We sit down with Emelie Karlsson Merriman to see what he’s been up to:
What was your introduction to dirt bikes?
My father and brother both raced in Sweden, and when I was four I had a JR50 Suzuki but I didn’t stick with it. I got into figure skating and that was my main interest even though a bike was available. I rode occasionally but mostly I just went to the races to watch my brother, as Dad stopped racing when I was born. Then when I was 15 I got into it properly and started riding in both motocross and enduros. Motocross events were mostly in the summer but enduros were also held in winter.
What were you riding?
I started on 125s, first a Honda then a KTM, and moved back to a Honda on a 250F then I went to a Yamaha. I came to Australia in 2011 when I was 20 and continued riding for Yamaha and that lasted until 2021.
What successes have you had?
I was part of the winning women’s team in the Swedish Enduro Championship in 2008, 2009 and 2010; I won rounds in the Swedish Women’s Motocross Championship in 2008; and in 2013 when I was more focused on enduro I won a round of the European Enduro Championship in Italy. I also won the Women’s Class in the A4DE, the AORC and the NSW Enduro Championship in 2013, as well as running third in the 2015 NSW Women’s MX Championship.
What plans do you have for the future?
I hope to qualify for the Swedish ISDE team for 2025.
Have you ever tried any other branches of the sport, like desert races?
My riding had always been in motocross and enduro. I have ridden Hattah three times though, and finished third each time in the Women’s class. Finke is not on my list at the moment due to the cost and time involved in pre-running and learning the track. In Sweden I raced on ice a few times, but it wasn’t the full-on speedway style of ice racing.
What win stands out most in your memory?
I have ridden in five ISDEs for Sweden and one for Australia – they were all special for me and winning motocross rounds in the Swedish and European Championships on a borrowed bike is a pretty good memory. Due to the travel costs from Australia I couldn’t take my Yamaha so I had to borrow a KTM 350 I was not completely familiar with. I was the first woman to beat Laia Sanz in a special test and that was in the 2014 World Championship in Finland, where I finished in third place after crashing, again on a borrowed bike.
My first Six Day is another strong memory for me. It was in Sardinia in 2013 and was hot and humid with lots of rocks. There was a very rocky transport section through a creek bed with huge boulders that became a traffic jam with riders stuck everywhere.
You’ve had a wide ranging career, does any one competitor stand out for you?
Yes, Tayla Jones. She is such a great rider and despite of us all being competitors on the track she is such a nice person to everyone. She’s living her dream now in the USA. We were rivals on the track but good friends off it.
What different brands have you ridden?
I started on a Suzuki 50 then progressed through a Honda, a KTM, another Honda then to Yamaha in 2008. I continued with Yamaha until 2021, moving to a KTM for 2022, then Husqvarna in 2023, GAS GAS/Husky/KTM in 2024, and for 2025 I’m riding the new 250 Triumph enduro which I’m very impressed with. It’s very strong and I think it will be a winner.
