Source: Supplied.

Five Australians performed on the international stage last weekend, as round one of the 2016 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) took place at Johor Circuit in Southern Malaysia.

For many years’ Australian riders have made the trip across to Asia to compete in the competitive ARRC, and with lines of communication now well and truly open, Motorcycling Australia and the Asia Road Racing Championship are now exploring options on how they can collaborate in the future.

Asia Road Racing Championship director Ron Hogg shared that it’s been fantastic having the likes of Australians Broc Pearson and Corey Bifta at Asia Dream Cup, Jack Maffry in AP250 and also Anthony West and Michael Blair in SS600.

“Australian riders have been a constant part of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship since its early days. The most memorable was of course Chris Vermeulen in 1999,” he said. “He came to us as a young rider and the ARRC was his first exposure to racing outside of Australia. From there, we watched with pride as Vermeulen’s career took flight .

“A couple of years ago, we had aspiring young talents like Josh Hook graduating from the Asia Dream Cup. Others that bear a mention include Mark Aitchison, Aaron Morris and most recently, the most high profile rider of all, Anthony West.”

Hogg also made comment that the ARRC hopes to welcome more Australian riders to the championship in the future, and is looking forward to the ASBK and the ARRC working together in the future.

“We have always hoped to have more Australian riders coming into the Championship. The establishment of the first Australian team in the ARRC, Team Finson Racing in 2013 was a big step in the right direction,” he said.

“We hope that with more media exposure, the Australian team will receive the funding they need to continue funneling Australian talents into the series.

“Growth and development is a two-way relationship. As bridges are linked across continents through sports, we hope to establish closer working ties with Motorcycling Australia. In doing so, we will create more opportunities for teams and riders to expand their horizons.”

Motorcycling Australia’s sport director Peter Doyle also shared that MA is pleased to see an impressive number of Australians competing in the ARRC this year and is looking forward to further building the working relationship with the ARRC.

“Australia is very much well represented at the ARRC at the moment and it’s fantastic that we have now opened up lines of communication with key personnel within the championship to explore how the ASBK and the ARRC can work together in the future,” Doyle explained.

“Both championships are proven to be stepping stones to bigger international championships, and by working together we believe that there will be more opportunities for Australian and international riders in the future.”