Team KTM UK rider Paul Holmes took an emphatic hat-trick of race wins and the overall in Latvia at the weekend, round four of the 2009 Goldspeed EMX Quad European Championship promoted at the spectacular Zelta Zirgs GP circuit thirty miles South-East of Riga. 

With over ten thousand spectators in attendance creating a fantastic atmosphere at the challenging sandy venue, it was a fantastic weekend for Team KTM UK and British quad racing, teen sensation James Hellewell also delivering an outstanding performance on the eve of his 18th birthday to take his highest ever finish in the series, Hellewell taking his Team KTM UK 505 SX to a 6-4-7 scorecard for a fantastic 5th overall.

In a dominating display it was a text book weekend for Holmes as he set fastest time in qualifying, took the holeshot in all three motos and lead all but two of the thirty-five race laps in total, Holmes’ performance all the more amazing while riding with a badly injured wrist for the majority of the day.  “It’s been a fantastic weekend” commented an ecstatic Holmes after the meeting, “this is a brilliant venue and the crowd are absolutely amazing, I could hear them cheering constantly around the circuit during the race!  I had a clutch problem mid way through the opening race which caused the bike to stall over one of the big tabletops so I landed heavily and hurt my wrist, but with the adrenaline pumping and some strapping for the last two races I was able to win all three motos quite comfortably and extend my lead in the series by a further eighteen points.  The circuit itself is amazing, it’s got a little bit of everything and the huge tabletops are a lot of fun and I think we kept the crowd well entertained.  I’ve a nice points cushion built up now but I won’t be taking anything for granted, so with two rounds remaining I’m keeping my attention focused on securing the title.”

Having jumped twelve positions in the standings at the previous meeting in Denmark, Hellewell’s amazing progress continued with his maiden visit to the circuit getting off to a flying start, 6th fastest time in qualifying his best ever result and first front row gate.  In a dream start to the opening two races Hellewell slotted in behind team-mate Holmes to make it a Team KTM UK 1-2 around the first corner before battling to the chequered flag in 6th and 4th, but for many his final moto effort to come through the field from dead last to finish 7th was the most impressive, his 5th overall taking him up a further eight positions in the series to 6th.  An exhausted but delighted Hellewell said “this is without a doubt one of the best weekends I’ve ever had and I’m really pumped with my result.  The circuit is fantastic and I felt really comfortable on the KTM, it’s an awesome bike and as I spend more time on it my results keep improving.  Starting from the front row makes a lot of difference and I got great starts in all three races, but I must have hit the off switch just after the first corner in the last race and left myself a lot of work to do, but I was able to get back up to 7th and take 5th overall.  I don’t think I could have asked for a better weekend and is a perfect start to my 18th birthday celebrations.”

The superb display from both riders left team mentor Richard Cole struggling for words but summing us his feelings by saying “ Paul and James performance today has been outstanding, their sheer guts and determination is something that was plain for all to see. Paul showed the qualities of a true champion by overcoming the injury he sustained in the first race to take all three wins, and James has showed that he has the speed and ability to run with the best riders in Europe and at only just eighteen has a lot yet to offer.  The facilities here are excellent and the number of spectators present made for an electric atmosphere, so all in all it’s been a fantastic result for the riders, the team and KTM and has made the long trip from the UK well worthwhile.”

Holmes impressive four-from-four overall victories has now extended his series lead to a massive sixty-five points with only two rounds remaining while Hellewell has jumped to 6th, the series now heads to France and the spectacular St Jean d’Angely Grand Prix circuit on the 5th / 6th of August.

 
Results
Overall
1 Paul Holmes (GB - Team KTM UK)............................25 + 25 + 25 = 75
2 Joe Maessen (NED - Yamaha)......................................22 + 22 + 22 = 66
3 Jan Vlaeymans (BEL - Planet Quad W-Tec).....................20 + 14 + 20 = 54
4 Ingo Ten Vregelaar (NED - Willmann Goldspeed Yamaha)...16 + 20 + 15 = 51
5.James Hellewell (GBR - Team KTM UK).....................15 + 18 + 14 = 47
6 Tobias Bergstrom (SWE - Team Minhoj.se KTM)..............14 + 15 + 16 = 45
7 Stefan Schreiber (GER - KTM Alskom Racing)..................18 + 4 + 18 = 40
8 Imantas Tamuliunas (LIT - KTM).................................10 + 11 + 12 = 33
9 Jani Saarinen (FIN - Yamaha).......................................13 + 13 + 7 = 33
10 Mikus Nesko (LAT - Suzuki).......................................9 + 12 + 10 = 31

Race One
1 Holmes Team KTM UK, 2 Maessen, 3 Vlaeymans, 4 Schreiber, 5 Ten Vregelaar, 6 Hellewell Team KTM UK, 7 Bergstrom, 8 Saarinen, 9 Helari Jarv. 10 Agris Nieja

Race Two
1 Holmes Team KTM UK, 2 Maessen, 3 Ten Vregelaar, 4 Hellewell Team KTM UK, 5 Meelis Jorgenson, 6 Bergstrom, 7 Vlaeymans, 8 Saarinen, 9 Nesko, 10 Imantas Tamuliunas

Race Three
1 Holmes Team KTM UK, 2 Maessen, 3 Vlaeymans, 4 Schreiber, 5 Bergstrom, 6 Ten Vregelaar, 7 Hellewell Team KTM UK, 8 Nikky Vaes, 9 Tamuliunas, 10 Rinalds Dislers

Series standings after 4 (of 6) rounds
1 Holmes Team KTM UK 286, 2 Maessen 221, 3 Schreiber 204, 4 Vlaeymans 160, 5 Ten Vregelaar 151, 6 Hellewell Team KTM UK 97, 7 Bergstrom 87, 8 Matthieu Ternynck 76, 9 Rasmus Nielsen 75, 10 Timo Weidenbrucher 75