9/23/13
Tyla Rattray talks about his top spots he's raced and traveled to!
Few racers have the amount of miles logged as Tyla Rattray. The ICE1 Racing MX1 rider started his career in his home country of South Africa, moved to Europe at a young age and contested the Grand Prix circuit for a number of years, headed to the United States for a stint at Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, and now finds himself going back across the Atlantic for another shot at a world title. With this in mind, we asked Rattray his favorite spots in the world, the best food, and the best races. You might want to find your passport and cash in those frequent flyer miles after reading…
Languages Known: One (English) “In a lot of places now days the young people speak English, but in France they don’t speak a word of it. It is hard to order a meal and you never know what to expect, but you know what a chicken is. If you look at the menu, you can explain in some sign language [laughs].” Top-Five Spots “I would still like to go and see the Maldives and places like that, but so far this is my top-five. Seeing different places and cultures is incredible.”
1. Switzerland – “It is a very special place going there. Driving through you see all of the mountains and all of the lakes. It is really one of the most beautiful countries.”
2. Cape Town, South Africa – “It is a rally cool place to go to and obviously it is my home country. It is easy for me to go there when I go back home and it is an easy flight. It is a beautiful place.”
3. Italy - “I like somewhere down by Rome, where it is old-school and from back in the centuries. It was really a special place for me to go and see all of the walls and old buildings. It is pretty amazing.”
4. Monaco – “It is pretty incredible to see how much money is down there with all of the yachts and to know how much it costs to have an apartment there. It is pretty crazy.”
5. Hawaii - “My family and I just got back from there and it is a pretty beautiful place.” Best Food “Italy is good with the pastas and everything. You can find little restaurants that look sketchy, but you go in and it is the best food you have ever eaten. You can go to a high-end restaurant, but the little sketchy place might be better.
” Most Memorable Race “The Sheik in Qatar organized a race in Doha and called it an ‘International.’ There were like five spectators, so it wasn’t a big motocross event. But we had the best rental cars and five-course meals. ” Worst Race “We raced in Russia in 2002 and it is a pretty sketchy country. I’d go there if I have to race a Grand Prix, but it is not somewhere that I would on a holiday."
Languages Known: One (English) “In a lot of places now days the young people speak English, but in France they don’t speak a word of it. It is hard to order a meal and you never know what to expect, but you know what a chicken is. If you look at the menu, you can explain in some sign language [laughs].” Top-Five Spots “I would still like to go and see the Maldives and places like that, but so far this is my top-five. Seeing different places and cultures is incredible.”
1. Switzerland – “It is a very special place going there. Driving through you see all of the mountains and all of the lakes. It is really one of the most beautiful countries.”
2. Cape Town, South Africa – “It is a rally cool place to go to and obviously it is my home country. It is easy for me to go there when I go back home and it is an easy flight. It is a beautiful place.”
3. Italy - “I like somewhere down by Rome, where it is old-school and from back in the centuries. It was really a special place for me to go and see all of the walls and old buildings. It is pretty amazing.”
4. Monaco – “It is pretty incredible to see how much money is down there with all of the yachts and to know how much it costs to have an apartment there. It is pretty crazy.”
5. Hawaii - “My family and I just got back from there and it is a pretty beautiful place.” Best Food “Italy is good with the pastas and everything. You can find little restaurants that look sketchy, but you go in and it is the best food you have ever eaten. You can go to a high-end restaurant, but the little sketchy place might be better.
” Most Memorable Race “The Sheik in Qatar organized a race in Doha and called it an ‘International.’ There were like five spectators, so it wasn’t a big motocross event. But we had the best rental cars and five-course meals. ” Worst Race “We raced in Russia in 2002 and it is a pretty sketchy country. I’d go there if I have to race a Grand Prix, but it is not somewhere that I would on a holiday."
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