Kristy Gillespie will defend her national number one plate this weekend at Coolum.

The 2010 Australian Women’s Motocross Championship was nothing short of a fairy tale for Kristy Gillespie.

In front on an adoring home crowd in the Victorian-New South Wales border town of Albury-Wodonga, Gillespie won all four motos to achieve maximum points and become a national champion.

2011 has presented a new set of challenges for the talented KTM rider, well aware every time she takes to the track there is a target on her back.

“I think it’s always going to be different when you’ve got that number one on your bike,” Gillespie said.

“If it was someone else who had it I would be gunning for them so I just try not to worry about it too much and try and focus on what I can do and my racing.”

Heading into Saturday’s 2011 Motul Pirelli Australian Women’s Motocross Championship, the Victorian doesn’t expect to replicate her dominance of last year with the quality of riders to set to compete ensuring a wide-open title race.

“This year’s going to be really tough,” She said. “I counted out about six or eight girls that are more than capable of winning a moto so I know it’s going to be a real challenge, but I won’t being going down without a fight.”

While modest about her hopes at the Coolum Pines Motocross Track Gillespie has form on her side heading into the biggest event on the Women’s Motocross calendar, recording her sixth Victorian Motocross title last weekend.

“I’ve got a few races under my belt and a few good results, so I’ll just go out there and give 110 per cent and see what happens,” she concluded.

The 2011 Motul Pirelli Australian Women’s Motocross Championship takes place this Saturday, 27 August, at the Coolum Pines Motocross Track.