‘We want to Empower women’ How many times has that statement been thrown around? What does that statement mean to you?
To me, empowering women is about giving women the tools to believe in themselves and this is where events such as the Ladies Mx Day, organised by triple Jet Ski World Champion Anya Colley, come into the equation. The concept behind this event isn’t new but the conscious collective decisions behind it, is.
It isn’t a secret that women’s motocross in the UK is not recognised in the same category as men’s and years of the women’s championship events being perceived as ‘bitchy’ or ‘cliquey’ has slowly tarnished the once highly coveted title of being the ‘Female British Motocross Champion’
As a rider myself and someone who also works in this industry, many times I have sat in a boardroom full of men asking me the same rhetorical question: ‘How do we get more women into motocross?’ -well this is it.
The Ladies Mx day is an event, organised by a female rider (Anya) who is working in synergy with the changes of female representation in motorcycling, whilst offering a platform for women to simply ride together because they want too. Anya’s infectious enthusiasm and disregard for prejudice in the sport is rubbing off on not only the UK’s core spectrum of women in motocross but also a much wider group of women who simply want to ride to enjoy themselves, not to compete.
For too long the focus in the sport has been about ‘being the best and winning’ but what about actually nourishing people who have a genuine interest in riding and want the freedom to do so? What about if you just enjoy riding a bike with your friends and not competing against them? Having a hobby is so important for mental health and this is not only something you can grow into, it is also something that can take you away from the daily pressures of life and give you an adrenaline rush and sense of achievement. In this case – it doesn’t just apply to women.
Don’t get me wrong, as a female rider myself, I love racing with the guys too and there is still a lot of work to do on breaking down those barriers at a professional level but there is something seriously rad about going to a motocross track and seeing a little girl cheer you on from the side of the track in her motocross gear– that is why I ride now and what Ladies MX Day is all about. As long as women like Anya are involved in the sport, the future looks bright for these events.
Words – Amy Sparrow
