The Natural
Over the years, as we all have been following the sport of motocross in the USA, I’m sure you’ve all noticed how much pride they take in their rich history. They celebrate their past riders, their past victories, and on certain tracks they have given iconic names to certain jumps. There’s Henry Hill at Budds Creek, Gravity Cavity at Unadilla, and of course the most famous one of all, Larocco’s Leap at Red Bud.
Here in Canada we’re a little more modest and reserved so we don’t always make as big of a deal out of things as maybe we should. In Canadian Motocross the most famous jump is The Natural Double at Walton Raceway and it has been around for a long time. Over the last twenty or more years it has been used in a number of ways for the riders that have attempted it, it has been a measuring gauge for success or failure, it has been used as the “dare” in rider’s trash talk, and it has been used as a huge confidence builder with a lot of riders.
Years ago the list of riders who jumped it was fairly short as the jump used to be a lot harder to clear than it is now. Due to the natural layout of the land, the Natural Double used to just be two hills about 80 feet apart; jumping over the gap wasn’t really thought of. That was until one day the Lee brothers were messing around and started talking about whether or not it would be possible to clear it safely. Well, knowing Brett and Matt Lee back then, the word “safely” probably wasn’t used so the conversation was more than likely about whether it would be fourth gear or fifth gear.
You might be surprised to hear this but it was actually Brett who cleared the jump first, even though his brother was better known for not being afraid of any jump you put in front of him. Brett recalls that day quite vividly. “I remember Matt and I were messing around one day and we started talking about jumping it. Back then the face had a hump in it so you would end up taking off halfway up the face. Matt always was the one who jumped stuff first so I wanted to step up and get the bragging rights. I think I went back into the field, almost halfway to the bush, and just started clicking gears. I dropped down the hill before it and never let off, I cleared it easily and yes, Matt was not happy. Maybe it should be called the Brett Lee Double instead.”
I spoke to two other riders who have about a million laps around the track at Walton Raceway between them. Ryan Gauld and Cole Thompson have been racing at Walton forever and they had this to say about the iconic jump.
Ryan Gauld:
“I am going to say that the first time I jumped it was in 1993 on a YZ80 and it was fourth gear tapped! The face used to be different so you didn’t get as much lift as you do now, and the landing was also sketchy back then. I still remember coming down the hill before with my 80 just pinned. That’s the moment when you’re committed and there’s no backing down. It was pretty cool. I landed it though and kept doing it. These days so many people are jumping it, even 60s and Quads jump it now. It’s a cool jump and a big part of Canadian motocross history”
Cole Thompson:
“The first time I went for it was in 2005 on my 60cc, no wait, I jumped it on my 80cc that same year at the Walton Provincial. Anyway, the first time at a TransCan was on my 60cc and it took everything that bike had to clear it. I was always good at jumping so the size of the jump didn’t bother me, it was just the face seemed so steep when you’re coming up to it. The first time you go for it it’s tough. Those last few seconds before you lift off are pretty nerve-wracking. Although Larocco’s Leap is bigger, I would compare it to the feeling a rider gets the first time they go for it. I’m glad we have a famous jump like that in Canada.”
Fast forward to the present day and the jump has lost some of its difficultly. The face is better, the bikes are better and the riders are much improved these days. However, if you listen to some of the conversations in the pits, there are a lot of riders who have yet to make the leap, and the famous question “Have you jumped the Natural yet?” is still as prevalent as it was twenty years ago. This sport in Canada is very rich with history and the Natural Double at Walton Raceway has its place in the history books as the most famous jump in Canada.
