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FEATURE I THE 2024 WORLDWCR CHAMPIONSHIP
some notable battles down the
field, too.
Four or five Spanish riders
dominated to a remarkable de-
gree, showing that the modern-
day
true home of bike racing
is definitely well ahead of the
curve in terms of producing fe-
male talent, not just male talent.
Sara
Sanchez 511 Terra&Vita
Racing Team was a bit of a find
and ended up just 24 points
from the well-proven exploits
of championship runner-up
Herrera. Sara scored eight
podiums from 12 races—two of
which were race victories—so it
wasn't just the Carrasco/Herrera
grudge match right up top.
whole 2024 WorldSBK paddock.
It went to literally the final corner
to be decided when Herrera
crashed out after hitting the rear
tire of yet another Spanish rider.
It was a fittingly wild finish to a
remarkably competitive season
for the elite female riders.
The big question we need to
answer after WorldWCR's first
year of existence is this: Was it
successful and valid in its own
right?
In terms of racing spectacle,
it exceeded everyone's expecta
-
tions. Just how close the races
were, how exciting
it was to
watch, and how evenly matched
it was. At least up front and in
something that has come a bit
late, but it will be something im
-
portant for the future riders, so I
think we have
to be here, push-
ing the championship. Ten years
ago,
I think it would have been
impossible to have a grid of 24
riders in any championship. So,
it is growing, but not as fast as
we want. I see this champion
-
ship as more of a platform for
riders to
make them grow and
then go to other classes."
Carrasco, predictably enough,
fought Maria Herrera for the
inaugural WorldWCR title.
Carrasco won but only after
the most dramatic finish to any
World Championship class in the
Dobbs leads Chilean Isis Carreno (99) and South
African Jessica Howden at the final round at Jerez.
