Courtney Duncan first through the
finish line to take the WMX World Title
with the team and the bike from day one. We
committed and we succeeded!
“I’m having as much fun this year as I did when
I started riding way back at seven years of age;
that’s so important and it’s what brings results.”
Duncan should probably already have been
crowned world champion in 2016, 2017 or 2018.
But, for those three consecutive seasons, the
intrepid Kiwi has had luck abandon her in her
hour of need. Twice she was denied the world
title through injury and on the other occasion she
was victim of a controversial decision by officials.
Leading the series in 2016, she struck an errant
photographer who was standing out on the track
at the German GP, crashed and broke her wrist.
In 2017 she was again on target to win the
title when a muddy hillside at the final round in
France became impossible for the riders and the
race was abandoned.
Instead of the race being wound back a lap prior
to the stoppage (when Duncan had been leading)
and a result declared from that, as normally
30 KIWI RIDER
happens, it was controversially decided to give
the title to the French rider who was leading at
the moment the race was finally halted, despite
so many of the riders by that stage having
illegally cut the course to avoid the hill.
Again leading the world series in 2018, she
suffered further misfortune, this time injuring
her right foot during a non-WMX race between
the GPs, ruling her out of the final two GP events.
So, more determined than ever to finally achieve
her goal, Duncan this year made the decision
to join the Kawasaki outfit, run by Briton Steve
Dixon.
“They gave me an awesome opportunity and I
was very motivated to put them on top in 2019. A
fresh start was what I needed.”
Duncan has already signed again with the Bike
It DRT Kawasaki Racing Team and she will defend
her No.1 plate with them in 2020.