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WMX penultimate Round 6 at Arnhem in 10 days – counting

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WMX penultimate Round 6 will be held at Arnhem, Netherlands on August 18 – 10 days to go and counting. The battle for top honours on the points table will be fiercely contested with a mere 3 points separating current Red Plate holder Lotte van Drunen on 198 from Spanish rider Daniela Guillen standing on 195.

WMX Round 5 start at Maggoira on June 16 Image: MXLink

Dutch rider Lynn Valk on 166 points in P3 holds slight advantage over Italian WMX Champion 6x – Kiara Fontanesi – on 163 with Germany’s Larissa Papenmeier rounding out top 5 on 138.

Most certainly, all rider’s will be focused on securing best possible performance from Qualifying on Saturday through to Race 1 followed by Race 2 on Sunday. Defending WMX Champion Courtney Duncan will have eyes on nailing valuable points having missed Round 4 in Germany due to injury along with fellow Dutch rider – Shana van der Vlist coupled with Danee Gelissen who gained nice P4 in Maggoira.

WMX Round 5 with #423 Larissa Papenmeier carving her way uphill Image:@evaszabadfi_photo

The consistency of results for the top 5 rider’s has to be noted as exceptional. RFME Spain National Team rider Daniela Guillen has finished on the podium in all 5 Rounds, taking double moto win in Spain, followed by P2, P3, P2, and P3 heading into Round 6 next weekend. Red Plate holder Lotte van Drunen – De Baets Yamaha MX-Team has nailed overall win in Sardegna and Galicia, Spain, standing on the podium in 4 Rounds.

Just as racing WMX remains a force to be reckoned with – SYE Racing Team 423 rider Larissa Papenmeier shook the points table to pieces taking overall victory in Round 4 at Teutschenthal in early June, followed by Schmicker Racing rider Lynn Valk who smashed out her best performance of the season winning Round 5 at Maggoira on June 16.

WMX Champion 2022 Nancy Van de Ven guest rider appearance at Round 6 Image: MXLink

If anticipation and expectation ranks high in WMX, so to does self-belief and confidence in the ability to achieve results deemed challenging to followers track-side. Take the unwavering dedication and determination of MX Fonta Racing rider and mum – Kiara Fontanesi – whose P2 overall at her home GP was stunning to say the least. And, the remarkable resilience of NZ’s F@H Racing Team rider Courtney Duncan who continues to rise above set-backs to her racing campaigns each and every season.

The recent debut entry of Lotte van Drunen in MX2 at Lommel highlights the scope and scale of WMX rider’s ability on the bike against male peers. From qualifying P23 to racing 15 laps in the deep Belgium sands – finishing P21 in R1 and P20 in R2 – Lotte proved her talent at just 16 years of age bodes well for her future MX career.

Previous WMX rider’s debut race appearance in MX2 has been Kiara Fontanesi at Valkenswaard in 2017 – finishing P35 overall racing against rider’s of the highest calibre – Jeremy Seewer in P2, Hunter Lawrence in P6 and Jorge Prado in P23. Equally, Larissa Papenemeier competed in MX2 at MXGP of China in 2019, nailing an impressive P16 overall.

Courtney Duncan racing WMX Round 5 at Maggoira Image: fullspectrum.media

From the founding year of Women’s Motocross World Cup in 2005 through to WMX World Championship in 2024, a total of 6 women have won the coveted Title. Germany’s Steffi Laier opened the historical Championship, winning in 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2011. NZ’s Katherine Prumm – now Oberlin-Brown – embraced the challenge to race in Europe, successfully breaking new ground winning Women’s MX World Cup in 2006 and 2007. MXLink fondly remembers KP training at our local gym and club track – setting goals which were deemed impossible – yet claiming victory 2x none the less.

The steal-like determination of Italy’s Kiara Fontanesi eclipsed all records winning WMX Championship in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018 and has raced after having two daughters – currently standing P4 in the ‘024 Championship. French rider/Team owner Livia Lancelot won her first WMX Title in 2008 and persevered for the next 8 years before taking her #2 Title in 2016. NZ’s Courtney Duncan stamped her mark on WMX Championship in 2016, taking WMX Championship victory in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023. And, Dutch rider Nancy van de Ven overcame all challenges throughout her racing career nailing top honours in 2022 WMX Championship.

For certain, WMX Round 6 at Arnhem will hold utmost attention for all rider’s competing on the sand track. Who will stand top of the podium depends on the fighting spirit inside each rider and how much they want to win – a legacy which has continued within WMX over the past 20 years.

Header photo: WMX Round 5 at MXGP of Maggoira Image: @jpacevedophoto

Words: Sharon Cox.

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