AFTER LESS THAN a year of intense planning and preparation, the first ever Women Riders’ World Relay has got underway, with a group of female riders yesterday setting off from the ride’s start point at John O’Groats, Scotland.
The first leg of the 100-country tour will see a hand-carved wooden baton accompanied across the UK and Ireland by more than 200 female riders. For each stint, it will be carried by nominated riders, known as Guardians.
The baton will then continue through 99 more countries, before arriving in the United Arab Emirates in January 2020.
Before the relay leaves the UK for France, it will spend two days at London’ Ace Café, where on Saturday 9th March, in a celebration of International Women’s Day, the WRWR organisers will host a meeting featuring talks from inspiring female riders, including the first British woman to ride a motorcycle around the world Elspeth Beard and racer Jenny Tidmouth. The following day, they will hold an introduction to off-roading for woman, accompanied by more talks.
The Relay’s full UK route is as follows:
DAY 1: John O'Groats - Inverness
DAY 2: Inverness - The Green Welly Stop (Tyndrum)
DAY 3: The Green Welly Stop (Tyndrum, Scotland) - Newtownabbey (Ireland)
DAY 4: Newtownabbey (Ireland) - Donegal
DAY 5: Donegal (Ireland) - Limerick
DAY 6: Limerick (Ireland) - Kilkenny
DAY 7: Kilkenny (Ireland) - Rhosneigr (Wales)
DAY 8: Rhosneigr (Wales) - Buxton (England)
DAY 9: Buxton (England) - Northallerton
DAY 10: Northallerton (England) - Leamington Spa
DAY 11: Leamington Spa (England) - The Ace Cafe WRWR Event - Gillingham
DAY 12: Gillingham - Sittingbourne Speedway WRWR Event - Boulogne-sur-Mer (France)
