In our continuing look at Canada’s young and very talented riders we head out to the beautiful west coast. Wyatt Waddell is a fast rider from Ladner BC who last year suffered a very serious injury while competing for a Intermediate title at the WCAN in Alberta. Not one to give up, after taking some time off to heal up from his injuries Wyatt starting training again in hopes of regaining his winning form in 2015. This week Wyatt Waddell is our Yamaha Motor Canada Amateur Profile.
MXP: Hey Wyatt, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Lets begin this by giving us your age and where your hometown is located?
WW: Thanks for calling Chris, I’m 17 years old and I’m from the small town of Ladner, BC. It’s about 10 minutes away from the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and 30 minutes from Vancouver.
That’s a nice area, how long have you lived there?
I’ve actually lived in Ladner my whole life.
Right now I’m about to enter my second season in the Intermediate class and I’m really looking forward to it. I started riding when I was very young so I’ve been at it for about 14 years now.
How was your 2014 racing season?
It started out not to bad. I won both MX2 and MX3 Intermediate titles in the 2013/14 Canadian AX Series and I also managed to qualify for my first two Pro nationals in Kamloops and Calgary. My best moto finish was 25th so I was pretty happy and felt like I learned a lot to prepare myself for the rest of the season.
Then it was off to the WCAN in Raymond, AB with my new found confidence from the nationals. However, I ended up crashing really hard in the first moto while coming down a huge hill. It was a bad crash and I ended up with a lacerated spleen, a torn kidney, a dislocated shoulder, some bad knee damage, and also a week’s stay at the Lethbridge Hospital. The 16 hour trek home was not the most enjoyable trip of my life that’s for sure (laughs). So that put me out for just about five months while my spleen heeled back up to 100%.
That sounds like an awful crash and a very disappointing way to end what could’ve been a good season, I know everyone was glad you‘re now okay. What are some of your past racing highlights?
I think my biggest result would be my MX2 Junior title at the Parts Canada TransCan in 2013. I also got the BCMA BC Provincial High Points Award in 2013 and I think my name got engraved on so that was a cool one for sure.
Well, I’m sure you’ll be able to get back to where you want to be this year. Do you have a favourite track?
My favourite track would have to be this hidden gem over on the small island of Sechelt. People know of it but it’s never busy. Super sandy, elevation changes, really rough, similar to a GP track. We head over there after some rainy days and its one of the best tracks in BC.
These days the tracks have a lot of cool obstacles. What parts of the track do you like the most?
I really like technical riding. Arenacross has a lot of that sort of stuff like rhythm sections or whoops sections, I like anything that’s technical I guess.
Do you have a favourite jump?
A few years ago there was an awesome 100+ step down at the Campbell River track on Vancouver Island. I loved jumping it on my 125 with a nice brake tap in mid-air. That jump or the beer gardens step down at the Nanaimo track is also a lot of fun.
It sounds like you should moved to the Island, you love the tracks there (laughs). Do you like things calm before the race or rocking?
I like to keep things calm, trying to keep the nerves down and just try to get that perfection reaction time.
In 2014 Wyatt raced a couple of Nationals in the MX2 class and did quite well. Look for him again this summer at some of the western rounds of the 2015 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. photo by Lissimore
What are you usually thinking about while the thirty second is up?
Usually all I’m thinking about is getting that good start and that I have to get to the front as quickly as possible.
Would you rather holeshot and win or come from behind and win?
I think I would say holeshot and win but that’s not always easy to do. I almost find it easier coming from behind, making lots of passes, and winning. I guess as long as I’m up front at the end of the race I’m happy.
Obviously you’re still in school, does everyone there know you race dirt bikes?
I think most of the people around me know that I race, but other than that I don’t go out of my way to tell people.
What is your favourite subject at school?
My favourite class would be between PE and Criminology. We do fun things in PE like bowling, curling, etc (things I’ll be doing as an elderly person I guess (laughs). Then in criminology we watch a lot of movies on crazy serial killers which is always interesting.
That sounds interesting, I’ve actually never had anyone say they like criminology before. What is your favourite thing to do other than ride a dirt bike?
I love mountain biking and building dirt jumps with my friends. I also play Xbox when the weather isn’t nice out. Add me @:WhyDawg and we’ll play.
You must play a lot of Xbox because doesn’t it rain all the time in BC (laughs). Okay Wyatt, here is your final question. Who would you like to thank?
I’d like to say thanks to you and MXP for doing this interview with me. I would also like to give a huge thanks to Kourtney Lloyd and Cycle North, they’re making this all possible for me this year and have stuck behind me through the highs and lows. They’re more than just a sponsor, they’re like a second family. I can’t thank them enough. Kourtney does so much for the sport we all love her and I’m glad to have her backing me. I’d also like to say a big thanks to Honda Canada, Fox Head Canada, Motorfist, Mongoose Machine, Rekluse Canada, Matrix Concepts, CTI Braces, FMF, Parts Canada, Northern Gateway, Treasure Cove Casino, Custom Decal, Canine Country, Frontier Excavating, Chris Buckrell, Ryan Lockhart, Kyle Beaton, Bruce G, my friends, my family, and most of all my awesome parents Laurie and Jen.