Dubai, Nov 29 (IANS): India's lone World Cup winner in motorsports, Aishwarya Pissay will be hoping for her second title when she competes in the Dubai International Baja, the eighth and final round of the FIM Bajas World Cup, starting here on Saturday. The Bengaluru-based Indian champion, who re-launched her international campaign at Baja Spain Aragon, the third round of the championship in which she finished a creditable second, will be representing the Sherco TVS Rally Team.
The 2019 World Cup Winner Aishwarya has also competed in the Hungarian Baja this year, securing a podium finish in her class and strengthening her position on the leaderboard. The Baja season will end with the medal ceremony for the winners of the FIM Bajas World Cup in the Moto, Quad, Women, Junior, veteran, and Trail categories on Sunday. A total of twenty-nine bikes will line up at the start of the final weekend in the Dubai desert.
After a long break due to an injury, Aishwarya worked hard on rehabilitation and underwent high-performance training abroad for about 45 days. With a strong field of riders, Pissay will be looking to deliver a stellar performance and finish the season on a high. The 2019 World Cup winner is determined to make it to the podium once again.
A multiple Indian National rally champion, Aishwarya became the first Indian woman to make her international debut at Baja Spain in 2018 at the age of 22. This year marks her third attempt at the World Cup. She has set up a short base in Dubai to fine-tune her physical fitness and riding skills.
"Heading into the final round of the Baja World Cup Championship here in Dubai, I’m ready to give it my all. This season has been a journey of grit, growth, and determination, and I’m excited to end it on a high note. The dunes will test us, but I’m confident in my preparation and my drive to push beyond limits.," said Aishwarya, who overcame a life-threatening accident in 2018 to win the World Cup in 2019.
On Thursday, she completed the administrative and technical checks at Dubai Festival City Mall and then took part in the start ceremony. On Friday, a short 4.32km Prologue will determine the starting order for the first 195km special stage, scheduled for Saturday. On December 1, at the finish of the second stage, which also spans 195km, the winners of the various categories will be crowned after a long season spanning Europe and the Middle East. Only the best six results out of eight rounds will count towards the final standings.