Motorsport: Fast Elwin defends her title at TT champs

Former Taihape rider Sarah Elwin won the women's class of the New Zealand TT Championships for the second year in a row at the weekend. PHOTO/ANDY MCGECHAN, BIKESPORTNZ.COM

Former Taihape rider Sarah Elwin staked her claim as the fastest woman in the country after defending her 2013 title at the 15th annual New Zealand TT Championships near Kuratau at the weekend.

The 19-year-old ace, who is now based in Otorohanga as service manager for the event's sponsor Bike Torque Yamaha, won the women's class in a dominant display.

She notched up a score card of 1-2-1-1-1 in her five races over the two days, easily finishing ahead of Auckland's Julie Greenslade and Thames rider Natasha Cairns.

"In the first race on Saturday, Cairns almost caught me, but I managed to hold her out to the finish," said Elwin.

"I changed the bike's gearing for the second race to give me higher top speed, but then I bogged the bike in a corner just before the finish line and Julie Greenslade nipped past me to take the win.

"I won every race after that and so, in the end, it was pretty straight-forward."

Elwin's November victory in Te Awamutu for the women's motocross crown was only her first national title, but since that time she has been going from strength to strength after two seasons racing competitively.

"I'm a lot fitter now that in the past and this meant I could maintain my pace for longer," she explained.

"I think it was easier to defend the title this year that it was to win it for the first time last season.

"Of course I'll be back with my Yamaha YZ125 to defend my title again next year, although we'll be racing at an entirely new venue and nobody knows yet what that will be like."

Next on the horizon for Elwin is to contest the big annual Labour Weekend Motocross Extravaganza at Taupo and then she is considering teaming up with Taupo's Ashley Bond to race the annual Acerbis Four-hour endurance race near Taupo on November 1.