Press Release | June 18, 2024
“Ride to Close the Gender Gap” was the theme of the panel held on Friday, June 14, at the Misano Circuit Marco Simoncelli, during the Italian Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship. At Misano round, the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) was inaugurated, the first world circuit racing championship exclusively for female riders.
From right: Andrea Albani (Managing Director Misano Word Circuit); Nancy Van de Ven (FIM WMX Motocross World Champion); Paolo Pavesio (Marketing Director Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. Motorsport); Janika Judeika (FIM CFM Director); Jorge Viegas (FIM President); Giovanni Copioli (FIM Vice President & FMI President); Domenica Spinelli (Senator of the Italian Republic); Katja Poensgen (Former Grand Prix Rider) and Damiano Zamana (FIM Deputy CEO)
This is a press release from the FIM…
Photos Courtesy of the FIM/Fabrizio Porrozzi
“Ride to Close the Gender Gap” was the theme of the panel held on Friday, June 14, at the Misano Circuit Marco Simoncelli, during the Italian Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship. In this context, the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) was inaugurated, the first world circuit racing championship exclusively for female riders.
The FIM has implemented a series of actions aimed at developing strategies to promote the participation of female athletes in two-wheel sports.
A prestigious group of speakers contributed to the debate: Jorge Viegas – FIM President; Giovanni Copioli – FIM Vice President and FMI President; Damiano Zamana – FIM Deputy General Director; Janika Judeika – FIM Women’s Commission Director; David Bosser – WorldSBK Sporting Business Development Senior Manager; Paolo Pavesio – Marketing Director Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. Motorsport; Nancy Van de Ven – FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion; and Katja Poensgen – Former Grand Prix Rider. Guest of honor was Senator of the Italian Republic – Domenica Spinelli.
David Bosser – WorldSBK Sporting Business Development Senior Manager
Jorge Viegas, present at the christening of the FIM WorldWCR, commented: “We have worked a lot in recent years to spread equality in motorsport, work accomplished on all continents. We are responsible for two specific things: guaranteeing safety in the facilities and making opportunities available to all those who want to try their hand at our wonderful sport. We were the first to organise a specific commission and after a lot of work between trials, motocross and enduro, now circuit racing has also completed the route. There is a lot of work to be done, but there is a new awareness: the licences requested by women are increasing and we will reach the finish line where it will no longer make any sense to distinguish between women and men.”
Damiano Zamana underlined how the creation of the WorldWCR is a milestone in the path that the FIM has undertaken to achieve gender equality and offer equal opportunities to athletes who love motorcycle sport, whilst David Bosser in turn enthusiastically reiterated the historical value of this debut and the commitment of the promoter of the Championship.
Giovanni Copioli said he was proud of the debut at Misano, of the new championship, and wanted to remember the work of the Italian Motorcycle Federation (FMI) which has actively committed itself to overcoming clichés and cultural barriers: “Sport is a powerful vehicle for winning prejudices and motorsport concretely demonstrates this. We must continue, it is not an easy road, but today we have taken an historic step together.”
Janika Judeika reinforced the FIM Portrayal Guidelines: “Gender-Equal, Fair and Inclusive Representation in Motorcycling”, the document that lays out the foundations for a rigorous and precise use of language, expressions and ways of communicating, respecting a truly free from prejudice and inclusive in the world of motorsport.”
FIM WorldWCR Riders: (Front row from left) Sarah Varon (COL), Silfa Krystal (DOM), Roberta Ponziani (ITA)
Paolo Pavesio said he was proud to be part of an historic moment with Yamaha, a brand that has decided to commit to supporting the FIM WorldWCR and that firmly believes that motorsports should be accessible to everyone, regardless of gender or ethnicity. Yamaha first embraced this concept with the bLU Cru project, which gave life to the FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup, where among the competitors there are three young female riders.
And finally, the testimonials; the athletes Katja Poensgen, a pioneer of circuit competitions, raced in the 250cc MotoGP, Supersport and Superstock classes and Nancy Van De Ven, a leading figure in international motocross and WMX World Champion in 2022.
Both underlined how important it was first of all, to affirm one’s passion within the family, to believe with determination in one’s talent without ever feeling inferior to one’s male colleagues. Katja, who raced in the 1990s, tutored the FIM WorldWCR riders.
Senator Spinelli, member of the interparliamentary group for motorcycle mobility, passionate about motor sports, and guest of honour on the panel, added: “Everyone, with their own responsibility, has a job to do to overcome prejudices and to bridge the gender gap. Let’s do it and meet here next year to verify the progress made.”
The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship is contested over six rounds, with 24 starters from 19 different nationalities, all on Yamaha YZF-R7s.