Feature

TEN YEAR TURN-BACK: 11th of November – 17th of November 2004

Author: Aaryn Minerds

Posted:

Wednesday, November 12th, 2014

7:07 AM

Welcome to the Fullnoise.com.au TEN YEAR TURN-BACK Presented by One Industries

It is amazing to think that Fullnoise.com.au has been Australia's online source for dirt bike news for the past ELEVEN years! Started back in 2003 by Garry Morrow, Fullnoise has grown to be the number one choice when it comes to Online Dirt Bike News in Australia and is a virtual online encyclopaedia of Off-Road dirt bike news and results from Australian and around the world from the start of the digital age covering every discipline of Dirt Bike Riding and Racing.

For 2014 we will be running this new weekly feature that will highlight some of the biggest news articles from the upcoming week 10 years ago! staring with the first week of January and running through to the final week in December 2004.

Thursday the 11th of November to Wednesday the 17th of November 2004:

Andrew Short is 2004 King of Bercy

American Andrew Short dominated the2004 Bercy Supercross at the Palais Omnisport, Paris - Credit: Roddy Mcleod

American Andrew Short dominated the Bercy Supercross at the Palais Omnisport, Paris, over the weekend (Nov 13-14).

The newly announced factory Honda rider took the trifecta winning all three motos to be crowned "King of Bercy" for 2004. Short now goes on to join the likes of Jeremy McGrath and David Vuillemin who have also achieved the rare feat of a clean sweep.

Both Mike Brown (3) and Pichon never raced the final, Brown missed it with a finger injury, whilst Pichon lost a gearbox. Photo: Roddy McLeod

After a dismal 10th in Friday's opening moto, Short's compatriot Mike Alessi (KTM) bounced back with a pair of seconds to take the runner-up spot for the event. Alessi, who was having his first race on the KTM 250 four stroke was happy with his first outing and not being a supercross specialist acquitted himself well, apart an ambitious block pass on Pascal Leuret in the final lap for second left the Frenchman on the ground drew widespread jeers from the capacity crowd.

Frenchman SÌ©bastien Pourcel took the final podium position with a 9-4-3 result for the three rounds. After picking himself up of the ground after the Alessi clash in the final moto, Leuret managed to accumulate enough points for 4th place overall.

Honda's Thomas Hahn finished fifth ahead of former winner Brock Sellards. Mickael Pichon looked good in the first two motos with a 2nd and 3rd but a broken gearbox in the final qualifying heat saw his chances plummet. Mike Brown also showed speed, but ultimately hurt a finger and chose to sit out the final.

Mike Alessi disqualified from Bercy final moto

Main Photo: just after impact, Alessi rides away - Credit: Roddy Mcleod

The FFM, the French governing body of motorcycling has released a statement announcing that American KTM rider Mike Alessi has been excluded from the results of the final moto at the Bercy Supercross (Nov-15), as a result his second place finish will not be recorded or recognised.

After a meeting between the event organisers and the Federation both came to the conclusion after viewing footage of the incident where Alessi cannoned into Pascal Leuret on the final lap whilst attempting a block pass for second position.

The Federation disqualified Alessi on the grounds of un-sportsmanlike behavior.

The move drew widespread jeers from the crowd at the time. After the race Alessi approached the French camp and after some discussions Leuret accepted Alessi's apology.

Lee Hogan launches new training program:

It was 10 years ago this week that Lee Hogan lunched the BCP! Great work Lee - Credit: Garry Morrow

Former motocross champion and now coach/trainer, commentator, and all round MX handy guy Lee Hogan has announced that he will launch a new dirtbike rider training venture which will go by the name of Lee Hogan's 'Building Champions'.

Hogan says the program is aimed at anyone who has completed a basic riding school and is ready to take the next step. The course will encompass all the modern day racing techniques such as, block passing, scrubbing jump speed, starting on different surfaces to name a few. Emphasis will also be placed on the professional side of the sport with a public speaking and Presentation modules.

Hogan plans to run the clinics over a two day periods and has the backing of Fox who will be naming rights sponsor. Hogan also stated that they already had 30 clubs booked for 2005 with the 'Building Champions' program also being named as the official school of the National 'Mr Motocross Series'.

The 'Building Champions' Program is starts on Dec 11th and 12th at Victoria‰Ûªs Newry MX track, with the end of year clinic being on Dec 20th and 21st at the Bacchus Marsh MX circuit. Pricing and date details will be available on the Official Mr Motocross website soon www.ozmotox.com.

Other News

American Honda announced their 2005 line up

- American Honda announced that current factory rider Ernesto Fonseca will be joined by Travis Preston, Andrew Short and Jeremy McGrath on the official factory Honda team for 2005, whilst the Red Factory's support of smaller teams expands to include Team ECC Honda and Team Samsung/Holigan Honda.

- 2004 AMA Motocross Champion Ricky Carmichael was named AMA Pro Racing Speed Channel Athlete of the Year at a star studded 30th annual AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet held at the Paris Las Vegas Casino Resort.

- 43-year-old Jeff Ward finished the 2004 AMA Supermoto season in the best possible way when the former Motocross Champion and Indy Car star piloted his Troy Lee Designs Honda CRF450 to victory at the final round at Bally's Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nov 13.

- KTM's Juha Salminen has won the 6th Barcelona International Indoor Enduro at the Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain, over the weekend (Nov-15).

- After a break of three years the hype was building as the days counted down to Saturdays (Nov-20) Orange Supercross with a star studded evening, featuring talent such as Paul Grant, Jake and Matt Moss, Codie Mackie, Condobolins Todd Smith, Mudgee‰Ûªs Jeff Dray and Dubbo‰Ûªs Desi Hanrahan to name a few along with the introduction of the first ever women‰Ûªs racing event in Australian supercross history featuring Dubbo‰Ûªs Simone Blenkiron and girls from the Jim Beam Racing Team.

- Dates were announced for the 2005 Crusty Demons 10th Anniversary Tour. The Crusty Demons tour will begin on May 14th 2005 and after a five capitol city tour will conclude on June 11th.

- Macarthur based Motocross rider Rachael Eagle was set to fulfill a life long ambition to compete in the United States, where she will race in the fourth annual Women‰Ûªs Motocross League Cup, the event billed as "The biggest women‰Ûªs Motocross race in history" will take place at Cycle Ranch in Floresville, Texas.

All News from Thursday the 11th of November to Wednesday the 17th of November 2004:

Ryan Marmont also raced the 2004 Bercy Event for KTM - Credit: Roddy Mcleod

General: American Honda announce 2005 line-up - Sat, 13th Nov, 2004
Supermotard: Jeff Ward wraps up AMA Supermoto title - Mon, 15th Nov, 2004
General: Carmichael named AMA Athlete of the Year - Tue, 16th Nov, 2004
Motocross: Rachael Eagle heads for the U.S.A - Tue, 16th Nov, 2004
Freestyle: Crusty 2005 Australian Tour dates announced - Tue, 16th Nov, 2004
General: Lee Hogan launches new training program - Tue, 16th Nov, 2004
Supercross: Orange Supercross back after 3 year break - Tue, 16th Nov, 2004
Enduro: Salminen wins Barcelona indoor Enduro - Tue, 16th Nov, 2004
General: Stars to attend NZ Motorcycle Awards - Tue, 16th Nov, 2004
Supercross: Andrew Short is 2004 King of Bercy - Tue, 16th Nov, 2004ov, 2004
Supermotard: Supermoto Chamionship Rnd 2 under threat - Wed, 17th Nov, 2004
Supermotard: More Aussie champs join the Supermoto fray - Wed, 17th Nov, 2004
Supercross: Mike Alessi disqualified from Bercy final moto - Wed, 17th Nov, 2004