Cyril Whitter III has quickly discovered how difficult life at the top can become.

The 21-year-old GP 125cc motorcycle racer and Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club executive has seen his defence of the title he won last year get off to a rough start.

Whitter, who attends Bermuda College, has endured more than his share of misfortune in recent weeks, colliding with a rival during one race and then withdrawing from another due to mechanical problems.

But the Devonshire resident remains optimistic his luck will take a turn for the better when racing resumes at the Bermuda Motorsports Park this weekend.

?I have gone over my bike with my mechanic (Joshua Tumbridge) and hopefully this weekend will be a turning point in my bid to defend my championship,? Whitter said. ?And the biggest thing regardless of being the fastest is being consistent.

?But unfortunately I have only finished two of the four races we have had so far this season. So it has definitely been a rocky start for me but I am looking to get back on track because it is still too early in the season to be considered out of contention. And I am definitely looking to retain my championship.?

Whitter?s rise in the sport began in 2001 when he first competed in the 50cc Scooter class before progressing to the GP 125 three years later.

Last year saw him excel both on and off the race track as he acquired an Associates Degree in E Commerce in May and then walked away with the GP 125 title after enduring a season-long see-saw battle with perennial rival Shannon Caisey.

?There was always a constant battle between the two of us and it was definitely a very difficult season with many ups and downs,? he added. ?Most of the time second places felt like losses, but in the end I had a big enough points lead to make a couple of mistakes and still win the championship.?

Whitter is currently in fifth place in the points standings.

In 2004 he posted two fifth-place finishes in the Aprilla 125cc class competing in Mexico and last year he managed two seconds and a third in the 900cc class competing in the Championship Cup Series in Miami, Florida.

Like many of his colleagues, Whitter is satisfied with the new raceway facility in the East End.

?I started racing when we were down at Clearwater and so going from a parking lot to a facility which is actually built for the purpose of racing is a big jump,? he said.

?It?s like the difference between playing backyard football and then playing on a field. It?s nice to have a facility there and it is a nice facility and so it has definitely been a change and I?ve seen the club grow over the past couple years and more riders, especially the youth, come into the sport.?

With racing in his bloodline, it was only natural for Whitter to take to the sport.

?I?ve always had racing in my blood from my father (Cyril sr) to my mother (Gina Monroe) who is an undercover race head,? he smiled. ?I always liked street bikes and never really dirt bikes while cars never fazed me either.

?Once I hit age 16 I became a competitive rider who always wanted to be out front competing for top honours.?

Racing, Whitter said, could open the door to many opportunities for those who thrive on life in the fast lane.

?We?ve had some of our club members travel overseas to compete in Europe or the USA in the past. And I think racing in a protected environment enables one to exploit their talent instead of having it go to waste on the streets.?