GIRL POWER

As a grom, Jess Gardiner’s metallic pink Yamaha YZ85 would be wheeled out of her bright pink trailer. Week in, week out, Jess would be there putting in the time and smiling from ear to ear. Fast forward to 2020 and Jess has been crowned a world and Australian Champion, is now managing her own satellite race team and has become one of the most successful Australian racers of the modern era.

You’ve conquered the world, you’ve won the ISDE outright. Did you ever think that you’d get to this position when you were travelling around racing your metallic pink YZ85?

To be honest it was like a childhood dream. From a young dancer to my coaches always saying keep at it and it can take you places when I started riding and racing dirtbikes. It escalated really quickly, from going away on camping weekends away with the family and bikes in tow to then racing club days, state rounds, nationals and then internationally! I was never a natural by any means. I had to put in a lot of time and energy to get to the skill levels for the places it has taken me.

Many talented girls have dropped away from the sport without achieving