Moto GP - Merry Xmas to MCN, Contributors & Readers

Merry Xmas to everyone at Motorcycle News, fellow contributors and readers. The attached picture gives an idea of what we are hoping Santa delivers to us for next year, but we are not holding out too much hope. Well, if you don’t ask you don’t get do you?

Moto GP fans will recognise how lucky we were to grab a ride on Valentino Rossi’s bike, as well as James Ellisons and the Fortuna Yamaha during a quiet spell at Donington.

The cynical amongst you may question if the picture is genuine and I’m sure that some will even recognise the criminal abuse of Photoshop CS3 and the fact that I still haven’t got to grips with it yet.

One freezing, wet day in June 2007, I managed to achieve a lifetime ambition and join a select band of photographers by capturing a crystal clear picture of former world champion Valentino Rossi, crashing at Donington Park Moto GP.

I managed to get it printed, full size, on the front cover of Motorcycle News, the UK’s premier bikesport paper, with a reputed weekly readership of some 150,000 people.

It was fantastic of Motorcycle News to print the picture from an ordinary fan on the front cover. We were also really pleased to see that it crept into this weeks MCN Supplement Review of the Year (Page 9) bottom left.

All I need now is to get it signed by Vale and I will be in seventh heaven. After I took the picture, delusions of grandeur began to creep in and I thought that I may be in with a chance of securing the MCN picture of the year 2007. That is of course until the professionals Gold and Goose topped me a few weeks later, with another picture of Valentino crashing out, but this time in the race.

The cover picture of James Toseland on his way to the win at Brands WSB was also a great picture in my view.

Anyhow, we have had a fantastic time this year and are really looking forward to 2008. On the premise that if you don’t ask, you don’t get – Can MCN please let me loose with a press pass for BSB in 2008 so I can carry on the good work?

 Happy New Year to Everyone and have a great 2008 Best Regards Kerry Green, Joseph, Laurence and Kerry J