Natarsha Willams began racing BMX with the Innisfail BMX club in Far north Queensland in 1981. Aged just 5, she would go on to have a race Career lasting 25 years.
It wasn’t long before she began making her mark, racking up state and National Titles as a junior. As an Elite rider Natarsha was selected in the Australian team for the very first UCI World Championships in England, taking the #1 title to receive the first ever UCI Elite Womens Rainbow Jersey. As a result she was awarded an Australian Government grant which helped her aspirations of becoming a professional international racer.
In 1997 she won multiple World Cup rounds to be crowned the Elite Womens World Cup Champion, and followed this up over the next 2 years by dominating the European Cup Series. In 1999 she again took out the World Cup Championship to finish on top of the World Rankings.
The lure of competing in the United State was too great and finally in 2000 Natarsha took on a sponsorship deal with Redline Bikes and Sun Rims to tour the USA - the first Australian Woman to make the move as a full time BMX career rider in America. The move worked and Natarsha took out two NBL Pro Girl Championships. During this period she also won another World Title in Argentina as well as the Female Australian Cyclist of the Year award.
Natasha was well known for her jumping skills, and became in inspiration for girls and women who followed in her footsteps. Natarsha proved that the girls could take on any track that was thrown at them, inspiring others to develop their jumping skills and overall improve female racing.
Out side of BMX, Natarsha has stayed close to the sport she loves - moving onto sales and Marketing manager at Kuwahara Bicycles as well as being a team manager for Answer BMX. Natarsha is now the assistant cycling coach at the incredibly successful Marian University in Indianapolis.
Career Details
Year Started Racing BMX: 1981
Career Highlights (Elite Women):
1995 - Australian Champion
1996 - UCI Elite Women’s World Champion
1997 - UCI Elite Women’s World Cup Champion/Supercross series
1998 - Winner at European Championships
1998 - 6th- UCI Elite Women’s World Championships,
1998 - Won Elite female rider of the year in Europe
1999 - Winner of European Championships
1999 - UCI Elite Women’s World Cup Champion
2000 - UCI Elite Women’s World Champion
2000 - UCI Elite Women’s World Cup Champion
2000 - USA NBL Elite Women’s Champion
2001 - USA NBL Elite Women’s Champion
2001 - 8th, UCI Elite Women’s World Championships
2002 - 4th, UCI Elite Women’s World Championships
2003 - 4th, UCI Elite Women’s World Championships
