In conversation with one of India’s best Supercross rider CS Santosh
CS Santosh is arguably India’s most accomplished Supercross champion and one of the finest off-road racers on two-wheels.
His natural talent, skill as well as his hard work has led him to not only become the Supercross Champion on the national circuit four times, but also win numerous races in the Sri Lankan Championship. Last year, he also participated in the World Cross Country Championship where an unfortunate fire accident ended his run prematurely; he was running in top 10 when the incident took place.
We caught up with the 30-year-old champion to know what goes inside that helmet of his. When asked about what goes in the making of a world-class professional rider, he said, “When it comes down to racing you have to be born with talent, skill is acquired through years of practice. I would say that hard work is granted, in order to be successful you have to be willing to put in the work and make sacrifices. The mind is the most important aspect in a professional athlete. There is always a wave of ups and downs that you experience and mental toughness and will to succeed will see you through. I always bet on myself!”
Off road racing is a very physical sport and he trains through the year mostly with running, swimming and spending a lot of his time in the gym pumping iron and cross training.
He recently established his own Motocross Park – Big Rock Motopark at Kolar to train the next generation of motocross riders. “Big Rock was built to fill the need for an Off Road park in India. At this park not only do we have beginner to intermediate level tracks but they are also really safe. We also have killer trail riding which is the main attraction! Apart from the tracks we also have 6 off road bikes mainly the Honda 230Fs,” said Santosh. “We provide riding gear and all the protection necessary along with basic training for you to be able to have fun. It’s a one stop shop for off roaders and we entertain only enthusiasts,” he added.
Having a facility of this scale comes with its own scale of problems. Sourcing the equipment was the biggest issue since all of it had to be imported and in a country like India where even an event like Formula 1 is categorized as “Entertainment”, importing equipment, spares, tools and bikes for off-roading brings a new level of headache.
But everything’s finally in place. “Eventually, it should function like the parks abroad and we will also host events and races in time,” says an optimistic Santosh.
A typical day for him includes training, riding his beloved motorcycle at the Big Rock Facility and taking people out on the trails around the park! The toughest race for him so far has been the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. After last year’s failed attempt, he’ll be back on the saddle in Abu Dhabi to try his luck for the second time when the race gets underway from 3rd of April. “I’m really excited to go back there!” says an animated Santosh. We wish him all the best for the same, counting on him to bring the trophy to India.
If you wish to get a glimpse of what goes in the making of an off-road champion, hitch a ride to Kolar and train with the man himself at his Big RockMotopark facility