First and foremost, Youthstream, which became Infront Moto Racing, created the Women’s World Cup in 2005, transforming it into the WMX World Championship in 2008. For over 20 years, the best female riders in the world have competed in several events to win the ultimate title. In its first year, the WMX consisted of 5 rounds, then 7 in 2009. The promoters invested in a category that, at the time, didn’t attract much interest.
While the early years were exceptional, with several female riders on factory teams, 2011 marked a real turning point. The integration of the WMX championship into MX3 wiped out all the progress made over the years. And in my opinion, the championship never truly recovered. This is the opinion of many who witnessed that period.
Some have already made proposals, while others are trying to change things. So, as a media outlet dedicated to women’s motocross, I naturally tried to make a difference. For me, the most important thing was to understand why the championship wasn’t growing while we see the development of other categories. While Infront has always guaranteed between 5 and 7 events for female riders, the category isn’t a priority, and for several reasons.
First, women don’t fit into the development pyramid for future MXGP talent, the premier class. Priority is therefore given to the EMX125 and EMX250 categories, which train future MX2 and MXGP riders. Furthermore, the organizers want to prioritize these two categories. So, put yourself in the promoter’s shoes: these categories are more popular than WMX, with between 50 and 80 riders registered, and they also allow for the discovery of future talent in the two main categories. In addition, the WMX World Championship doesn’t attract large audiences on the MXGP-TV platform or on YouTube videos. As for ticket sales, it’s difficult to say what percentage of fans come specifically for the women’s races.
Last year, a rumor circulated in the paddock that there would only be one women’s race in 2026. The promoter denied this, stating their intention to continue offering between five and seven races for female riders. As mentioned in the mxnews-online.com article, the female riders have already held a meeting to try and get things moving, but the results have been minimal. Some riders have even requested that the EMX Women’s Championship races become rounds of the WMX World Championship.
Based on this situation, I made proposals to the promoter to develop the WMX Championship while trying to identify the benefits for both parties. Female riders have very little visibility on social media and the MXGP website. Aside from the top three and a few interviews, it’s fair to say that very few riders are getting any exposure. I proposed creating social media accounts for the championship, as well as a dedicated website. Of course, this doesn’t preclude collaboration; on the contrary, it allows for a greater number of riders to participate. With this, I proposed giving the championship a true identity. The logo is MXW Women, also known as WMX or Women World Championship. This may seem trivial, but it’s crucial if you want to develop a brand.
I also proposed:
– Having a WMX wall for interviewing riders, to showcase potential sponsors.
– Appointing a manager to handle communication with the riders, preventing any email or other issues, and, most importantly, working together to develop the championship.
– Organizing autograph sessions with about ten riders. – Sending a press release to all media outlets with photos.
– Creating webinars to help riders develop their skills off the track.
– And many other things to enhance communication and visibility.
Of course, I offered my help, but I insisted that regardless of whether it was me or someone else, it had to be done to develop the championship. You’ll tell me, we need more rounds, women’s participation in the MX of Nations, a race on Sunday at a reasonable time, practice starts, to be considered like a world championship… It’s true but all these proposals are just small steps to get the championship back on track and then develop it further.
You all know the answer: only 5 rounds in 2026, and the rest will change little to nothing.
Having followed the championship since 2005, I’m starting to doubt its future. Why does Infront want to keep the WMX riders if they’re not going to develop a championship? Why not just sideline them and replace EMX Women with the World Championship?
The more time passes, the more I think that if the WMX World Championship were managed by a different promoter, things might be simpler.
WMX riders, parents, followers, fans, it’s time to make your voices heard for the current generation and for future generations.
Everyone is trying to make a difference on their own, but it’s not working. We all need to come together to change things. If you have any ideas, if you want us to try something different, don’t hesitate to contact me by email or on social media.
The season starts in just under three months, and we’re all eager to be there. But the championship structure isn’t up to the task of supporting these women. Let’s change things.
