Promising youngster Jed Metcher heads into 2012 World Supersport Championship season on a quest to turn tail-enders RivaMoto into front runners for the first time.
Reigning Superstock 600 Champion Jed Metcher says he has high hopes ahead of his maiden World Supersport Championship campaign in 2012 as he looks to turn tail-enders RivaMoto into front runners.
Metcher will be one of three riders competing for the Russian-based RivaMoto outfit in 2012, a team that made its debut in 2010 but has regularly been pinned to the back of the field with inexperienced home-grown riders Eduard Blokhin and Oleg Pozdneev at the helm.
However, with Russia's influence on the motorcycling scene set to grow tenfold in 2012 with the inaugural WSBK/WSS event being held at the Moscow Raceway this year, RivaMoto have launched some ambitious plans for the new season, which include signing promising youngster Metcher and hiring former
MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams as its team manager.
Indeed, though RivaMoto's somewhat inauspicious first seasons at WSS level – which peaks with a best race finish of just 17th – has prompted many to consider the wisdom of Metcher's choice, the 21-year-old is convinced he can make his mark for both himself and the team.
"I am very excited about being involved with a developing team in the World Supersport championship,” Metcher, who will ride a Yamaha YZF-R6, said. “The idea of showing our sport on Russian soil is the underlying objective of the RivaMoto team but in the process my goal is to impress as much as possible in the Supersport class. It's an honour to work with Jeremy McWilliams and with his support I believe we have a chance to make an impact"
When Metcher makes his WSS debut at Phillip Island he will be in good company, with Superstock 600 rivals Josh Day, Romain Lanusse and Dino Lombardi also set to make their bow at the same time. With home soil advantage, Metcher is certain he can get his WSS endeavour off to a good start and break RivaMoto's long-awaited points' duck.
"I have raced before in front of the big crowds at the 2008
MotoGP as a 125GP wildcard. I am looking forward to racing in World Supersport in 2012 in front of my home crowd mainly because I have the advantage of the track knowledge and it will be a great way to start off the season on a high.”
Metcher will spend eight days testing with RivaMoto in Europe before heading to Phillip Island for the first official test session of the season.
