2017 British Motocross Champion, Graeme Irwin, has announced that he will retire from competition due to injury.
After claiming the British MX1 title in 2017, the 27-year-old’s 2018 season in both the Maxxis British Motocross Championship and MXGP was marred by a series of severe injuries, including burns to his back and a split upper lip.
Despite dogged perseverance, while riding for KTM in Roger Magee’s Hitachi ASA KTM Team on the KTM 450 SX, Irwin’s luck ran out when he broke his scaphoid in the final round of the MXGP season at the Italian GP in Imola. Unfortunately, this injury proved tricky, and despite five surgeries to fix it, has led to the Carrickfergus rider’s premature retirement.
As reported by Dirtbikerider.com, the married father of two commented: “It is a sad day for me and one that I never thought I would have to make in these circumstances, but I don’t want to just race on making up the numbers.”
“Right up until this week I have been trying to get ready for the new season, but after talking to the doctors and having another ride on the bike I have had to come to the decision to step away from motocross.
“The break was quite a complicated one. It was a bad scaphoid break, with all the tendons being wrecked and I also dislocated my wrist pretty badly.
“Since the accident I have since had five surgeries on it, so it hasn’t been much fun. Don’t get me wrong, I could still ride a motocross bike, but not to the level that would allow me to win another British title and race against the best in the world."
Summarising his career Irwin added: “I have won everything there was to win on the domestic scene. I won the British Youth Championship, Ulster and Irish titles, British Masters Championship, won the MX Nationals two years in a row, as well as the British Maxxis Championship so I’m happy with what I’ve achieved.
“The training and the riding was everything for me. I loved riding the bike and it’s not that I have lost interest in the game. It’s not like that whatsoever. I will always ride a motocross bike for fun. The sport has been so good to me and I will miss it so much.
“And I owe so much of my success to Roger Magee. I started my career with him and I have now ended it with him. I couldn’t have asked for a better team boss and friend. I sincerely wish him and the team all the success in the future.”
Team Principal Roger Magee concluded: “When Graeme started with my Team in 2009, he showed a lot of promise from the start, winning his first MX2 British Championship race at Little Silver in Devon.
“Over the years we have had many memorable moments both on and off the track which we will cherish in the years to come. It is a massive blow to Graeme and the Team, but we must now both accept the reality and deal with the situation.
“From the bottom of our hearts we wish Graeme all the very best in the future in whatever career path he chooses. I know he will give it 100 per cent – as he always has done in the past.”
Visordown would like to wish Graeme all the best for the future.
Visordown would like to wish Graeme all the best for the future.
