Women’s motocross for Marlborough

Peter Jones

Women’s motocross racing in the top of the south will receive another boost at Matariki Weekend, when the inaugural MXLadies Motocross Championships are staged in Marlborough.

Created several years ago by Nelson woman Simone Dacombe, the MXLadiesNZ group have joined forces with the Marlborough Motorcycle Club [MMC] to stage the event, which takes place on Saturday, July 15 on the MMC track at 8/452 Northbank Rd.

Dacombe says the aim of her MXLadiesNZ group has been to help evolve the women’s motocross scene in New Zealand, a growth area in recent times thanks to Motorcycling New Zealand’s Women’s Commission and inspired by the international success of Kiwi riders over the years such as world champion Courtney Duncan, Rachael Archer, Roma Edwards, Katherine Prumm and Tania Satchwell, among others.

Up until this year, the MXLadiesNZ group has held fundays and training days throughout the top of the south, but now Dacombe feels the time is ripe to step it up a notch.

“When I started the MXLadiesNZ group, we were mostly just in the top of the South Island, but we had a couple of hundred girls showing up from across New Zealand. We received messages from female riders across New Zealand wanting to join in and now we are New Zealand-wide with an on-line following of about 800.

“This year we have collaborated with the Marlborough Motorcycle Club to hold this big event, our first Motorcycling New Zealand-affiliated motocross race, with additional support from MTF Finance and many other

Winners CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR

After a review of the terms and conditions, we would like to acknowledge that Paul O’Donnell of BDO Marlborough was robbed of his well deserved solo 1st Place position in this season’s Super Rugby Tipping Challenge, which has now been updated. Massive congratulations to Paul taking out the number one spot with Ant Clark coming in a point behind at 2nd place. Looking forward to seeing them both on the NPC tipping board to battle it out again.

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“We have lots of classes and are catering to Mini Ladies, Junior Ladies and Senior Ladies, including beginners. We are also offering half price entry to all North Island riders,” she says. The various classes have some novel names, such as Wonder Woman, Average Jane, New To The Dirt, Wonder Girl, Super Girl and Mighty Minis, signifying a fun and family approach to the sport.

“We are also opening the track up the following day to all dads, brothers, husbands. . . the supporters. . . to have an open track day, for a small track fee, so this event will actually be inclusive of everyone.”

The venue will be signposted from Northbank Rd, where it turns off from State Highway 6. President of the host Marlborough Motorcycle Club, Chris Mealings, says his club, and also the Nelson Motorcycle Club, was “right behind women’s motocross 100 percent”.

“My wife does not really race motocross, but she does ride well and is one of those up-and-comers in the sport and we really want to encourage women in motocross,” he said.