WMX Final 2 Rounds coming up – profiles of Lynn Valk, Shana van der Vlist, and Lotte van Drunen. All 3 women have commanded impressing talent on the track, nailing hole-shots, making passes stick, and standing on the podium against tough competition in 2023 Women Motocross World Championship.
Notwithstanding the absence of defending WMX Champion Nancy van de Ven, who sustained injury in Round 3 in Spain, Valk, Van der Vlist, and Drunen spearhead top pool of rider’s from the Netherlands, with Lotte standing P3 Overall.
In fact, the precedent Nancy set, competing in WMX from 2013 to present day, not only raised the bar for younger group of female rider’s coming through the ranks, but also highlighted that tenacity, self-belief, determination and complete committment to achieve goals do return rewards with Nancy winning the coveted Title in 2022.
For Lynn Valk, shifting results have tested the ultra talented rider, taking her first GP win in Portugal, in 2022 followed by completing the 6 Round Series standing P2 overall. Now, racing her 6th WMX Championship, Lynn has proved consistency of results provide satisfaction, standing P4 heading into Round 5, in Arnhem, on August 20.
Fellow Dutch rider Shana van der Vlist has experienced the highs and lows of racing WMX Championship, taking 2 GP wins – the first top step of the podium was winning in spectacle style in 2021 at MXGP of Lommel, followed by victory in 2022 at Round 3 in Sardenia.
Having sustained injury at 2023 WMX Round 3, time to recover has not dented the goals of the gutsy Yamaha rider, whose mantra remains keeping a strong mind-set to nail starts, maintain rhythm on the bike, along with creating gaps where needed. Not surprising, Shana, along with Lynn have enough experience to settle into the amped pressure of WMX, knowing points count over the course of final 4 motos.
Making debut entry in 2023 WMX, Lotte van Drunen hit the ground running, taking the win in Race 1 at the Opening Round in Sardenia, followed by P2 in R2, gaining 2nd overall. Making sure, the victory wasn’t mere luck, the 15 year old, won Race 2 in Round 2 in Switzerland, holding off WMX Champion 3x – Courtney Duncan.
Currently standing P3 overall on 150 points, with Duncan leading on 185, and Spanish rider Daniela Guillen on 165, Lotte will be more than ready to push for points advantage, with only 4 races to go. Having gained plenty of race-time during the long 13 week gap between WMX Rounds 4 and 5, the talented Kawasaki rider has all to gain from knowledge learnt in her first full season competing against the best women rider’s in the world.
WMX Round 5, Arnhem, Netherlands, August 19 – 20. Header photo: Lynn Valk Image: @fullspectrum.media & @davidemessora
Words: Sharon Cox.
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