The second season of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) kicked off on April 11. With three different riders winning the first four races, Maria Herrera is leading but not yet dominating the championship. We continue with our WorldWCR Special Series of riders’ interviews. Today, we give you the the story of Avalon Lewis, veteran rider from New Zealand.
All photos © Avalon Lewis unless otherwise noted
Among the 24 full-time riders in the 2025 WorldWCR line-up, Avalon Lewis (née Biddle) is one of the few riders who enters the championship with an already illustrious career. Having won the European Women’s Cup twice, and having raced in the WorldSSP300, Avalon is no stranger to the World Championship level of competition. Hailing from New Zealand, her journey in motorcycling traces all the way back to her weekends with her speedway bike rider dad Keith. “My dad was really into all forms of motorsport. He taught me how to ride initially. My older brother and I did local races on our dirt bikes and we all did trail rides as a family. When my Dad started riding at the local go-kart track, I was itching to give it a go. I had to wait until I turned 13 though. After about 3 months on the go-kart track I was faster than him!”
As soon as I tried racing on tarmac I loved it – I like the feeling of speed, the combination of bike & rider working together. It combines mental, physical, mechanical and technical aspects all into one sport.
Like many other riders from outside of Europe, after early success in local races, to compete in the top level of motorcycling, Avalon moved to Europe in 2012 at the age of 19. It’s never easy for any rider to make this step, and it was even more complicated for Avalon. “My first years racing overseas were incredibly lonely. I first went to Italy to race in 2012 and in that year my dad was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. When I arrived home at the end of the season, he only survived for 14 days before he passed away. I was so determined to keep living the dream that we had started together, that I kept working and racing immediately to try to fund more years racing in Europe. It was exhausting and really sad that we couldn’t share the experience together anymore.”
My dad mostly taught me about mindset, preparation, sponsors and things to do with the motorcycle.
By 2019, years of experience in Europe culminated in a triumphant victory at the New Zealand Supersport 600 Championship back home – a feat she initially doubted, which made it even more rewarding. “Riding 600cc supersport bikes is really physical when you are only 5 foot tall! I never, ever thought I would be competitive on a 600cc. I didn’t really take to it like a duck to water when I first moved into the class. It took so many years and putting together so many pieces of a puzzle to ride within a second of the lap records in New Zealand on these bikes. Eventually I was able to do that and win a championship which was very satisfying.”
With Avalon’s previous successes, she should’ve been one of the marque names in the inaugural season of WorldWCR. However, the championship didn’t come in the most convenient of time, and she had to opt for only one wildcard entry at Cremona. “My son was born in November 2023, so I wasn’t really prepared for a full season in 2024. We finally got a wildcard accepted for Cremona just a few weeks before the event. It was a lot to organise in a short timeframe, but luckily I had long-term supporters Ken Dobson, Carl Cox, Aaron Slight and a few others on my side who helped make it happen.”
During her pregnancy, Avalon was off the bike for 15 months. But with a long career as a solid baseline to start with, Avalon quickly came back to form, and stunned audiences with respectable 8th and 5th finishes in the two races at Cremona. “I started with 20 minutes a day and built up to some 45-minute sessions, trying to be consistent by training most days of the week. It’s a juggle when you have a baby to care for! Then I rode a motorbike twice before the wildcard last year. The races reminded me how great the race tracks are in Europe – they are so wide and smooth and safe. It’s just really fun. The WorldWCR riders are all super friendly!”
The wildcard entry placed Avalon in a nice position. But to see how good she is compared to the best in the world such as Maria Herrera, Beatriz Neila, and Sara Sanchez, there is only one way – compete in a full season of the championship. So Avalon applied for the 2025 season as a full-time rider. In the first two rounds, she already proved that she can compete among the leading group, but there is still a small gap between her current result and her expectations. “I was hoping to battle for the podium places and came close at Assen, but in Cremona I had to settle for a top 5 on Sunday. I have a lot more experience than I think most people realise so I do have high expectations for myself. Despite winning two European Women’s Cup seasons, I don’t really feel very satisfied with my previous results in Europe and if I could consistently battle for the top 3 spots in the WorldWCR or win a race! I would be more content.”
A big shout out to my WorldWCR team – Carl Cox Motorsport. It’s been a massive effort to pull this team together and we really appreciate everyone making it happen – our sponsors and the whole NZ motorcycle community who have helped with our fundraising to get to where we are.
With a small child to care for, keeping up with the training and racing on top of her work demands meticulous time management. “I try to wake up early – like super early – and go to the gym before Nash wakes up. Then I hang out with him or drop him to daycare while I work in the office. If it’s my day off, we go out and about, then while he naps I try to send emails, engage with social media and organize racing things or do some more training. Anything that I can’t get done during the day, I try to squeeze in the evenings before going to bed. Approximately every second weekend we are away for racing, or my husband Jake is away for work, so any ‘routine’ goes out the window and we just make the day up as we go along!”
It’s not always the best preparation for racing, but I’m not a perfectionist so I can deal with it and simply try to do the best I can in all situations.
Throughout her career, Avalon has raced in New Zealand, across the pan Pacific region, and in Europe. She has raced against men and among women. With this rich experience, she has witnessed the evolution of motorsport from different perspectives. “New Zealand has always been really open and encouraging of women in motorcycle racing. I’ve never felt discriminated against or hindered because I am a woman. For women internationally, I think the internet has opened up the visibility of women in the sport and encourages more females to get involved which is great. The WorldWCR also gives exposure to more women competing at the highest level and the media coverage assists us in finding sponsorship which is always the toughest part of racing! I know a few people aren’t too keen on the women’s championship, but it does open up the possibility for women to become world champions. The option is still there to compete against the men if you wish. Some young girls are doing a great job of that in RedBull Rookies Cup and the European Talent Cup – I’d love nothing more than to see them go all the way into MotoGP!”
With the Donington Park round on the horizen, we wish Avalon all the best of luck in the rest of the season and beyond. Hopefully we see her on the podium very soon!
The 2025 WorldWCR Calendar
1. Dutch Round, TT Circuit Assen – 11-13 April
2. Acerbis Italian Round, Cremona Circuit – 2-4 May
3. Prosecco DOC UK Round, Donington Park – 11-13 July
4. Hungarian Round, Balaton Park Circuit* – 25-27 July
5. French Round, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours – 5-7 September
6. Spanish Round, Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto – 17-19 October
* Subject to homologation
Paddock Sorority 
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