‘KP' will be based in Britain for 2009
By TMX Archives on 13th Nov 08
KATHERINE Prumm, Women's World Cup champion in 2006 and 2007, will be racing out of the UK next year as she strives to regain her throne.The 20-year-old Kiwi (pictured left), whose hopes of the first official world championship crown were dashed last summer by injury, is back on a bike in New Zealand after her knee operation and is raring to go for Steve Dixon's Utag Yamaha team! Contracted to Yamaha Europe, KP's switch from the Dutch Van Beers team to the high-profile Yamaha UK team was not unexpected, and the move means that the team has two genuine candidates for world honours next summer.
KP showed that she is well on the road to recovery by winning all three motos of the WMX class at last weekend's Taupo International, in New Zealand, and is already looking forward to taking on the boys again in a few weeks – she was tenth in last year's NZ MX2 championship and the season in the southern hemisphere is just getting into its stride.
Zach Osborne, the sensation of Britain's domestic scene and the world arena during the closing weeks of the 2008 season, was already confirmed for Utag again in 2009, but what will come as a surprise is the likelihood of the 19-year-old taking on the MX1 elite in the Maxxis British championship.
Steve Dixon: "It is nearly 100 per cent sure Zach will ride the MX1 class in the UK as it will give him some something fresh and different to ride in England and it also means the team will not have three riders in the same class. Zach enjoys riding any bike so it won't affect his assault on the World MX2.”
Indeed the dynamic Virginian proved this already at the Nations when he single-handedly swept Puerto Rico into the main programme with a stunning chase through the field during his Saturday qualifier.
Zach is currently home in the USA and he will be joined during the winter for intensive preparation before the new season by his two young team-mates – Mel.
Dixon: "It was a big blow to us losing Kenneth Gundersen when he was forced to end his career, and by the time he made the decision all of the major players were fixed up, but Zach has a realistic chance of winning the World MX2 title so we will put our effort into him and give him the best shot we can. We did not want to have two foreign riders as our main players so we have decided to put a big effort into Mel Pocock over the winter and put him alongside Zach in MX2.
"Mel has only just turned 16 and with five-months work over the winter and the pressure of qualification out of the window, I think Mel can progress well to be a top MX2 rider from Britain. Remember in 2010 we lose all the over 23-year-olds in the MX2 GPs so we must invest in our youngsters or Britain will have no one.
"I have also drafted in young Edward Allingham to do the British MX2 and most of the European Championship rounds. All three riders will train together in the US at Zach's base.”
Also working out of the awning at the seven rounds of the WMX series will be Megan Lewis. Dixon: "While Megan will still continue to fund her way to the GP's I will give them all the help I can because I see the commitment that the family put in every day. It reminds me of the privateer days even though they are a bit over-powering some times!”
Zach Osborne (left) chats with Utag Yamaha boss Steve Dixon.