Women in Motorcycling career pathways across FIM disciplines. Analysis of past and present rider’s offers insight on how decisions have been made based on the desire to forge a racing career from one season to the next within the most highly competitive of sports.
From grass-roots riding, to regional, National, and International competition, women rider’s have steeled their resolve to rise in rankings in their respective categories, making important decisions along the way on what to race, when to switch, and how to achieve successful results.
Take Dutch rider, Lotte van Drunen. At just 16 years of age, Lotte has enabled her MX career to dizzying heights, having finished 3rd overall in 2023 Women Motocross World Championship. From competing in feeder categories, to racing against all male line-up in EMX 125cc Championship, Lotte has re-defined the career pathway to race WMX, unprecedented and highly courageous given the physically demanding nature of racing MX.
Staying with WMX, take a peak at how Kiara Fontanesi has carved her racing career over 10 plus years, rising to win 6x Women Motocross World Championships, including returning to race and take podiums after giving birth to 2 daughters.
Miraculous as it seems, Kiara – surrounded by family – has made astute decisions on what to race, when, and how to achieve results which act as stepping stone for next rung on the career ladder. Take note, each milestone has been on the back of detailing who to align with as partner’s, sponsor’s, and Brand associations which not only compliment Kiara’s values and beliefs, but also resonate the professionalism Kiara has exhibited on and off the track.
Switching to FIM Cross-Country racing, and NZ’s Rachael Archer has achieved hard won results, winning America’s GNCC WXC Championship in 2022 and 2023. Most certainly, the long-road to victory for the 21 year old has taken many, many hours, months, and years of planning, training, and pushing positivity of mind through the next stratosphere. Realizing such goals – growing up on a farm in NZ – to actually producing winning results in America’s most prestigous Championship – remains a first in Women Motorcycling history.
And, the career move to race in America’s Grand National Cross Country WXC Series has distinct advantages to securing a financially viable racing career for females – younger and older alike. For starter’s, the Championship garner’s huge entries across a long list of classes, placing WXC amongst the Pro rider’s, covered by extensive Media visuals which increases rider profile to future partner’s, sponsor’s and Brands. Second, WXC races 12 Rounds, from February through to October, maximizing exposure for rider and associations to mainstream audience.
If ever there was a rider, who embraced new opportunities to extend her racing career potential, it has to be Jane Daniels. Neither settling for results already achieved – notably 4x FIM World Enduro Champion, ISDE World Women’s Trophy Champion, along with numerous National Titles, Jane epitomizes the rationality of thought of competing outside previous disciplines to extend her career portfolio.
From the known capabilities of racing Enduro, to the unknown experience of competing in The Dakar Rally, Jane rose to new heights in her career pathway, competing in bike category in Dakar’s 46th edition in Saudi Arabia in January 2024. Completing the grueling 12 Stages in 48th position in General classification, and 33rd in Rally 2 category, the British rider revealed what is possible racing in a new discipline, against the world’s best rider’s, on gendered level playing field.
These rider’s provide valuable insight on how their respective career pathways have progressed, albeit across varying FIM disciplines, while at the same time together, in their desire to achieve success from one season to the next.
Header photo: Jane Daniels Image: Fantic Racing Graphics: MXLink
Words: Sharon Cox.
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