CRUDEN BAY GIRL JOINS MOTOCROSS SENIOR RANKS
Hannah going flat out to join world’s elite
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Cruden Bay youngster Hannah McLeod has set her sights on the motocross world championship after making an early leap up to the senior ranks.
The 16-year-old former Ellon Academy pupil will compete in the women’s British championship and a select number of FIM s world championship rounds after a sparkling 2008.
Last year she claimed a top-six spot in the Scottish moto-cross ladies’ championship and also finished runner-up in the women’s British championship.
Now the trainee motorcycle technician, who works at Dennis Irvine Superbikes in Aberdeen, is looking to continue her ascent this season, all the way to the world championship.
Motocross is a type of motorcycle sport or all- terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits.
She said: “Last year was amazing. I moved up to the adult class early, which meant I was able to compete at a much higher level.
“It has been a tough challenge, but one I have thoroughly enjoyed.
“I am hoping I can achieve results in 2009 on my Dennis Irvine DEC KTM 150 SX that will take me on to the world circuit full time.
“I would really like to compete in the world champion-ship for a full season and I am determined to be finishing in the top ten in the world in the next few years.”
Hannah has been hooked on riding motorcycles since she was 12. She said: “I really loved learning to ride a motorcycle and it was not long before I started racing
“My dad took my brother and I to various local events and then I began competing in the Scottish champion-ship.”
Meanwhile Aberdeenshire racing car driver Ryan Sharp has his final competitive event for JetAlliance in the Dubai 24 Hours today hoping for a winning swansong.
The Austrian outfit announced this week, due to the global downturn, it will be withdrawing from the FIA GT series.
It is a blow for Newtonhill-based Sharp, who has won seven races with the team in two seasons, helping them to a second place title finish in 2007.
“I am quite confident I will get everything tied up with a new team shortly,” he said.
“This will be my last race for JetAlliance although there may be some one-off races in the future with their Porsche, but not in FIA GT.
“I have no problem with the team at all. It has been a great two years.”
Sharp, who will partner team owner Lucas Lichtner Hoyer and Alex Muller, tackled the Dubai 24 Hours event last year.
Unexpectedly, the race was memorable for torrential rain. He is sure teams will be better prepared for the ele-ments this time and said: “We were there for six days last year and it rained for four of them. No one had enough wet tyres with them but it will be different this time.
“We have a good car and driver line-up so we are hopeful of a good result.”
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