Otago’s four-time and current Women’s Motocross World Champion Courtney Duncan is surely deserving of greater national recognition.
Although our motorcycling heroine missed out again on mainstream honours this year, the Motorcycling New Zealand (MNZ) Women’s Commission was, as always, magnanimous, and generous in congratulating Dame Lisa Carrington on the kayaker winning the Sportswoman of the Year award at Wednesday night’s Halberg Awards.
“The increasing number of women involved in sport and being recognised for their achievements and hard work on the world stage is fantastic, and Dame Lisa Carrington is certainly one most deserving,” said MNZ Women’s Commissioner Sandra Perry.
“We also want to congratulate four-time women’s motocross champion, Courtney Duncan, on being a finalist in the High Performance New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year category at the Halberg Awards.
“Courtney has won four world championships in one of the toughest sports and we are so proud of her.
“For such a small country, our sportspeople often do well globally due to their determination and hard work whilst often underfunded – Courtney is no exception.
“As a commission focussed on increasing women in our sport at all levels, we look forward to the day when women in motorsports, and in particular motorcycling, are awarded at the highest levels.
“Motocross is recognised as one of the most physically demanding sports in the world, New Zealand has a four-time world winner in Courtney Duncan, and we can’t wait to see her win the recognition in New Zealand’s sporting world.
“Your time will come Courtney – keep up the good work,” said Perry.
Destined never to race a GP on home soil and, in fact, she has always had to travel the farthest to compete on this world stage, Duncan endured three frustrating seasons of “so close, but yet so far” before her breakthrough success, winning her first world title in 2019.
But she proved again that Kiwis can fly, following in the wheel tracks of fellow New Zealand motocross riders who became world champions – New Plymouth’s Shayne King (500cc motocross world champion in 1996), Taupo’s Ben Townley (MX2 world champion in 2004), Pukekohe’s Katherine Prumm (women’s world cup champion in 2006 and 2007), Pukekohe’s Tony Cooksley (veterans’ world champion in 2007) and Hawera’s Daryl Hurley (veterans’ world champion in 2018).
Like her male counterparts, Duncan has always had to fight “behind enemy lines”, so to speak, most of her rivals much more familiar with the predominantly European tracks, terrain that was often alien to the Kiwi.
Her talented rivals have also enjoyed the luxury of basking in the warmth of many thousands of home fans screaming their support, while Duncan might generally have only half a dozen Kiwis on hand to offer encouragement.
So, while winning a world championship title is always difficult, to say it’s been especially tough on Duncan is a massive understatement.
However, like any Kiwi sportsperson confronting incredible odds, Duncan had faith in her ability, simply gritted her teeth, put her head down and charged ahead.
It will no doubt be a similar case when she attempts to defend her world title in Europe in 2024.
© Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
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