In the off-road arena, six times ISDE World Champion Jess Gardiner is unstoppable and an inspiration to women everywhere. The 29-year-old runs her own Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off Road Team and she is fresh from a dominant 1-1 performance at the AORC in Mackay, QLD.
Gardiner is also keen to share her experiences not only through her dirt bike coaching but also by running Yamaha’s bLU cRU come-and-try pop-up that appears at selected events. And now she will share those experiences at a women-only day at Wakefield Park race track on 25 April. She will also swap the race nylons for leathers and ride Yamaha’s new YZF-R7. “I’ve never ridden a road bike on a circuit before so I’m pretty excited,” says Gardiner. “Who knows, this could be the start of my road racing career,” she jokes. Organised by Motorcycling New South Wales and Stay Upright, the Australian Women in Motorcycling (AWIM) Circuit Racing Academy day promises to be an unforgettable experience packed with an exceptional amount of opportunities for women of all riding levels.
Gardiner will join road racers such as Peter Goddard, Steve Martin and Laura Brown for multiple on-track coaching sessions based on ability/ experience level. “I will also be involved in the off-track presentations and will chat about how to get involved in our sport and will be fielding questions, so come on down and say hi,” adds Gardiner who has been an inspiration for women since becoming Australia’s first female enduro world champion back in 2013.
Entries are still open to all women regardless of skill or racing discipline here Omni Sports Management and note that you will need to bring your own motorcycle and gear. Everything else will be supplied, including lunch.