Tribute to Shoya Tomizawa one year after his farewell

Today marks one year since we lost a great rider. On September 5, 2010, Shoya Tomizawa died at the Misano circuit during the Moto2 World Championship race.

The Japanese rider, one of the cornerstones of the new intermediate class, suffered a serious crash on the Italian track, from which he never recovered; he died minutes after the impact, leaving everyone in shock.

That day we lost a great rider, a great person, and one of the finest smiles in the motorcycle world championship. That morning, without a doubt, a life went out and an eternal light was lit for the whole paddock.

Few words remain unsaid about the 48, so we can only offer this small tribute on behalf of the whole PlusMoto.com team, and thank all of you who took part in the SMILE GALLERY. Don’t miss the photo with Daijiro Kato, the photo with the gift from Tomizawa’s parents to the journalists, and many more pictures.

– G: My favorite photo is the one at the top, because it shows Shoya as he was: a humble, attentive young man who always had that beautiful smile. Here he looks thoughtful, preparing for the next race. Always Shoya.

– David: The photo I chose is the one taken in parc fermé right after the 2010 Qatar race. In it, Shoya hugs his chief technician, Gilles Bigot, happy to have won the race.

Shoya was the smile of the paddock. After his unfortunate accident, we got to know him a little better. We all know the Japanese are reserved, but Tomizawa was always cheerful, always upbeat, and he enjoyed his work.
I like this photo because it shows how happy Shoya was riding motorcycles. And when you dedicate yourself to something like that, you can’t be happier than when you win your first race.

Rest in peace, Tomizawa. You have left a void that is hard to fill…

– Alejandro: It has already been a year since a Japanese rider named Shoya Tomizawa left us. Personally, this was the first time I saw a rider lose his life in a race. I don’t know why, but in my mind it didn’t fit that this could happen. I watched race after race always thinking, or rather never considering at all, that what happened could never happen.

It was a real shock. At first I thought it would be some kind of concussion and that he would pull through, but my instinct already knew it wasn’t so. The chills, the sad faces, and the wish that the images would rewind on television and erase that last moment flooded my whole being.

When I saw the replay, my reason ran out of arguments and joined my overall state. I felt as if it had happened to a friend or acquaintance of mine. Watching, cheering for, and idolizing those riders who go so fast makes you feel very close to them.

Shoya was an especially special case: a man who was always seen smiling. He seemed very similar to my philosophy of life, despite the distance between us and never having had the pleasure of meeting him in person.

I wanted to choose this photo because it is what I have engraved in my mind: his gaze. It’s true his smile is unforgettable, but those eyes full of kindness are not easy to forget.

Shoya, I hope that wherever you are, you feel happy for what you did and for leaving with your boots and gloves on.

Until forever, friend.

Always 48!

RIP Tomizawa.

Photos | PlusMoteros