MOST people have heard of gymkhana for horses, where the they make their way around a course with penalties for any faults.

But not everyone’s heard of the motorised version, where motorbikes are used.

For Rob Fox though, it’s a walk in the park. He has triumphed at a national competition for the fourth year in a row.

Rob, from Stratton, won the Moto-Gymkhana British Championship at Donington Park.

The sport sees riders memorise a complex route through a layout of cones on a track, then ride through them as quickly and carefully as possible.

Precious extra seconds are added to their time if they hit a cone or put their foot on the ground.

And if they mess up the route entirely, they get zero points.

After competing in five tough rounds, Rob placed at the top of the table.

He said: “It’s brilliant to be a national champion again. It’s a great feeling to have that trophy for another year. I don’t get complacent, I always try to do my best and ignore everyone else.

“There’s a lot of pressure but I like that everything rests on one perfect lap. It’s exciting, but riding smoothly under that sort of pressure is definitely a challenge.

“There are around 40 people competing and it’s a lot of fun because there are no egos, everyone just wants to have a good time.

“It’s designed to improve your motorcycling abilities on the road.”

This is ideal for Rob, who teaches youngsters motorcycle safety and mechanical skills at his Wheels Workshop course, which is held in association with the Oakfield Project and Swindon Borough Council.

He’s passed on his expert knowledge and years of training to his students.

Rob added: “It really complements my youth work - my students find it difficult, but they love it.

“It also helps that, if they ask ‘well what do you know about motorcycle riding?’, I can point to my trophy.

“I was a club racer for years, then I became a parent and couldn’t spare the time to focus on it any more, plus I didn’t want to risk getting hurt.

“After I retired, I saw a video of Moto-Gymkhana on YouTube and didn’t really understand it, but it intrigued me. It’s big in Japan but over here it’s unknown and almost like a well-kept secret.

“It can be hard work, but it’s low-risk, low-budget and high on thrills.

“It’s growing every year. One of the other riders placed first in a couple of rounds this time, and last year I won by only one point.

“I need to up my game and practice hard if I want to win again.”

To give it a try, email southwest@motogymkhana.org