Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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CN III CROSS-RUTTED WOMEN'S ENDURO X: THEN AND NOW BY JEAN TURNER has to be ESPN's X Games. Last year saw the inaugural Enduro X event, which was a spectacular moment in motorcycling history, no doubt. But for many the event was branded by the controversial review of the Women's Enduro X competition. The recently con- cluded X Games 18 saw Enduro X return to the program – including the ladies – but this time some essential modifications seem to have served the entire sport much better. What was the differ- ence? What caused such polar- ized feedback just one year ago? As a female and an off-road racer myself, I feel very close to this is- sue and want to explore the con- troversy. T Then: X Games 2011 For those who know, there is no argument – we know all the girls who raced are incredibly ac- complished riders, so that point needs no justification. Still, it's hard to deny that something didn't sit right in the women's race last year. And it was exactly what worried me from the mo- ment I heard they were having a women's race in Enduro X. How was this going to come across? What would it look like to main- stream audiences? Hell, I was even worried for the guys in that regard. Would people who didn't he highest prestige and largest stage for any ex- treme sport in the world know what they were watching think this was a joke? As a fe- male off-roader, and someone who has always had to face judg- ment and criticism for being the odd one out, I couldn't help but harbor this worry in my head as I waited for the action to unfold in the women's class. My worries heightened even more after chatting with Vicki Golden during the track walk. I asked the AMA Arenacross racer what she had been doing to train for this and my jaw just about hit the floor of the STAPLES Center when she confessed that this was her very first time even setting foot on an EnduroCross course. Aside from the obvious concern there, I had other concerns. First, it had never been done before. Sure, a handful of girls have raced EnduroCross in the past, including Maria Forsberg, Kacy Martinez and Sarah Whit- more. And while they are plenty impressive, the truth of the mat- ter is that women don't size up to the men as well as they can in motocross simply because of how much upper body strength it takes to ride EX. Even if the track was suitable for a women's race, was this the right venue for it? This is the highest level of ex- posure off-road racing has ever seen – is it wise to throw in a first- time event? My second cause for concern was the simple truth that women P96 in any male-dominated setting are judged far more harshly (by male and female audiences, alike). Perhaps there are those who think we should still step out onto that stage with reckless aban- don. And any feminist advocate could argue that the fear of facing harsh criticism shouldn't stop us from trying. But let's be realistic: This is not about civil rights – it's about entertainment. X Games is about showcasing the skill of our top extreme athletes to the world. It's about polished performances from the best of the best. When the challenge became just get- ting around the course, it made the women look like beginners. We know they're not – but the millions of untrained eyes tuning in worldwide didn't know that. With no comprehension of the level of difficulty involved, the general public jumped on the op- portunity to ridicule the racers. Was it right? No. Should we have seen it coming? Yes. As the girls took to the wet and sandy course – which wasn't wet during their practice sessions, mind you – and started slipping and crashing everywhere, my heart sank. This is not what I wanted Joe Public to be seeing, and I knew what was coming. It didn't shock me to see clips on Tosh.0 and the George Lopez show taking shots at the wom- en's race.