EUROPEAN WOMEN'S CUP

The second edition of the European Woman’s Cup has just ended in Cartagena, supported by the UEM.

The new European Champions are:
PAOLA CAZZOLA (ITA) class 1000 Superstock
CHIARA VALENTINI (ITA) class 600 Superstock

Sixteen drivers at the start for the fourth race of this Cup in Cartagena (Spain).

Superstock 1000:
Fantastic win for Alessia Polita (sister of Alessandro, the Italian Champion in 2005 and Superstock world in 2006) who with her Suzuki Gsxr 750- marks good timing during the qualifying practice with a 1’40”6. During the race, after the 4th lap, she passes Paola Cazzola and ends the race all alone gaining quite a gap. Cazzola (Ducati 999), having a 6 point lead in the ranking over Alessia and 9 over de Nardi, runs a tactical race without any risky overtakings and ensures from her 2nd place, that Samuela de Nardi (Aprilia RSV1000) does not get too near. The gap is there because the Aprilia rider cannot get the right feeling between bike and tyres and takes third place, leaving the European championship title which she won in 2005, to Paola Cazzola.
Fourth place for the skilled rider Fabienne Migout, who raced with a ’98 bike (Ducati996). Although not being able to fight for the podium, she always raced at very high levels.

Superstock 600:
The class 600 race is announced as very exciting. The European Champion for this class, Chiara Valentini, (title assigned one race in advance) is in trouble having a dislocated shoulder. But she races besides the pain and not having any necessity to get points. She has to retire from the race after the 7th lap with timings that do not display her true potential. This accident had already jeopardized her challenge for the Italian title and here in Spain it forced her to perform in a way that left everyone without a new super duel Valentini-Ten Katen. The first one being winner in Vallelunga and Rjeka, the second winner in Hengelo (even though disqualified for technical details).
After a fantastic race the winner is the Dutch Iris Ten Katen on Honda Cbr 600, with timings close to those of the 1000 class! Rumours say that she will retire next year in order to finish her studies as a Doctor. We hope for the Doctor to-be, today vice European Champion, to come back to the races and show off her talent again.
But the excitement did not finish on the first step of the podium, because this race launched new drivers who instantly became protagonists of the European Woman’s Cup. Over all the Canadian Natalie C. Provost who, in addition to the organizational problems regarding the licence which cancelled her trials on Friday and the first go for qualifying on Saturday, and having to drive a bike she never tested before (a Suzuki Gsxr600 supplied by Giancarlo Polita’s team), turns up right away with a great timing in the qualifications and during the race climbs up two places passing Simona Zaccardi and Sharon Mermet. Provost (who ranks 6th in the Canadian championships this year) ends the race in second place in front of Zaccardi who gains third position for the final ranking. Other revelations in Cartagena come from the Spanish rider Mieria Clavjio who, at her first racing season, appears right away to be competitive in this European Cup by classifying 4rth in front of the English rider Susie Grayson. Susie promots woman’s motorcycling through the website Bikergirl. The English intend partaking in the European cup next year with the ‘Feisty Racing team’ the two riders Susie Grayson and Deb Cartwright plus maybe a third driver Leila Williams.
Sixth place for the Slovenian Urska Tursnek in front of the French Lidya Jean, the Italian Samantha Palmucci and the very young Swiss Jessica Jaggi (19 years). Sharon Mermet is able to finish the race after a fall, while another bad fall occurs to the Dutch Susanne Bolhaar during the 5th lap, luckily without any damage.

31 riders on the starting line for this 2nd edition of the European Woman’s Cup.

10 nations represented (Italy 16, Holland 6, France 2, Slovenia 1, Germany 1, Hungary 1, Spain 1 , UK 1, Switzerland 1, Canada 1).

The timings are getting more and more competitive (remember Rijeka: a 1’34” by Samuela de Nardi, Vallelunga: a 1’44” by Nina Prinz, Cartagena: a 1’40” by Alessia Polita).

More young gifted riders have been discovered, first of all Nina Prinz.

All this confirms an increase in skilled woman riders in many European and north American countries, an indication that woman’s motorcycling is an important reality which thanks to this European Cup is growing bigger and bigger.
The results from this European Woman’s Cup organised by UEM - the European motorcycling federation – underline the important success in promoting this sport and become a vital heritage for the future progress of woman’s motorcycling.