A super-fast Shrewsbury starlet has crowned an unforgettable year in the world of motocross with a resounding triumph in a prestigious national event, to the delight of her tyre sponsors at Bridgestone.
Seventeen year-old Silje Otte has put her name firmly on the motorsport map following her success in the Girls National competition at Maismore in Gloucestershire.
She competed in a total of five races around the challenging track, and was rarely troubled by a field made up from the best young female racers in the UK. Silje had a superb event winning four of the five races convincingly, one by almost 30 seconds.
Bridgestone, the world’s largest tyre manufacturer, decided to support Silje’s efforts with a supply of its latest Battlecross X30 tyres which are building a great reputation for themselves around the UK.
Bridgestone’s Sales and Training Development Manager Mark Fereday being the first to praise the youngster for her achievement.
He said: “We knew what an amazing talent Silje is, but to win the Girls National by such a huge margin even surprised us at one point.
“She just kept extending and extending her lead in the races and once she hit the front in race two, there was no looking back for her.
“Considering the pressure she puts herself under and the fact that this was the pinnacle of girls’ motocross in the UK, Silje’s performance was incredible.”
Her achievement was all the more impressive after the Heath Farm teenager broke both of her wrists in a motocross accident a few years ago.
Her mum Lone said: “Yes it is scary, especially at the start. My heart is pounding like crazy when I am watching her, but she keeps on getting better and better.
“She did have an accident and took a year off the bike, but you could tell how much she was missing it, and the smile you see on her face when she is riding now is such an uplifting sight.
“She absolutely loves it and I couldn’t be happier for her. I am unbelievably proud.”
As if all this wasn’t enough, Silje also finished fifth in the almost all-male Bridgestone BSMA Clubman’s Series.
She said: “Riding with the guys in the Clubman’s Series definitely brought me on as a rider and I think this showed in the Girls National at the end.
“I was so nervous as I had built the event up in my mind for a really long time. It was the one I wanted to win more than anything else, so to do it was a special feeling.”
The entire Bridgestone Battlecross range is currently available as part of our amazing trade-only tyre and tube deal, which has proved so popular that we have plans to extend this into 2016.
Find out more about the Battlecross X30 from Bridgestone here.
