Motorcycling Australia press release:

Motorcycling Australia (MA) is pleased to announce the dual appointment of Stephen Gall and Wayne Maxwell to the Elite Performance Academy (EPA) coaching staff.

Both Gall and Maxwell will provide a wealth of experience to Australia’s talented up-and-coming riders at the initial EPA camp to be held on the Gold Coast from June 12-14.

Gall, who has been a key member of previous AIS/MA coaching programs since 1992, said he was looking forward to working with Maxwell to develop the next crop of Australian riders in the revamped EPA program.

‘I’m extremely elated to be involved. I’ve been training motorcycle racers since 1978, so I’m particularly keen to continue on with this program and I’m excited that they have selected me to be one of the coaches,” Gall said.

“I like to bring a lot of new and innovative coaching aspects to it that we haven’t been able to in the past, but with this new format it allows us open the vein, so to speak, in the different ways that Wayne and I can coach them, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Maxwell, an Australian Superbike Champion in 2013, said that he was keen to work with Gall to bring Australia’s development rider programs up-to-speed with the rest of the world.

“I’m excited to be part of this new development with Motorcycling Australia and the Elite Performance Academy,” Maxwell said.

“I think it is something that has been needed for a long time and it is the conclusion that I and everyone else that will be involved came to, and I think it’s a starting point for us bridging the gap between other countries and getting Australia back on top.

“I’m excited to be working alongside Stephen because he has had a long period working with the top riders himself along with being one of the country’s best riders. You can’t beat that experience, so together I think we can pool together both our strengths and work with it.”

Both coaches predicted that the professional standards of the initial EPA camp would put the young riders to the test.

“I guess when the riders attend the camp the biggest thing they are going to expect is the professionalism, and for some people that might be a different approach to what they are use to, so that will be a great test of their adaptability straight away and I think that’s an important element we need to work on in Australian racing,” Maxwell said.

Gall echoed Maxwell’s thoughts: “They can expect a fairly tough time; there is going to be a lot of riding and a lot of training, so it is not going to be easy.

“I think they’re going to have their eyes opened to some of the techniques we are going to expose them to and some of the different drills that they will be put through, so it will be good to see who bumps out over the top.”