Nicole Lynch set to make motorbike racing history at European Junior Cup this weekend – Motorsport.ie
On Sunday 3rd April 2016, motorbike racer Nicole Lynch from Clondalkin in Dublin will make history when she debuts in the WIL Sport European Junior Cup in Spain. She is the first Irish female rider to ever be selected for the competition, which is held at eight of the European rounds of the FIM Motul World Superbike Championship. Nicole will be competing in Spain, Germany the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Italy and France from April to October 2016, returning to Ireland after each round.
Nicole is one of only six female riders racing in year’s Cup and she said, “I’m delighted and so excited to be involved in such a big global event. The Championships have many big name riders, but because they are in the minority, I’m told that the female racers usually attract a lot of interest from the media and the scouts. It will give me an opportunity to try and prove myself and help me to pursue my dream of becoming a professional motorbike racer. It’s going to be tough and challenging as the standard is very high, no matter what happens, taking part will be the experience of a lifetime. “
In a new initiative launched in 2015, to encourage more participation in the sport, Nicole and her female rivals will also be racing to take the Women’s European Cup trophy, presented to the overall highest scoring female competitor in the Junior Cup. To ensure that the focus is on talent, the European Junior Cup is a one-make class; each rider is provided with an identical, race-prepared Honda CBR 650F and individual technical support at each venue. They can also bring their own mechanic but to prevent any illegal modifications, all machines are kept by the organiser and transported from race to race.
Nicole commented, “Because of the way the European Junior Cup is set up, the first time that I will actually get to even sit on my race bike will be two days before my first race! However, Cotter Motorcycles in Ballymount have been brilliant, they stepped in and provided me with a 2015 version of the exact bike on which I’ve been practising hard for the past few months.”
The European audiences for the Championships run into the millions with live TV and extended highlights coverage on British Eurosport, Channel 4, Eurosport (Pan-Europe) as well as stations in Spain and Italy where the sport is hugely popular.
“Taking part in the Cup is costing in excess of €50,000 and there are still plenty of opportunities for a sponsor to become involved and benefit from the exposure that this event attracts”, said Nicole, who provides regular updates to her growing audience on her Facebook, twitter and Instagram accounts in addition to writing a monthly diary since 2015 for Bike Buyers Guide, Ireland’s largest bike magazine.
Nicole said, “I wouldn’t have made it half this far without the support of my family and the wider motorcycling community. I want to thank the following for their sponsorship and support; Cotter Motorcycles, Medlar Racing, Barton Construction, 4SR, Motorcycling Ireland (MCI), MRC, Fingal Motor Club, VoyagerIP, Strength & Fitness Westside, Premier Performance Nutrition and Bike Buyers Guide.”
Nicole is committed to pursuing a career as a professional motorbike racer and has devoted every minute outside her full-time job of childminder to three young children to learning and developing her racing skills. Riding bikes since she was four years old, she has been racing since 2014 with numerous podium finishes under her belt. In 2015, she made her solo debut in the Adelaide Masters Series, racing her Suzuki SV650cc in the Production Twins class. Her family is steeped in the sport; dad Paddy raced in the early eighties, both her older brothers’ race and one of them, Dylan, has won the Irish Sidecar Racing Championship eight times.
Follow Nicole’s progress every month in Bike Buyers Guide, on www.europeanjuniorcup.com, www.facebook.com/NicoleLynchRacing; twitter: @NicoleLynch91, Instagram: @nicolelynchracing
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