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Parents of young female motocross athletes are disappointed in the lack of girls’ events in the sport, with some claiming sexism amongst administrators.
The Christchurch Off-road Motorcycle Club host their annual Michael Godfrey Event on King’s Birthday weekend, but for the second year running haven’t offered a girls’ class. The event had run girls’ sections in the past, for about a decade.
Organisers couldn’t explain why the girls’ event was no longer offered and a committee of over 10 members unanimously decided not to comment.
Parents with daughters who compete in the sport were left disappointed, speaking out on the club’s Facebook page this week.
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“Wow! No ladies classes again. How sexist is this in today’s day and age! So none of our family will race this event in protest! Well done Christchurch Off-road Motorcycle Club poor form,” said one mother.
“Hope to see a ladies class so I don’t have to break my daughters heart for a second year running,” said another.
Queenstown mother Lisa-Jayne Meikle has two kids who ride in motocross events, Hunter (12) and Paige (14).
Because Queenstown doesn’t have a venue for motocross events she often travels the south to events which include girls, for Paige. When girls’ events aren’t offered because of low numbers, Paige enters in boys’ events.
Meikle said it was unfair for her daughter, as well as opening her up to bullying from the young boys who didn’t want girls racing in their events.
“She can still race with the boys, but comments get thrown at her. She gets told to f*** off the track.”
“She is in 12, 16-year-old boys’ groups, and it is extremely intimidating, and it isn’t very good for her confidence. If the girls can’t ride and can’t build confidence, how can they get better?”
When Meikle saw the Michael Godfrey event was again missing the girls’ class for next month’s event she was disappointed.
When contacted, president of the club Nick Emery couldn’t answer why they were no longer offering it.
“I am not the race organiser as such…..We’ve had lots of discussions and bits and pieces around it.”
The club had received complaints in 2022 when the event didn’t run a girls’ class.
Motocross New Zealand’s protocol is if girls’ events don’t meet the eight entrants threshold, the girls race with the boys.
However, because the classes weren’t advertised at this event, it is unknown whether there were eight girls interested in racing.
Meikle said she knew of 10 mothers who wanted to enter their daughters this year.
“This is clear discrimination towards the girls dying to race in their own class and not against boys who are stronger and faster than them,” she said.
Kiwi rider Courtney Duncan has skyrocketed New Zealand’s motocross reputation worldwide. Just this week she claimed a huge win in the opening World Championship race in Spain to go top of the world championship standings.
Motocross New Zealand general manager Mike Kerrisk said the club was an affiliate of the organisation, and so it was not up to the national organisation to change rules.
”That is a club event that Motocross New Zealand has nothing to do with, but we sign it off.
“We cannot dictate to them what classes they provide at their event.”
Kerrisk said he had spoken to the club, and they indicated it was down to numbers, and nothing to do with sex.
”They claim that is a numbers thing.”
“Suffice to say – we began these discussions with the club 12 months ago to address this,” he wrote in an email to Meikle, who had raised her concerns.
“We gave this particular club the opportunity to do this upon their own volition. They have chosen not to.”
This Michael Godfrey Event 2023 is the 40th anniversary event. It brings in 1000s from the motorcycle community.
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