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The official race report service of Kawasaki Racing Team.

WMX, MXGP OF SWITZERLAND - FRAUENFELD, Switzerland, 10 April 2023

GP for Courtney Duncan and red plate for Lotte van Drunen

Big Van World MTX Kawasaki's Courtney Duncan took victory in the Swiss round of the FIM World WMX Women’s Motocross Championship while Kawasaki colleague Lotte van Drunen secured the series points lead.

The New Zealander needed just a couple of turns to move into second place in the second moto of the weekend at a significantly faster Frauenfeld track after workers had bulldozed Saturday's heavy ruts. A missed shift at the end of the lap temporarily cost her one position and she was content to settle into a good rhythm in a tightly-bunched leading trio before an inside-pass on lap three once again make second her own. With her twentieth career GP victory secure and few opportunities to make a further move she settled for second in moto to move to second in the championship standings, just one point shy of the series leader.
 
Courtney Duncan: "I was in my element on Saturday - I love long ruts and tricky conditions - but there weren't heaps of lines this morning and everyone could go fast after they bulldozed the track. I made a pretty good start but it was more difficult to make a difference. I was trying my best to win again but it just didn't happen; it was a little frustrating but we racked back good points in the championship this weekend and won the overall. Twenty career GP wins is awesome - I'm stoked - and I'm confident heading to Spain next month."
 
A fall had restricted fellow Kawasaki rider Lotte van Drunen to fifth place in the first moto on Saturday but the fifteen-year-old Dutch girl made no mistakes on Monday morning with a clear holeshot and led throughout the twenty-minute-plus-two-lap race to claim the second moto-victory of her young career by nine seconds. The win also ensured second overall over the weekend and, even more significantly, secured the series red-plate as championship leader.
 
Lotte van Drunen: "My first red-plate - it's amazing. I enjoyed the track already on Saturday and my riding was good but it was difficult to pass and I ended up crashing. But straight after the finish I told my dad I was going to win today. I'm not really thinking about the championship yet this year; I just want to get on the podium every weekend and see first how the season develops."
 
With 1-2 in the individual points standings Kawasaki has also established a healthy lead in the Manufacturers' Championship as the series heads to Spain for round three on May 6/7.