DirtFish Women in Motorsport co-ordinator Josie Rimmer has talked of her pride in delivering Saturday’s fifth annual Summit, with hands-on workshops designed to help empower the next generation of women in motorsport.
Saturday’s packed program at DirtFish Rally School was streamed live by AT&T and bookended by an outstanding VIP event on Friday and the Parc Fermé Gala on Saturday evening.
Friday was about delivering action-packed, exclusive seat time with ARA National Championship stars, DirtFish WiM Driver Aoife Raftery and Lia Block – as well as factory Defender driver Sara Price.
Through Saturday, Raftery, Block, Hannah McKillop and Michelle Miller led the rally workshops, while Price had off-road covered.
The hand-on workshops were hugely popular at the fifth DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit
For those leaning more towards the circuit than the stage, DirtFish WiM Driver Michele Abbate, Amanda Sorensen and Sabre Cook delivered plenty of insight into racing success, while Girlie Lukhele demonstrated what it takes to succeed in sim racing.
Evelina Hanchett and Lucy Cesnauskas led the day on the technical side of rally and race car engineering. Hollie McRae, Elana Scherr and Amber Paganelli Koniniec delivered the media workshop, and Dr Megan Roark offered advice and guidance as a Naturopathic practitioner as Dr Cheech informed with incredible wellness expertise.
The Gala, which included a live and silent auction, was hosted at The Collection among Steve Rimmer’s amazing display of rally cars.
Reflecting on the success of the fifth Women in Motorsport Summit, Josie said: “It’s been an honor to host these Women in Motorsport Pros here. It’s been an honor to have the sponsors on board that we do. It’s been an honor to work with AT&T to have this event live streamed globally. I feel infinitely privileged that my reality is one which allows me to amplify the voices of the women doing incredible things.
Dakar podium finisher Sara Price demonstrated what it takes to compete off-road at the highest level
“The conversations we have witnessed, the connections that were made… we’re literally watching inspiration take hold between our WIM Pros and our guests. The environment at today’s DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit was one that you can’t create in a conference room or in an auditorium or on a panel.
“My hope is that women are walking away from here knowing they have a network and knowing they have a support crew and knowing they have people in their corner.
“The hands-on workshops really allowed people to understand what so many jobs in so many areas of motorsport entail. You can talk about jobs and you can talk about the work, but until you see it, until you do it, until you get your hands under the hood in an engine bay, until you get to sit in Sarah Price’s Can-Am, until you get to sit down with Dr. Megan and Dr. Cheech to talk about exactly what you need to do to amplify your performance, having those hands-on experiences, those one-on-one communications, those are the conversations that actually push us forward in motorsport.
“And those are the connections that provide real sustainable community for today and for the next generation. That’s what today was about. Today was about action and words.”
The fifth annual DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit was delivered by partners Mike Carney Racing, AT&T, Girardo & Co., TireTempGlove.com, DELTA and Wera.
