An adventurous head nurse is gearing up for a world record marathon motorbike ride to inspire women riders.
Caernarfon, Bryn Seiont Newydd, Anne Jones to take part in the Women Riders World Relay
Anne Quinn Jones, 49, deputy manager of Pendine Park care organisation’s Bryn Seiont Newydd care home in Caernarfon, will be taking part in the Women Riders’ World Relay.
The riders will travel through 80 countries, including Iran and Pakistan, in just four weeks and they’re aiming to set the record for the largest recorded world-wide motorbike relay.
The mammoth ride begins in John O’Groats, Inverness, Scotland on February 27 and will finish in the United Arab Emirates in January.
Anne has signed up for leg eight of the relay between Rhosneigr on Anglesey and Buxton in the Peak District which starts on March 6 when will be riding her 800cc Triumph Tiger.
Anne, who lives in Llandudno, wanted to take part in the Women Riders World Relay as soon as she heard about it.
She said: “It’s an amazing idea thought up by a friend, Hayley Bell of Congleton, Cheshire. The idea is to show the world we are a sisterhood of bikers and should be taken seriously, particularly by the motor industry.
“The event starts in Scotland before moving to Ireland then Wales. Women riders will carry the baton and pass it on. After my leg to Buxton the baton will carry on through England before going to France and will travel through 36 European countries.
“By June it will have reached Turkey before moving on into Iran, Pakistan and across Asia reaching Australia in August. It then goes over to New Zealand and then onto Canada.
“Leaving Canada it will travel down through the US into Mexico and then Latin America. It will then come back over to South Africa and travel up through the continent to the journey’s end in the UAE.”
She added: “It’s just a fantastic project to be involved with. We just want people to take female motorcyclists seriously.
“The industry tends to ignore women riders and it’s difficult to get the right protective clothing. And for some reason they think we only want things in pink!
“I’m also hoping it makes motorists more aware of motor cyclists. I get really frustrated at the conduct of some motorists to bikers.
“As a rider you have to think for everyone. I’ve never had an accident or fallen off but I’ve had some near misses due to inconsiderate motorists.
“I’m also pleased I have the support of Pendine Park Care Organisation. I love working at Bryn Seiont Newydd, it’s a fantastic environment and I have some great colleagues.”
Anne, who originally hails from Macclesfield, Cheshire, said: “I always wanted a motorcycle but never got around to it. I had a family, two children, Alice who is now 27 and lives in Sheffield and Peter, who is now 24 and in Nottingham.
“As soon as I was able I bought my first bike, a Cagiva 125cc and took my test on a Suzuki. I then moved up to a 250cc Suzuki and eventually a 750cc Honda VFR that I used to commute to work on.
“I got my Triumph Tiger 800 three years ago and have clocked up 26,000 miles since I got it new. Howard and I have done several continental trips including riding to Romania in 2017. We have also done Italy and ridden the St Bernard Pass.
“In fact we’ve been married five years and for our honeymoon we went as part of a big group to Italy on our bikes.”
She added: “I’m a member of Conwy Motor Cycle Club and we organise the Dragon Rally each year. This year we held the event at Capel Curig, 1,400 people enjoying a muddy weekend, heaven!”
Hayley Bell, the UK Founder, Women Riders World Relay, said: “I wanted to ignite a global sisterhood of inspirational women to promote courage, adventure, unity and passion for biking from all corners of the world and do something that’s never been done before to this scale. My aim is to wow the industry into realizing the global market for women in Motorsports and to inspire women worldwide.
“Going into motorcycle stores and seeing a lack of choice, combined with stereotypical pink and being told “there just isn’t the market for women”, highlighted to me just one small element of a much bigger picture around women in Motorsports.
“I want to show the industry the force behind the market that is so blindly overlooked. I am doing this because women bikers can make this happen.”
To find out more about the Women Riders’ World Relay and to track the progress of the baton visit www.womensridersworldrelay.com
