Editorial – a Controversial Question…
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WOMEN IN MOTORCYCLING NEWSLETTER Issue #3 Editorial – A controversial question… You all know the movie “How to lose a guy in But what if we had grid boys? Would that ten days”… Well it seems that I have made my change our thinking about men in motor own version of it called “How to lose 8 kilos in sport? I guess the answer is no: we need both few months”! men and women in motor sport, no matter what their roles. That´s right, in just a few months I have lost almost 15% of my weight. And how did I do it? Simply motorsport – nothing else! I started to train ATV Supermoto for our Finnish TV programme (by accident I was also signed up for the Yamaha racing team and am competing right now) and man has it been fun, but also extremely tough! At the moment we have women´s classes in some disciplines. Whether we should have our own series in every discipline is also a controversial question because some female riders prefer to compete themselves and others amongst the guys. Anyway in the end we just have to get a maximum of fun out of it and if we can’t beat all the guys at least we can enjoy the time we spend with them. The reason I am telling you about my personal weight situation is the fact that still these days This is exactly what I am doing when motor sport is often considered as not a true competing as an only woman against a field sport because there is a machine involved. Well of men, several of whom happen to be also after every training session when I have sweated multiple Finnish champions. Enjoy your like in no other physical exercise, my hands are riding! cramping and I feel like I can´t even stand by By Nita Korhonen, CFM Director myself, I wish those people who underestimate the demand of motorsport would come and try it. In many disciplines they wouldn´t need more than 10 minutes and that would be enough to take its toll on them! In the motor sport world there are many obstacles and doubts we have to face all the time, and being a woman in this world can sometimes be even harder; especially when the typical and most visible woman at the race has always been the grid girl. FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE MOTOCYCLISME 11, ROUTE DE SUISSE - C H - 1 2 9 5 M I E S [email protected] FIM - LIVE.COM WOMEN IN MOTORCYCLING NEWSLETTER Issue #3 MXnews MXGrassroots Sunlit clouds filled the blue skies of Maggiora Meet the AMA WMX’s newest Ripper: Courtney for round three of the FIM Women’s Motocross Duncan World Championship. On 18 May, the fans at the Red Bull Hangtown Despite a line-up of strong contenders such as Motocross Classic (AMA Women’s Motocross) were Australian women’s motocross champion Meghan treated to a sound that hasn’t been heard for Rutledge, British Ladies class champion Natalie quite some time: a 125 two-stroke at full tilt, Kane and ex WMX world champion Stephanie laying waste to the competition. Piloting the Laier, there was no stopping Chiara Fontanesi as machine was 17-year-old New Zealander she continues to take this season by storm, Courtney Duncan, who rode to a perfect 1-1 adding yet another double victory to her so far score in her first race as a pro. Courtney had this perfect season. to say about her stunning debut. So you haven’t even been to a National before, Meghan Rutledge was in the prime position to let alone race one. How does it feel to have show what she’s made of. Unfortunately for the gone 1-1 at your first? young Australian Rutledge she couldn’t keep the “It was crazy! I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve bike on two wheels, crashing on the opening lap only seen it on TV, and I didn’t know how big the of the race and handing over the lead to the crowd was going to be. It was a really cool defending champion Chiara Fontanesi. experience, and I’m just super-thankful to be Meanwhile behind Fontanesi the race was able to race one. It’s a dream come true! heating up as Natalie Kane and Stephanie Laier Coming into the race, where did you think you engaged in a fierce battle for second. While the might end up? Did you think there was a ex-world champion Laier kept Kane honest she chance you might win? never seized the opportunity to pass. After “To be honest with you, I had no idea. I went in leading every lap this weekend local hero Chiara wanting to win, I just didn’t know if I could. I’ve Fontanesi took the victory, standing on the never even ridden with most of those girls, so I second step of the podium was Natalie Kane didn’t know if I’d be competitive. But I knew I’d followed by Stephanie Laier. been working hard at MTF and I had a good 125, After a fall in race two Meghan Rutledge and was going to give it everything I had. To managed to fight her way from outside the top come away with the win was pretty special.” twenty back to an outstanding ninth place Did you get a chance to watch the 450 and 250 allowing her to finish fourth overall. Francesca races? Norcera kept the Italian fans happy being the “I got a chance to watch the 450 motos, and just second Italian to finish inside the top five for to watch Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey and James fifth. Stewart was great. I’ve looked up to those guys since I was a little kid, and to get the chance to WMX Championship Top Ten: 1.Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha) 150 p. / 2.Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki) watch them live was just amazing. I have so 118 p. / 3.Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM) 117 p. / 4.Stephanie much respect for them and I love watching them. Laier (GER, Kawasaki) 116 p. / 5.Nancy Van De Ven (NED, You can learn a lot from riders like that. Just Yamaha) 82 p. / 6.Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki) 76 p. / watching them on different parts of the track, 7.Britt van der Wekken (NED, Honda) 73 p. / 8.Francesca you can definitely pick up a lot.” Nocera (ITA, Suzuki) 63 p. / 9. Nina Klink (NED, KTM) 57 p. / 10.Justine Charroux (FRA, Yamaha) 53p You’re here without your parents, right? “Yes. My parents are at home working to keep me here, and I owe a lot to them. It’s definitely hard being away from home, but it’s just one of those things. If you want to make your dreams come true, and if you really want to make it, you have to sacrifice things. I appreciate everything my family does for me. They’ve been very supportive since day one and I wouldn’t be here without them.” Will you be racing the rest of the WMX rounds? Chiara Fontanesi - ©Youthstream “Yes, that’s the plan. It’s exciting!” Click for more info Source: Racerxonline Click for more info FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE MOTOCYCLISME 11, ROUTE DE SUISSE - C H - 1 2 9 5 M I E S [email protected] FIM - LIVE.COM WOMEN IN MOTORCYCLING NEWSLETTER Issue #3 TRIALnews TRIALGrassroots FIM Women’s Trial WC Round in Andorra: FIM Women’s Trial Training Camp: “Bristow makes amends on day two” “Girls prepare for new season” Grossheubach (Germany) was the venue for the recent Women’s Trial Training Camp. Here more than twenty female riders gathered in order to enjoy an intense three day session to be ready for the new season with the 2013 FIM Women’s Trial World Championship getting under way in Andorra. Organised and led by FIM Women’s Adviser Iris Oelschlegel, the riders of all abilities from novice through to expert and ages ranging from seven right up to fifty-two were put through their paces. Emma Bristow (Sherco) dominated the second With one instructor for every five riders, the and final day of the opening round of the 2013 women were treated to a pair of three-hour FIM Women’s Trial World Championship held in intensive sessions. Even the younger age group Sant Julia de Loria, Andorra. Day one’s winner aged between seven and nine on their automatic Rebekah Cook (Beta) simply had no answer to her machines enjoyed a full and rewarding opening fellow British rider’s performance on day two. day. These riders focused on practising the new The battle between Cook and Spain’s Sandra non-stop rules which they will apply at round one Gomez (Ossa) was much closer with only four of the 2013 FIM Women’s Trial World marks separating these two female protagonists Championship. Away from the intense training after another tough day of competition in the sessions the riders and their support teams mountains of Andorra. enjoyed a special dinner on the evening of the The British contingent had even more to second day, when over fifty like-minded people celebrate, asides taking two out of the three sat, ate and discussed the sport of Trial, podium places, when Katy Sunter (Gas Gas) although the discussions were always punctuated achieved her best ever result and grabbed fourth with much laughter. position after beating Mireia Conde (Beta) on a Commenting on the three days of activity the tight and tense tie-break.