Ladies to race A4DE

Ladies to race A4DE to gear-up for Portugal

Two weeks from today a record number of ‘fairer sex’ competitors will grace the start line of this year’s Hog’s Breath Cafe Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE).

Ten women from across the country will be vying for the Australian Championship Women’s crown at this year’s event, to be held at Orange (NSW) from April 16th to 19th.

A4DE organisers Phil Sargent (Dirt Bike Promotions) and Lyndon Heffernan (Detour Events) said the increase in women racers was partly due to Motorcycling Australia’s announcement of a Women’s Team for this year’s International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) to be held in Portugal in October.

The ISDE is the world’s biggest enduro motorcycle event, held in a different country every year.

Motorcycling Australia have been sending a Junior and Senior Trophy Team to the event for several years – the A4DE forms a large part of the selection criteria for the teams.

Australian Women’s Enduro and Off Road Champion, Alison Parker (Yamaha), will be a hot favourite for the 2009 A4DE Women’s Championship crown and a spot on the ISDE Women’s team.

“This year is significant for female riders as, for the first time in history, Motorcycling Australia will be selecting an Australian Women’s team for the ISDE in October and the selectors will be paying close attention to the women’s class at the A4DE,” Parker said.

“It is also the first time that an all-female enduro team will be competing, and I am proud to introduce to the A4DE community the Yamaha-backed Australian Women’s Enduro Development (AWED) team.”

Parker said she was “really looking forward” to the A4DE – her eighth in as many years.

“I grew up riding near Orange and am very excited to return to the region,” she said.

“Dirt Bike Promotions and Lyndon Heffernan form a great unit and I anticipate yet another memorable and world-class event from these organisers.”

Another favourite for the championship will be reigning Australian Women’s Motocross Champion, Kristy Gillespie (KTM), from Victoria.

Gillespie will be contesting her first A4DE and is also hoping to be selected to ride for her country at the ISDE in Portugal.

Also hoping to don the green and gold at this year’s ISDE is Jemma Wilson, from Brisbane (Yamaha), who will be another hot contender in the class after finishing 2nd to Parker last year.

“I want to win… I’ll be trying not to make any mistakes like I did last year when I rode my bike into a deep creek and lost 10-minutes,” Wilson said.

The A4DE consists of four days of grueling trail and six special test phases a day, equaling a total of about 30 hours and more than 1000kms on the machine. Riders must also complete a final motocross on day four.

The event boasts classes for any senior rider male or female from clubman to pro.

Organisers, Phil Sargent (Dirt Bike Promotions) and Lyndon Heffernan (Detour Events) said they were looking forward to a fantastic A4DE for riders, supporters and spectators.

Heffernan said they had secured Orange’s Warratah Sport’s Oval for ‘Parc Ferme’ (the staging area for riders and crew).

The final motocross for the event will be held on Sunday, April 19th, at the Australian National Field Day Site, Borenore Rd, Borenore.

For more information visit the official A4DE website: http://www.a4de.com

ENDS

A4DE Media: Leigh Hutton (Director, Shooting Star Media) – 0404 062 763

2009 A4DE Spectator Information:

Parc Ferme (event staging area)
Where: Warratah Sport’s Oval, Telopea Way, Orange
When: April 16th, 17th and 18th
What: Catch riders getting ready and leaving in the mornings from 7.30am to 9.30am and returning (see them working on their motorbikes, come get autographs, meet the riders and listen to interviews) in the afternoons from about 2pm to 5pm.
Entry: FREE

A4DE Final Motocross event
Date: April 19th, 2009
Venue: Australian National Field Day Site, Borenore Rd, Borenore
Time: 9.00am – 3.00pm
Ticket Prices: Adult – $15.00, Child – $8.00 (14yrs – Under), 5yrs & under – FREE Tickets available at the Gate.
Event Contact: http://www.a4de.com 0438 721024 or 0408 629730

Alison Parker.