The Rookie Cup, formally known as the UAE Sportbike Championship, is a racing series for motorcyclists based in the region. It is held throughout the winter season and is run by the Dubai Autodrome Sports Club on different configurations of the circuit. This season’s winner is Lara Pepler, who is the first female rider sponsored in this championship.
Lara hails from South Africa and is the current Ducati Owners Club President. Being the only rider to be sponsored by a motorbike manufacturer in the UAE championship this year, she pulled a lot of attention, which was widespread among many motorcycling enthusiasts thanks to the social media.
Speaking about Lara’s win, Joel O’Brien, General Manager of Ducati UAE, said, “Despite a late start to the season, the Ducati team competed with determination, dedication and teamwork. Lara has been a great brand ambassador for Ducati since 2010, and this win demonstrates not only her skills as a “Ducatista” but the increasing appeal sportbikes are having among women.”
Ducati motorcycles are distributed in the UAE by Revolution Accessories LLC, owned by the Al Masaood Group. Established in 2010, the Ducati Owners Club UAE (Desmo) has seen a continuous growth over the years. The members meet on a weekly basis in cafes for meetings and every Friday morning the group rides together on pre-planned routes around the region. The Revolution Accessories dealership fully supports the Club and sponsors events and activities for the Club such as First Aid Training and Advanced Rider Training.
Lara’s win happened at a perfect timing as the annual World Ducati Week is also fast approaching. This year’s event is expected to be the gigantic one ever because Ducati will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Monster at the event. Apart from various other activities, Ducati has also scheduled the Ducati Garage Contest which is only limited to customised Ducati Monster.
It will have two main phases, an online selection of one or more photos of the creation sent along with the compiled entry form (available from the website) to the concerned people by 30 May. A jury of experts will select the 10 specials that will be exhibited at Misano. The second part of the contest will take place at WDW 2018. The 10 specials selected will be exhibited for the duration of the event in a dedicated and protected area.
