LOTTE VAN DRUNEN: YOUNGEST EVER WMX CHAMP!

What a week for world-class women’s sport – especially its teenagers. Just a matter of days after 18-year-old American, Caitlin Simmers, won the 2024 Women’s Surfing World Championship (WSL) crown in Southern California, 17-year-old Dutch charger, Lotte Van Drunen, held her nerve at the final round of the FIM Women’s World Motocross Championship (WMX) in Turkey to clinch the 2024 WMX title. Not surprisingly, both were the youngest athletes in their respective sports to etch their names into the world title record books.

The Yamaha-mounted Van Drunen won three GPs and five motos en route to her maiden world championship and had such a buffer heading into the final race, she only needed a top-five finish to secure the covered silverware ahead of a stacked field of much more experience female riders.

“It’s unbelievable. I was nervous at the beginning of the race because it was so muddy out there today. But I’ve done it,” an ecstatic Van Drunen said after wrapping up the title and celebrating with her De Baets Yamaha MX-Team. “I’m still so young, so it’s unbelievable. I don’t think there are very many 17-year-olds that can say they are a World Champion, so this is something that I will never forget.

“I want to give a big thanks to my dad because he’s the man behind all this. And thanks to my mom, my brother, my friends and family, my team, my trainers, everybody supporting me. This is crazy! Dreams do come true. That’s what we can see now. It’s been quite a great season. I’ve had some bad results, but I’ve also had really good results. I’m really proud of myself and everybody around me, because without them this would have never been possible,” Van Drunen went on to say.

Making her second cameo appearance at a round of the FIM Women’s World Motocross Championship was three-time and reigning Australia Women’s MX Champion, Charli Cannon. The ever-gritty 20-year-old Aussie yet again turned plenty of team manager heads with her fiercely contested 5-4 moto finishes for fourth Overall at the Turkish GP, lending weight to rumours she’ll be offered a full-time ride in Europe for. Here’s hoping!