Meet the women in the inaugural running of WorldWCR

The brand new FIM Women’s Motorcycling World Championship (WorldWCR) has launched! The series’ first race is this weekend at Misano World Circuit in Italy and, with the pending inaugural round, we wanted to introduce the twenty-four talented racers who will be competing.

Credit: WorldWRC Media

So, without further ado, let’s meet the stellar line-up!

#4 Emily Bondi

At 23-years-old, Emily Bondi enters her second season in motorcycle racing. The French rider will race for the Yart Zelos Black Knights Team in WorldWCR. Last season, Emily won the title of the 600cc Women’s Cup in the French Women’s Motorcycle Championships.

Emily discovered driving at a young age through electric scooters.

#5 Krystal Silfa

The 19-year-old rider from the Dominican Republic has experience racing in championships across Latin America. Having trained at the Speedway Park Las Américas in Santo Domingo, Krystal has spent the last several years racing in motorbike categories. She is currently first in the 500cc group of the Latin American championship.

Krystal will be racing for the ITALIKA Racing FIMLA team this season in WorldWCR.

#6 María Herrera 

Spanish racer María Herrera has an experienced past in motorcycle racing. In 2013, she became the first woman to win a race in the FIM CEV Repsol Series - a historic accomplishment.

Last season, María raced in the MotoE Championship. In the FIM Women’s Championship, she will compete for Klint Forward Factory Team.

In an interview with MotoGP, she commented that “it’s important to show women can do the same”.

#8 Tayla Relph

27-year-old Australian racer Tayla Relph had her first motorbike before the age of three.

In her career, she has raced in the 300cc Supersport category of the Australian Superbike Championship.

Tayla will be racing for TAYCO Motorsport.

#10 Ran Yochay

The 21-year-old Israeli racer will be driving for 511 Terra&Vita Racing Team this season.

Ran started riding at the age of 8 and has recently competed in the Women’s European Championship. In 2023, she finished sixth overall.

#14 Mallory Dobbs

From the USA, Mallory has previously raced in the Supersport and Super Hooligan categories of the MotoAmerica championship.

The 30-year-old rider has paired with the Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team for WorldWCR.

#16 Lucy Michel

Lucy had her earliest experience in motorcycle riding at the age of eight, finishing fifth in her first race. She has since competed in series such as IDM Supersport 300 and the ADAC Junior Cup.

At 19, Lucy now embarks on the next part of her journey with the TSL-Racing team.

#19 Adela Ourednickova

As the youngest racer on the grid, Adela is just 18 years old. Hailing from the Czech Republic, Adela has recently raced in the same IDM Supersport 300 Championship as Lucy.

In WorldWCR, Adela will be racing for DafitMotoracing by SMZR.

#21 Nicole van Aswegen

South African Nicole van Aswegen has competed in national championships since 2005.

In 2023, she ended the season an impressive 4th in the Superbike 1000 class.

The 37-year-old racer is contending in the FIM Women’s Motorcycling championship with Andalaft Racing.

#22 Ana Carrasco

2018 Supersport 300 World Champion Ana Carrasco rode her first minibike aged three.

Ana became the first female points scorer in both the FIM CEV International Championship and the Moto3 World Championship. Last season, she competed in Moto3 once more.

At Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team, the 27-year-old Spanish rider will be looking to perform well in WorldWCR, also being listed as a front-runner.

#28 Ornella Ongara

France’s Ornella Ongara - or ‘La Tulipe’, as she is nicknamed, will race this season for Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team. 

Ornella has been racing motorbikes since she was 6 years old. In 2016, she won the French Women’s Cup. Ornella is fresh off the back of a win in the Honda CBR500 Cup last year.

#29 Mia Rusthen

The Norwegian Rusthen Racing driver began her full-time motorsport journey in 2017. In 2022, she scored points in the IDM Supersport 300 Championship. Last season, Mia competed in the Women’s European Championship and finished P10 overall.

#33 Chun Mei Liu

42-year old Taiwanese racer Chun Mei Liu will be racing for WT Racing Team Taiwan in World WCR. In 2021 and 2022, she won Taiwanese championships.

#34 Lissie Whitmore

Racing for Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team, Alyssia is a 19-year-old British racer with experience in the Junior Supersport Championship.

Alyssia started riding bikes in 2017 at the age of 12.

#35 Lena Kemmer

Aged 20, Austrian Lena Kemmer has partnered with Bertl K. Racing Team for the WorldWCR Championship.

Lena has had two podium finishes in the Austrian Junior Cup series. In 2023, she raced in the Women’s European Championship.

#36 Beatriz Neila

22-year-old Spanish driver Beatriz Neila is a four-time Women’s European Champion, winning back-to-back titles from 2020 to 2023.

Beatriz has also competed in the Supersport 300 Championship.

This season, she will race for the Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha team.

#44 Luna Hirano

At 24, Japanese driver Luna Hirano will be racing this year for Team Luna.

She had her first taste of motorbikes at six, and has since taken part in competitions such as the Suzuka 8 Hours.

#46 Francisca ‘Pakita’ Ruiz

From Palma de Mallorca, 26-year-old Pakita is competing in World WCR with PS Racing Team 46+1.

Pakita received her first motorbike when she was six years old and hasn’t looked back. She has been successful in the Spanish Women’s Superbike Championship in the 600cc category.

#52 Jessica Howden

21-year-old South African Jessica Howden is Team Trasimeno’s World WCR racer.

Jessica has competed in the Women’s European Championship, earning three podiums in the series.

#53 Iryna Nadieieva

Ukraine’s Iryna Nadieieva has previously raced in the Spanish R6 Cup.

In the FIM Women’s Motorcycling championship, the 29-year-old will partner up with MPS.RT team.

#64 Sara Sanchez

Spanish racer Sara Sanchez will participate alongside Ran Yochay at 511 Terra&Vita Racing Team.

Sara took part in the Women’s European Championship in 2021 and 2022, finishing second overall.

#77 Andrea Sibaja

Spanish racer Andrea Sibaja will compete for Deza - Box 77 Racing Team in World WCR.

She was second in the 2022 Spanish Women’s Supersport Championship.

#83 Astrid Madrigal

Mexico’s Astrid Madrigal raced for Team 109 in the last few rounds of the 2023 World Supersport 300 Championship.

In WorldWCR, she is part of ITALIKA Racing FIMLA.

#94 Beatrice Barbera

Misano’s Wild Card racer is Italian Beatrice Barbera, who will be with Team GP3 AD11 by Tirso.

Beatrice was a challenger in the Italika Women’s International Cup.

#96 Roberta Ponziani 

27-year-old Italian Roberta Ponziani will be with Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team this season.

She is another racer who has competed in the Women’s European Championship - concluding each of her four seasons third overall. Roberta took the title in the 2023 Women’s CIV Championship.

#99 Isis Carreno

Chilean Isis Carreno will race under number 99 for AD78 FIM Latinoamerica by Team GP3.

Isis has participated in the Women’s European and World Supersport 300 Championships.

All images are courtesy of WorldWCR Media.