Jacqueline Ross makes it a near perfect season – Sarah Whitmore wins final round
 
Jacqueline Ross capped off the Suzuki Women’s National Championships with a first moto win to secure the title at Sand Del Lee in Richmond, Ontario on Sunday. The KTM Royal Distributing rider carded third in the second moto to snare second overall, making it a near perfect season for the Palm Bay, Florida native.
 
“I’m thrilled with my championship win and I really enjoyed racing in Canada, great people, great organization and the competition kept me on my toes,” said Ross. “The tracks were a bit different from what I’m used to back home and some were quite a challenge for me.”
 
In the final showdown of the championship, Ross bowed to fellow American Sarah Whitmore who won the overall on the strength of 2-1 motos. Suzuki mounted Whitmore played no role in the championship, however, as she only campaigned the first and last round. The Cheboygan, Michigan native was the only rider on the circuit to beat Ross in the five round series this season.
 
Ross, who needed just a few points to clinch the title if her closest rival, Heidi Cooke, won both motos, displayed championship form by putting her stamp on the first moto after battling back and forth with Whitmore. Although it looked like Whitmore was going to take the checkered first, a last lap pass by Ross saw her take the win instead. Kawasaki’s Cooke proved to be the first Canadian across the finish line in third place.
 
In the second moto, Ross took satisfaction with a third place finish while Whitmore cruised to a win to claim the overall for the day. Brookfield, NS’s Cooke was again the fastest Canadian on the track, this time recording second place which saw her seal the podium with third overall. In the final tally, Cooke snared runner-up in the championship with 194 points to Ross’s 242.
 
London, Ontario’s Jolene Van Vugt took her Blackfoot Racing Suzuki to a third place in the championship with 179 points. Aylmer, Ontario’s Jocelyn Killough, who substituted on Team Suzuki Rockstar Energy OTSFF for an injured Missy Hackett, recorded fourth in the championship with 173 points. Calgary’s Jessica Foster (Kawasaki) cemented the top five with 158 points.