Avalon Biddle to race the Rumi Moto3 machine for the Clay Paky sponsored
Sport Racing Engineering team in the 2014 Italian Championships
By Avalon Biddle Racing
05/02/2014
Avalon Biddle has accepted an offer to race for Sport Racing Engineering for the 2014 season. The team is based in Bergamo, Italy and design and build their own 250cc single cylinder four stroke Moto3 machine named the “Rumi’. The Italian Championship is a ten race series held over five weekends throughout April to September. The European championship will be a one-off event held in Spain on the 4th, 5th and 6th October. This will be Avalon’s third season racing in Europe and following on her previous solid results she expects to be battling it out amongst the tough competition.
Avalon says “The relationship with the team came about in 2012, my first year overseas, when I lived with Sarah and Oscar Rumi who used to run the well-known Rumi World Superbike team.” The Rumi’s connection with New Zealand started with Simon Crafer and Fred Merkel who both rode for the team, Merkel won the inaugural World Superbike Championship on a Rumi machine in 1988. Most recently the Rumi’s cousin Stefano Rumi ran a very successful 125gp team but two years ago decided to switch the team’s focus to developing the four stroke 250cc Moto3 with Sport Racing Engineering. The engine, chassis and all components on the motorcycle are precisely produced in-house to an extremely high standard – that of Grand Prix racing. The bike was revealed to the public in July 2013.
“When the curtain fell and the people applauded enthusiastically, we were instantly rewarded for all our efforts,” – says a touched Stefano Rumi. “Presenting such an important project in front of an audience of professionals was thrilling for the whole team. We have to thank Clay Paky for organizing this wonderful event, as well as for supporting us as a sponsor in the creation of the new engine.”
http://www.claypaky.it/en/news/clay_paky_inaugurates_the_new_rumi_moto3_sport_racing_engineering
“I finally persuaded Stefano to let me have a go on the brand new bike late last year and it went really well. The bike is still in really early stages of development, I was just the second person to ever ride it but already it felt good. In fact, I loved it and the team were great people to work with also.” An offer to ride the Rumi for the 2014 season followed her successful test.
Avalon will live between Spain and Italy during this season, working closely with Sport Racing Engineering developing the bike, but also visiting New Zealand organisation WIL Sport Management and following their endeavors in the World Superbike scene.
Throughout her eight years racing, Avalon has an extensive background in Grand Prix motorcycle racing at home and overseas. She spent four years racing 125gp machines and won the New Zealand Grand Prix and TT titles, as well as winning races in Australia and obtaining a wildcard entry into the World Championship MotoGP event at Phillip Island in 2011. She has been racing 600cc machines for the past two seasons, finishing 2nd in the 2012 Italian Women’s Championship and podium finishes in the open gender 2013 CBR600 Cup were she regularly finished in the top ten of a very competitive field of men. “After racing heavier 600cc machines in Europe for the past two years, I’m looking forward to this new challenge with the smaller and lighter Moto3. The races in the class are long and fierce, I will have to have my elbows out for sure, but I’m confident we can develop the bike and my riding level enough to run at the front end of the field in the Italian Championship” said Avalon.
Getting there isn’t easy though, “It’s been really hard work to get myself back to Europe this year. The level of racing over there is so much higher in every aspect, but unfortunately with that comes higher costs also. It costs over $70,000 to live and race a season in Europe. I have a lot of work ahead to find the funding necessary to make this year successful, but being able to race top notch machinery on top notch circuits at 230km an hour in front of crowds of 30,000 people makes all the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile!” says an exuberant Avalon.
Avalon Biddle Racing is seeking sponsors to partner with ABR to support her 2014 European racing season and join her on the journey to the world championship level in this exciting and loyally followed sport of motorcycle road racing.
Now is the chance to get involved with this courageous young sportswoman heading for the world stage!
For further information and interviews please contact:
avalonbiddleracing@gmail.com +64 21 468 379
https://www.facebook.com/avalonbiddleracing
Grand Prix motorcycles are purpose-built racing machines that are neither available for purchase by the general public nor can be ridden legally on public roads. This contrasts with the various production-based categories of racing, such as the Superbike World Championship, that feature modified versions of road-going motorcycles available to the public.