Source: Supplied.

The stellar international rider line-up for the opening round of the FIM Asia SuperMoto Championship at Newcastle foreshore on 3-4 September will include two world champions.

2005 Supermoto World Champion Boris Chambon and Australia’s own three-time Superbike World Champion Troy Bayliss are both confirmed to contest the event.

French icon Chambon, the racing and product development manager of Five Gloves, also lays claim to five French Supermotard titles and three Italian Supermotard championships. He will pilot a 2017 Suzuki of Newcastle RM-Z450 said he is excited to be coming to NSW to race for the first time.

“During my career, I have raced in many countries throughout Europe and even in the USA and Japan, but never before in Australia,” Chambon said. “Since the Supermoto World Championship started in 2002 I have wanted to come to Australia for an international race.

“When I got the call from event organiser Graeme Boyd asking me if I was interested in racing at the Newcastle City SuperMoto there was no hesitation. I am so excited to be coming to NSW, and want to say a big thank you to Chris and Alex Lynis from Moto National for helping me to realise a dream.”

Bayliss, who will contest the Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships this weekend, said he was pleased to be part of the September event: “I am really excited to be racing against Boris he is one of the world’s best Supermoto racers,” Bayliss said.

“With guys like Joan Lopez and Chris Hodgson also confirmed for the event the racing will be pretty intense, but I am pretty sure I will be competitive. I am looking forward to this event – it is a great location and Graeme [Boyd] is a big supporter of the Troy Bayliss Classic, so it is nice to be able to reciprocate that support.”

The Australian round of the FIM Asia SuperMoto Championship has been secured for Newcastle for the next three years, through the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

Event organiser Graeme Boyd said the event has already attracted incredible interest: “We cannot wait for the FIM Asia SuperMoto Championship to kick off in Newcastle next month, which will include Open, Pro, Women’s and Vets support classes,” Boyd said.

“The event is free for spectators to attend and there are a range of public transport and parking options available. Those who are thinking about coming to the event should visit the website for details.”

The Watson Demolition Newcastle City SuperMoto will be held over the father’s day weekend of 3-4 September. Saturday’s on-track action will include practice, qualifying and race one for both the headline FIM Asia SuperMoto class and the Australian support classes. The event will conclude on Sunday with races two and three of the support classes and the final 30-minute FIM Asia SuperMoto race.