Cru Halliday training hard during COVID-19 isolation

While the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance ASBK, presented by Motul, may have come to a halt due to Government restrictions in relation to COVID-19, championship contender Yamaha Racing Team’s Cru Halliday is still training hard, readying himself for a return to racing.

Despite the season being put on hold, Halliday is trying to remain positive and encourages others to try too.

The 31-year-old from Camden NSW, who was very competitive at Round 1 – Phillip Island, scoring three second place podiums and finishing second overall for the round, is staying positive despite the recent concerns.

While racing has stopped for now, Halliday is ensuring he remains in top physical shape with training and plenty of game time on his Playstation.

“I’m pretty chilled at the moment as I’m a massive gamer, I can’t really complain, I’m sitting behind a TV screen playing games and playing with my cats,” Halliday said from home.

“It’s kind of crazy with everything that is going on. I’m massively into cycling as well and we can’t cycle in groups, but I still go out and train. You just put your headphones in and go yourself which is a little bit weird as the motivation is gone because you know there is no racing your mates around the corner.”

As part of Halliday’s training, he goes out and cycles alone to stay at the top of his game and maintain fitness.

Halliday said while ASBK had come to a pitstop, local motocross clubs were still open which offered riders some opportunity to cross train and keep some form of bike fitness.

“It sucks that we can’t go racing as that’s basically what we’ve done our whole lives,” he said, “I’m sure the other boys have trained really hard and then this happens, it’s a bit weird you’re training but don’t know when you are going racing, everyone is in the same boat though.”

Halliday is encouraging racers in the Oceania Junior Cup, Supersport 300, and R3 Cup to not lose focus, and stay positive.

Halliday said once racing commences it would show which riders had kept training and who hadn’t. “I’ve been training flat out, Yamaha employ me to be fit and to be competitive, and with the competition these days you have to be at absolute peak fitness and no slacking off.”

Halliday encourages young racers such as the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, YMI Supersport 300 and YMF R3 Cup competitors to keep training and stay positive.

“They need to follow all the rules the government has put out, practice safe distancing,” he said, “They need to listen to their parents, keep training, get on their Playstation games and knock out some solid hours on MotoGP and supercross and even go back on Foxtel and Motorsports TV and watch some reruns of previous ASBK races even before my time, that’s what I’m doing.

“They are young and healthy and I’m sure we are all going to get through it. If they have motocross bikes go out and ride, that’s what we do, do flat track etcetera.

Halliday moved to superbikes in 2019 after he won the 2018 Australian Supersport Championship.

Halliday called on fans to be patient with no racing on at present. “Sit tight and be patient, we are keen to go racing as well and the competition was looking good this year and the racing was looking even better.”

Halliday currently sits second in the Championship putting his new Yamaha Racing Team 2020 machine in a prime position for the championship title chase once racing resumes.

Halliday came out on top in 2018’s Australian Supersport Championship.

While the ASBK is currently in a pit stop due to COVID-19, make sure to stay up to date with the latest news on the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul at www.asbk.com.au. For the latest updates from the ASBK, follow the Facebook and Instagram pages.