Motocross in the bloodline of Irwin Uypitching

CEBU, Philippines - He used to ride motorbike since he was a toddler. It did not take long for him to learn the rudiments of this extreme sport because his father is a topnotch rider himself. That made things easier for  Irwin Noel Ramas Uypitching to carve his own niche in the portals of motocross.

" I really love rough and extreme sports. I enjoy the adrenaline rush, the heart-pumping thrilles and all the challenges it entails," said Uypitching.

Even though he already know how to drive a bike when he was a kid, it was only when he was 15 years old that he took up motocross racing seriously.

"Way back in 1995 at 15 years old, a friend of mine named Erik Boki Tia and Eltonio See invited me to join their motocross practice. Since I am into bmx riding already, I got interested and since my father used to ride motocross when I was yet a toddler, I just used his old cr125 elsinore bike and his 70s designed gears," recalled Uypitching.

That simple thing turned out to be Uypitching's launching pad towards stardom in the sport.

Buoyed by his spectacular riding skills and flaming passion, Uypitching reaped countless championship trophies that now shine brightly in his treasury.

His first major achievement was winning the expert and intermediate division titles during the 2000 PLDT National Motocross Series. He followed it up with another golden double in the same categories in the 2001 WGA National Supercross Series.

Uypitching also snared two championships in the expert pro division during the 2006 and 2008 seasons of the MS Motosuit Motocross Series organized by revered Cebuano sportsman-businessman Lou Ornopia.

Since he got married in 2011 though, Uypitching has shifted his athletic interest to triathlon and marathon.

"I am now into triathlon and marathon racing since I got married three years ago. I got no time to practice due to my work schedule. The training time in marathon and triathlon  racing can be done during at dawn and in the evening, while motocross needs daytime training," said Uypitching, a top executive of RUSCO Motors, Inc.

But that did not stop Uypitching from continuing his support and love for motocross. His message to the young aspiring riders, "Practice makes perfect. Everything will follow if motocross is truly your passion."

The pride of Dumaguete City will share more about his outstanding exploits in motocross in the MX-RLS (Motocross Rider Life Story), the newest segment of the  MS Motosuit Motocross TV series aired over CCTN 47 every Saturday from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Replays of the weekly show are scheduled every Sunday from 10 to 10:30 p.m.— EBV (FREEMAN)