Women and MotoGP

[phil]

Lucy started an interesting topic a year or so ago. What makes a racer.
Its funny that there's been alot of talk here of strenght while it goes largely unmentioned in the makings of a racer topic??
I just remembered Lucy's old topic and thought I'd throw it in here as a reminder.

[jupiejupe]

ah, i think the main thing is not the sex of the racer, but the backing and mind set of the racer, case in point Angela Sampey, she had the mind set to be a racer at the top of her game, received the backing she needed to do it, and put off her maternal desires until now. give any women with the mind set the equipment needed to win, take her serious and she'll do work. sorry but melissa paris, just sounds happy to play. that's the mind set of those around her, and until that changes that's all she ever be, a guest.

[Oscar]

Perhaps a bit of a tangent, but certainly a pleasant one - did anyone else catch the interview with Midori Moriwaki that was on the broadcast this weekend in Aus? Totally on top of the management of building and setting up highly successful racing bikes (and as a total bonus, as nice to the eyes as JB is, er, craggy). Very impressive.

[Squidpuppet]

Perhaps a bit of a tangent, but certainly a pleasant one - did anyone else catch the interview with Midori Moriwaki that was on the broadcast this weekend in Aus? Totally on top of the management of building and setting up highly successful racing bikes (and as a total bonus, as nice to the eyes as JB is, er, craggy). Very impressive.

Yep, she seemed to know her stuff.

[Albert]

Yep, she seemed to know her stuff.

There's no "seemed" about it. She is a VERY intelligent lady!

(and it's very rare that I use the last word in that sentence!)

[dirt_bloke]

G'day all,
Some interesting comments here. I thought I’d post on this thread asking if Elena Myers did get to ride the Suzuki on the Press ride day/sessions? If so, is there any write-up on her impressions of the bike?

Ok, some of the journo's are racers, but from a National class racer her technical observations would make for an interesting insight.

As to the whole thread. This topic gets a run in various forums around the world from time to time. Elite athletes sometimes fit the mould, sometimes not. As mentioned, the female gender thing gets back to the talent pool. That pool is very small. Many clubs have been pro-active in the encouragement of women, few with any real success.

Those who have club raced will know how many competitors come and go, all to a varying degree of success. Those who have raced at a National level will also know how many really good riders miss out on a 'Factory' ride, run out of money and fall away.


Beside the point observations:
1992 125GP support races at Phillip Island World Superbikes; Riders included Lin Walsh (mentioned earlier), Garry McCoy, Glenn Richards, Mark Willis, lots of good club/national riders and some other fast fierce ‘A’ grade riders. As good as Lin was, competition for any rider to advance/ get noticed/ get a ride/ even sometimes buy a ride is very tough.

IMHO Katja Poensgen did a good job on that bike in the 250GP class, but copped a whole heap of ridicule for being slow. When you look at her times, there were others slower. Like many males, her time came and went, some names you may remember a lot you don’t.

[RatsMC]

Welcome. Good to see you here.

From what I can tell Myers didn't get to Valencia. It seems she had another obligation (I can't remember what though).

In the end, Myers finished 6th in her class. She had a pretty bad run at the end of the season and from her account in RRW, she had some personal doubts that really got in her way. She says she has overcome those and learned a lot about confidence and how to manage it. A pretty good lesson for a 16 year old racer. I expect she will come out swinging next season. Too bad she is still ankled with the Suzuki.

[phil]

.....ankled with the Suzuki.

Great turn of phrase Rats, I've never heard that one before!

[dirt_bloke]

Welcome. Good to see you here.

From what I can tell Myers didn't get to Valencia. It seems she had another obligation (I can't remember what though).

In the end, Myers finished 6th in her class. She had a pretty bad run at the end of the season and from her account in RRW, she had some personal doubts that really got in her way. She says she has overcome those and learned a lot about confidence and how to manage it. A pretty good lesson for a 16 year old racer. I expect she will come out swinging next season. Too bad she is still ankled with the Suzuki.

Hi Rats,
As you know I usually post on Jim's site (and ADV), but I've had a bit of extra time on my hands of late, so I've been typing on forums too much. (I do believe that you can only post here if you have something intelligent to say, that would usually exclude me, it took awhile to put together post 1)
Maybe there were a few political things in the background that prevented her from having the ride. As I understand it, the invite was just for a ride, not a test. Any racer would do whatever it took for a chance to throw a leg over a MotoGP bike, even with it 'dumbed down' and with steel brakes!

Like you say, maybe it has something to do with being 'ankled with the Suzuki'!

[eddahenry]

Two words. Dani Pedrosa.

Well, I'm relying on male-ego to keep the miniature men moving towards the bigger bikes even if it doesn't suit their stature.

Ive Meet alot of Ego Driven women in my time
if they want to race MotoGP i dont think that being a women will physicality handicap them.

[pjd69]

Picture of Kenny Roberts is mine and I DO NOT have given permission of use.
Thanks for deleting.

[Kropotkin]

Picture of Kenny Roberts is mine and I DO NOT have given permission of use.
Thanks for deleting.

Image replaced by link. I suggest you protect your photos better, the Panoramio website allows images to be framed. If you don't want that to happen, use a different photo hosting service.

[Billysbones]

It's disgusting that there are no woemen in the higher levels of the sport. There most be loads of them around the world with the required talent levels to be able to compete. It's just another example of the symtomatic sexism in the higher levels of sport these days.

Oh, and there's nothing sexier than a good looking girl in leathers.

[seeyadad]

QUOTE
A girl of Elena's size will probably be restricted to 600cc competition just b/c everything else generates more forces than her body can cope with. Can you see her chucking an SBK around Silverstone or Monza? I can't. Maybe if she had another 25lbs of muscle. Like Lucy says, she might become window dressing for a sponsor who wants to exploit her looks and abilities in a class that is perhaps not well suited to her abilities. I hope she rejects this kind of lifestyle, but the money and the status as a role model might be worth more than any quest for glory in a lower class.


I remember when Pedrosa was moving up to the biguns and loads of people were going on about his weight and size, he's proved its bollox because look at where he is now.
I could well imagine her giving any bike some death around Silverstone or Monza so i think you are looking at it in a sexist way basically saying bike racing is for blokes and only blokes. Elena and other woman should be given a chance at any class they choose to race in[/color]