Mariana Balbi now splits her time competing in the MX3 men’s class in Brazil and the WMX division at the world championship level.

The glory days of the WMX Championship series may seem like a distant memory, but it was only a few short years ago when the fastest females in the sport shared the spotlight with the men on the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Sadly, recent changes in the sport have left female racers with a diminishing series—one that now piggybacks off several Amateur National events and carries far less prestige. During its most successful years, the WMX series saw many prominent teams recruit women to complete their squads’ lineups. Jessica Patterson, Ashley Fiolek, Tarah Gieger, Sara Price, and Mariana Balbi were among the fastest female racers in the world who traveled the circuit with the luxury of paid rides with major teams. With the recent evaporation of opportunities for women at the highest levels, many of them have retired, looked for success in

other forms of motorcycle racing, or taken jobs inside the motocross industry. For Brazil’s Mariana Balbi, though, racing has continued to be her life’s focus, albeit away from the United States where she first came to chase her dream.

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