SPLITLATH Motorsport has signed Jenny Tinmouth to contest the 2011 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. Jenny will make history as the first female to ever tackle the leading domestic series when she teams up with Hudson Kennaugh to launch a two-pronged assault on the championship. And her arrival heralds the start of an exciting time for the Hay-on-Wye based team, which has just finalised a deal with Aprilia in Italy to provide the engines and technical assistance for the team’s two brand new Aprilia RSV4 machines. Jenny, of Ellesmere Port, will step up to the UK’s premier motorcycle racing series after finishing a close third in the 2010 British Supersport Cup, and will fulfil her long time dream of racing a Superbike. Having raced at national level since 2003 when she first arrived in the British 125cc Championship, Tinmouth has proved to be a consistently fast rider. In 2010 she rewrote history several times with her greatest season to date. She became the first female to ever win a British Supersport Cup race on her way to finishing an impressive third in the championship, set a new record for the fastest lap by a female competitor at the famous Isle of Man TT event and won the final round of the Hottrax British Endurance Championship at Cadwell Park in November. And now she is relishing the chance to finally get onboard a Superbike, where she will run the number 100. “I’m over the moon, I still can’t believe it,” she said. “My ambition has always been to race in British Superbikes and I’ve been trying to get on one for some time. “I was so keen to get on a Superbike that I was looking at options of running myself in the Evo class, so to get a ride with a team like Splitlath is fantastic. “After a couple of years in Supersport and a few TT rides, this is a natural progression for me, and it’s wonderful to get the chance to do it. I’m incredibly grateful to John for giving me this opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do on a Superbike.” She will now begin full-time training for her season ahead, and last week began testing in Spain with last season’s machine before she gets onboard her new bike. Team Owner John Dimbylow believes he now has a strong team with which to step up to the main championship. “Jenny is a very talented rider and we were very interested in speaking to her after seeing her performance in 2010. “She is a proven race winner and is 100% committed to the season ahead. She is a fantastic rider and certainly has the potential to be a very strong competitor in the British Superbike Championship. “I think she’s the perfect team-mate for Hudson and her arrival comes at the start of a very exciting time for the team. We are building a talented and strong crew and will be continuing our relationship with Aprilia after coming to an agreement to receive engines and assistance from Italy, and are looking forward to making our British Superbike debut with a bang in April.” The 2011 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship will roar into action at Brands Hatch over the Easter weekend, April 22-25.