Prumm joins Yamaha

From Yamaha Racing

Yamaha Motor Europe (YME) has announced a new partnership with current FIM Motocross Women's World Cup winner Katherine Prumm. The 19-year-old New Zealander will steer a YZ250F for 2008 and strive to add the first FIM female World Championship to the two World Cup titles she claimed in 2006 and 2007.

Prumm's union with Yamaha four months ahead of the inaugural FIM endorsed championship is a major coup as the women's competition will enjoy top billing alongside the MX1 and MX2 world series and embark on a five-round schedule as part of the 2008 Grand Prix campaign.

The Kiwi will work from the Dutch Van Beers Yamaha set-up in the paddock, alongside Aigar Leok (MX1) and Evgeny Bobryshev (MX2), using YRRD (Yamaha Rinaldi Research and Development) parts on her number one plated YZ250F.

"The move to Yamaha is really exciting for me," said the reigning champ. "It will be a whole new bike and new team and I am really looking forward to being part of the Yamaha environment. Yamaha is behind me 100% and I feel that they can give me the best chance of success in 2008."

"Yamaha is happy to see that the number of women riding and racing our machines is growing along with their interest and participation in off-road motorsport," commented YME Racing Division Manager Laurens Klein Koerkamp. "The upgrade of the FIM Women's World Cup to a World Championship is a good example of how the sport is progressing and we are very much looking forward to competing in this new class with Katherine as well as promoting women and motorcycling in general."

The 2008 calendar will see the ladies in action in Bulgaria, Italy, France, Germany and Holland. The first event will be at the Sevlievo circuit for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria on May 11.