There are a total of five women competing in the 2020 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK), including Laura Brown, Hannah Stewart, Tayla Relph, Stephany Kapilawi-James and Keegan Pickering. In this edition of Input, all five of them share their thoughts on aspiring female racers entering the sport.

Image: Russell Colvin.

Laura Brown:
The hardest step was making the first one. Luckily, I had a friend to help guide me. I would advise any girls/ladies who wish to give road racing a go, to reach out to someone already racing such as myself or any of the other girls or boys. At the end of the day we all love this sport with a passion and promoting it by helping new riders get involved is the best thing we can do. We are always happy to help. 

Hannah Stewart:
I would tell young girls to have a go and get into the sport. The thrill of road racing is the best. It keeps you focused and motivated and pushes you to be a better person. You also get to meet some great people in the same frame of mind.

Tayla Relph:
It can be daunting at first, when I started, I was the only female and I was certainly slow, but my love for the sport and my persistent attitude kept me going and has gotten me to where I am today – everyone has to start somewhere.

Image: Russell Colvin.

Stephany Kapilawi-James:
Don’t be afraid to take that leap. If you are not afraid of fear, than this is the sport for you. Crashing will send that fear in your system and if you’re willing to get up again and again and again and again, for so many times then that’s the hardest obstacle you’ll ever conquer. Giving up is not an option, after that, everything gets easier.

Keegan Pickering:
To young girls wanting to race, I say reach out and get connected with the females competing. I know we’d love to give you advice and assistance in starting your road racing career.