Motorcycle trials rider Kaytlyn Adshead was named as the Sportswoman of the Year at the 2025 Isle of Man Sports Awards which took place at the Villa Marina on Thursday evening.

The 21-year-old from Peel made history last year by becoming the first Manx woman to secure a European title in motorcycle trials, as well as finishing fourth in the FIM Women’s Trials World Championship after securing three podium finishes during the course of the season when competing against some of the world’s elite riders.

Her 2025 campaign also saw her rack up several victories in British championship rounds and successfully complete the Scottish Six Day Trial at her first attempt.

All this adds up to what was arguably one of the most successful seasons to date by a Manx female trials rider.

Speaking after picking up the award in the Royal Hall on Thursday, the former QEII High School student said: ‘It feels amazing. Just to get the sport that I do to win this award is great because it's such a small sport - to get that recognition feels like a great sort of goal that I have achieved.’

The former Under-21 Sportswoman of the Year hopes that the award might encourage more youngsters to get involved in the sport, saying: ‘Honestly, it would mean a lot to me because I came into the sport when I was 10 and it's very difficult to get into - it's quite an expensive sport.

‘But it's such a great community to be involved with and there's always someone there to give you the support to get involved and try out new things in this sport.

‘I just got into it through coincidence of seeing someone down the street that chatted to me and said “Oh, I've got one of them [bikes].”

‘But it’s all over YouTube, all over social media now so just get in touch and you'll be out next week on someone's bike having a go and loving it and just following them.’

Speaking about her successful year, she highlighted her European championship glory as the standout moment: ‘Becoming European champion – I've tried to achieve that for a few years but now I’ve finally got it and to say I've been European champion is just amazing.’

So what next for Adshead? ‘I think the biggest thing for me is to try and get more people into the sport.

‘I mean, I've achieved a lot of things that I definitely didn't think I would and obviously I still want to achieve more, but I think just seeing seeing the younger riders now achieve those goals that they also have would be amazing.’

Also nominated in the Sportswoman of the Year category were the following: Ana Dawson (golf), Christa Cain (athletics), Laura Kinley (swimming), Nikki Arthur (athletics) and Sarah Astin (athletics).