Duncan takes WMX Bronze
I
taly’s Kiara Fontanesi was crowned Women’s
Motocross World Champion for the fifth
time at the final Grand Prix of the season in
France at the weekend. Weather played a
strong role in the championship this season
and this weekend at the Villars-sous-Ecot
circuit was no exception as riders had to
race in the wet and treacherous conditions.
The championship was as
tight coming into the weekend
with only five points between
the top four, including Franace’s
defending world champion Livia
Lancelot in her final professional
race, but, in the end, the best
all around rider proved to be
Fontanesi as she took not only the
championship but the overall as well.
As WMX race one started on a
near perfect circuit, many eyes
were on the four championship
contenders of Nancy Van de
Ven, Fontanesi, Lancelot, and
Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Courtney
Duncan, from New Zealand.
In the early stages of the first
race Fontanesi led Van de ven, Duncan and
Lancelot. Duncan made a quick move on the
second lap to take over second but would fall
on the following lap. As the rain poured down,
the women kept battling in epic fashion.
Lancelot, now in third, was charging to the catch
Van de Ven for second but unfortunately fell as she
tried to pass down the inside of the start straight.
Lancelot fall came just after Fontanesi fell out the
lead and back to 4th. All the while Duncan made
her way to the front, passing three riders in one lap.
Duncan led the following six laps before a large
crash on the uphill section involving downed
back markers caught her off guard and she
also fell. Fontanesi took over the lead as she
made her way through the pile up and Duncan
rejoined in sixth position, after taking another
run at the hill, which is where she would finish.
After a Race Direction meeting had the chance
to consider the TV Footage, the original results
Words: Youthstream / Photo: Andy McGechan
from WMX race one prevailed which was a win
for Yamaha’s Fontanesi, a second for Yamaha’s
Van de ven, who maintained the championship
points lead, and a third for Kawasaki’s Lancelot.
Fontanesi took the race win after a
difficult morning of feeling ill and went
into Sunday with added confidence.
Race two for the women was the first
Otago’s Courtney Duncan (Altherm JCR Yamaha)
of on the track after overnight rain and
it would again be an amazing battle.
Duncan came back on a mission and jumped out to
the early lead with Lancelot and Van de Ven in tow.
For seven of the 10 laps the top three
remained the same which would have resulted
in the championship for Van de Ven. However
it wasn’t meant to be as Van de Ven got stuck
and later fell on the uphill step, Van de Ven
was passed by Germany’s Larissa Papenmeier,
losing the points she desperately needed.
‘Kiwi Girl’ Duncan took the win ahead of
Lancelot and Fontanesi after lapping every
rider but second place. In the championship
Fontanesi beat out Lancelot by a single
point for the title and Duncan took third.
Throughout the season Fontanesi has had a
series of ups and down starting in Indonesia
where she struggled in race one but came
back to finish second in race two.