Hawkstone International 2020
The Hawkstone International
Motocross
9 February 2020
Images by APW Photography
The motocross season in the UK traditionally runs from February to September, with the Hawkstone International being the motocross showcase and first major event of the year.
With 119 top class riders registered in three different classes the Shrewsbury track gives the motocross fan the opportunity to see the this season's riders, bikes and teams do battle for the first time in 2020 at this unique standalone event.
Hawkstone International showcases three motocross classes. The fans get to see the small and nimble 125cc 2strokes ranging up to the 450cc 4Strokes of the MX1/GP class.
The MX1 senior class for 250cc 2Strokes and 450cc 4 strokes and the MX2 the junior class for 125cc 2strokes or 144cc 2strokes, and 250cc 4Strokes.
With the European motocross (EMX) 125cc 2stroke class for 13 to 17 year olds, ensuring there would be a rider for every fan to cheer on.
Motocross traditionally takes place on natural surfaces with lots of jumps and turns which not only challenges the bikes but also the fitness and stamina of the rider. This last weekend's event definitely tested the riders and then some.
Storm Ciara hit the UK bringing with it heavy rain and wind gusts up to 90mph. Heeding the advice of the met office a lot of sports and outdoor events were cancelled, thankfully not the Hawkstone.
However, Ciara did have an effect on the event. The wet weather soon turned the track into a mud bath resulting in shortened races and the super final being cancelled. This didn’t really diminish the race as the conditions made it a spectacle to remember for the fans and the riders.
Our Pistonclick photographers commented “it was one of the most challenging events we have covered, one we certainly won’t forget”
The Dutch Red Bull KTM rider #84 and 2018 MXGP champion Jeffrey Herlings didn’t let the weather affect his riding during qualifying, taking pole position in the MX1 class. Pole position in motocross is a little different to other track motorcycle sports as all of the riders line up together behind the gates, with the quickest in qualifying having the choice of position.
This gives the fastest rider the chance to be in the lead at the first corner, avoiding the mayhem that usually ensues.
Herlings, who looked fit after his 2019 injury hit season didn’t quite exploit pole, going down in the challenging conditions in the first race. Herlings eventually came in third behind the winner, Scotsman Shaun Simpson riding #24 a KTM 450 SX-F with last years' third placed MXGP Championship rider Glenn Coldenhoff in second.
Shaun Simpson couldn’t make it two wins from two, coming in third on the second race with Coldenhoff in second place. With Herlings taking the race win he also took the overall first place with Simpson in second and Coldenhoff in third but it was KTM's day with a one two on the podium.
In the MX2 class Roan van-de-Moosdijk riding a 250cc F&H Racing Kawasaki took pole and the first race. But it was Tom Vialle on the KTM 250 SX-F who went on to win the second race and took the MX2 class win.
This made it a great day for KTM with two class wins but I’m not sure the mechanics were that pleased on seeing the amount of sandy mud they had to remove from the winning bikes.
The KTM winning streak continued, but only just in the EMX125 class with Liam Everts taking the overall class win. # 912 Joel Rizzi on the PAR Homes RFX Husqvarna won the first race with Everts on second.
The placings were reversed for the second race with both riders ending up on 47 points each. In this case the overall winner is determined on the second race which Everts won.
Now having completed the season opener and laid their cards on the table at Hawkstone Park, the top class riders will be preparing for the first Grand Prix of 2020, the British round at Matterley Basin on March 1st
Photographic Post Script.
Motocross photography is one of the few automotive sports where an expensive long lens are not really required. As a spectator you are close to the action and in the case of the Hawkstone International there is plenty of it for you to capture. A medium telephoto lens up to 300mm will work fine in most circumstances, with the standard 70 - 200mm f2.8 being the best choice.
Whatever lens you have with you on the day you will require a filter attached. This is not to enhance your photography, but to protect the lens from the copious amount of flying dirt. A clear glass /UV filter will suffice.
If your camera has the ability to record sound files then use it. All the pro cameras have this feature. The lead riders might be obvious to you on the day but later when you are editing and they, like the other 50 riders that are covered in mud, will be hard to distinguish, so a sound file attached to the image helps a lot, “Shaun Simpson leading on lap two”.
I like to make sure I have clean pin sharp pictures to work with so will keep the shutter speed quite high at the beginning of a race. Once I’m happy that I have a good number of keepers from different angles I will then start to get arty by slowing my shutter speed down to get a blurred background and a feeling of speed into the shots. With head on jump shots you won’t see the background much or the wheels rotating, so push that shutter speed up to over 500th of a second to keep the picture nice and sharpe.
It’s best to keep your ISO on automatic. This will help keep your exposure constant throughout the day as the light drops, helping with your workflow in post production.
Thanks to APW Photography for braving the terrible conditions, you can see more of his pictures from the Hawkstone International here.
You can find and contact APW Photography via his Social Media.
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