Interview: Richard Leonard

Richard Leonard may be a new name not only to the Seniors ranks and Irish enduro itself but it’s one that is quickly making it’s presence felt. After a slightly shaky start to this year’s Irish enduro championship, Richard has been on a run of things of late picking up wins in the previous two rounds and now heads the Senior Irish enduro championship. With the championship chase picking up steam again Enduro.ie caught up Richard to get the inside track on how his season has gone so far…

This year marks your first season in the Senior ranks and although it’s going your way now it didn’t get off to the best start during the opening race of the year in Ballinderry. What happened?

Yeah, Ballinderry turned out to be a tough day. Things were going well early on. It was my first race in Seniors and I was trying to ease into things and was happy how I was riding. Unfortunately though coming up a tough snotty climb on the final lap I clipped a tree root which sort of knocked me over and I crashed into a tree stump. The bike fell on top of it and ended up puncturing the radiator. I probably couldn’t do it again if I tried but sure that’s luck sometimes!

Things improved somewhat at the following race in White Mountain where you ended up fourth but it could have been better?

My special test times were really good there, I was enjoying the test and pushing hard. Based on that I should have ended up second but I dropped a minute on the tight check which pushed me back to fourth. It was my own fault to an extent, I got in on time but hadn’t written down my check times on the bar pad and by the time I fumbled about looking for my time card, my minute tick over and I dropped time. I wrote them down the next time!

It seems now that you’ve got things together with wins coming at Glendalough and Mt Leinster. You’re leading the Irish championship in your first season riding Seniors, you must be happy about that!

Thanks, it has come as a bit of a surprise but it’s something I was aiming for. It’s been hard work so far, adjusting to the tighter check times and also riding that extra lap is taking a bit of adjusting to but I’m getting used to it. Both Glendalough and Mt. Leinster couldn’t have gone any better so it’s been a big confidence boost to know I was fastest on those tests.

Which race has been your favourite so far?

Either Mt. Leinster or White Mountain. Aside from the weather Mt. Leinster was really good but a shorter test would have been better. White Mountain was good, the lap was long enough and the test was ace. I think that’s how enduro needs to be. Having a shorter lap allows for more timed special tests, we should be doing at least four or five in the day.

Digging into your background a little, am I right in thinking you’ve not been racing long?

I’m racing three years but only riding six. I got started through mates of mine Dave “Big Red” Farrell and Darryl Smith. They’re to blame for getting me here! I live near a mountain so I’d go play riding with them so the next step was to start racing with them too. I’ve never ridden motocross, sitting in a van most of the day waiting to ride your bike never really interested me!

And since then you won Sportsman, Clubman and now leading the Seniors. That’s a lot of progress in a short amount of time!

It has been a surprise. When I won the Sportsman championship, I didn’t expect it but it really lit the fire under me to do more. Although I won Clubman, the jump up to it was a big step plus I struggled with a shoulder injury midway through the season that left me needing an operation. Halfway through a race my shoulder popped out and I ended up putting it back in three times…

…What! And did you finish?

Yeah I did finish it! It hurt like hell but I got a lot of practice popping it in so I just kept going!

Thats hardcore! Finally we’re approaching the annual 2-Day enduro in Killavullen next weekend, how are you feeling about that and the final push towards the season’s end?

We’ve had a bit of a break from enduro lately so it’ll be good to start things up again. Hopefully everything will go well there. It can be a bit of a make-or-break event where anything can happen. If the weather is kind it’ll be easier but when it rains it can be tough on the bike getting it through the first day. I just want to stay in the hunt, get some good points in the bag and hopefully things will go my way!

Thanks Richie and best of luck with the rest of the year…

The Irish Enduro Championship continues on August 27^th & 28^th at Killavullen, Co. Cork