Kiama’s Crusty Demon appreciates home town attention

JOEL RITCHIE

“I have ridden in front of mobs all over the world but they were just faces in the crowd – here it felt like I knew everyone.”

For Kiama’s Robbie Maddison to say that, Saturday’s Crusty Demons of Dirt show at Wollongong Stadium MUST have been special.

Maddison – the world record holder for distance jumped on a motorcycle – was performing at his first show in Wollongong.

A healthy crowd, including “thousands” of Robbie’s friends, family, acquaintances and ex-workmates, attended to see the ultimate home town hero in action.

Maddison performed at the show as a one-off to say thank you to the Illawarra for supporting him during his meteoric rise in motocross.

“I have never experienced anything like this before, never felt this sort of excitement,” Maddison said. “I’ve been running into people from the steelworks and places I’ve lived around the Illawarra. I was looking forward to this for months – it’s just been perfect.”

Not quite – Maddison almost missed the show after an accident in Melbourne the Thursday before.

“I didn’t know until practice earlier today whether I would be able to ride,” he said.

“I was feeling nervous before the show, but it was great.”

Maddison spent the nights before and after the show at the Kiama Downs home of his parents, Debbie and Peter.

“The roar when I was introduced – that is what I do this for; that is the main reward for me.

“To come home and feel this appreciation is amazing – I’m going to be very happy for a long time.”

Peter praised his son for performing despite the injuries sustained in the Melbourne crash.

“He’s a very tough individual; he’s not showing it, but it was a massive effort for him to ride at this show,” he said.

Maddison flew back to Melbourne on Sunday to train for the celebrity race at the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

He will then try to break his own world record with a leap of 106 metres at Calder Park on March 24.