Cornerspeed partners with Suzuki Turkey and establishes Cornerspeed International at Istanbul Park. Aaron Stevenson’s Cornerspeed Riderschool announces their new school: Cornerspeed International. For the past year, Stevenson has been working with many parties in Istanbul Turkey to bring this project to fruition. Working with Suzuki Turkey, the Turkish Motorcycle Federation and Istanbul Park, Cornerspeed will offer multi-levels of rider education and motorcycling involvement for the country of Turkey. Cornerespeed International COO Stephen O’Connor states, “The key to this entire project was Istanbul Park. Securing Istanbul Park was our main objective. In our meetings with Suzuki Turkey, it was clear that if we could establish our school at the prestigious F1 park that a relationship would form with Suzuki.” Says Aaron Stevenson, CEO and Chief Instructor, “We want to do everything we can to help Suzuki Turkey become the number one brand in their country. Currently, there is very little rider education available for new riders, sport riders or the aspiring racer. It is our goal to work together will all of the organizations to build and grow the motorcycling community in Turkey.” Suzuki Turkey will offer major support including motorcycles for the Istanbul Park rider school students. The new 2007 GSXR1000s and GSXR600s will be used by Cornerspeed instructors. Turkey is a wonderful and exciting country with great potential for motorcycling. Constantinople (the city’s former name before Istanbul) was and is the gateway between the east and west. Stephen O’Connor, Cornerspeed COO, lives in Istanbul with his Turkish wife, Julide and his 4 year old son, Maksut. “When I met Aaron several years ago and took his school, I realized he had something special; his approach to teaching along with his exuberance and passion for the sport. Living here in Istanbul, I could see that we (Turkish motorcyclists) needed something special for this country and this market. That is why I approached Aaron to bring Cornerspeed here. O’Connor further says, “There is a selfish motive as well. My son, Maksut, is almost five and it’s time to get him into riding and racing. I want my son to have the same opportunities that are afforded to a pre-school Nicky Hayden or a pre-school Valentino Rossi. Turkey has a great and rich heritage. In time, there is no reason Turkey cannot have an SBK or MotoGP World Champion.” Cornerspeed International will host one school each month through September beginning with their first school on April 25th and 26th following the Turkish round of MotoGP and the two day team tests on Monday and Tuesday. This first school will feature many Turkish moto-journalists and members of the Turkish motorcycling community for their first ride on the Istanbul circuit. Cornerspeed will also offer Two-up rides for an exciting look at the track. All schools at the Istanbul Park will have Cornerspeed instructors from the USA. Bi-lingual Turkish instructors will be added to the staff as the school grows. Interpreters on hot pit road will allow students and instructors to better communicate and quickly exchange information so they may return to the track and continue their education. Both Stevenson and O’Connor overlapped comments; “This is a huge undertaking to develop a permanent program in Istanbul but we are committed to the growth and development of motorcycling in Turkey. Having Istanbul Park as our venue will bring many riders from countries all over the world to ride at this world class facility.” Cornerspeed Internationals website (~http://www.cornerspeedinternational.com~) is currently under development and will go active in conjunction with the Istanbul Motorsports trade show at the end of March. For information on Cornerspeed Riderschools in the U.S.A., visit ~http://www.cornerspeed.net~