Motorbike rider Shree Hari Poudel won the title in the GP-8 competition of the FIM Asia Cup of Circuit Race Challenge, held in Taipei, China, defeating some of the best riders in Asia.
It was a figure-8 race with five laps, in which Shree Hari completed the race in 33.310 seconds and became the champion. Japanese rider Mizuki Taguchi secured second place by completing the race in 33.390 seconds, while Pin Hung Huyang of Chinese Taipei finished third with a time of 33.970 seconds.
Progressive but long way to go
Riders from Nepal, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Singapore and Thailand participated in the race.
Unlike football, cricket, and volleyball, motorsport is unpopular in Nepal. However, it is trendy in global sports, with major companies being associated with it. That said, the motorsport scene in Nepal is showing progress, and Poudel’s achievement at the international level serves as a testament to this.
“Because I won the championship, motorsport is becoming more noticeable. No one had previously won a championship at this level,” says Poudel to Onlinekhabar. ‘Winning the championship is a big achievement for all of us.’”
Shree Hari Poulde, 27, was hopeful about winning the race in Chinese Taipei, but he had challenges due to the differences in the racing tracks of Nepal and Chinese Taipei.
Due to the difference in racing track, all the competition became tough for me, he recalls.
The first round of the race was dominated by the Japanese rider, but later Poulde secured the best timing.
This event has been included in FIM Asia’s international calendar for the first time. The Nepali rider became the winner in the first edition.
Struggles of becoming a champion
“I felt proud after winning the championship.” After a lot of hard work, he won this championship. Before winning, he fell many times. “I might have fallen a hundred times but I did not give up,” says Poudel.
According to Poudel, the track in Chinese Taipei was technical, unlike the one he practised on. Based on the structure of the track, I needed to control my bike carefully. In a single second, I had to think about many things. It is much easier to ride when the track is more motorbike-friendly, he adds.
Shree Hari Poudel, a native of Lalitpur, works at a multinational company. But his interest is in motorbikes and it led him to represent himself on an international platform. Poudel also owns the Advance Riding Academy, where he has trained 10 competitive riders and over 80 regular riders.
He has been participating in bike races since 2019. That year, he took part in the Nepal Racers Cup for the first time, held in Nepal. Shree Hari Poudel has been interested in motorbikes since childhood.
“Watching motorbikes used to fascinate me, ” Poudel recalls. “I feel free-spirited while riding my motorbike.” Currently, Poudel rides a Yamaha FZ 150cc and says his top speed is 150 km/hr.
Poudel has participated in a number of national level competitions and at international level he has participated in three competitions. Earlier, he participated in two international events in India.
Issues of track and sponsorship
Although Nepali riders have been performing well at the international level, they do not have the same quality facilities as foreign riders, which has prevented them from performing to their full potential.
If there were better facilities and sponsors, Nepali riders could perform even better, says Poudel. “We do not have good tracks. We have to practice on small tracks and compete on big tracks. Nepali riders could win other big competitions if they get a proper racing track to practice,” says Poudel.
He further adds, “There is also no sponsor. This is an expensive sport. All we need is a good track and sponsors.” The costumes and gear for riders are expensive, costing over 200,000–300,000 rupees. Additionally, they need to invest in promotional activities on social media. A helmet alone costs around 80,000 rupees, adds Poudel.
Moreover, riders also need to undergo training and rent a bike, which incurs additional expenses. Without proper sponsorship, it is difficult to afford these costs. So far, Poudel has spent over Rs 2 million. “Foreign riders are sponsored by various companies, but here we are detached from such support,” says Poudel.
