2022 NZ VETS & WOMEN ’ S MX CHAMPS
The popular annual event – which skipped a beat last year due to the pandemic – was sponsored by Kawasaki New Zealand and , so , emerald seemed to be “ la couleur du jour ” ( the colour of the day ) with many riders of the distinctive green bikes showing up at the track near Cambridge to put on a spectacular show of force . Headlining the event was Otago ’ s triple women ’ s world champion Courtney Duncan , briefly at home following her blighted-byinjury 2022 campaign in Europe . The defending world champion and factory Kawasaki team rider had been forced to accept an unfamiliar seventh overall finish this season after crashing out of racing at round two in Portugal back in April . Duncan fractured her collarbone when she slipped off awkwardly on the second lap of the first
Courtney Duncan ( above left and previous pages ) won all three of her races , while Cody Cooper ( left ) dominated the vets 35-39 class
practice session on day one of the Portuguese GP and the track doctor declined permission for her to continue . Her 2022 title defence was suddenly in tatters and there was eventually no coming back from that . Therefore , her arrival at the Skyline MX track at Te Miro , on the outskirts of Cambridge , at the weekend was a rare but welcome New Zealand appearance for the now fullyrecovered champ . The large crowd at Cambridge certainly appreciated seeing the 26-year-old Duncan ( KX250F ) on home soil and her speed and style were both dazzling and undeniable . She won all three of her senior women ’ s
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