WMX: Patience paying dividends for Duncan

Courtney Duncan says she rode a smart race in the Czech Republic in July to get the win and also found herself uncharacteristically happy with a second in the second race. Photo / Supplied

Tempering all-out style with strategic thinking has put Otago rider on path to top.

Reminiscent of Katherine Prumm (now Oberlin-Brown) when she was at her finest on a motocross bike, young Courtney Duncan is herself dominating the FIM Women's World Motocross championship. Prumm made motocross history winning two world titles in 2006 and 2007 before injury put paid to her racing career.

Fellow Kiwi Duncan now sits at the top on the championship ladder three points ahead of Kiara Fontanesi. In a not too unfamiliar career trajectory, Duncan's had her own fair few thrills and spills over the past couple of seasons. She missed out on winning her maiden world title last year after hitting a photographer who had strayed on to the track.

Duncan has always thrown everything, including the kitchen sink, at trying to be first every single lap she races. This has, by her own admission, led to the odd tumble in the past and this season as well. With growing maturity, the Otago rider is now looking at a race as a whole, and not as a lap-by-lap sprint.

"To be honest my problem in the past has been I've wanted to win the first lap and the last lap and all the ones in between. There's not one woman who isn't trying their hardest and you have to be realistic that I'm not going to be the best every time," said Duncan from her base in Belgium.

"I now know I have to take a second sometimes and that hasn't been my strong point in the past."

It does help though, that Duncan has the vastly experienced Josh Coppins, who has been there and seen it all, in her corner to help with her strategic approach to racing. Getting over injuries and just plain bad luck can be mentally very taxing and you have to be incredibly resilient at the elite level to pick yourself up, dust off the dirt and carry on.

"Everyone has to be mentally strong in our sport to come back from injury. It's full of highs and lows.

"I have such a strong group of people around me and they have such a depth of knowledge, experience and positive vibes. Having Josh here is great as he's been there and done it and he's been one of the best there's been and he's been hugely important," she said.

Back fit and healthy, Duncan got her championship challenge back on track at Loket in the Czech Republic in late July. With her new-found strategic approach, Duncan nabbed a first and a second to regain the series lead.

"We were able to get the points lead back at Loket ... and everything went smoothly that weekend.

"It helped that I went into the weekend happy, rode a smart race and let it come to me. In the second it was muddy and it's the first time I've felt comfortable finishing second.

"That's been a big part of the change [in me] and I learned that I don't have to be in the front for the first 10 laps, just the last one.

"There are four races to go in the championship and anything can happen. I'm just going to ... take it race by race and see what happens," said Duncan.

The 21-year-old's measured approach to racing will do her good in the Netherlands (September 10) and France (September 24), and it is within the realms of possibility that Duncan will be New Zealand's next motocross world champion.

WMX points
1. Courtney Duncan 155
2. Kiara Fontanesi 152
3. Livia Lancelot 148
4. Nancy Van De Ven 143
5. Larissa Papenmeier 122
6. Amandine Verstappen 121
7. Nicky van Wordragen 119
8. Shana van der Vlist 89