Courtney Duncan tells all to Backflips

By the way, the just turned 17-year-old scooped the Senior 125cc class at the first round of the Backflips New Zealand Senior Motocross Nationals in Timaru last weekend, she looks perfectly ready. 

So obviously a good result at Round 1 of the Backflips New Zealand Senior Motocross Nationals, walking away with the win in the 125cc class, can you tell me how the day went for you?

The day started off really well. In qualifying I put four seconds on the next rider. The first race I went really good. I won the race by 35 seconds so that was cool. The second race I crashed on the first lap and came from way back to finish second. In the last Moto I got the holeshot but put it down and came back to third.

In that second moto, you were a long way back, what was going through your mind?

I thought this will be a tough ride. It took me soo long to get going. By the time I got going I was facing the wrong way but I just kept picking them [riders] away. I knew it was a long Moto, 20 minutes plus one lap so I just kept plugging away right to the end. I just kept thinking I have got to get them. I didn’t know I got second until I went over to my crew after the race. I didn’t believe them to start with but I knew it was a strong ride.

So the New Zealand motocross industry is blowing up with a rumour you’re heading back to America?

You kept that quiet. Yeah we are. We wanted to keep it quiet and not put it out there until this weekend was over. If we are going to make it we need to get over there now. I have been working with a few people in the states to get organised. Obviously the big thing is Loretta Lynn's so we’re going to go to the qualifiers and the Spring Creek Nationals in March. It’s a pity it cuts into the New Zealand Senior Nationals but opportunities to race in the states don’t come up very often so you have to take them.

So will you be racing against boys or just in a girls’ class?

I will be racing both girls and boys. The more classes the better over there because it is more track time.

A lot of pros talk about the sacrifices they have had to make in order to become a professional rider, as a 17-year-old what sacrifices have you made and how do you feel about having to give stuff up for motocross?

For sure, I think every kid my age is out partying and drinking. There has been so many top kids come through and get distracted by that. I will definitely do it one day but I want to achieve all of this first. I’m just focused on it [motocross]. My family has sacrificed basically everything. I have got this far I am not going to chuck it in. Training and riding comes first in life. It’s what I do 24/7. I like to think of it as my job.

So taking you back to the Backflips New Zealand Senior Motocross Nationals for a minute, what were your goals heading into that first round? You had never raced a senior event at national level.

The goal was to win and that was that. I’m going to the States and I needed to make a statement. I didn’t tell anyone I wanted to win but I knew it myself. I knew there was pressure but I like the pressure so that was fine. I really wanted to come out on top. I wanted to leave for the States on the top of the podium.

Well done on accomplishing that, now what are your goals heading to the States?

I’m just going over there to give it everything I’ve got. I am going to put everything forward. Whatever happens, wherever I end up I know I will have given it my all.

Cheers for your time tonight Courtney, good luck in America.

Thankyou for calling.

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