Kiwi Rider January 2022 Vol.2 | Page 55

the Kiwi ahead on count-back ) for 2017 . Fontanesi won the title that year , with Lancelot finishing runner-up and then Duncan and Van de Ven behind them – with just three points to separate the quartet . Duncan finished fourth overall in the world rankings the following season ( 2018 ), after a foot injury – suffered during a non-WMX race between the GPs – forced her to withdraw while she was leading the championship and all with just four races ( the final two rounds of six in that 2018 season ) left to go . The eventual top five ( in order ) for 2018 were Fontanesi , Ven de Ven , Larissa Papenmeier , Duncan and then Steffi Laier . It ’ s interesting to note that both Papenmeier and Laier had been title contenders in the Prumm era too , the German pair having raced at the top level for most of the previous decade . The following season things brightened considerably for Duncan when she , surprisingly , switched bike brands . Holding the main trophy aloft at the end of 2019 made up for all of those earlier disappointments . And her successful title defences in 2020 and 2021 were obviously very special too . Duncan switched from blue to green for 2019 , joining the Steve Dixon-run DRT Kawasaki Racing Team , operated out of England , and she suddenly cracked it , becoming women ’ s world champion for the first time that year . And what a way to do it ... with nine wins from 10 starts in 2019 . So comprehensive was Duncan ’ s WMX campaign in 2019 that she wrapped up the five-round competition with a race to spare , completing a 1-1 sweep of the final round in Turkey that September . It was a year of redemption and resurrection for the then 23-year-old Duncan , the Otago rider celebrating her Kawasaki debut that season by finally achieving her lifelong dream . Duncan had headed to Turkey for the final round with a whopping 23-point advantage over her nearest rival , Papenmeier . She qualified fastest and knew that a win in the first race in Turkey would give her the world title with a race to spare . She took no risks on the opening lap but she had already taken over third place ahead of her title rival on the opening lap and , two laps
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