A paddock full of smiles after the FIM Women’s Road Racing training camp in Almeria
The first FIM Women’s Road Racing training camp in 2014 was a great success, showing that FIM is on the right track with its support for women in road racing.
After three days of intense training and practice at the Circuit of Almeria (Spain), the twenty riders from eight different countries were enchanted by the event supported by the FIM Women’s Commission and organised by Bike Promotion.
The results for the participants are clear: an improvement in their riding skills thanks to sustained track sessions and great enhancement of their off-track awareness with classes focusing on sponsoring, physical training, nutrition etc.
Under the supervision of an array of great riders such as Ms Maria Costello, (Isle of Man podium finisher & road racer), Mr Ismael Bonilla (GP rider & Spanish Champion in Superstock) and Mr Jürgen Fuchs (5 podiums in 250cc), the participants got the best possible tuition and advice. They also benefited from technical tips from Bike Promotion and the BMW Motorrad Instructors.
Ms Nita Korhonen, Director of FIM Women´s Commission, is delighted with the camp: “I could not be more satisfied. All the ladies really had a great time and learned a lot during these three hectic days. It was also a fruitful experience for the FIM: it was an opportunity to learn more about the expectations and needs of women in road racing and see how to better develop road racing projects and get more women involved in the discipline. The short term objective of the FIM Women’s Commission is to have more training camps this year in different countries and continents and get more and more women enhancing their road racing skills”.
Michael Dangriess, CEO of Bike Promotion also expressed his satisfaction:
“It was a really successful first event with the FIM and its Women Commission. I am very pleased with this co-operation. It’s important to understand that women represent an important target group for the motorcycle industry. The number of women riders has increased and it is great to realise that, even if motor sport was originally dominated by men, it’s changing now. It is appreciable to see women get respect from the men. The participants in the camp did extremely well on the track. They were fast”.
Kurt Boeck, BMW HP Race Support, welcomes this partnership with the FIM:
“We are happy to be partners with a big organisation such as the FIM and we are pleased to provide the girls with competitive bikes with which they can ride have fast and have fun! I’m really satisfied to see they had a great time on the S 1000 RR”.
On the back of the tremendous success of the FIM Women’s Road Racing Training Camp in Almeria, the first one of 2014, the FIM and its Women’s Commission are planning to organise more training camps and events this year to continue supporting women and highlighting their important role in motorcycle sport.