Out of the Blue | Oriana Fraser | Presented by Schrader’s

Out of the Blue | Oriana Fraser | Presented by Schrader’s

By Jeff McConkey

‘Out of the Blue’ is brought to you by Schrader’s.

Name: Oriana Fraser

Birthday: April 30th, 2002

Hometown: Ladysmith, BC

School & Grade: Ladysmith Secondary School, grade 9

Number: 49

Bike: 2016 Husqvarna TC 150

Race Club: CMRC

Classes: Ladies, Junior B, Schoolboy

This week’s ‘Out of the Blue’ column features Ladysmith, BC rider, #49 Oriana Fraser | Bigwave photo

How did you get started in racing?
My brother actually started racing first, and gradually got me into the sport. To be honest, at first I thought motocross was pretty dumb, but very soon it was in my blood.

As a little girl, did you ever expect to be this deep into a sport like motocross?
When I was little, I just wanted to drive the car, and to be honest, I didn’t even know what a dirt bike was. At that point, I never would have guessed I would race motocross, or even ride, let alone to this extent.

At first, Oriana admits, she thought motocross was dumb, but now it’s in her blood | Bigwave photo

Do you think motocross is harder for a female to compete in?
I could say yes, I could say I have no idea, but I also could say no. Yes, because this is a male dominated sport. I have no idea, because I am not a boy. And no, just judging off my personal improvement in less than three years, compared to other boys who have been riding since they were four.

Who is your favourite rider and why?
There are a few riders that I really like, but Ismael Fortier is my favourite rider because he is so smooth, consistent, fast, and he is such a cool guy! Not only is Ismael my favourite rider, he is also a good friend of mine.

Is there one lady racer out there that you think has paved the way for other girls to be successful in the sport?
This is a hard one, but I could say Ashley Fiolek is very inspiring to a lot of girls in a lot of different ways.

She looks up to fellow Vancouver Island motocrosser, Dusty Klatt, and lists Ashley Fiolek as an inspiration | Bigwave photo

What Canadian Pro do you look up to and why?
There are a few Canadian Pros that I really look up to, but I look up to Dusty Klatt the most. I look up to him because he’s really fast, I like how smooth of a rider he is, he’s really good at finding the smoothest lines, and he’s just a really cool person to have a conversation with.

What is your favourite track and why?
My favourite track is Campbell River on Vancouver Island. I really like it because it’s mostly dirt with a really deep sand section. I find myself to have the fastest lap times there, I have the most fun there, and I can hit all but one of the jumps… At least so far.

Who is your hero?
My stepdad, Dale, is definitely my biggest hero because I wouldn’t be racing, or even riding at all, if it weren’t for him. He gets me everywhere I need to be to race, he does all the “behind the scenes” work, and he is a great mechanic.

What are your goals for this season?
This fall season I really want to take first in the Ladies class and I want to podium in the Schoolboy class, but most of all I just want to improve as much as possible in prep for the coming Women’s National series.

Oriana did all 4 rounds of the Women’s West Nationals in 2016. Her best overall was a 19th at round 2 in Nanaimo and she finished 30th for the series | Bigwave photo

What are your biggest accomplishments?
I think just doing the whole 2016 Western Canadian Ladies Nationals this year was an accomplishment, but last year taking the 2015 Vancouver Island Ladies Championship in the spring series, taking second in the 85cc class and third in the Ladies class for the 2015 BC Championship series, and taking second in the Young Ladies class in the 2014 Arenacross were also pretty big accomplishments.

What is your favourite part about going to the races?
Man, what can I say? I just love spending time with my family and my moto friends while riding my dirt bike!

What do you like to do when you aren’t racing?
When I’m not racing I’m at school, I’m working on bikes (getting them ready for riding), training, or I am probably outside building or improving my backyard track.

Is it important to have a motocross racer as a boyfriend/partner, or just a bonus?
Personally, I’m not interested in dating (not that I’m allowed to either) but I don’t think it really matters.

“My stepdad, Dale, is definitely my biggest hero because I wouldn’t be racing, or even riding at all, if it weren’t for him. He gets me everywhere I need to be to race, he does all the “behind the scenes” work, and he is a great mechanic.” | Bigwave photo

If you ever have children, will they be motocross racers?
That is a long ways away for me to say anything, but I would hope so.

Who do you want to thank?
I want to thank my older brother, Walker, for getting me into the sport, I want to thank all of my sponsors for all of their support, but most of all I really want to thank my stepdad, Dale, for everything that he does for me from getting me to the tracks, to getting me a bike and gear, and even to fixing my bike and gear when I break it. Thank you everyone who has helped me get to where I am today!