JAPANESE ace Yoshihide Muroya is all set to race in Putrajaya during Round 3 of the Red Bull Air Race this weekend (May 17-18). The 41-year-old comes to the country's federal administrative capital on a high after a podium finish in Round 2 at Rovinj, Croatia last month.
He finished third behind Hannes Arch of Austria and Britain’s Paul Bonhomme, who are currently both leading the point standings. Muroya, who is currently fourth in the standings, is the only Asian pilot out of 12 pilots in the Master Class and is keen to make Asia proud on race day.
"It definitely feels closer to home – as there is only a one hour time difference in Japan, it will be so easy to adapt with no jet lag! I think of it as a ‘neighbour home race’," said the Fukushima born. Muroya started glider flight training in 1991 at age 18 when he joined a university glider club as an inexpensive way to fly.
Four years later, he took third place in the Japan glider championship. He went to the United States on his own to earn his pilot's licence in Los Angeles at the age of 20. He started aerobatics flying in 1996 and, in 2003, took part in the Unlimited World Aerobatic Championship. Since 2006 he has been flying air shows in a wider region stretching from the UAE to Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Spain.
Muroya has brought numerous innovations to the sport and, in particular, he introduced pre-race meditation. He has remained one of the most stoically optimistic pilots in the field despite enduring several untimely mechanical problems that sidelined him for part of the 2010 season.
"It (Red Bull Air Race) is really quite close racing against each other. As a pilot, it's a lot of fun to fly the race. It's a special world. There aren't many pilots who can do what we do," said Muroya. As for his chances in Putrajaya, he said: "For now, my tactic is to just continue to study how I should be flying. For me, this process is important, but the [race] result isn't important."
"I have a lot of big fans in Japan. I have good connections with the Asian aviation scene, so I'm hoping that there will be a lot of fans in Malaysia too. It's a great feeling that there are so many fans supporting me. I think it could add extra pressure, but the support makes it more exciting and I will enjoy the race even more because of it," added Muroya.
Tickets to the Red Bull Air Race Putrajaya can be purchased online via Ticket Pro's website.
source: Red Bull Media
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