Josh Green Interview
Josh Green finished second outright in the 2022 A4DE, and took the E2 class (201cc to 250cc 2 Stroke and 275cc to 450cc four stroke) victory on a WR450F in what was his 13th A4DE early this month at Erica, Victoria.
With that E2 victory, 32-year-old Green notched up his third category win at the event.
The Yamaha stalwart helped guide his young team-mate through the event in what was 19-year-old Bacon’s first attempt at the A4DE.
Trevor Hedge: So Josh, ‘Evergreen’ I guess we must call you now, this is your 13th year contesting the A4DE, as the A4DE didn’t run during the plague period otherwise it would likely have been your 16th, and despite you still being a relatively young 32, I guess we have to call you a veteran. How did this year’s A4DE compare to some others in recent memory, in regards to degree of difficulty?
Josh Green: “The trail was quite easy, it was nothing really too difficult besides the fact that it was super cold, and quite slippery. So it was good – it was a challenging event – but very slippery and very cold. It was cold all day every day, so that was probably the biggest wrestle – how cold it was.”
Trev: That was going to lead me into my next question, after having a freezing day on the bike, how do you make your hands work well enough on your bike in the service window?
Green: “Its hard, we were lucky that it was pretty much tests at the end of each day, so you were quite hot when you finished, but as soon as you finished your work on the bike you were shivering again. So three jackets on, trying to keep warm.”
Trev: And what’s the first thing you do after finishing service?
Green: “Get the bikes in and then get back and then basically one of the boys is shoving a container of spaghetti bolognese in front of us and trying to eat. And then get the riding gear off, get warm and go back to the hotel and shower, clean up and get ready to do it all again the next day.”
Trev: Any other specific routines or traditions you try and stick to for A4DE week?
Green: “Nah mate, just focus on the day ahead and just be really mindful of the arrows and staying on time, and making sure you check in at the right time for your time cards and things.”
Trev: In regards to check ins and time cars, that leads us in to the protest you made against the leniency of the penalty against Wilksch b, can you explain what that was really about and if he gained any advantage, or simply a procedural technicality that caught him out?
Green: “Well look there’s nothing against Andy, he’s an awesome kid and he rides super fast, and he’s really impressive this year. The thing is, it’s in the rule you have to stick to your time-card, you can’t go in early, and you can’t go in late, and it’s a cut and dry penalty, a minute per minute you are early, or late. When they gave him a minute penalty, instead of a three-minute penalty, well that’s not what the rules states. The event is not allowed to give discretion and they gave discretion, and that’s the wording.”
Trev: That’s fair enough, it is so easy to make a procedural error in such an event.
Trev: With your young team-mate Kyron Bacon really racking up the results this year, I guess there’s few people to better judge his potential than yourself. What’s the most impressive weapons in his armoury that you think might help take him to the top?
Green: “He’s brilliant, he’s happy to learn, he’s happy to change anything to be better, and he’s just riding super well which is really really impressive. He’s been working hard the last two years in Tassie and then, because no one has really seen him, it hasn’t shown, but it’s certainly showing now, so it’s really cool and I’ve sort of been a dad for him at the Four-Day this year, so it was good. So I just said follow me, this is what we’re doing and showing him the ropes, so it was cool to see him take all that on board and he’s definitely going to be a huge championship guy for the next 10-15 years in Australia, or overseas.”
Thanks for the catch up Josh and all the best for the rest of the year.
