MOTORCYCLING
PHOTOGRAPHY: IAN BOLDY
We’re speaking to local children and young people taking part in different sports across the area to ask about why they like to compete, what their goals are for the future and how others can give it a go in our ‘One to watch’ feature. Name Sport
Georgina Polden Motorcycling
i Georgina, tell us how you first got into motorcycling and how it came about? My Dad and Mum own a motorcycle shop, so you could say that I have been brought up with Motorcycles. My brother got me riding a PW50 and LT50 Quad as soon as I was able to ride a pushbike - I was around 4. I then progressed onto a Stomp pit bike and then when I was 10, I was bought a Kawasaki KX65 for Christmas and my Brother started taking me to Moto X. I progressed through the classes and took part in Weston Beach race when I was 13 on a Suzuki RM85 and managed to finish the race. At the end of 2012, I bought a Honda as I was going to take part in the GT Cup with my brother, I did the first few meetings but I wasn’t really enjoying it, so I asked my dad if I could try a Superteen Race. We chose Easter weekend 2013 at Donnington, it had snow on the edge of the track and it was really cold. In the second race I managed to get 3rd in the Nitro newcomers. I then had the decision to make Road Racing or Moto X and after speaking with my brother, I decided Road Racing was the path I wanted to follow. 2013 was a learning curve; my dad and brother would take me on track days to help with the corner speeds and I went to Spain on a track day with my brother just before the beginning of the season and everything fell into place from there. I started getting the results. I am still learning every race.
10
WWW.THEGAMEMAGAZINE.CO.UK
Your family are very much into the sport with your father and brother both racers…was this the main influence for your choice of sport that you wanted to pursue? I originally started off playing football in a boys team, then I got into a girls football team, but as I had started doing Moto X, I was finding it hard to do both things. Sometimes football would clash with Moto X meetings, so I had to choose and Moto X took preference. Congratulations on your recent win in the Aprilia Superteen Challenge, how does it feel to make history by becoming the first female to win this race? Sometimes it just feels so unreal that I have done this in such a male dominated sport, but when I am out on the track, being female doesn’t come in to it, I just give 110%. It’s something I enjoy and just want to succeed in. I feel proud of what I have achieved and hopefully it will encourage other girls to come into the sport. The Aprilia Superteens Challenge is a great series to start racing in with Thundersport GB Club. Where is your favourite race track? Favourite track is probably Anglesey or Assen which I recently rode for the 1st time with BSB, it is a fast and flowing track, which I love. Can you describe how it feels when you’re out racing? Words can’t really describe how it feels, it’s exciting knowing the speeds you can go around corners and a big thrill in getting your knee down and just racing. The buzz is just there every time I go out on the track, I enjoy every race. Which do you prefer, Motocross or Road Racing? I prefer Road Racing, I feel racing is closer and going at high speeds is a good feeling. I still enjoy Moto X, but I only do that for fun now. What other sports to you enjoy to watch or take part in? I enjoy cycling and going to the Gym. When I was at school, Badminton was always my favourite.
You’re a regular visitor to Poole and the surrounding area, where do you like to go when visiting? I love going down to the Harbour, especially on Tuesday nights in the summer when it is bike night. It’s fascinating to see so many different bikes. When I was younger, we used to go into Poole Pottery and paint pots and different plaques. I still have a plaque of a pig on a motorcycle that I painted there years ago. We would also go crab fishing on the Harbour. What are you training for next and what are your hopes and goals for the future? I’m training for next year’s season in the BSB Motul Motostar Championship. My hopes are to get a decent top 5 finish in the Championship and get a wild card ride in the Moto 3, Moto GP and then hopefully getting a full time ride with Moto GP. I have already had a podium finish in BSB at Thruxton where I finished 3rd In GP125 class. Finally, what would you say to other young people wanting to get into this sport? Get along to an ACU test course to get your road racing licence and then try the Aprilia Superteen class. I can guarantee that you will have so much fun. It’s a great series you can start at 12 years of age and the racing is so close. I always used to think that Road Racing was boring compared to Moto X until I had a go in the Superteens, now I look forward to every race. It’s hard to believe that 18 months ago, I just wanted to give Road Racing a try and now I have finished 2nd in the Superteen Championship and 1st in the girls Buff championship as well as racing in BSB in the Motul Motostar on a GP125 bike. If it’s something you have always dreamt of, whether you’re female or male, give it a try and I can guarantee you won’t look back. Thank you for talking to us, Georgina. We wish you continued success with your sport in the future. PHOTO: BONNIE LANE