Factory KTM Racer Maria Forsberg to Retire

The popular FMF/KTM star announces her retirement after earning multiple WORCS and AMSOIL GNCC titles, and gold medals in X-Games and the ISDE competition The following is a press release from KTM North America: Murrieta, CA – Factory FMF/KTM off-road racer Maria Forsberg announced yestrday that she will retire from racing at the end of […]

October 17, 2013October 17, 2013 Scott Rousseau

The popular FMF/KTM star announces her retirement after earning multiple WORCS and AMSOIL GNCC titles, and gold medals in X-Games and the ISDE competition

FMF/KTM star Maria Forsberg has announced that she will retire from competition at the end of the 2013 racing season. With multiple off-road titles and gold medals in the X-Games and the ISDE, Forsberg leaves the sport as the most decorated female in off-road racing history. PHOTO COURTESY OF KTM NORTH AMERICA

The following is a press release from KTM North America:

Murrieta, CA – Factory FMF/KTM off-road racer Maria Forsberg announced yestrday that she will retire from racing at the end of the 2013 season.

Forsberg, the winningest off-road female racer in history, has had a remarkable career. Over the past 10 nyears racing for KTM, she has collected nine National championships and three X-Games gold medals.

Forsberg will exit 2013 with the AMSOIL GNCC Women's Championship, which she wrapped up one round early. She is a four-time champion in the class. PHOTO COURTESY OF KTM NORTH AMERICA — Forsberg will exit 2013 with the AMSOIL GNCC Women’s Championship, which she wrapped up one round early. She is a four-time champion in the class. PHOTO COURTESY OF KTM NORTH AMERICA

Forsberg started her racing career in the WORCS Series where she went on to earn four championships in the Women’s class before moving to the east-coast based GNCC Series. She found equal success at the new series eventually putting together a perfect season to win her third championship in 2012 while going undefeated in the Women’s class. Last weekend, she wrapped up her fourth consecutive championship in the series one round early. On top of her WORCS and GNCC success, she is also a two-time ISDE gold medalist, three-time X-Games Women’s Enduro X gold medalist and the reigning AMA EnduroCross Women’s class Champion.

Forsberg made history three years ago when she became the first official factory-supported female off-road racer, moving from a KTM support team, RPM/KTM, to the factory racing rig. That same year she received the AMA Racing Female Athlete of the Year award and became the first female rider to win X-Games gold in EnduroX. In 2012, she won her first overall in the morning class at the GNCC, a feat she has since repeated multiple times.

Forsberg hopes to continue her relationship with KTM in other capacities after retiring. She has already served as a tremendous role model for aspiring women racers worldwide. PHOTO COURTESY OF KTM NORTH AMERICA

Every year of her career Forsberg has been challenged by more women joining the field and she has never disappointed her team and has won each championship she has chased, according to FMF/KTM team manager Anttti Kallonen.

“Maria is a great ambassador for our sport and has elevated women’s racing in the off-road community,” Kallonen said. “We are happy that KTM has been able to support her through her racing career, and we will definitely continue our relationship with her in the future. She will always be a part of the family.”

Forsberg said that she was given the opportunity of a lifetime to race with KTM.

“I can honestly say that KTM made my dreams turn into reality,” she said. “I can never explain in words what the relationship and support has meant to me. I am very thankful and hope to continue my ties with the company in the future. I might not be racing full-time, but I will always ride.”

Factory KTM Racer Maria Forsberg to Retire

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