Our latest Dirty Dozen interview is with 19-year-old Burts (Robert) Crayston, who has been making a name for himself on the Hard Enduro scene, having finished some of the toughest events in the World, and finishing fourth in the Junior Class of the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Burts currently sits in 11th position of the 2023 SuperEnduro series in the Junior class and is in the next batch of talented British young Hard Enduro riders…
Feature Image courtesy of CH-Images
Dirt Hub: Do you have a Pre-Race Playlist you listen to, and if so, name a couple of tracks that are on it?
Burts: Don’t really listen to tunes before a race. Maybe that’s where I’m going wrong!
DH: When was the last time you cried?
Burts: Whenever Dave Woods comes back out of retirement and smokes me!
DH: What is your favourite inspirational quote?
Burts: Pressure makes diamonds. Mum always says it, so it’s stuck with me.
DH: Do you have any weird suspicions or pre-race rituals?
Burts: Probably the amount of times I go to the loo, records six so far.
DH: What drives you most to get up in the morning and go training?
Burts: The end goal of hopefully going all over the place riding and racing bikes.
DH: If you didn’t race, what sport would you play?
Burts: I raced because I’m terrible at every other sport that doesn’t have two wheels, but one sport which I didn’t entirely suck at was volleyball, surprisingly, and I enjoyed it!
DH: What is your biggest Phobia?
Burts: Standing near edges with heights and bears. I looked over my shoulder throughout the week at the Romaniacs. It’s not one of my favourite races riding alone in the hills
DH: Who is your biggest sporting idol, and why?
Burts: Probably Danny Macaskill growing up, and I loved watching his edits and still do now!
DH: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Burts: Either putting up stone walls, sat in my dad’s shop selling bikes, or hopefully still riding and racing all over the world as my job!
DH: What is your all-time favourite movie?
Burts: The Creed films, they get me motivated to race
DH: Who has had the biggest impact on your career?
Burts: My mum as I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing without her backing me up and pushing me to get the next goal. Even when I come back from a bad weekend, she’s right there with dad seeing what we could do to be better at the next one. I don’t know what I would do without her in my corner.
Mum’s had a hard time with Multiple sclerosis, so it’s challenging for her as she can’t get to races and still even when she’s there, it’s difficult for her, but it motivates me to push on and do it for her; hopefully, one day bringing home a championship and making her proud.
DH: What is your philosophy on life?
Burts: Enjoy life and live it good; you only get one, so better make it count and have a laugh along the way
