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WIDE REWIND
BY 02/14

ANNIVERSARIES: “SAMU 84” TURNS 30

SAMUELA DE NARDI
WINNING RIDER WITH APRILIA

Born in 1984, blessed with runway model looks, in 2005 she was the first foreign woman to compete in Japan’s “Suzuka 8 hours”, a race in the World Endurance Championship, riding to victory in the Stockbike class. The same year, on her RSV 1000, she also dominated the European women’s championship

It was a historic event in world motorcycling: for the first time ever, a non-Japanese woman took part in the “Suzuka 8 hours”, at the race held on 31 July 2005, on the celebrated Formula 1 circuit. One of the world’s best-known motorcycle races, first organised in 1978, the “8 hours” attracts 250,000 spectators over the race weekend.

Apart from the huge crowds who flock to the race-track, the “8 hours” (the duration of the event), a race in the World Endurance Championship, owes its fame to the determination of the Japanese manufacturers to win on home ground, bringing out monstrous prototypes for the occasion and the best riders. The whole event is held under torrid temperatures and in very high humidity, conditions that test riders and bikes to the limit, with both cooled down with huge quantities of dry ice at each pit-stop.
Aprilia took part with an RSV 1000 from the Aprilia Motociclismo Team; flanking rider Daniele Veghini and Motociclismo journalist Federico Aliverti, they decided to put their trust in Samuela De Nardi. A young rider born in Castelfranco Veneto on 19 March 1984, Samuela began racing in minibike events at the age of four; after concentrating on motocross, in 2000 she came outright 13th in the Aprilia 125 Challenge, and the following year was the overall winner of the Alpe Adria 125 Trophy. She made her debut in 2003 with an Aprilia Tuono 1000, coming fourth in the European Endurance Championship trial in Rijeka (paired with Stefano Cordara) and third in the Italian women’s championship. At the end of the season, Aprilia signed her as an official rider, enabling her to race for the Superbike trophy at the MotorShow with the Aprilia SXV Supermotard world champion bike.
In 2005 Samuela moved to the RSV 1000 Factory, winning the European women’s championship and coming second in the Italian championship: these outstanding results convinced Aprilia to offer her the great opportunity of Suzuka. It was the first time a foreign rider had taken part in the race, and the appearance of her name on the list of riders, on a widely admired Italian bike to boot, sent the Japanese media into a frenzy, fuelled by the undoubted good looks of the blonde girl from the Veneto.
“I’m delighted,” said Samuela on the eve of the race. “The Suzuka 8 hours is a legendary race, and it is a great honour to have the chance to take part at the age of 21. Aprilia asked me to step up my training in preparation for this arduous race. During a race in the European championship in Rijeka, before they confirmed me, they deliberately left me without fuel in the free trials, to see whether I had the strength to push the RSV bike under the sun, in my overalls, for a couple of kilometres to the pit. In endurance events, if the rider falls or has a breakdown, they have to take the bike back to the pit lane without any assistance. We’re racing in the Stockbike class, which are bikes closely based on production bikes. Out of 76 teams, only three non-Japanese bikes are taking part (including our Aprilia), only eight European teams, including two from Italy, and just one woman! It’s the same bike I race in the women’s European. As far as the result is concerned, it’s impossible to make any forecasts when the race is so long, but we have the best twin-cylinder: the RSV has already proved to be a highly competitive stockbike, in Italy and in Europe. My greatest concern are the Japanese riders: they’ve been racing at Suzuka for years, they know every inch of the circuit, they live for this race and they’re ready for anything. People tell me Suzuka is a shock for Europeans like us coming to Japan for the first time, especially on the initial test laps: while we’re cautiously learning the circuit, which is extremely fast, the Japanese riders zip past you from everywhere, at full throttle. But I’m confident I’ll learn the track quickly and perform well.”
Samuela did perform well, winning her category (first place in the class with Aliverti and Veghini) and the following year, 2006, she was given a contract and became the first rider with an official agreement with Aprilia. The same year, “Samu” was busy in racing events for bikes based on production models and defending the European title on her RSV 1000.
The agreement between Aprilia and Samuela De Nardi was renewed for the 2007 racing season, with De Nardi competing in the Italian and European women’s championships on an official Aprilia RSV 1000. The partnership was confirmed for a fourth season, helping Samuela forget the trials of a 2006 compromised by a bout of tendinitis, resolved with surgery, although this did not prevent her from adding to her personal list of achievements with an impressive success at Rijeka and a new speed record on the Grobnik circuit in Fiume. The 2007 season was the last in her exciting adventure with Aprilia. A winning brand, and a winning rider who has earned her place in the history of women’s motorcycling.
Happy birthday, “Samu 84”!