Students Meet Valentino Rossi as the Sixth Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Comes To A Close

The students' hard work on the final days got rewarded at the end of the sixth Yamaha VR46 Master Camp with some special VIP treatment. The riders were invited to the VR46 Motor Ranch to sit in on a completely private VR46 Riders Academy training and meet their hero, Valentino Rossi. They also received a private tour inside the VR46 headquarters before their graduation ceremony on the last day.

Tavullia (Italy), 17th September 2018

The sixth Yamaha VR46 Master Camp students saw all their dreams come true on the final two days of the programme. The riders received a fitting end to this amazing event, meeting their idol Valentino Rossi at his VR46 Motor Ranch, and ended Day 5 with a graduation ceremony at the VR46 headquarters.

After the completely packed schedule of the first three days, the riders were allowed a lighter one on Day 4. They decided to break in their Saucony shoes with a running session at the Fisio Gym, during which trainer Carlo Casabianca and workout buddy Moto3 rider Andrea Migno were focused on stamina rather than speed.

Following this event the riders made their way to Tavullia for a quick lunch, but little did they know there was a big surprise in store for them at the VR46 Motor Ranch.

The riders were invited by Rossi to a completely private training session, to watch their VR46 Academy friends in action and meet the Doctor himself, making the final stages of the Master Camp extra special.

The protégées didn't have to wait long before the big event started. Rossi immediately came to greet them upon his arrival, to shake hands and take photos with the students, who see him as their personal idol. The Master Camp riders couldn't believe their luck that their childhood hero had taken time out to meet them and that he was interested in their Master Camp experiences so far. It was a day they will never forget, and the occasion had definitely lit a fire in the riders as they started the final day of the sixth Yamaha VR46 Master Camp. 

However, despite all the excitement, they still had to keep their concentration as there was one more training session yet to complete. They were asked to join Moto3 rider Niccolò Antonelli for a final flat track session.

The riders were sad to leave the VR46 Motor Ranch, but their moods soon lifted when they were given a private tour at the VR46 headquarters, which ended at Rossi's office. There the Master Camp had prepared a special graduation event to give the students a fitting goodbye at the end of the programme.

Comments

Valentino Rossi
"It was great that I was able to meet with the guys from the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp! The programme is supposed to be fun and make them enjoy riding the bike even more, but it's also very busy. Especially the first three days go by very fast, because they meet new people - the staff and the VR46 Academy riders - and experience a lot of different tracks, bikes and types of racing. This week was a chance for them to learn and try many new things and it should give them an idea of the work and dedication it takes to become professionals like the VR46 Academy riders. I know that the students have been working hard and I think they really enjoyed it. I heard only positive things from the training staff, so I'm very happy with the results of this edition of the Master Camp. Unfortunately, the guys are leaving now they have completed Day 5, their last day with us. For sure they are sad to go, but I'm certain they will enjoy thinking back to these day and will have many stories to tell. I think the guys have learned a lot and are ready to try to improve their training and riding at home."

Muhammad Aiman Bin Tahiruddin
"I enjoyed the training at the Fisio Gym. I learned some new exercises and I was very impressed by the professional attitude of the instructor. It has been a great emotion to meet Valentino in person, in real life. I was even able to hug him and not just see him on TV! It was a very special moment for me, which I will never forget! Teachers Marco Belli was also really amazing, highly professional, and dedicated. I'm extremely happy to have had such a great opportunity to learn how to ride motorcycles in the best way. I really enjoyed the last race, even if I did not win. As for the visit to Valentino's office, it was amazing to see it and great to be able to personally appreciate what Valentino has created. I wish I could do something comparable in the future. Finally I wish to thank all the members of the great Master Camp and VR46 team for this opportunity, and I hope to meet them all again sometime in the near future, well 'as soon as possible' that is."

Nazirul Izzat Bin Muhammad Bahauddin
"I have understood how important training is for a rider. Training should be neither fast or slow, but it should be prolonged. I'm extremely happy to have met Valentino for the second time in my life. It's like a wonderful dream to greet him and hug him. I wasn't expecting to see Valentino, not only here at the Master Camp, but even in general, because I know how busy and thorough he is in his training. The Master Camp experience overall has been amazing. This week flew by and I can't believe it's already over. During this programme I have learned many new things and I will go back home highly motivated to improve my skills as a rider. I wish to thank all the teachers, who have been fantastic and very competent. I also thank all the staff of the Master Camp and VR46, and I hope that one day I will be able to meet them again, possibly on a world championship podium."

Muhammad Faerozi Toreqottullah
"The Fisio Gym was great and I'm so happy for the experiences - I'm always learning! We did a cooling down session to relax our muscles, started with a little workout, and did a little run of around five laps. We got to see and understand more what the VR46 Academy riders do, because we learned some more about how they're training. I hope that I can develop these schemes further in the future. We also went to the Motor Ranch and met Valentino, which was a great experience because he's my idol and I really appreciate that he took the time to meet us in person! This was followed with another flat track riding session and three races. I just enjoyed myself in the first, second, and third race and did better. I got perfect points, always in first position, scoring 25 points. I gained a lot of experience and confidence. The Master Camp is not just about racing but also about other fundamental aspects of my riding; such as my control, my mindset, my emotions, I have to control myself more. At the end of the programme we went to the VR46 headquarters. The building, facility, and interior are really impressive - I loved it! I also saw Valentino's office. I saw how it all was organised and in control. These five days have been very intense and I'm proud that I've completed the programme well. There's a lot of learning still to do in every aspect of what we did here, but what I learned so far will help me train better for my races. Thank you Yamaha, for making this possible and for bringing me here! I would also like to say 'thank you' to everyone, to the VR46 Academy riders for their support, to Marco Belli, our flat track coach, and to the Master Camp and VR46 staff. I will move forward and keep the sixth Master Camp programme in mind every day so I will continue to develop myself and be able to share the experience with other riders in Indonesia."

Shota Yokoyama
"I learned a lot of techniques for cooling down, stretching, and running at the Fisio Gym. I will incorporate them in my training schedule once I get home. I found the finger stretching to relax especially interesting. Whilst I already met the riders of the VR46 Academy, I was excited to see Valentino and a little nervous, but I was able to calm down when he arrived. He was very friendly and sympathetic. We then had another flat track session. My feeling had become better and I received similar advice from my coaches in Japan, so I'm starting to understand it all better. I'm certain I will already have improved a lot when I arrive back in Japan, thanks to the training during the sixth Master Camp. When I first arrived, I thought five days would be quite long, but time really flew by! During these five days we have done a lot and I feel like I had not only a good time here at the Master Camp, but it was also very productive. I think the most important thing is that I use all that I learned from this experience when I arrive home in Japan."