29/06/2009

JAENKE SET TO LEAD THE FEMALE CHARGE IN QUEENSLAND KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Local Accountant Sharon Jaenke will put the calculator down and pick up her racing suit as she lines up against some of the country’s best drivers in the Southern Cross Motorsports Queensland Karting Championships in Gympie this weekend.

Jaenke, who hung up the soccer boots to begin her karting career seven years ago, is one of over a dozen female drivers competing in the championships.

“During school I was a representative soccer player but after having my first drive of a kart I was bitten by the motorsport bug and the soccer boots got put away in the cupboard,” said Jaenke.

“Karting gives you a huge buzz and also allows the girls to take on the boys on an even playing field.”

This even playing field and a desire to ‘beat the boys at their own game’ is something that Jaenke believes has encouraged more females to get involved in the sport of karting.

“I’ll be the first to admit that when I first started karting I was far from great but karting is a sport that really rewards practice, perfection and determination,” said Janeke, who finished second in the Queensland Closed State Championships last year.

“It is great to see so many girls coming through the sport, especially considering many of the girls are juniors who are taking on the boys while also learning a lot of driving techniques along the way.

“It’s funny that it's only when you are not actually competing that you take into consideration whether you’re racing against guys or girls. When you put your suit and helmet on, everyone else is just another competitor that you want to beat.”

Jaenke will line up in the 125cc Leopard Light category in this weekend’s championship against the likes of current National Champion Tyler Greenbury, Brendon Nelson, Ryan Wlodinski and defending Champion John Grother.

A total of 385 competitors will be racing at the Championships across 15 categories with drivers, both guys and girls, varying in age from seven years old in the Midgets class through to well over 40 years of age.

Practice for the event begins on Wednesday followed by qualifying on Friday. Racing will continue across the weekend with the championship finals being contested on Sunday. The Cooloola Coast Kart Club is located on Runge Road, Gympie.

AUSTRALIAN KARTING ASSOCIATION EVENTS IN JULY

NEW SOUTH WALES 


4/5 Newcastle 

5 Spare Date Central Coast Speedway 

11/12 Bob Hinde Memorial Grenfell 

11/12 Raleigh 

12 Northern Zone Leopard Qualifier Coffs Harbour 

12 Raleigh 

17 Junior Development Day - Northern Zone Venue TBA 

18 North Shore 

19 Dubbo 

19 Griffith 

19 Lismore 

19 Rain Date or Practice NSW Speedway 

19 Club Championship-Rd 5 Port Macquarie 

19 Sydney Kart Racing Club 

19 Club Day Tamworth 

25/26 Combined Districts 

25/26 Raleigh 

26 Round 5 Central Coast Speedway 

26 Forbes 

26 Grafton
26 Manning Valley 

26 Sapphire

NORTHERN TERRITORY 

12 Round 6 Darwin

26 Round 7 Darwin

QUEENSLAND

3-5 Qld State Championships Cooloola Coast

11 Tech School Central Zone

12 Gladstone

18 Mt Isa

18 Mackay

18-19 Tech School Northern Zone

19 Winter Carnival Rd 1 Toowoomba

19 Rockhampton

25 Cairns

26 Yamaha Sponsored Bundaberg

26 Gold Coast
26 Club Champs Rd 4 Townsville

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

5 River City Title GKCSA

12 July Club Day Mt Gambier

18 July Meeting Broken Hill

18/19 City of Adelaide Southern

26 Open Meeting Whyalla

TASMANIA

12 Rising Stars STKC

26 Club Day – Closed Meeting All Clubs

VICTORIA

5 Sun Centre titles Swan Hill

11/12 Golden Power series round 3 Rochester

19/20 All star series<

Archived News

Local Gympie driver Sharon Jaenke in action behind the wheel of her Monaco kart. (Pic:photowagon.com.au)