16-year-old Reid Battye to represent Australia at Jerez WSBK round
16-year-old Reid Battye (landscapesupplies.com.au Kawasaki BCperformance Junior Team) is one of the rising stars of the Australian road racing scene, having recently taken out the Australian ‘Up To’ Hi-Tec Batteries Supersport 300 title on points with one round to spare.
Supersport 300 ‘Under’ Champion Reid Battye will head to Jerez to compete in the WSSP300 class- Image by TBG
As a competitor in the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli (ASBK), Battye will be racing in the last round of the World Supersport 300 in Jerez, Spain 20-22 October.
After a successful year riding in the Hi-Tec Batteries Supersport 300 class, Battye will be flying to Spain for an exciting opportunity to showcase his emerging talents on the world stage. The Supersport 300 World Championship (WorldSSP300) is a newly formed class that offers a gateway to the World Supersport & Superbike Championships.
Reid Battye – Image by Half Light
Racing in this class offers an opportunity for young riders to develop their skills and challenge themselves against the best rising talent in the world. Battye will be racing with the Kawasaki Italy Grimaldi Racing Team BWG on a Ninja 300.
As a new feeder class, the World Supersport 300 class features a range of lightweight sport bikes. With the rise in popularity of 300cc Sportbike machines with manufacturers, the class has been a success in its first year of competition.
Reid Battye – Image by Half Light
To have an Australian competitor being recognised for his achievements in the local Australian Hi-Tec Batteries Supersport 300 class shows just how much the class has caught the attention of the world.
Reid Battye
“I’ve been lucky enough to score a ride for the World Superbike 300’s class for the final round in Jerez. I’m pretty nervous with the pressure of heading over there. This is a great opportunity however and I can’t wait to get over there and compete. It’s going to be a surreal moment to be in a world championship paddock and it’s going to offer valuable experience. I’ll be riding a Kawasaki Ninja 300 for a different team. It will of course be a similar machine but with the slightly different specifications required for that championship. I really want to try and build a solid rapport with the team and adapt as best as I can.”
Reid Battye – Image by TBG
“I’ve actually been playing on my Xbox to try and learn the circuit! We’ll just have to make the most of Friday practice when I arrive and take advantage of this great opportunity. It doesn’t get much better than Jerez for atmosphere and racing. It was a great way to win the ‘Up To’ 300’s Championship with one round remaining. We were able to go to the final round of ASBK with not too much pressure. It’s fun to ride out there without the pressure of trying to win a Championship.”
Reid Battye – Supersport 300 – Under 300cc Champion
Riding and reviewing motorcycles for some time now, Kris writes for MCNews from time to time while also being an awesome all-rounder helping to keep the site content flowing.
