Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
Everyone can agree that the past two years have been strange. I was fortunate enough to get the chance to shoot Supercross in 2006, and in the following 14 years I had the opportunity to live out my childhood dream of travelling around the series, shooting usually half of the SX rounds each season. Then the 2020 season came. Even before the pandemic entered into full force, 2020 was already different, as I was now splitting my time between living in Canada and in Austria, as my wife had started working at KTM and we were navigating that new challenge of trans-Atlantic travel and my continuing to shoot SX. I spent the first month on the road, as usual, travelling to the first four rounds before a quick two-week dash back to Austria to be with Claudie. Then I was back to California for a team shoot with the Monster Energy Kawasaki Canada team before a quick flight over to Texas for the Arlington Supercross.
In that time, I had already noticed the difference in the world. COVID-19 had gone from something that was spoken about sporadically in the news, to an almost daily bombardment. Travel had begun pretty normal, but with each successive flight, you would notice more people wearing masks and there would be more questions asked with each new trip through Customs. Little did I know at the time, that night at Arlington would be my last Supercross in almost two years. Within two weeks of returning home, the series would be postponed, and later finished off with the Utah bubble, while I would work my way through the shortened Canadian series that summer before returning to Austria in the fall. By that point, travel was a whole new adventure, complete with constantly trying to stay on top of researching and staying on top of shifting COVID polices in each country you traveled to.
Last season, I looked into, and ultimately decided, it wasn’t worth it to try to attend the SX races. The costs of everything associated with attending the series just made it impossible, so I stayed home for the first time in 14 years and watched on TV. This season started off better, but there were still many unknowns, and I had to make the tough decision to sit out another season opener. Thankfully, Seattle was back on the schedule for 2022 and after sitting on the couch and watching the first half of the season, I was able to make the two and a half hour drive down to shoot the race last weekend.
I wasn’t sure how it would be to go to a race after so long away, but it ended up being great, and I was incredibly humbled by how many people were happy to see me back. When you travel to the same events for so long, it becomes like a big family, so it’s great to see those bonds remaining. I just tried to take in the event and not have too much pressure, and shoot would I could for the upcoming issue of the mag. As an added bonus, local rider Parker Eales decided to race so that added some extra Canadian content, which was great to see.
So, for this week’s Behind the Lens, I thought I’d just share a selection of my favourite images from the day. It’s good to be back!
