Elena Rosell not make the Americas. Times have changed. Now the north in the compass of the sport often look to Asia or the Middle East. Especially in Qatar, the country’s few pop up in the Emirates. There has traveled the Valencian rider to realize his move to Qatari team Motorcycling Federation, with which he played the full schedule next season in the Moto2 class. In this he and his first steps this year at the hands of Jorge Martinez Aspar.
It started as a gift unpretentious, tasty snack for Elena, which premiered at the World Cathedral, Assen, without success. He fell several times and failed to qualify for membership in the Moto2 grid. But it ended up becoming a lottery jackpot for her. Elena compete within the structure to replace the pilot Qatari local partner Al Naimi as Ricky Cardus, Cardus Tiriti nephew, which ran in the 2011 with the Middle Eastern team.
His first venture, controversial, some saw the opportunity to Aspar a pure marketing maneuver, was a small setback for Rosell, who could not hold back the tears after a failed attempt to be the first Spanish woman to compete in a World Cup. Then came a second chance, Alcaniz. In familiar territory, Elena managed to finish his first race and into the history of motorcycling. Valencia went even better, the event that put an end to the season and which ended in a creditable 25 th place ahead of some World Cup.
This triathlete at heart, also take part in the brief history of sports in Qatar, a country that always closed its borders, along with Brunei and Saudi Arabia, for their women to participate in the Olympics. At least until the London Games in 2012, and now the eastern country to let the rider deck Dalma Rushdi Malhas participate as a gesture of openness.
Pilot ‘nationalized’
Elena could be the first to defend the flag of Qatar into a major international event and a global sport with much acceptance. Especially in a city like Doha, which hosted the first event of motorcycles in the Middle East and also in unpublished form: in a fully lighted circuit to the races at night.
Thus, the pilot will be the first Spanish Manises to complete one-fourth World Women Championship in 50 years, following the departure of Poensgen Katja, a German who ran in 2001 and 2003 in the 250cc class. Previously, the Finnish Riina Taru succeeded, in 1989, adding 23 points in the 125cc class. Same as Tomoko iGate, Japan, in the same category in 1995.