has always ran the number 50 as well so I had a fair idea this might happen one day. I’ve moved to the number 58 for 2011 but I plan to return to number 50 again soon. Recently I was voted Irish Motorcyclist of the Year which was a real compliment as it’s voted for by the fans. Johnny Rea and I could well be duking it out for this award on track next season! It’s great that JR and I have received so much support and recognition for what we’re doing on the world scene, often short circuit riders have been overlooked in the past as such a great array of road racers have come out of Ireland. Speaking of which I’m delighted to see that the North West 200 road race doesn’t clash with the World Superbike calendar next season so I’ll be able to attend for the first time since 2007. The north coast of Ireland is one of my favourite places on Earth so throw in a motorcycle race and I’m in heaven! It’s a great event and a real spectacle for any fan of two-wheels.

Right then, I’m off to visit the family and generally kick back. My Christmas holidays start now.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Eugene

IRELAND’S Eugene Laverty is bidding farewell to his famous ‘50’ plate as he heads to the World Superbike Championship in 2011 with the official Yamaha factory team.

The star has been forced to change the number which has served him well over the last nine years because Suzuki’s Sylvain Guintoli currently has the plate. Instead, Laverty will now run under the number ‘58’. Laverty first fielded ‘50’ in 2002 when he made his debut in the British 125ccChampionship, and has kept it ever since. “I was racing for TSR in the British Championship and the team was also running the Italian rider Andrea Ballerini in the125cc World Championship, and his number was 50,” he explains.

“I looked at it and liked it and decided I would run it too. It seemed a nice idea to run them both with the same number, and it just stuck after that. It suited me. I got my first British podium that year, and I wanted to keep the number that had brought me success.”

In 2003 it brought more luck as Laverty remained in the British 125cc Championship and scored his maiden win at Oulton Park.

2004 saw number ‘50’ just miss out on the British 125cc title, as he finished second and claimed four solid wins. It also brought him his international break after he landed a wildcard entry in the FIM 125cc World Championship at Donington Park.

In 2005, Laverty and the now synonymous ‘50’ made the step up to the British Supersport Championship, where he took his first podium on the 600cc machine and finished ninth overall. A second crack at the hard-fought championship in 2006 saw number ‘50’ finish third overall after taking four wins. It was a season where he found himself in a close fight all year long with Cal Crutchlow – who he would encounter again three years later for an even closer contest.

In 2007 it was all-change as Laverty switched to the 250cc class of the FIM World Championship with LCR Honda. “It was a good season for me as I scored my first World Championship points that year,” he said.

2008 had its ups and downs, as he remained in the 250cc Grand Prix series with Blusens Aprilia. Although this ride didn’t bring the results he wanted, he also landed a wildcard in the World Supersport Championship, where he took his debut WSS podium at Vallelunga.

But in 2009, ‘50’ was one of the two main protagonists of the World Supersport Championship as onboard the Parkalgar Honda, Laverty spent the whole season battling with Cal Crutchlow, finishing the season as runner-up to the Brit. And in 2010 it was the number which was almost always at the front, leading 174 of 258 laps of the World Supersport Championship, winning eight of 13 races, starting from pole position five times and setting five fastest laps.

It’s fair to say that Laverty is sorry to see it go. “I don’t have an emotional attachment to it, but I do feel it has been very significant in my career so far, and for that reason I am a bit sad to be parting with it,” he admits.“I don’t have a choice, but I did have a choice in choosing my new number, 58. I like it because it’s probably the nearest you can get to 50, and I certainly wouldn’t have deviated away from the number five. “I see it as the end of this particular era but I hope that 58 will become just as well –known by my performance on the World Superbike stage with the official Yamaha team in 2011.” And he adds that while it may be farewell for now, he hopes to be reunited again one day. “I’m sure I’ll go back to it when I get the opportunity. This year Sylvain has it but I’d definitely like to get it back as soon as I can. You could say I’m just giving it some time off after it has worked so hard for nine years,” he joked.

For Pictures on this story go to http://eugenelaverty.com/gallery?album=2&gallery=85

STILL searching for that perfect Christmas gift for someone special?
Fans of Irish motorcycle star Eugene Laverty can take in the second round of the 2011 World Superbike Championship at Donington Park in an organised tour leaving from two of Ireland’s major cities.
Limited places available for the trip to Donington Park over the weekend of March 25-27, where the Superbike star will be gunning for victory on board the official Yamaha Racing factory machine.
Laverty, who finished runner-up in the 2010 World Supersport Championship, has already been tipped as the man to watch as he steps up to Superbikes in 2011.
He has already emerged fastest in a recent test at Phillip Island - beating World Champion Max Biaggi around the Australian track.
For 2011, he has teamed up with Nutt Travel to offer fans the chance to visit selected rounds of the World Superbike Championship as part of a hassle-free organised tour.
Donington Park will host the second round of the famous championship, and will kick-start the Laverty Fan Travel Club’s events for the year.
Luxury coaches will depart from Belfast and Dublin on Friday, March 25 for an overnight ferry crossing to Birkenhead.
Once in England, you will head to the track to enjoy the free practice and qualifying sessions on Saturday, before spending the evening in a three star hotel.
On Sunday morning you will return to the track to enjoy the day’s racing, which includes two World Superbike races - and two chances to see Laverty in action.
Prices are £269 from Belfast and 316euro from Dublin (subject to possible change) and include onboard cabin on the ferry, one night B&B in a three-star hotel, weekend admission passes to the circuit and coach transfers to and from the track.
Prices are per person based on two people sharing. Meals are not included.
Limited places are available for the Laverty Fan Travel Club trip to Donington Park. Book your place today by calling Nutt Travel on: 02870 351 199.

Eugene Laverty has won the coveted Enkalon Irish Motorcyclist of the Year award.

The World Supersport runner-up edged out WSB star Jonathan Rea and Irish national road racer Ryan Farquhar in a public vote.

Final standings:
1st Eugene Laverty
2nd Jonathan Rea
3rd Ryan Farquhar
4th Michael Laverty
5th Marshall Neill
6th Alistair Seeley
7th Michael Dunlop
8th Robert Hamilton

Other awards:
Off Road Rider of the Year - Robert Hamilton
Most Promising Off Road Rider of the Year - John Meara
Most Promising Short Circuit Rider of the Year - Josh Elliott
Most Promising Road Racer of the Year - William Davison
Classic Rider of the Year- Denis Gallagher
Wheels 125 production - Corey McGreavey
125 GP - Jason Lynne
Chris Nichol Award - Michael Sweeney
Services to Sport - George McCann

Photo by  Trevor Armstrong

Eugene Laverty will be attending the Enkalon Motorcycle show this Friday in the Antrim Forum. Laverty Hoodies will be on sale @ RR Designs.

Yamaha World Superbike Team riders Eugene Laverty and Marco Melandri completed their three day test at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia today. The two new signings for the 2011 season spent the three days testing out various parts including new Ohlins (TRVP25) front forks on both the 2010 and 2011 racebike. A large part of the test for both riders, particularly Melandri, included ongoing physical modifications to the YZF-R1 racebike to fit their riding style, adjusting foot pegs, handlebars and other geometry settings.

The team enjoyed good weather, sunshine and a dry track for the first two days of the test with rain only appearing in the last minutes of day two. The third and final day saw more sunshine with rain only at lunchtime and towards the end of the day’s sessions. The 2011 bike tested by the riders featured a revised weight balance, the new Ohlins forks, new engine performance parts and a different seat and fuel tank design. The bike also features standard fuel injectors and fuel pump in line with the 2011 racing regulations.

Eugene Laverty was clearly enjoying his third outing on the R1, having been impressively quick in the first two tests, he was again fast from the off, leaving Australia as the fastest rider of the test with a blistering 1’31.5 lap on soft race tyres at the end of day three, over half a second faster than closest rider Max Biaggi. He also spent some time on race simulation, putting in consistently fast race pace laps.

Following his one day test in Valencia last month this was Marco Melandri’s first proper opportunity to work through some set up developments on his new R1 racebike. The Italian rider improved steadily over the test days, making steps each day as the team continued to modify the physical set up of the bike to suit him. Day three saw him record a 1’32.4 lap on race tyres. Melandri also took the opportunity in the rain to experience his bike on Pirelli wet tyres. The team now have valuable data to take away to work over the winter to make further changes to suit the new riders in advance of the first test of 2011 next year.
Eugene Laverty

Eugene Laverty, Yamaha World Superbike Team - 232 laps, Best Lap 1’31.5
“I’m pretty pleased with the test, it’s a nice way to go into the winter break. In the three days we got a lot of laps done, the second day especially was big breakthrough. So far we’ve had two one day tests so the second day here was where we really made the bike mine. The race times on the 2011 machine weren’t so far away from 2010 bike so we’re developing in the right direction. The new Ohlins front fork is definitely an improvement. I’m still learning this bike so we are fine tuning it as we go.”
Marco Melandri

Marco Melandri, Yamaha World Superbike Team - 216 laps, Best Lap 1’32.4
“It was a good test in the end, the three days were very intensive. It was quite challenging at first working on the 2011 machine but during the second day we started to find a way and then third day we found a big improvement and found a good pace for the race. The rain meant we couldn’t find a good lap time with a soft tyre but for me that wasn’t what was important here. The difference between a MotoGP bike and a superbike on this track are huge, the bike moves a lot more so the faster corners are very different but step by step it’s getting better and better. The feeling is very good, I’m very happy. The track is a difficult track so we have done well and I think we can be very strong for the first race here next year.”

Yamaha World superbike Team Manager - Andrea Dosoli
“These were three very important days for us, after the shakedown of the new bike in Valencia here we had the chance to work on it in more detail. We have confirmed that the new bike is pretty good with high potential. We are pleased that it can keep consistent lap times during race simulation. For this we are quite happy as on this track in the past we have struggled. Eugene was very fast from the beginning in all three days and had a good feeling working on both bikes. Marco has been working hard, mainly on the 2011 bike. He has been working on rider position; there are still some areas we have to improve for him to be more comfortable on the bike. He was very consistent with race pace although he didn’t have time to try a flying lap. After the first two days he struggled a bit with setup then today he found a good one that worked for him and was comfortable so the lap times improved. Overall the test was very positive and we are confident we have a good base for the Philip Island race.”

FINAL TEST TIMES
Eugene Laverty 01’31.5
Max Biaggi 01’32.1
Leon Camier 01’32.4
Marco Melandri 01’32.4