Ashley Fiolek: First woman on cover of TransWorld Motocross magazine

On November 4, for the first time in American major motocross publication history, a female rider will be  featured in action on the cover or a major magazine.

Ashley Fiolek, the 2008 WMA Women’s Motocross Champion, will be featured on the cover of TransWorld Motocross Magazine.

Fiolek, a 17-year-old rider, is the leader in the only women’s professional motorsport series in the U.S. this season. All this – and it was only her first pro season, she’s deaf, and she suffered a midseason broken wrist.

That’s right – Fiolek is a deaf rider. EXPN reported that in addition to her WMA win, Ashley also was a contributor to a monthly column called “Silence” in TransWorld Motocross Magazine.

“Though their numbers are few, women’s racing is an important part of our sport,” said Transworld Motocross’ Editor-in-Chief Donn Maeda.

“Amazing not only because she’s deaf, but also for her talent on a bike, Ashley Fiolek will help take women’s motocross to the next level. I am proud to have her on our cover.”

Transworld is, in fact, making an investment in girls as riders. For example, on Thursday, October 23rd, they held their first ever TWMX Girl’s Learn to Ride day at the Honda Rider Education Center in Colton, CA. Girls from every part of the motocross industry came out to get dirty and learn how to ride a dirt bike like a pro.

This is a great accomplishment for both Fiolek and Transworld Motocross magazine. I should expect to see many more women’s faces appearing on that publication.

Because Donn Maeda mentioned that it’s an important part of their sport, I should expect that importance reflected in the editorial content of the publication (and all other motocross publications for that matter).

For more information on Ashley, check out AshleyFiolek.com.

WSF Sportswoman of the Year Contest

The Women’s Sports Foundation is holding a poll/contest on their Web site to select two champion athletes (one team, one individual) for their Sportswoman of the Year Award.

Award winners will be announced on October 14, 2008, and honored at the Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Cast your vote by midnight, September 2, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win one of five items autographed by your favorite sportswomen.

The nominees for the “team” category are:
- Patty Cisneros
- Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakova
- Sandra Kiriasis
- Jessica Mendoza
- Hannah Nielsen
- Candace Parker
- Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh
- Marta Vieira da Silva
- Hayley Wickenheiser
- Venus and Serena Williams

The nominees for the “individual” category are:
- Mao Asada
- Veronica Campbell-Brown
- Natalie Coughlin
-Ashley Fiolek
- Allison Fisher
- Yelena Isinbayeva
- Nastia Liukin
- Lorena Ochoa
- Lindsey Vonn
- Rebecca Ward

I guess I’m a fan of the Olympics (or that’s what’s on the top of my mind) because I voted for Misty-May Treanor for the “team” category and Nastia Liukin for the “individual” category. I know the contest is based on more than just Olympic performances, but I just couldn’t help myself.

I encourage everyone to vote!!!

Women’s Motocross Welcomed at X Games

Now this is cool. Women’s Motocross is making a debut at the X Games for the first time!

The X Games is an annual event that focuses on extreme action sports. For over 30 years, woman have stood on the sidelines and watched in amazement as “greats” have zoomed across the stage of the X Games, including names such as Travis Pastrana and Cary Hart.

Now we can focus upon names like Jessica Patterson, Ashley Fiolek and Tarah Geiger, females who are now able compete in this summer’s X games.

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation,

“It is a real milestone for women’s motocross,” said Mikki Keller, the founder and president of the Women’s Motocross Association (WMA), the organization “committed to the promotion of women’s racing, providing the highest quality women’s motocross events and creating opportunities for women in all areas of the sport.” “In terms of media exposure and viewer reach, there is really nothing like this for women’s motocross racing,” she said.

This year, for the first time ever, the revving vibrations of women’s bikes will roar throughout the Staples Center.