(Left to right) Nataliya Lyubimova (left) who started the calender project 'Women of Superbike', with Olivia Haslam, wife of WSBK rider Leon Haslam, Pippa Morson, girlfriend of WSBK rider Eugene Laverty, Stephanie Lompech, partner of WSS rider Jules Cluzel, and Silvia Sanchez, Kawasaki Team Coordinator

 

 

By Joe Koraith/Doha

 

Riders pushing their machines to the limit, managing lean angles that would physics to shame, and a trio of them celebrating on the podium having achieved something that many dream about but only a select few can accomplish...

And somewhere, as they celebrate, you spot their wives, girlfriends sharing that moment with them.

As you nod at that observation, you also realise that women in motorsport are seen more as ornaments—the umbrella girls for instance.

But there are many women, from wives, girlfriends, mothers to team managers who rarely come into the limelight. And that is what Nataliya Lyubimova wants to change.

Lyubimova has donned many hats—from being a rider herself having won two Russian Road Racing Championships, to a photographer and then to a team manager with Yakhnich Racing with whom Sam Lowes won the 2013 World Supersport title.

And here at the final round of the 2014 WSBK season being held at the Losail International Circuit, Lyubimova released a calendar titled 'Women of Superbike' which has images of women that are associated with this sport.

"This calendar will help understand another side of the championship. It's nice because usually people don't have the possibility to see this side. It doesn't matter which form of motorsport—WSBK or a national championship—women everywhere are the same. Their smiles, tears are support for the rider," Lyubimova told Gulf Times.

"I wanted to show the people this side. You need to give respect to these girls. They are usually in the shadows and they deserve to be on the steps of the podium too," added the Russian.

Lyubimova said having someone to share their success and, more importantly, their painful losses with, was very crucial to the rider. "It's important that the rider has someone to share his success with. But not just success, even in the difficult moments when there is some bad luck, I am sure that a mother, sister, wife or girlfriend plays a big role in supporting the rider."

The Russian, who started her racing career in 1993, has had an interesting career curve. "I rode the bike from 1993 and it was an amazing experience. I then started to take pictures of motorbikes. When I saw how riders were riding the bike, I said to myself that I could do even better. After being a rider for a while I had the choice to be a rider or be a manager. And I decided to become a manager," said Lyubimova.

And it this insider's experience that helped her with this calendar project. "When you have experience on the inside, you know how it happens and you know what all girls feel. You can sit at home and have nothing to do or you could bring something to the people which they like," said Lyubimova.

"This year we stopped our project, Yakhnich Racing, and for me it was important to do something special in this world of motorsport and I decided to do this project. Because men usually won't think of this," added Lyubimova with a smile.

Also present during the launch of the calendar was WSBK rider Eugene Laverty's girlfriend Pippa Morson and she spoke of her experience.

"People look at us and think its so glamourous and so great looking. But just like anything in life, there is a bad side to it. When there is a bad race, then you need to tell the riders that there are other races coming up. If you have had a bad race then you can only get better," said Morson.

 "I am lucky with Eugene. He's very competitive but he gets over a bad race very quickly as compared to other riders," she added.

Also present was Stephanie Lompech, girlfriend of Supersport rider Jules Cluzel. She provided the emotional angle. "During race weekends we don't talk to each other that much. I just bring him the little things that he needs. The last thing before the race I do is give him a pat on his knee and say do a good job, do well. I like doing that. It's like giving him all my power," said Lompech.

'It's a man's world but it would be nothing without a woman...' sang James Brown and it was only apt that Lyubimova chose this as the tagline for her calendar.