Holly Dennis on the fast track to success

Th IRT een yearold motorbike rider holly Dennis will compete in Wales this weekend as she looks to continue making waves in the sport which she has been enjoying since she was a six-year old. holly who lives just outside Collon has just completed first year in Ardee Community School and her summer holidays have been spent mainly practising or competing on her beloved Husqvarna 85cc motorbike. h olly currently competes in the Pro Ride enduro Ride series in northern Ireland where she has been hugely successful competing against boys and girls much older than herself. So far she has achieved two first place finishes a second and a third and she is currently leading lady in both the Proride extreme and the Proride enduro Championship. enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on extended crosscountry, off-road courses. enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges and sees the motorcyclist try to negotiate rocks, rivers, forests and ditches through often muddy fields in a race to the finish line. According to holly’s mam Debbie, her daughter’s passion for the sport was passed down from her father Alan who is himself a very succesful enduro rider.

“holly loved watching her Dad compete when she was a small kid and she would always ask myself and Alan if she could get a bike. This was like when she was just six years old and she was so thrilled when we relented and got her a pink PW50. Her first race was in Milverton in Dublin and she finished 10th and since then she has just been obsessed with the sport. We always tell her to just go out and enjoy the race but she is very competitive and has a fire in her belly and she always wants to get on that podium no matter how difficult the race,” laughs Debbie.

On top of the world! Holly is riding high in the Enduro rankings.

“We are lucky enough to have a field at the back of our house which is where holly does a lot of her practicing. Unfortunately, there is no racing in the south of Ireland this year due to a big insurance issue which has stopped all forms of two wheel racing down here. Because of that she competes in the Proride enduro Championship in northern Ireland. She lives for the thrill of racing her bike and next weekend she will compete in Wales for her first race across the water. Obviously it is very expensive to take part in these races what with accommo- dation and travelling etc but local businesses and friends have been brilliant and offered us sponsorship and we are hugely grateful as it allows holly to get out there and do what she loves. She has the heart of a lion and I’ve seen her fall and hurt her leg but get straight back on the bike and make sure she finishes the race. Of course as a parent, you get nervous watching her race but she is such a talented rider and there is also plenty of pride while seeing her beat competitors much older than herself.

“She competes in Wales on August 5th and we have tried to temper her expectations by telling her just to enjoy the experience but all she is thinking about is getting on to that podium and showing people that even though she is only thirteen that she is still a force to be reckoned with,” stated Debbie.

To follow holly’s journey check out her facebook page which is regularly updated at holly Dennis Racing. If any person or business would like to sponsor or support holly they can get in touch with the teenage sensation via a message on her facebook page.

1—Who has won more All Ireland Senior Football titles. Dublin or Kerry?

2—Canis Lupis is the scientific name for what animal?

3—In the popular nursery rhyme what did “Itsy Bitsy Spider” climb up?

4—According to Buddhist tradition what country was Buddha born in?

5—What year did the first passenger train service from Drogheda reach Dundalk? 1849, 1899 or 1909?

6—Which is the only vowel on a standard keyboard that is not on the top line of letters

7—What is the more popular name for the portrait officially titled “La Gioconda,” painted in 1503?

8—Ferns, Kilmore Quay and Gorey are towns found in which county?

9—What year was Sinead O’Connor’s version of Nothing Compares 2 U released?

10—What does the movie rating ‘R’ stand for?

The Stinker—When somebody leaves the house they will more often than not have an aglet on their person. What is an aglet?

—this week’s answers—