By Danny Brault

While some riders are off racing the Canadian Arenacross Championships or preparing for the supercross season, racers such as Blair Morgan, Mike Island and Iain Hayden are busy having fun in the snow. Just this past weekend, Sudbury’s Hayden went out to a season opening Quebec race, and walked away with three wins and a second in the final moto. This coming weekend, he will be trying to qualify for the X-Games in Duluth, Minnesota while racing a WSA National. It wasn't much of a summer racing motocross for Hayden. After changing snowcross teams and leaving OTSFF, he began riding Hondas with help from Two Wheel Motorsports. His best finish came in Moncton when he went 13-11 for 12th overall. We caught up with Hayden as he made his way home—where he is visiting for the first time in a month.

RXC: Iain, what’s up? I hear you were working for Royal Distributing today?

Iain Hayden: Yeah, running the store, try my best to anyways. John put me in there, so I got to look after the store and everything.

You had a snowcross race on the weekend, where was that?

Yeah, I raced in Quebec, about an hour east of Kirkland Lake.

Is that a CSRA event?

This one is actually run by the Quebec sanctioning  body. It wasn’t a CSRA event, it was like a season opener for the Quebec guys. They had snow, so they made a race out of it.

How far north is it from Montreal?

Probably five hours.

How long did it take you to get there?

From Sudbury, it’s four hours.

So Royal Distributing is helping you out this year?

Yeah, I’m racing for Royal Distributing and Factory Recreation.

Is there anybody else on the team?

Myself and Joey Sagan, our semi-pro rider.

What are your racing plans this winter? X-Games, WSA, CSRA?

Yeah I’m going to an X-Games qualifier this weekend, and it’s a national. I’m just racing every weekend, basically.

Well is there a series you will follow?

Yeah we’re doing all the CSRA events and nationals, and when we’re not doing the races up here, we’re going to be in the states racing WSA Nationals.

How did things go for you this past season in motocross?

It was all right. I had more fun than anything. When I switched teams, my dirtbike deal got screwed up a little bit. It was kind of too late to get ready, so I just went out and did what I could do with it and have fun and I tried to stay in shape for this winter. But it was, obviously, not where I wanted to be. I just kind of finished the season out as best I could,  but next year I’m looking for a lot better results.

You focus more on the snowcross than motocross racing?

I definitely focus on Snowcross a lot more.

Why is that? Because you like the racing better or because it’s your bread and butter?

Yeah, exactly [laughs]. You said it—bread and butter; that’s where I pay my bills.

So you’re not going to be at World Supercross in Toronto?

No, I’m not. I was really wishing too, but I think I’m going to go down and spectate, anyways. I was hoping to ride it, and have fun with it, but I guess that’s not the case. The winter’s really important….

How were your finishes last year in snowcross?

I won the National titles. The Stock and Pro Open. I would like to repeat that again.

How do you, Blair Morgan and Mike Island stack up against each other?

Well obviously Blair’s the man, but he broke his hand the other day, so … three days ago, he broke it in Manitoba. That’s what I’m hearing, I’ve heard that from the Ski-Doo guys from when I was up testing and I heard it again today. I’ve raced with Mike [Island] on sleds and Mike’s fast, obviously, he won X-Games. But we were over in Sweden last April, both on borrowed snowmobiles and we had a good time. It was a lot of fun.

Before this weekend in Duluth, have you ever tried qualifying for the X-Games?

Yeah I tried qualifying last year, three different times. One time I missed it by one in Duluth, then when I was in Winnipeg and I was in qualifying position, I was landed on. I was in Sweden this past April, for the World Cup, and I passed Mike. Then with a half lap to go, my sled broke. So three times I have been screwed out of it.

You said earlier, you were doing some testing. Is it like being on a factory motocross team in the states, with a heavy routine of testing?

Yes. We do a lot of testing with set-up and power and suspension, just trying to make the sleds quick. In motocross, it’s so rider oriented, you have to get over the gate with no wheelies. With the sled, it’s a lot more power delivery and getting rid of track spin. Since there’s more variables in snowmobiling, it’s a bit more important.

Do you have many snowcross tracks to practice and test on?

Yeah I have a wicked track over in Sudbury; that gives me some really good early season testing. When we don’t have snow, I use woodchips—I have them brought in by the arena—and I can ride. It still adds that cushion, like snow. Once we get lots of snow, I make tracks everywhere!

Do you get many opportunities to just trail ride with friends?

I would love to, but I don’t get much time. I’m usually riding, testing or traveling. Usually we take one week a year and go trail riding.

Awesome, Iain. Good luck this weekend and thanks for chatting.

Hey, no problem.