Photos: Brent Stallo

So the WMA take the honour of starting off the 2009 Outdoor season on a perfect day at the Glen Helen Raceway. Ashley Fiolek, who is trying to defend her crown against some old and new faces alike, took a massive holeshot ahead of Sherri Cruise and rookie Sara Price in moto one.

Previous Champion Jessica Patterson started down the field, behind other big names like Sarah Whitmore and Marieanna Balbi but she soon passed them to move into 4th place. Fiolek had already built up a lead that would see her comfortably through to the end but there was plenty of battling for the podium positions as Cruise would overtake Price for 2^nd, only to get bogged down in a mud patch a few corners later allowing Price back through. It also gave Patterson the chance to close on the pair of them and she soon made it past Cruise who began to fade. Price, though, battled against her more experienced opponent and held off to take 2^nd by less than a second.

Moto two saw a repeat holeshot performance from Fiolek as she stormed out of the gate, eventually followed by Cruise, Golden and Patterson. It didn't take long for Patterson for take the rookie and move into 3^rd, setting her sights on the rear tire of Sherri Cruise.

Within a couple of laps Patterson had taken over the 2^nd place as well, and with Fiolek making a couple of minor errors, she smelt blood. Unfortunately for her time was running out and although she was close, Fiolek took the victory and with it, the overall.

The battle has only just begun.