SBS

SBS supports ”Girl Power”

As is well known, female riders are one of the fastest growing segments of the motorcycle industry as we head towards the middle of the 21st century, and the number of women taking part in motorcycle racing is also growing rapidly.
Danish disc brake pad manufacturer SBS Friction is “ahead of the curve” when it comes to championing the female champions and role models of today and tomorrow.
“We have been in racing for more than 25 years”, says SBS Friction CSO, Christel Munk Pedersen.  “When we started supporting motorcycle racing, this sport was purely for men, but this has changed. 

SBS Friction CSO, Christel Munk Pedersen: “We will see more girls in motorsport in the years to come. At SBS we are happy with this, and we will support the development as much as possible.”

“Today we see a growing number of women who have discovered the fun and excitement that racing brings, and who have also found out that it is one of the sports where there are no biological barriers. Women can compete on their own merits just as effectively as men and therefore are just as demanding of and knowledgeable about the machines that carry their hopes to the finish line”.
SBS has been aware of this development in motorcycle racing for some years and has supported and helped promote it by targeting sponsoring of female riders, who have shown the talent and ambition needed for racing and winning trophies.
“We are Scandinavians, and in our part of the world we do not accept that being a woman should restrain your dreams and ambitions. Biking and racing is about freedom for women as well as for men, and this we are pleased to be a part of”.

Ana Carrasco is a rising star in road racing - her 2018 season has already seen her establish a lead in the World SSP300 championship with two wins in 5 races. (Photo: Kawasaki Motors Europe)

From a sales point of view, Christel sees obvious advantages in the growing female interest for riding motorcycles. “Women are 50% of the world population. Imagine what it would mean to this industry, including us at SBS, if the share of women riding motorcycles was as high as it is for men. Now that’s a significant potential”.
This year, SBS’ female sponsorships include some very significant icons: Spanish Ana Carrasco, Americans Anna Rigby, Melissa Paris, and at just 10 years old, Kayla Yaakov, generally recognised as a star of the future.
Ana Carrasco, 21, rides for the DS Junior Team in the World SSP 300 series. At the time of writing she had achieved two wins out of 5 races already this season and was (still is?) leading the World Championship. 

At just 10 years old, Kayla Yaakov has already won more trophies than most people could dream of in an entire racing career. Widely tipped for top honours in years to come, “SBS is very proud to support such a great talent in her efforts to achieve ever more wins.”

She uses one of SBS’ most successful racing compounds, the SBS Dual Carbon - a high-tech carbon race compound that has been contributing to many race and title wins in the past decade. Offering smooth initial bite and progressive in-stop performance, the SBS Dual Carbon is recognised for its excellent brake lever feel and modulation.
Anna Rigby has more than 200,000 Instagram followers, and apart from participating in track days and races, she is CEO and co-founder of the “Red Spade Racing” team. She also works as an SBS brand ambassador, supporting the promotion of the brake brand on American race tracks.

Melissa Paris is the experienced SBS female race partner with many years at the top in Superstock and Endurance. (Photo: Brian. J. Nelson)

With around a decade as a motorcycle racer, Melissa Paris is the experienced rider among SBS’ female partners in racing line-up. Her list of top results is long, including Endurance and Superstock 600 and 1000. This season she is racing the MotoAmerica Superstock 1000. For her this sport is genderless - what is important is winning.
Then there is the extraordinarily talented Kayla Yaakov. At just 10 years old, she is something quite special and is hotly tipped to mature into one of the stars of the next decade. She is extremely fast and determined, and her road racing win list is already astonishing - often competing with male riders 2 or 3 times her age. SBS supports her with Dual Carbon brake pads, which help her winning the extra hundredth of seconds.

Anna Rigby has more than 200,000 Instagram followers, and apart from participating in track days and races, she is CEO and co-founder of the “Red Spade Racing” team.

Christel Munk Pedersen is convinced “that so far, we have only seen the beginning of a huge new wave. We will see more girls in motorsport in the years to come. At SBS we are happy with this, and we will support the development as much as possible.”