Baja Lorca, Spain in the Defender Rally Series, part of the EU Baja Championship
Experience the second year of the Defender Rally series with Vanessa Ruck in the EU Baja Championship racing a Bowler Defender 90 in Lorca Spain.
Welcome to the Lorca Baja in the 2024 Defender Rally Series as part of the EU Baja Championship. This is an intense single day race covering over 400km of beautiful Spanish terrain based out of Lorca, near Alicante in Spain. As a motorcycle rider I am used to long distances and time in the saddle, for example my recent triumph of becoming the first British female to finish the Africa Eco Race following the original Dakar route. However, this is my first endurance race in a car! The focus and concentration to keep going with 2.3 tonne’s of a vehicle and continual communication with your navigator was something I had no idea how I would handle. I know I have the mental resilience to fight on, especially since my accident but this was a new challenge.
This was high endurance, hard navigation and enormous concentration for over 6 hours travelling at high speeds and covering a considerable distance in the Bowler Defender rally car. It’s safe to say that this is the type of motorsports racing that I have been looking forward to and working towards! I crave the endurance and distance of these types of races.
As I continue racing in year two of the Bowler Driver Development Pathway in Big Boy my 2.3 tonne Defender 90 the challenges continue to increase and my skills continue to improve, with 75 vehicles off the start line, I managed to come in at an impressive 33rd position, I am quite chuffed with the results of my first ever Baja experience in a 4 wheeled vehicle.
You can see the full race behind the scenes here:
MY EU Baja Championship Lorca Bowler Defender RESULTS
Shocking performance!!! My first ever long endurance event with four wheels seeing us tackling over 400km and I managed 33rd of 75!! Like what!!
Even more impressive was being just 18 minutes behind the first place Bowler Defender rally car that was driven by a professional team and only 6 minutes off 3rd place driven by a multi time Dakar rally Finisher… that’s just minutes across the 6hr+ time racing.
Considering a little over a year ago I put my bottom in a rally car for the first time, it’s incredible the progress the Bowler Motors driver programme has given me. Read about my journey into motorsports here .
2024 EU Baja Championship with Defender
As part of the Bowler customer experience and driver development programme they are offering a multiyear programme. The ultimate goal is to get you to the desert, going from total newbie to confident, ready and equipped for success. Having finished year one which saw me earning my national race license, a critical part in the journey, I’m racing the EU Baja Championship in my Defender.
Next round is in one of the most beautiful, stunning and varied terrains possible and one of my favorite countries to ride motorcycles in – Iceland .
With four rounds in the 2024 Defender series it’s going to be another jump in my motorsports career. New terrain, new challenges and much bigger distances.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
First international Defender race – Rallye Terres Du Gatin
How did I survive!!?? My first international Defender race and 40% crashed out
Welcome to Round two of the 2024 Defender Rally Series EU Baja Championship in Gatinais, France – Rallye Terres Du Gatinais. This is my first international rally in Big Boy my 2.3 tonne beast of a Bowler Defender 90! As I continue into year two of the Bowler Driver Development pathway I now have my national license through racing with Bowler Motors. And we are also upping my game in terms of teammates. I’m now with up there one of the most experienced motorsport individuals in the UK, Chris Hammond.
The Gatinas round offered the Bowler drivers yet another set of new environments to learn and build on our racing skills. Set in pretty luscious agricultural fields in France, just south of Paris, it was totally new conditions worsened by very wet weather in the lead up. It meant for treacherous wet mud and slippery conditions. By the end of lap one I was actually nearly in tears with the emotions. I was so grateful to Bowler for pairing me with Chris Hammond. His experience, knowledge and guidance kept me calm in the car but also enabled me to build confidence. Learning and adapting to the slippery conditions.
How did I survive in the Bowler Defender!!??
Of the 75 vehicles that started only 45 finished, that’s 30 vehicles either crashing out or having mechanical problems! So after only hitting one obstacle, I am proud to have not only finished but claimed 7th in class! Driving in treacherous conditions, a racing heart and a few tears while sliding in the mud, skimming over ruts, squealing with adrenalin, facing ice like terrain and avoiding huge ditches that were taking no prisoners! It was an action packed race.
You can see the full race behind the scenes here:
Next round is in Lorca, Spain and it’s a 500km day! Bring it on
2024 EU Baja Championship with Defender
As part of the Bowler customer experience and driver development programme they are offering a multiyear programme. The ultimate goal is to get you to the desert, going from total newbie to confident, ready and equipped for success. Having finished year one which saw me earning my national race license, a critical part in the journey, I’m racing the EU Baja Championship in my Defender.
With four rounds in the 2024 Defender series it’s going to be another jump in my motorsports career. New terrain, new challenges and much bigger distances. The full series information can be found here:
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
Motorsports with four wheels and the Defender came into my world later in life. I was 36 when I first got behind the wheel of a rally car but like all things, there is a story on how that development to becoming a UK female rally driver came about.
Most know me for my passion and love for two wheels. I’ve ridden motorcycles in more than 33 different countries, participated in 10 multi-day international rallies including some of the most notoriously grueling and physically demanding races in the history of motorsports. My love for motorcycles started later in life, it wasn’t until I was 30 years old that I began riding off road. I didn’t grow up with bikes but following my life changing accident I found myself discovering the thrills and adrenaline of bikes. My most notable achievement is having successfully completed a grueling 6,000km 13-day desert race, becoming the first British female to finish the ‘original Dakar’ route in the Africa Eco Race. This was a huge feat for anyone but given my chronic pain following the accident and being one of few females in the sport it is even more of a feat.
The connection with Bowler was a gradual one. As a 14-year-old I was obsessed with the WildCat. The roar of it’s V8, the poise of it’s stance with Defender heritage. My ultimate dream car was a Bowler. I never imagined racing one, I merely wanted it for everyday life, popping to the shops for milk. I still recall the first time I saw one in person. My father took me to Eridge Park in Kent for some kind of rally event. A deep purple WildCat’s roaring engine set my soul on fire. My bedroom was a sea of posters with a mix of cars but mostly the WildCat. A little girls dream despite being obsessed with ponies.
If you prefer watching to reading, you can watch my story here:
I had posters as a 14 year old and now I’m racing a Bowler… how did this happen?
Rallye du Maroc
It wasn’t until October 2021 when in Morocco that anything else occurred. I was there for Rallye du Maroc, a qualifying desert rally for the Dakar. I was there with my Honda CRF 450 RX in the enduro cup class. It was my first time in a rally bivouac and I was like a kid in a candy shop. Walking around dribbling over the incredible vehicles, from huge race trucks to pickups, side by sides and then the support vehicles. It was a little girls dream ‘car show’. On my wander around I bumped into a guy called Dave who was there supporting a race car and was super friendly and welcoming to me and my first-time energy.
We stood and chatted for a while, exchanged numbers and were deeply lost in conversation about our pasts, and similarity of interests in the motorsport world … and then it happened… a Bowler WildCat growled past. My mind and heart instantly started racing and completely checking out of Dave’s conversation with my bounding excitement for seeing my dream car in person in the desert.
Meet ‘Dave’
Fast forwards roughly a year and I get a phone call. “Hi Vanessa, it’s Dave Marsh, we met in Morocco”. I immediately knew who it was and went into an embarrassed apology for ghosting him mid conversation over the WildCat. He chuckled. It turns out ghosting the Head of Motorsports at Bowler… was less rude than he thought! He could instantly see my passion and energy. Dave wasn’t just calling for a chit chat, he had a question, and a big one at that!
“How would you like to come and do a round of the UK series in the new Bowler Defender 90?”
If I’d been able to bite his hands off in enthusiasm I would have done. This was my childhood dream coming true! I’ll be honest in that I had not heard of the new Defender 90 Bowler but google lead me to all the information, you can read more here: https://www.bowlermotors.com/defender-rally-series/
Dave Marsh, Head of Motorsports at Bowler
Getting your BARS licence
First up I had to get my BARS licence. This is a relatively straightforward process that largely ensures proficiency and safety across rally in the UK. First time in a Subaru car was fun. You can watch this process below:
BARS test at Phil Price rally school
Land Rover experience day at Eastnor Castle
The Defender Series takes the road-ready Defender 90 as a donor base vehicle before upgrading and modifying it to meet the grueling requirements of fast speed rally racing. This means an ideal start is getting to know the Defender as it comes, before the infamous Bowler touch. Firstly. I headed to the Customer Experience centre run by Land Rover at Eastnor Castle for a day off road. The technology in this car blew my mind. Land Rover have spent years developing a car that has the ability to do as much for you as possible in order to help you get through the toughest terrain. You can watch my first time experience here:
Walters training on the Bowler driver development programme
Next I had to face getting into a Bowler Defender for the first time. I think the excitement was at such a high level I felt sick! It was bitter cold with sideways wind for my first weekend at Walters arena but I knew I was in safe hands. Bowler offer a full driver development programme designed to enable ANYONE to get into rally. They coach you, teach you and support you from the very foundations all the way though to the UK Defender rally series.
I had no idea what was to come on this new and amazing journey I was embarking on, but I can tell you I was excited Day one saw us doing rally safety, rescue and medical procedures, a detailed run through of the car, basic track side maintenance such as wheel changes and scrummy / delicious on site catering with Street Feast who support the Bowler events. I felt like a rabbit in headlights but by the end of the day I was feeling knowledgeable and prepared.
Vanessa Ruck in the Bowler Defender rally car at Walters Areana, Wales
Getting into a Defender rally car
Getting into the Defender 90 as a passenger was next. I had my brand new Alpinestars race suit, full fireproof kit, shoes, socks, balaclava etc as advised by Bowler. I felt like a power ranger. Then it was time to get the Simpson neck device to prevent neck injuries in a crash, and the Stilo helmet with a built in intercom before strapping into the 5 point harness bucket seat. It was a very new feeling! There are very few moments in life where you’re strapped into a seat with the ability to only move your lower legs and arms. Chris Cummings my navigator and co-pilot who Bowler paired me with was a calm and reassuring voice. I don’t remember much from those first laps other than pure joy! Squeals, giggles, shrieks of horror and delight. My first impressions; wow that car could move!
My turn behind the wheel
This could have been something pretty overwhelming. Walters arena is notorious for its snotty wet slippery Welsh terrain, there weather was giving us it’s best and I was brand new. But the whole team, from the service crew supporting on the vehicles, the other drivers, the navigators and everyone in-between was just so friendly. It was an environment where being a total beginner was okay. That is why I was there! Little did I know that my motorcycle background would give me such a huge leg up. The ability to read the terrain, to understand braking and weight transfer and picking smooth lines. I certainly had and advantage. I would describe this day as being like a legal high. You can watch it here:
First time in a Bowler Defender 90
Then it escalated
Following an incredible first weekend where I even managed to get a podium, I was hooked. I needed more of this in my life. The adrenaline of having 2.3tonnes of mass, a navigator throwing instructions such as “fast right” where you then have to flat foot into a blind corner on total trust that it’s just a small bend, it was incredible! I sat down with Bowler and we came up with the idea of me completing the full UK Defender Rally Series Partnered with TATA ELXSI. More information here: https://www.bowlermotors.com/defender-rally-series/
Bowler year one progress
The UK series saw myself and up to 9 other racers from a huge range of backgrounds all competing in 7 events. We were united by the love of motorsports, the thrill and the Bowler facilitation. There was no way I could have participated in these events solo. I would not have had the knowledge, skills, equipment to go solo, so Bowler really was the catalyst for this for most of us. The added bonus of the Defender series is the set specification of the cars. Once Bowler have turned them into rally cars,taking the P300 production models with added safety features, including race-specification seats, FIA-approved roll cage and fire extinguishers.
We as racers are not allowed to further modify them. They use the same powerful 300PS Ingenium petrol engine, responsive eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox and advanced All-Wheel Drive system as showroom models, with all mechanical enhancements done by the expert team from Bowler. But that is where it stops. The rich guy can’t throw on a £40k suspension upgrade package or enhance its engine. The car spec is set, the rest is down to us as drivers. A fantastic way to limit the budget but also set a level playing field where our skills and navigator relationships stand us apart. The Bowler Defender series has to be one of the best ways to get into motorsports.
I rolled my Defender rally car
Myself and Chris Cummings, had a fantastic year. We had some hicks and hurdles, including rolling my Defender. That was a bit of a shock but a huge learning experience and the car took near zero damage, despite having a lie down.
What is the new Bowler Defender 90 – full specs video
Otherwise, it was a year of growth. My driving ability, confidence in the car and skills improved with every event. Each event has been hand selected by Bowler to expand our driver data base. Over the seven events we managed 4 podiums!!! Which was just fantastic. The biking background really helped my journey.
Defender Rally Series Partnered with TATA ELXSI results: Vanessa Ruck
Walters Areana – 3rd in Defender class 2023
Rallynuts Stages Rally – 2nd in Defender class 2023
Summer Scottish Hill rally – 3rd in class and 14th overall 2023
Nicky Grist – 6th in Defender class 2023
Yorkshire Hill rally – 5th in Defender class 2023
Conwy Cambrian Rally – 7th in Defender class 2023
Scottish borders hill rally – 3rd in Defender class 2023
Am I leaving motorcycles behind? No, I’m managing chronic pain
My shift to incorporate both 2 and 4 wheels is driven by my need to manage chronic pain in my hip. Motorcycling takes a toll on my body. I live with chronic pain, my hip is deteriorating, and I sadly don’t go anywhere without painkillers. Completing the Africa Eco Race was a monumental challenge that I’m unbelievably proud of. BUT…I’ve had to come to an emotional realization that the one home that I have – my body – is something that I need to be a bit more mindful and protective of for my future.
However…I refuse to give up the thrill of racing. Four wheels offers me a way to stay in the game and set the goal of getting back to the desert, in the bivouac, hooked on the adrenaline and keep on pushing boundaries. So instead of quitting due to my pain as a result of the accident, which also got me into motorcycles, I am going to ADAPT!
My ultimate rally goal is set!
My goal is to become the first British female driver to complete a major (yet-to-be-disclosed) international rally in 2026. Following starting in the 2023 Bowler Defender rally series as a total newbie, I am now stepping it up to the European series in Big Boy. He’s a T2 rally car built on a Defender production vehicle.
UK female rally car driver Vanessa Ruck with her 2024 Bowler Defender 90 rally car
Huge thanks to the Land Rover and Bowler team for your belief in me and the support, along with my key sponsors: FCLG and Strata .
Next it’s the Defender EU Baja Championship
As part of the Bowler customer experience, driver development programme they are offering a multiyear programme. The ultimate goal is to get you to the desert, going from a total newbie to a confident, ready and equipped racer for success. Having finished year one which saw me earning my national race licence, a critical part in the journey, I’m moving onto the European series.
With four rounds in the series it’s going to be another jump in my motorsports career. New terrain, new challenges and much bigger distances. The full series information can be found here: https://www.bowlermotors.com/defender-rally-series/
I’ll be proudly flying the British flag with his sexy new livery wrap done by AR Signs Ltd [I highly recommend them for vehicle and helmet wraps] as we go into the 2024 EU Baja Championship as part of year two in the Defender Rally Series Partnered with TATA ELXSI. Stay tuned for more news, adventures and fun.
Bowler Defender 90 rally car with British flag driven by Vanessa Ruck
Sponsorship opportunities
As you know, I have huge racing goals on 4 wheels. I’m not quitting bikes but my hip pain means the cars give me a new chapter and I want to get back to the desert!!! Lots of exciting things to come if I can pull it off.
If you’re interested in any sponsorship opportunities please get in touch hello@thegirlonabike.com – all sponsorship also helps me continue my free schools programme to help inspire UK youth. You can also support me in a smaller scale via my Patreon or book me for a motivational / key note speaker.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
Year two in the Defender Rally Series Partnered with TATA ELXSI
Following the completion of the 2023 UK Defender Rally series with Bowler in my Defender 90 Big Boy it’s time to up the game and work towards my ultimate goal [keep reading for what that is!]. Year one saw me going from a total beginner, rabbit in a headlight having never been in a rally car to a huge development journey. Teamed with Chris Cummings as my navigator and supported by the wider Bowler team including the mechanics, we had a fantastic year, a year of growth. My driving ability, confidence in the car and skills improved with every event. Each event has been hand selected by Bowler to expand our driver data base. Over the seven events we managed 4 podiums!!! Which was just fantastic. The biking background really helped my journey. The 7 event series also enabled me to earn the licence upgrade to national, allowing me to compete in international events.
If you don’t know my story into motorsports you can read it here
Before I set my 2024 plans I want to clarify the below….
Am I leaving motorcycles behind? No, I’m managing chronic pain
My shift to incorporate both 2 and 4 wheels is driven by my need to manage chronic pain in my hip. Motorcycling takes a toll on my body. I live with chronic pain, my hip is deteriorating, and I sadly don’t go anywhere without painkillers. Completing the Africa Eco Race was a monumental challenge that I’m unbelievably proud of. BUT…I’ve had to come to an emotional realization that the one home that I have – my body – is something that I need to be a bit more mindful and protective of for my future.
However…I refuse to give up the thrill of racing. Four wheels offer a way for me to stay in the game and set the goal of getting back to the desert, in the bivouac, hooked on the adrenaline and keep on pushing boundaries. So instead of quitting due to my pain as a result of the accident, which also got me into motorcycles, I am going to ADAPT!
Time for the 2024 EU Baja Championship with Defender
As part of the Bowler customer experience and driver development programme they are offering a multiyear programme. The ultimate goal is to get you to the desert, going from total newbie to confident, ready and equipped for success. Having finished year one which saw me earning my national race licence, a critical part in the journey, I’m moving onto Europe in my Defender.
With four rounds in the 2024 Defender series it’s going to be another jump in my motorsports career. New terrain, new challenges and much bigger distances. The full series information can be found here: https://www.bowlermotors.com/defender-rally-series/
I’m racing the French, Spanish and Icelandic events. With the move going to Baja road book, navigation is key, so Bowler have paired me with a new navigator; Chris Hammond. He comes with 40 years of rally experience, having completed the Dakar as both a driver and navigator. A huge learning resource for me!
Vanessa Ruck and Chris Hammond
Vanessa Ruck and Chris Hammond teamed for the Defender rally series
It’s going to be an incredible year and the best bit is two big things:
First, I’ll be proudly flying the British flag with my Defender 90 Big Boys’ sexy new livery wrap done by AR Signs Ltd as we go into the 2024 EU Baja Championship as part of year two in the Defender Rally Series Partnered with TATA ELXSI. Stay tuned for more news, adventures and fun.
Secondly, September will see the Bowler team taking us to Morocco for a training camp in the sand dunes followed by a 6 day rally! I can’t wait to get into the desert again as it perfectly aligns to my personal goals… see below. See the racing calendar: https://www.bowlermotors.com/defender-rally-series/calendar/
Defender 90 rally car with British flag driven by Vanessa Ruck
My ultimate rally goal is set!
My goal is to become the first British female driver to complete a major (yet-to-be-disclosed) international rally in 2026. Following starting in the 2023 Bowler Defender rally series as a total newbie, I am now stepping it up to the European series in Big Boy. He’s a T2 rally car build on a Defender production vehicle. Huge thanks to the Land Rover and Bowler team for your belief in me and the support, along with my key sponsors: FCLG and Strata .
Vanessa Ruck the first British female to finish the Africa Eco Race to Dakar
My energy and Bowler are perfectly aligned and I can’t wait to take you on the journey with me! Make sure you’re subscribed to all my channels so you don’t miss anything:
As you know, I have huge racing goals on 4 wheels. I’m not quitting bikes but my hip pain means the cars give me a new chapter and I want to get back to the desert!!! Lots of exciting things to come if I can pull it off.
If you’re interested in any sponsorship opportunities please get in touch hello@thegirlonabike.com all sponsorship also helps me continue my free schools programme to help inspire UK youth. You can also support me in a smaller scale via my Patreon.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
As seen in The CarAndDriver: For all would-be racers, the yearly Dirtfish WIM event is both entertainment and education.
The most important conversation I had during the 2024 Women in Motorsports (WIM) Summit at Dirtfish Rally School in Snoqualmie, Washington, was not with guest of honor Michèle Mouton about her incredible Pikes Peak triumph in 1985, or how she doesn’t drink alcohol unless it’s champagne.
Nor was it with WRC commentator Becs Williams about how she discovered motorsports at a relatively late age and made a stunning career out of reporting on it. The conversation that really stuck with me was about underpants. Don’t get weird about it.
Dirtfish Rally School is famous for its dirt-clod-flinging driving classes and founder Steve Rimmer’s envy-inducing Group B Rally car collection, but the company also promotes rally racing with a team of photographers and writers and hosts a yearly meet-up to celebrate and support women in racing. The WIM event was Josie Rimmer’s idea. Dirtfish’s head of strategy, she felt that while there were plenty of women involved in rally racing, they weren’t often in spotlight.
“I’d grown up around rally and have seen countless women in the service park occupying all sorts of roles,” she said. “It became quite clear quite quickly that those women weren’t being written about or invited to sit on podcasts. No one was shouting their names from the rooftop the way they should have been.
We wanted to be the ones shouting from the rooftops, ‘Hey! You really can do this too!'” Rimmer thought it might appeal to a few folks if she put together a panel of speakers and some hot-lap ride-alongs and invited some local women-run companies to get together at Dirtfish for a day-long event.
In 2022, Dirtfish hosted around 100 rally fans (men and women) to talk about racing and listen to Rhianon Gelsomino, Lia and Lucy Block, Emma Gilmour, and Sara Price talk about their experiences behind the wheel or in the co-drivers seat. In 2023, Rimmer brought even more women to the table, including the only female driver to win a World Rally Car victory, Michèle Mouton.
Some 400 people attended that year, including me, and despite being nearly struck mute with hero worship (Mouton is . . . wow), I noticed how the audience responded, eager to hear the details of these women’s experiences and to ask questions about starting their own motorsports journeys.
For 2023, Mouton returned, along with Pernilla Solberg, recently named president of the World Rally Championship Commission, and journalist Becs Williams, as well as a trio of younger racers, FIA Top Fuel dragster driver Jndia Erbacher, Trans Am Mustang driver Michele Abbate, and motorcycle endurance rider Vanessa Ruck. It was at dinner with these three that conversation turned to the subject of skivvies.
They were chatting about crashes and fires and all the things race-car drivers casually talk about while the rest of us think about how the height of our own bravery was removing the gopher that the dog brought in and put on the couch. (Hey, it was not initially clear that it was dead, so I do think I deserve a medal.)
Unlike me, race-car drivers are actually brave, and they do dangerous things, like deal with brake failure at high speed in a road race or engine explosions in nitro dragsters. Both of those things came up as Erbacher and Abbate shared stories with Ruck. When Abbate got to the part in her tale of a 2023 crash at Road America where the car caught on fire and the suppression system didn’t work, Erbacher and Ruck were all sympathy and no small amount of horror.
This led to a discussion about fireproof underlayers, which caught Ruck’s attention. As a motorcyclist who recently has been exploring four-wheel motorsports as a Bowler Works driver in the U.K. Defender Rally series, she was less familiar with the options for women’s safety gear—bike riders generally worrying less about fire than impact. “I had no idea there were fireproof sports bras and knickers,” she said. “Oh, it’s really new,” Erbacher told her, describing the somewhat itchy process of developing a workable sports bra with her safety gear sponsor.
Abbate and I jumped in with horror stories of what synthetic fibers and underwires can do in a fire (you do not want hot metal and melted plastic next to your skin). Ruck was taking notes, and not even a week later posted on her Instagram account about being fitted with new fire-resistant layers.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life-changing accident, which started it all.
As seen in The DirtFish: Another DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit has come and gone in a flash, and it’s fair to say that this year’s event was the best yet.
On today’s episode of SPIN, The Rally Pod, DirtFish’s Josie Rimmer and Michelle Miller reflect on everything that happened last Saturday, and how inspirational the Summit continues to be for so many people.
Plus, there’s a word from our incredible line-up of panelists – Michèle Mouton, Pernilla Solberg, Becs Williams, Vanessa Ruck, Michele Abbate and Jndia Erbacher – who entertained and encouraged those in the crowd during their appearances on the DirtFish stage.
If you missed anything from Saturday’s sell-out event, you can watch the live stream at any time right here.
And don’t forget the Women in Motorsport Summit is only the start of Women’s Month here on DirtFish.com – there’s plenty more inspiring stories to come.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life-changing accident, which started it all.
As seen in The DirtFish: Get ready for the biggest day in the DirtFish calendar! Join iconic females at the Women in Motorsport Summit for empowerment and inclusion. Summit Saturday has arrived. The time is now. The stage is set. Today, however, is about a different kind of stage.
The DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit is about bringing together some of the world’s most iconic and influential females and placing them center stage to deliver a single message.
That message?
“Yes, you can,” said DirtFish Women in Motorsport coordinator Josie Rimmer. “The Summit is about inclusion, empowerment, and the message that, yes, you can do it. This is your space.
“We’ve got these incredible, powerhouse women here with us who have some amazing badass careers and experiences to talk about and share. The six panellists we’ll be talking to on stage today are the most amazing, rockstar role models.
“We’ve got circuit racing champions like Michele Abbate or Jndia Erbacher taking a 10,000 horsepower drag car to 60mph in less than a second.
“Michèle needs no introduction. She’s the very definition of inspiration.”
The Frenchwoman remains the only female to have won at the very peak of FIA competition, she won four rounds of the World Rally Championship in a stellar career which spanned some of the sport’s fastest and most dangerous Group B years.
Michèle, like Pernilla, is back for a second Summit. Neither would miss it.
Michèle, who was also the founding president of the FIA’s Women and Motor Sport Commission, said: “Last year at DirtFish, it was one of the first times that I really thought about what I achieved in 40 years and how this could help other women. Going to the Summit and meeting those people, they really showed me that I was being a role model, I was inspiring them and that’s why I am happy to be back.”
For those fortunate enough to be in Snoqualmie, doors open at DirtFish Rally School at 1015. As well as the panellists, the DirtFish Service Park is a new innovation for this year – with a dynamic insight into joining the sport of rallying as a tech, a volunteer, a driver or a co-driver.
On top of that, there’s awesome food, the best music and, of course, the chance to meet heroes and make friends.
If you’re anywhere other than the ’Fish on Saturday, just stay right here and watch the Summit livestream.
Just don’t miss it. Days like today change lives and shape futures.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life-changing accident, which started it all.
As seen in The DirtFish: DirtFish’s Women In Motorsport Coordinator Josie Rimmer Explains Why The Month Of March Is So Important.
Well, I haven’t slept much for a handful of nights. Maybe weeks… who knows?
Today is the first day of Women’s Month – across America, across motorsport, across the world and surely in every corner of DirtFish. So… I’m too excited for sleep!
You know what I’m going to say: this truly is my favourite month of the year. And that Saturday’s Women in Motorsport Summit is my favourite event of the year. And that I start to look forward to both again on April 1, annually. And every year, I get to work with my favourite team to make it happen.
You know all of this about me by now. But you have no idea what we have in store this time around.
Remember last year? We told you 2024 would be bigger, we told you it would be stronger… Here at the Fish, we like to keep our promises. While I can’t reveal it all to you just yet (you’ll have to get here to the Summit or watch the stream from around the world to see everything), I can say I am absolutely thrilled by all of it.
By now, you’ve seen our incredible line-up for the Summit itself: Michèle Mouton, Pernilla Solberg, Becs Williams, Michele Abbate, Vanessa Ruck and Jndia Erbacher are in the air with Seattle in their sights as we speak (or I type, you read…).
Having a group of women as influential as that assemble here at the school is like hitting the jackpot. I mean, come on! We are heading for one incredible, inspiring, awe-inducing day.
I’ll admit, when Michèle Mouton responded to my very excited, rambling message inviting her back to the Summit, I froze.
Yes. She wanted to come back.
Of course, when you write the text, you hope for this type of response. You hope that the Moutons and the Solbergs and the Williams’ of the world will say yes… and then they do.
And for Pernilla and Michèle – they’re saying yes for the second time. These are the moments that take your breath away. To say I’m honoured is an understatement.
And all of our panelists joining us for the first time? I’m beyond grateful that they trust us to share their message. I honestly have a hard time wrapping my mind around it, what this event has become in only three years. The panelists we’re bringing in, the sponsors getting onboard – the people that believe in us. We’re making a difference. And we’re doing it around the world.
That’s the wildest part? That we started this initiative hoping it would take off, but that I still had this little voice in the back of my mind whispering that we were just this one tiny place tucked away in the Pacific Northwest. Could we have the impact we truly wanted to have?
And… we’re doing it. It’s happening. It’s mind boggling.
And I’m honoured.
There are a lot of cliches and platitudes I could insert here, but I won’t. I’ll instead tell you that this year I am the most present I’ve ever been, I’m the most inspired I’ve ever been, and I have the most faith I ever have that we’re absolutely, completely on the right path.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life-changing accident, which started it all.
As seen in The DirtFish: Saturday is the third annual DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit and it is, by some distance, the biggest and the best we’ve ever prepared.
Four-time world rally winner and founding president of the FIA’s Women and Motor Sport Commission Michèle Mouton has been at the very heart of DirtFish’s Women’s Month since it began in 2022. Michèle guest edited the website two years ago and flew out to the Summit last year.
She’s back at DirtFish on Saturday. Here’s Michèle’s thinking on why she’s returning to the Pacific Northwest to join us: “You know, last year at DirtFish, it was one of the first times that I really thought about what I achieved in 40 years and how this could help other women. Going to the Summit and meeting those people, they really showed me that I was being a role model, I was inspiring them and that’s why I am happy to be back.”
Newly announced FIA WRC Commission president and multiple world champion team principal (as well as former Rally Finland podium finisher in a Group N car) Pernilla Solberg is another returnee – and this time we will ask her about the time she flew a rally car 68 meters over a jump on a rally in Germany!
Becs Williams is a friend and colleague to both Mouton and Solberg – it’s been both her job and her passion to talk about these iconic drivers. And on Saturday, she’s going to talk to the Summit about her time behind the mic.
The stage is set, the stories are coming.
It doesn’t stop there. We’re not all about the stage. We’re all about motorsport.
Vanessa Ruck has just finished fourth in a season of rallying in the Defender Rally Series in the UK, but she’s not known as the girl on a bike for nothing – last month she completed the 13-day, near 4,000-mile Africa Eco Race on her KTM. She’s the very definition of hardcore, badass. But her story is put into even more context when you consider the accident she had not long ago. Vanessa’s person story is incredible.
The team here at DirtFish is just incredible,” said Rimmer. “Honestly, it’s easy to sit here and say we couldn’t have done it without them, but truly, this wouldn’t be happening without the incredible commitment and determination that comes from everybody. I can’t thank them enough.
“Saturday is the culmimation of months’ of hard work from so many people. It’s going to be amazing. We’ve got everything planned for you, from those amazing panelists to awesome vendors, the best food and coffee in all of Seattle – and that’s saying something! The music’s sorted with DK Mixxtress and, of course, thrill rides right here at the world’s best Rally School.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life-changing accident, which started it all.
It all went wrong in the third round of the Bowler Defender Series, and I crashed a 300hp rally monster.
The third round of the Bowler Defender series took us to Scotland for the Scottish Summer Hill rally, where it all went wrong and I crashed the 300hp beast.
This is a totally new style of racing for me so it meant a huge learning curve. In this video not only will you see the crash footage but I also take you on a full walk around of the Bowler rally car so you can see what a Defender is and how it differs from the base model, the Land Rover Defender.
That didn’t go to plan
This was a rally that went crazy! Not only did I crash the Bowler a 300 hp rally monster but by mid day on day two I was ranking 1st in class and 10th overall. This was my 7th day in a racing car of any form EVER!
Find out more about the Bowler Defender Rally Series:
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
