Motocross

Courtney Duncan Finishes Second Overall at WMX Opener in Italy

Posted:

Monday, April 9th, 2018

11:14 AM

Altherm JCR Yamaha‰Ûªs Courtney Duncan, on her way to race victory in race two at the 2018 FIM Women‰Ûªs Motocross World Championship‰Ûªs opening round at the Italian Pietramurata circuit. Photo: Yamaha Racing

Courtney Duncan has fought back from a tough start to her 2018 FIM Women‰Ûªs Motocross World Championship (WMX) campaign, to reach the runner-up position after the MXGP of Trentino‰Ûªs two races this weekend.

The Italian round at the Pietramurata circuit, featured a hard pack surface set against the Dolomite Mountain range, where the Altherm JCR Yamaha racer was hoping to stamp her dominance in the first race of the six-round season.

The Kiwi qualified second on her Yamaha Racing YZ 250F, one second behind five-time World Champion Kiara Fontanesi, who was competing on home soil.

Weather conditions were near perfect but the track was technical and soft due to heavy rain the preceding week.

Duncan got a bad start in the first race but had moved up to around seventh on the sixth corner when she crashed while trying to make a pass and ended up dead last. It took the 21-year-old a long time to get the bike started and get going again and with the track hard to pass on she could only rebound to sixth place by the race end.

German veteran Larissa Papenmeier won the opening round with a win on Saturday and third on Sunday. Photo: Youthstream

German vetran Larissa Papenmeier won the moto ahead of Nancy Van De Ven and Amandine Verstappen.

Race two on Sunday was the result Duncan was looking for with a convincing win over defending champion Kiara Fontanesi and Larissa Papenmeier. Papenmeier's 1-3 result enough to give her the opening round win over Duncan and Fontanesi

Duncan‰Ûªs team manager Josh Coppins, a former, successful MXGP racer himself, described the Pietramurata circuit as ‰ÛÏsuper one-lined.‰Û

The WMX class of 2018 head into battle. Photo: Youthstream

WMX Race 1 Top Ten:
1. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), 25:09.220
2. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:14.335
3. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +0:15.993
4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:23.100
5. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), +0:23.838
6. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), +0:39.492
7. Emelie Dahl (SWE, Yamaha), +0:50.951
8. Natalie Kane (IRL, Honda), +0:52.187
9. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +1:25.191
10. Line Dam (DEN, Honda), +1:26.227.

WMX Race 2 Top Ten:
1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), 25:03.913
2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:20.318
3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:24.899
4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:28.690
5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +0:30.198
6. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), +1:06.276
7. Natalie Kane (IRL, Honda), +1:07.326
8. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), +1:09.206
9. Virginie Germond (SUI, KTM), +1:27.094
10. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:32.477.

WMX Overall Top Ten:
1. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 45 points
2. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 40 points
3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 40 points
4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 40 points
5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 36 points
6. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 29 points
7. Natalie Kane (IRL, HON), 27 points
8. Emelie Dahl (SWE, YAM), 23 points
9. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 22 points
10. Virginie Germond (SUI, KTM), 22 points

WMX Championship Top Ten:
1. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 45 points
2. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 40 points
3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 40 points
4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 40 points
5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 36 points
6. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 29 points
7. Natalie Kane (IRL, HON), 27 points
8. Emelie Dahl (SWE, YAM), 23 points
9. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 22 points
10. Virginie Germond (SUI, KTM), 22 points