Olympic Hopeful Returns to Karting
| press release | 19 June 2013 |
| Tweet | |
RETURN TO KARTING PREPARES GOLDING FOR SKELETON TRAINING
Jessica Golding will take time out from her quest to represent Australia at the Winter Olympics in Skeleton to return to her karting roots for two major events starting this weekend with the Rotax Pro Tour in Ipswich.
The only female racer to have won a national karting Championship in over 20 years has joined forces with multiple Australian Champion, William Yarwood and his team Project X to race an Australian manufactured Monaco chassis in Rotax Light.
.jpg)
Above: Jess Golding on the ice run. She's making a return to karting at Pro Tour this weekend
pic - RJ Photography
“William has an incredible amount of experience, he is one of the best guys in the country in terms of getting a kart set up, he’s a winner and is continually determined to be at the front of the pack whether he’s behind the wheel or working with another driver,” said Golding. “He will go the extra mile to ensure that those he works with are at the front.”
A return to the racetrack forms a critical part of Jessica’s ‘off ice’ training program with her building fitness ahead of heading to Calgary in September to continue her goal of representing Australia at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the Skeleton - which can be best described as head first luge.
“There’s a lot of synergy between the two sports. Since my first skeleton test in Calgary earlier this year, I have been in the gym and focused on the strength and physical aspects to prepare for the next phase of my development.
“It is a good time to get back in the kart and race, as that will focus my attention back onto competition, which complements the program I’ve been working on. By doing two major events like the Pro Tour and the Rotax Nationals in late August, I’ll have my eye back in and will be ready to hit the ice at full speed.
“From a speed perspective, the sports are very similar. I can expect to be up to around 140kph behind the wheel of the kart just millimetres off the ground,” Golding explained “In Skeleton, again I will be just millimetres off the ground, but getting up to around 150kph.”
Training overseas and being close to the AIS Winter Sports program has brought out a real nationalistic passion in the Brisbane-based racer, hence a decision to race an Australian-made Monaco chassis in her karting comeback:
“To race in an Australian made chassis adds another element of interest for me. Training with people from all over the world and getting an insight to an Australian Olympic program makes me realise even more the level of pride that will come with wearing the green and gold on the international stage.
“I realise now more than ever what it means to be passionate about your country.
“Skeleton is absolutely my focus, but I hold a strong passion and interest for motorsport still.”
The Rotax Pro Tour will take place in twilight/evening this Friday and Saturday at Ipswich Kartway, Champions Way Willowbank.
The Rotax Nationals will be held at Puckapunyal, Victoria from August 29-31.
