Motorsport: Motocross World Champion Courtney Duncan returns to Kiwi shores as free agent

Courtney Duncan celebrates her world title in October. Photo / Photosport

Triple world motocross champion Courtney Duncan is finally coming home, but she's yet to re-sign with her British-based Dixon Racing Team for next season.

The 25-year-old Dunedin rider won a third-straight world title in Italy six weeks ago but has been stranded in the UK since; with her four-month quest to secure a Managed Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) spot ending in failure.

However, Sport NZ was recently allocated 20 places per month, starting this month, for individuals who meet the criteria and have been unable to secure an MIQ booking through the virtual lobby.

Duncan has now been given a spot and leaves Britain on the 14th, relieved she will be home for Christmas.

"I was fortunate enough to get a spot, so I'm stoked to come home. I've been trying for four months and been pretty desperate to get home as well, so just knowing the fact I'm coming home is pretty hard to describe what that means to me.

"I've been on the road for six months and normally I would be home straight after my season ended so like six weeks ago. So, I'm excited to get back to home and see my friends and family. I have missed them like crazy." Duncan told NZME.

It hasn't all been bleak for the 25-year-old, despite winter settling in with 4pm sunsets.

"I've just done a bit of sightseeing and have been able to relax and look around. I don't really get those sorts of opportunities in the season because you have to put in the work each day and when you get a day off you just want to chill. So yeah, I've made the most of it.

"I got to see the All Blacks play France in Paris and am off to Monaco this weekend which should be cool."

Being off contract, Duncan hasn't been on a bike since wrapping up the title in Italy and plans to start riding again early in the New Year.

"Probably sooner rather than later with the new season going to creep up on us pretty soon and looking like it will go back to normal here, which will probably see us start in March. There won't be much time mucking around when I get home." Duncan said.

Duncan's dominance over the past three years will no doubt have attracted the interest of rival teams, but you sense the Kawasaki rider is keen to nut out a new, improved deal with DRT.

"In an ideal world you'd like to build long term relationships, that's what we're all about.

"Obviously we've had a lot of success in the past few years, and you would like that to continue, but there are things that need to be worked out; so hopefully I will have something to announce sooner than later. But at this stage, we don't know," Duncan said.