There’s European Championship motocross action this Sunday as the Stafford MXC hosts the home round of the 2023 IMBA Ladies MX series at Lower Drayton in Staffordshire. This will be the third in what is a four-round series with action having already taken place in Holland and Austria. During the opening two rounds, there’s been no participation from the Great Britain Ladies, but they will be very determined to make amends as they compete on home soil!
Words and Images by Mike Wood
In the two completed rounds so far, Dutch rider Britt Van Der Werff won all three moto’s in her home country but had to settle for 2nd overall last time out in Austria as her compatriot Jenitty Van Der Beek scored maximum points. Van Der Beek missed the opening round and is also due to sit out the Lower Drayton but although Jenitty is a non-starter, her fellow Dutch riders Amber Simons, Kaylee Van Dam and Cynthia Swets will be there and they should certainly feel at home in the soft, loamy going which prevails at the British circuit. In the current title race, Van Der Werff sits on top with 338 points followed by Simons 302, Van Dam 287, Anais Nowakowski 270, Swets 256 and Joy Couvreur 194.
Well, who’s going to challenge those dominant Dutch girls on Sunday? Representing Great Britain are Amber McGregor, Caitlin Newman, Marni Saunders, Grace Richards, Autumn Jenkinson, India Hodgkinson, Hannah Jones, Daisy Blackwell, Izzi Wright, Checoby Rainey, Erin Howes, Sophie Jones and Leah Rees-Evans. Of those girls, Marni Saunders holds the most experience at IMBA European Championship level and in 2019 finished a fantastic 5th in the series. Marni could well be in the mix again this weekend at Lower Drayton and also watch out for Grace Richards who took the overall win last weekend in the BWMA Women’s Championship round at Hawkstone Park. During that one she recorded three brilliant top ten placings so will be confident of taking that home form into this European battle! Good luck to all of the GB Ladies and let’s hope for a podium placings come 6pm on Sunday evening.
So, get along to the Lower Drayton circuit and give the Ladies your support. The venue can be found just off junction 13 of the M6 with the local postcode ST19 5RE. Presentation of IMBA riders will be at noon with the first of three motos due off at 1.10pm. Making it a great day of motocross action, there’s also a full programme of support racing on offer to entertain you.