Global MX dreams
Teenage racer with
Cloud 9 photography global dreams
Zoe Botha is a Gauteng teenager working towards a dream of scrubbing tables, flowing through rhythm sections and slingshotting out of deep hairpin corners.
For many motorsport followers, motocross( MX) remains the purest form of racing. In MX, rider advantage is largely determined by courage, endurance and skill; not aerodynamics, unlike so many other forms of motorsport.
The race tempo and terrain intensity of MX is unrivalled. With MX tracks clustering so many technical features, riders can never relax and compose themselves. Every moment on an MX track is completely committed. Riders need to somehow find flow despite encountering a succession of technical features like jumps or, when it’ s rainy, the traction challenge of mud.
Zoe Botha revels in the challenge of MX racing, and she’ s only been racing for six years. At 18, she balances school with a committed riding and racing schedule. Her results prove commitment and natural talent.
Like many MX racers, Zoe’ s early inspiration was watching American events.“ I remember Raycin Kyler race and win on the 65s was incredibly inspiring to me and made racing in America feel like something I wanted to chase one day myself.” the best female riders in the world, including riders I had looked up to for years such as Charli Cannon and Lachlan Turner.“
South Africa has a proud history of local teenage MX riders who have gone overseas and become world champions as adults. Greg Albertyn was the trailblazer in the 1990s, followed by Grant Langston, who was a South African force in European and American MX during the 2000s.
Like the legendary riders who have gone before her, Zoe’ s moto ambitions are international, and specifically American.“ One of my biggest dreams is to race at Loretta Lynn’ s in the USA.”
Zoe knows that demanding tracks create the best riders. That’ s why she wants to ride and race at the most legendary MX tracks in Europe and America.“ I’ d also love the opportunity to ride and train at Lommel in Belgium, because of how demanding the deep sand is, and to spend time riding some of the legendary motocross tracks in Southern California.”
Global MX dreams
Despite being a teenager, Zoe’ s been a rider of reckoning in the South African ladies MX class. She became the 2024 Ladies Interprovincial Champion, finishing second overall in the 2025 South African National Ladies Championship, and representing South Africa internationally in Australia and Zimbabwe.
Overseas races are where Zoe has learned the most.“ One of the biggest opportunities I’ ve had so far was travelling to Australia to race internationally. I got to line up with some of
WORDS IN ACTION 36 SEPTEMBER 2026