Team USA ISDE 2015 Training Camp

US ISDE Team manager Antti Kallonen is confident that Team USA has the talent to bring home the gold at this year’s ISDE in Kosice, Slovakia on September 7-12. But to make sure his rider are thoroughly prepared, he held a three-day ISDE training camp for US World Trophy, Junior Trophy and Women’s teams at Spring Creek Raceway in Millfield, Ohio, this past June. The idea was to familiarize the new riders with the Six Days format and to eliminate past mistakes among the veteran riders.

“Every year we’ve had a couple mistakes that have held us back,” says Kallonen. “I really want to eliminate those. I feel like we have a fast group of riders that no doubt can battle for the win, it’s just that our inexperience always cost us a little bit. If it’s bike maintenance or not knowing the rules, or accidentally going backwards on the course, we want to eliminate those mistakes.”

On June 22, 23, 24, World Trophy Team members Mike Brown, Thad Duvall, Taylor Robert, Kailub Russell, Ryan Sipes and Gary Sutherlin; as well as U.S. Junior Trophy Team members Grant Baylor, Steward Baylor, and Layne Michael; plus Women’s Team member Rachel Gutish, all took part in Kallonen’s three-day camp hosted by KTM. The teams will be gunning for the gold come September 7th.

ISDE fans can support the 2015 U.S. effort by purchasing a T-shirt from the AMA website at www.americanmotorcyclist.com > Racing > ISDE > Buy An Official ISDE T-Shirt.