DUNCAN CONQUERS WMX ROUND OF PORTUGAL.
The Portuguese Round of the FIM Women’s Motocross Championship is complete with Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Courtney Duncan claiming the WMX victory! This weekend’s FIM Women’s Motocross Championship was played out over 2 days on changing conditions from a rutted and technical track Saturday to a soft and tricky surface Sunday.
Race 1 was in perfect for Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Courtney Duncan, after taking the fastest lap of time practice she carried her speed forward taking the lead off of the start and never looking back. Behind Duncan was Nancy van de Ven every lap of 11 total.
Last week’s overall winner and red plate holder coming into the weekend was Larissa Papenmeier who started 3rd but was then passed by the 2017 champion, MXFONTA RACING Yamaha’s Kiara Fontanesi, on lap 2. Only 1 lap after passing Papenmeier the #8 crashed and dropped back to eleventh position.
Papenmeier ended up retaking third after Fontanesi’s fall and KTM Silver Action’s Amandine Verstappen moved to 4th. At the finish of Race 1 Duncan beat van de Ven by 13.9 seconds as Papenmeier took 3rd, Verstappen 4th, and Fontanesi recovered to 7th.
In Race 2 Larissa Papenmeier shot into the lead ahead of Fontanesi, Duncan, Shana van der Vlist, and van de Ven. After the first official lap Duncan made it past Fontanesi for second and van de Ven found her way around van der Vlist.
As van de Ven started to chase down Fontanesi, Duncan had her eyes set on the lead of Papenmeier. On the fifth lap of the ten completed Duncan made a pass stick for first position, nevertheless Papenmeier continued to charge and keep pressure on Duncan who kept nervously looking back.
On the final laps Duncan managed to regain a gap over Papenmeier and the rest crossing the line 8.7 seconds ahead of second. Duncan’s double race wins not only gave her the overall but also the championship leaders red plate.
Papenmeier’s 3-2 finishes secured her second over van de Ven’s 2-4, the struggling Kiara Fontanesi redeemed her Race 1 finish of 7th with 3rd in Race 2 for 4th overall, while Verstappen rounded out the top five. The top five finisher’s championship position is now identical to their overall finish today.
WMX Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), 25:58.334; 2. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:13.921; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:20.979; 4. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +0:47.222; 5. Natalie Kane (IRL, Honda), +1:00.360; 6. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), +1:01.841; 7. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +1:44.668; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:47.562; 9. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), +1:52.861; 10. Virginie Germond (SUI, KTM), +1:57.506.
WMX Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), 27:23.210; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:08.728; 3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:39.342; 4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:46.404; 5. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +1:15.421; 6. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:58.644; 7. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), +2:10.496; 8. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +2:38.547; 9. Virginie Germond (SUI, KTM), -1 lap(s); 10. Kimberley Braam (NED, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s).
WMX Overall Top Ten: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 50 points; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 42 p.; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 34 p.; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 31 p.; 6. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 29 p.; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 28 p.; 8. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Natalie Kane (IRL, HON), 26 p.; 10. Virginie Germond (SUI, KTM), 23 p
WMX Championship Top Ten: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 90 points; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 87 p.; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 80 p.; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 74 p.; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 67 p.; 6. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 58 p.; 7. Natalie Kane (IRL, HON), 53 p.; 8. Virginie Germond (SUI, KTM), 45 p.; 9. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 44 p.; 10. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 36 p.
WMX Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha, 97 points; 2. Suzuki, 87 p.; 3. KTM, 70 p.; 4. Honda, 53 p.; 5. Kawasaki, 14 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 8 p.
Text/Bild: Youthstream