Out of the Blue: Carly Hill|Presented by Schrader Motors
By Jeff McConkey
‘Out of the Blue’ is brought to you by Schrader Motors. Give them a click to check them out.
Name: Carly Hill
Birthday: September 15th, 1996
Hometown: Fort St. John, BC
Occupation: Instrumentation Technician, currently taking my Level 3 at SAIT.
Number: 96
Bike: YZ250F
Race Club: Peace Motocross Association
Classes: In the Peace Motocross Association I race the Ladies class and MX2 Intermediate, and then the Women’s Pro.
Let’s get to know Fort St. John, BC rider, Carly Hill. – Grant Goss photo submitted by Hill
How did you get started in racing?
When I was 14, my little brother got a little 70cc Honda. My dad asked me if I wanted one too, but I did not because dirt bikes were for boys. My brother took a spill in our gravel driveway so he didn’t ride it again for a while, and I ended up riding his bike more than he did! After which my dad got me a TTR230. I got my best friend into riding and we went to the nearby mx track every day we could that summer, and I did enough begging that winter that my parents let me try racing the following summer.
As a little girl, did you ever expect to be this deep into a sport like motocross?
Absolutely not! I could have guessed being this passionate into badminton, volleyball, or horses. Growing up, my parents put me into everything, from the swimming team to the school wrestling team – I got to try just about everything!
Do you think motocross is harder for a female to compete in?
Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that it just does not have the support/magnitude that the male motocross scene has. Thankfully, there were some very dedicated, wonderful ladies that put on the nationals the last few years, or else I hear the Women’s Nationals could have died out. I think that there are less women that take up motocross, making our classes easier to place higher in comparison to men.
Who is your favourite rider and why?
Clint Toews #145. He is my favourite rider because he is one of the main people who introduced me to motocross in the first place, and always cheers me on during races! He has taken me riding many times, and always helps me work on my skills/form. On top on all that, he calms me down on the starting gate when I get too excited, and is the most upbeat, positive person I know.
Is there one lady racer out there that you think has paved the way for other girls to be successful in the sport?
I think there are many ladies that have “paved the way” for the rest of us girls, although I admire Ashley Folek most.
Carly’s favourite Canadian Pro rider is fellow Fort St. John rider, Matthew Davenport. – Sonja MacDougall photo (Photography by Sonja)
What Canadian Pro do you look up to and why?
Matthew Davenport. I look up to him because he is the most down to earth Canadian Pro I know.
What is your favourite track and why?
It is a toss up between Fort Nelson and Beaverlodge. Fort Nelson because the material on their track is phenomenal, Beaverlodge because the closest races I have ever had happened on that track. I got first place by 0.042 of a second in one particularly close race!
Who is your hero?
My dad. He is the hardest working person I know, and that means missing out on some of the races because he needs to be working on the farm. He has taught me a lot and supported my dreams. He is also my hero because of the level of his competitive nature; after I started racing it was not long and my brother and him got into it. Having never ridden on a motocross track, he decided at 55 years old that he was going to start, and he has pushed himself extremely hard since then to do his best at it.
What are your goals for this season?
My goals are to go completely injury free this season, place in the top 15 girls in Women’s Pro, and hold my own well in the MX2 Intermediate class in the PMA. Oh, and learn how to whip, of course !
What are your biggest accomplishments?
The accomplishments I am most proud of is when I raced and placed second in a AMSA race in Raymond last spring, where I raced a number of girls that I never have before, including; Danika White, Dominique Daffé, and Bailee Pozdnekoff. In 2012, I won Rookie of the Year, and in 2013 I won the Sportsmanship award, both of which I am quite proud of.
What is your favourite part about going to the races?
Part? Besides every aspect of it? Tough question (Laughs)! I love the people, the way it is one big family. Nothing beats the adrenaline and level of terrified I feel on the starting gates! When I see my friends/family cheering me on while I am racing, and the satisfaction of accomplishing a goal or not breaking a bone in a race, there are so many parts of racing that are my favourite.
Carly loves everything there is to love about riding motocross. – Sonja MacDougall photo (Photography by Sonja)
What do you like to do when you aren’t racing?
When I am not racing/riding that means that there must be snow on the ground or I am broken. If it is just snow in the way then I enjoy sledding and snowboarding.
Is it important to have a motocross racer as a boyfriend/partner, or just a bonus?
Bonus. More important is having common interests as well as similar goals in life. I do not think I could see someone that did not at least dirt bike, since I spend so much time with my bike in the summer that it would be a seasonal relationship otherwise. However, I feel like I would stress out if my boyfriend/husband were to race; motocross is not a safe sport!.
If you ever have children, will they be motocross racers?
I truly hope so! If they do not, I hope they would be very passionate about another sport/hobby.
Who do you want to thank?
I want to thank my work, CCT Controls in Fort St. John, for letting me take the time off in the last two years to make it to all the races, my parents for all that they have done in order to make motocross happen for me, as well as I’d like to thank all of the wonderful friends I have made because of motocross. PMA girls – you ladies are the best!
