Courtney Duncan wins 2023 Women Motocross World Championship – MXLink shares thoughts on 2024 WMX. In a performance fitting for the occasion, Courtney Duncan declared victory at MXGP of Turkey, winning WMX Championship for the 4th time with Big Van World MTX Kawasaki Team.
Heading into the Final Round 6 with 16 points advantage over Spanish rider Daniela Guillen, Duncan knocked out stellar win in Race 1 having qualified pole, which gave the Kiwi 21 points lead, making victory even more the sweeter finishing P2 in Race 2.
Surrounded by family, Team, friends and congratulated by fellow competitors, Duncan rounds out the season with total of 4 WMX GP overall wins in Round 2 in Switzerland, Round 3 in Spain, Round 4 in France, and Round 6 in Turkey.
The Final Round also highlighted the unpredictable nature of racing WMX with Germany’s Larissa Papenmeier pulling off sensational P2 in Race 1, and Dutch rider Lynn Valk claiming P1 in Race 2. It just goes to show, with the track slick on Saturday, and heavy on Sunday, the adaptability of race-skill-set was on show with #423 and #172 shining on track, and others struggling in the conditions.
The influx of up-coming talent has certainly mixed up WMX Championship standings this season with Daniela Guillen showing consistency of results to secure P2 overall in 2023 WMX and sand rider extraordinaire, Lotte van Drunen scoring her first overall podium victory of P3, on debut year. With the notable absence of 2022 WMX Champion Nancy van de Ven from Rounds 4 – 6, due to injury, along with WMX 6x Champion Kiara Fontanesi from Final Round, full gate line-up for the coming season looks set to be a doozer.
So, what does MXLink think 2024 WMX could look like? For starters, WMX Championship could stretch over 7 Rounds. The additional 2 motos would provide women extra mandate to leverage sponsorship, increasing opportunity of exposure to fans and public alike on respective industry providers who enable the women to race.
#2: the level of professionalism has increased ten-fold from the last 7 Round Series in 2016, with pundits unable to predict, assume, or bank on results guaranteed as witnessed by 2 young rider’s completing 2023 WMX Championship podium – notably Guillen and Lotte van Drunen.
#3: next up would be MXGP/Infront calendar for 2024 WMX to include racing a Round in Britain. The race spectacle of competing at Matterley Basin remains a memory, yet the fans and public adoration for MXGP/WMX has massive historical value within the sport. Incorporating a venue as iconic as Foxhill, or Lyng, or Canada Heights, or Hawkstone Park – as included in 2023 ACU British Motocross Championship – would tip the scale on providing women from the UK an opportunity to test their craft against the best women rider’s in the world.
#4: rounding out top of want list for 2024 WMX would be inclusion of back-to-back Rounds. There is no better test and challenge of rider’s ability to race on varying track terrains within quick turn around of time. This fact was evident in 2020 WMX when all female line-up competed at Opening Round on the loamy soil of Matterley Basin, then switched to race Round 2 on the deep sands of Lommel, 6 days later.
With 2023 WMX Championship ushering in new chapter of women racing at the pinnacle of the discipline, there remains no doubt that racing continues to attract younger generation of women rider’s while simultaneously pushing the envelope out on the performance of the experienced. Long may it continue, and looking forward to the new season ahead.
Header photo: Courtney Duncan winning 2023 WMX Championship Image: @shotbybavo
Words: Sharon Cox.
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