Charity fundraiser to make Wall of Death debut at MotoFest Coventry Motorcycle Weekend
A charity fundraiser who has been learning to ride the ‘Wall of Death’ during lockdown is to make his full public debut at MotoFest Month 2021, during the Motorcycle Weekend, 24th – 25th July 2021.
Paul Malin, from Rugby, will join the famous Ken Fox Troupe Wall of Death, for his first ever public performance on the 20ft high vertical wall, in what promises to be one of the highlights of the show on 25th July 2021.
For Paul, his appearance at MotoFest Coventry will be the culmination of months of training with the Ken Fox Troupe as he bids to raise £5,000 for four separate charities – Prostate Cancer UK, Warwickshire and Solihull Blood Bikes, Positive Bones and Pawprints.
Paul, 55 said: “I was treated for a serious illness a couple of years ago and after getting the all-clear, I wanted to give something back by raising money for the different charities.
“I wanted to do something spectacular but different to raise the money, so I began to think about a Wall of Death ride. When I visited MotoFest back in 2019, I got talking to the Ken Fox Troupe Wall of Death team about the idea. After some initial reservations from them – they don’t often train people up as its quite dangerous – they eventually agreed to train me.
“I have always enjoyed bikes and was a motocross rider back in my younger days, but this is something else. I have done over 60 hours training with them now and while it’s a very difficult skill to perfect, it is incredible once you are up on the wall riding the bike.
“I am really looking forward to joining that elite group of riders who have ridden the wall in public and it’s going to be quite some buzz to say that I performed it at MotoFest Coventry.”
Paul’s appearance at MotoFest Month 2021’s motorcycle weekend is set be one of the highlights of a packed programme of full throttle activities taking place over two days.
The motorcycle weekend is part of a new format for 2021, for the UK’s largest free motoring festival. MotoFest Coventry will switch this year from its traditional date on the first weekend in June, to a new ‘MotoFest Month 2021’ programme, stretched out across four individual weekends, from 17th – 18th July to 7th – 8th August – including the Motorcycle Weekend.
One of the main attractions for the new Motorcycle Weekend is the traditional MotoFest Coventry Ride-In from the historic Coombe Abbey Hotel – Brinklow Road, Coventry – to the city centre. Running for its third year, the Ride-In often attracts over 500 plus riders and traditionally signals the start of the MotoFest Coventry festivities.
Alongside the Ken Fox Wall of Death troupe, there will also be the two Brothers motorcycle stunt team, static motorcycle displays, individual and club displays and the ‘MotoFest Classic and Custom Motorcycle Show’ with trophies awarded across a number of categories, following on from the success of the 2019 motorcycle show.
James Noble, Coventry MotoFest Festival Director, said: “We are delighted to announce MotoFest Month 2021.
“As a result of the need to comply with the Covid-19 regulations on large scale crowds at single events, MotoFest Coventry 2021 will look different to previous years, including no sprint circuit for 2021. However, the festival ethos, particularly the commitment to hosting a celebration of the city’s motoring heritage, will remain the same.
“The new ‘Motorcycle Weekend’ is a great example of this. The two day programme will showcase an array of full throttle activities, including our local charity fundraiser Wall of Death ride, that is designed to thrill and excite two wheeled enthusiasts attending the festival.”
MotoFest is dedicated to the city’s motoring heritage, taking place in 2021 across four weekends in July and August as part of the new ‘MotoFest Month 2021’ schedule. As the largest free motoring festival in the UK, it brings live motorsport, including dynamic motorsport displays, classic and modern modified vehicles, and the cutting edge of automotive innovation right into the heart of the UK’s Motor City, free for everyone to enjoy across four weekends.
