Courtney Duncan

When Courtney Duncan's heart began to fail in February 2025, the most successful female motocross racer on the planet faced an enemy she could not ride through. A diagnosis of pericarditis — inflammation of the sac surrounding her heart — forced the four-time FIM Women's Motocross World Champion into a decision that would have devastated most athletes: sit out the entire 2025 WMX World Championship season. No races. No rounds. No chance to defend her crown.

For a rider who had dominated the Women's Motocross World Championship with four titles (2019, 2020, 2021, 2023) and 42 race wins across her WMX career, the enforced absence was unthinkable. Duncan had won 23 overall round championships out of the 40 rounds she had contested — a win rate that put her in a class of her own. She debuted the WMX World Championship in Qatar in 2016 as a 17-year-old unknown and won two races on that very first weekend. The trajectory was set: Courtney Duncan would become the standard bearer for women's motocross worldwide.

The South Island Story

Born and raised on the South Island of New Zealand, Duncan came from a motorsport family but forged her own path on two wheels. By age seven she was riding motocross bikes, competing in junior classes and developing the mental toughness that would define her career. She raced against male competitors throughout her childhood in New Zealand and Europe, building a competitive edge that translated seamlessly to the international WMX stage.

Her first Qatar appearance in 2016 announced her arrival: two wins in two races, a statement that the New Zealand kid with the green bike and fearless style was here to stay. Over the next eight years, Duncan would accumulate an astonishing record — four world titles in eight seasons, an 57.5% win rate across her overall round appearances (23 wins in 40 appearances), and a reputation as the most consistent, most dangerous competitor in women's motocross.

2025: The Year of Silence

When pericarditis struck in early 2025, Duncan faced an impossible situation. Medical clearance was denied for competition. The 2025 season unfolded without her — a full calendar of rounds that played out across the global Women's Motocross World Championship. Younger competitors rose up, new champions emerged, but everyone in the paddock understood the same thing: Courtney Duncan's seat was empty, but the championship would not feel complete without her return.