GEELONG’s Danielle Foot took a step in the right direction when she competed in her first-ever senior meeting – the 2016 Shipwreck Coast 2-Day Open – on January 23-24 in Warrnambool.
The 16-year-old from Moriac was first overall in the Women’s Expert class, finishing with four race wins, and finished in 12th-place overall (out of 22 other male riders) in the Senior B Lites class.
On her first senior racing experience, the current two-time national junior motocross champion said: “I had some really good races and learnt a few things for the future. It was really exciting.
“The first gate drop was pretty nerve racking, but all my nerves went away after that, and I was getting into the hang of things and getting used to racing against the bigger girls and guys,” Danielle said.
On taking out the Women’s Expert class, Danielle was thrilled. “It was a small class of competitors to begin with but it was still really good to win it being my first senior meeting. I can’t wait for the Victorian Senior Motocross Championships where I will be competing in a much bigger class,” she added.
“The whole weekend was a definite confidence booster, especially competing against the bigger boys in the B Lites class. To achieve a top five finish in the last race was a huge confidence booster and winning the Women’s class outright definitely helped as well,” Danielle remarked.
Danielle will have her work cut out for herself as she plans to compete in all four rounds of the coveted Victorian Senior Motocross Championships, all rounds of a yet-to-be-decided motocross regional competition, the Hattah Desert Race, possibly the Finke Desert Race, and the Australian Women’s Motocross Championship to be contested in Coolum, Queensland on August 27-28.
“It’s going to be a big year that’s for sure. Being my first year in the senior ranks, I’m going to give competing overseas a bit of a miss, but I’m hopeful that next year I’ll be able to get back over to the US and try it out on the 250cc bike,” Danielle continued.
Ahead of the first round of the Victorian Senior Motocross Championships at Newborough on March 5-6, Danielle’s routine will consist of intensive practice and a lot of gym sessions. “I need to be able to get used to the bike a bit more.
“During the holidays, I struggled to get used to it, but after this weekend I sort of got a handle on it now and I’d just like to be consistent with it and get back into the season,” she added.
Danielle would like to thank Jades Oates of Oates MX, KTM Australia, Mototech Geelong, JC Suspension, Troy Lee Design, Pirelli, Will Max Graphics, Fist Handwear, Motul, and Johnny from Main Event Fitness, as well as her parents for all their amazing help.
You can follow Danielle’s progress through the year via her official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/danielle.foot.3?fref=ts