Out of the Blue | Chrisma Wortley | Presented by Schrader’s

Out of the Blue | Chrisma Wortley | Presented by Schrader’s

By Jensen Amyotte

Name: Chrisma Wortley

Date of Birth: 24 February, 1992

Hometown: Kakamas, South Africa

Occupation: Operations Manager – Pazzo Racing

Race Number: 77

Bike: 2022 GasGas EX300

Race Club: PNWMA

Classes: Women’s Expert

Who/what inspired you to get into the sport of motocross and how long have you been racing/riding? 

I got into dirt biking late in life as I was never really allowed to ride growing up. When I was 24 years old I was camping with some friends who let me borrow one of their bikes and introduced me to single track. I knew at that very moment I wanted to ride. Fast forward to 2015, I bought my very first bike (2009 Honda CRF150RB) and set off into the trails.  

When not on a dirt bike, how do you keep yourself busy? Are you involved in any other sports or extracurricular activities?

I have a few too many hobbies! Haha! If I’m not riding you can find me out doing photography on the trails, mountain biking, street biking or in the gym. I am also in school completing my 1001 Firefighting program and looking to become a career firefighter.

I’ve also taken on a volunteer position with our local race organization PNWMA as a sponsorship/advertising coordinator to help bring more opportunities to our club and racers.

As a racer, are there any obstacles you feel a female racer has to deal with that maybe a male racer does not?

When I started riding there wasn’t as much opportunity for female riders for sponsorships or exposure. Our race classes were small and sometimes even combined with the men’s classes. No one took a female rider seriously. We sometimes would get looked down on or completely looked over just for being a woman. It was a male-dominated industry for years. With times changing and the prominence of social media, companies are starting to notice the shift in motorsports.

Personally, I still struggle with finding well-designed female race wear hence why I have started working on developing moto gear just for women 🙂

Who is your all-time favourite rider and why?

Louise Forsley has been a huge inspiration to me. She is such a humble, kind and hardworking person. Not to mention an absolute badass rider! Watching her overcome all obstacles as a female rider makes me feel like I can do it too.

Do you have any pre-moto rituals?      

Usually that involves me taking 10 pee breaks and trying to sing to myself to calm the nerves. Haha! I do like to stay healthy and active. I always take the time for a quick stretch and warm-up.                  

Tell us about your 2021 race season and your plans for 2022.  

Unfortunately, due to the very strict Covid-19 regulations we were unable to race 2019, 2020 and 2021.

2022 will be a hectic year with a change in careers and riding women’s Expert in our off-road series for the first time ever. I hope to attend as many races as I can. I’ve also been working on a very exciting project which I’m excited to share soon! 

What are your biggest accomplishments to date?

I raced my first ever season in 2019 in the PNWMA Off-Road series and ended up winning the Women’s Amatuer championship!! 

What is the biggest lesson that off-road racing has taught you so far?

Enduro to me is a lot like life. We are always faced with adversity and overcoming obstacles. We are the ones that control our path and have the ability to be successful, persevere and conquer our fears. Never stop trying and never stop learning.

What kind of track/dirt do you feel you excel at most and why? 

Enduro is definitely my go to. I love how it can be as challenging as you want it to be. I’ve spent the last 6 years riding in the woods and have learnt so much about myself as a person and been able to learn so many new skills on the bike.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a female of any age who wants to start riding, what would it be?

Be patient with yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help. We were all beginners at one point or another in our lives and learnt along the way. Don’t pay attention to anyone who says you can’t, or that says you need a bigger bike. Focus on your goals, put in the time on the bike and have fun! 

What was your first fear when you started riding and how did you overcome it? 

The throttle scared me so much! I always thought I’d whiskey throttle the bike into the trees and end up hurting myself. It took a while for me to feel comfortable. I spent more time riding some faster terrain and working on my clutch control. 

What was your first race number and how did you choose it?

My race number is #77. I entered my first hare scramble in 2018 at Hannegan Speedway and did not have a decal kit on my bike. We all had to have a number on our bikes so I took a roll of electrical tape and made the easiest number I could tape on … 77!

What do you like to do in the off season? 

We don’t have much of an off season on the West Coast. We only see snow for a short few months on the mountains so we ride 90% of the year. Usually during the snowy months I’ll spend that time focussing on stripping my bike and rebuilding it. Making sure it’s ready to go for the upcoming year.

Who would you like to thank?

All of my friends and fellow riding buddies who have always believed in, pushed me and inspired me. Huge thanks to all my sponsors who have also invested in me and helped me become the rider I am today. I could not do it without you!