Dakar Gal

Photo: Victor Eleuterio Costa

As the dawn breaks on this Women’s Day, I sit and quietly contemplate our role in this world. And I realise that it is those who have gone out and achieved hugely that inspire me. They quietly lead by example, and I think they have done more to pave the way for other women than debate about gender ever could.

There is an incredible quote by Theodore Roosevelt – please feel free to insert “woman” in place of “man”. Or simply use the word ‘human’. This quote reminds me of one of South Africa’s superstars – the woman who inspired today’s newsletter… “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

Photo: Duda Bairros

Some time ago, I went to a presentation “It’s the year of twenty-twenty-SHE” with Cross Country Insurance. It was held by Gauteng Women in Insurance and featured Kirsten Landman as the speaker. She had previously crossed my radar whilst watching Dakar earlier this year – as she was a woman blazing a trail in a male world, and because of her authenticity and raw vulnerability which she wasn’t afraid to share on camera. Awhile later, I interviewed her for a magazine profile I was writing. When thinking about this newsletter’s Women’s Day edition, Kirsten sprung to mind. What Serena Williams is to tennis, so Kirsten is to the off-road world of motorbikes. 

Photo: Duda Bairros

At the tender age of eight, she was the only little girl racing in Gauteng. She went on to compete head-to-head in a field dominated by men, simply because this is the sport that she loves with a passion. She NEEDS to ride – it is in her DNA. And she went on to earn phenomenal successes. In this year’s Dakar, Kirsten rode in the “Original by Motul” class. Previously known as the “Malle Moto” Class, it refers to bike and quad riders competing without any kind of assistance. In other words, they repair and maintain their motorcycles themselves. When reaching the bivouac after a hard day’s racing, there are no teams of mechanics waiting. After sorting their bikes, they grab some grub, erect their own tents and, if they’re lucky, catch a few hours of sleep before heading to the start of the next day. Kirsten did all of this to finish 12th (without a single penalty) in the 2023 Original by Motul Class on her KTM 450 Rally Replica. She was the only female in this year’s Malle Moto – and she did it all whilst reeling with the effects of Covid!

Photo: Victor Eleuterio Costa

SOME OF KIRSTEN’S HIGHLIGHTS:

2023

Dakar Rally 2023, Saudi Arabia – 12^th in Original by Motul Class, 2^nd Women’s Trophy Class, 71^st Overall.

3rd Woman in Dakar history to finish the Original by Motul Class.

2022

Sea To Sky, Turkey – Silver Class Finish, 1^st place female.

Roof of Africa, Lesotho – 16^th overall Silver Class, 1^st place female.

2021

Rally Du Maroc, Marocco – 24^th overall.

2020

Dakar Rally, Saudi Arabia – 55^th overall, 3^rd place female Moto Pilot, 1^st African Woman to finish Dakar Rally.

2019

Merzouga Rally, Morocco – 29^th overall, 1^st place female.

X-Race, Namibia – 3^rd place overall Gold Class, 1^st place female. 

IMPI Hard Enduro, South Africa – 22^nd overall Gold Class.

Sea to Sky, Turkey – 30th 24^th overall Gold Class, 1^st place female.

Roof of Africa, Lesotho – 27^th overall Gold Class, 1^st place female. 

2018

X-Race, Namibia – Expert Class, 2^nd overall & 1^st female.

Redbull Romaniacs, Romania – Bronze Class, 1^st Female and 15^th overall.

Sea to Sky, Turkey – Only female to complete Gold Class, 1^st female and 31^st overall.

Wildwood Rock, Australia – 1^st female and 6^th overall.

Roof of Africa, Lesotho – Gold Class Finisher, 25^th overall and 1^st place female.

2017

IMPI, South Africa – Gold Class finisher in 25^th overall & highest placed female.

Redbull Romaniacs, Romania – Silver Class finisher in 45^th position overall & first female.

South African Overall Silver Class National Champion in a male dominated Class.

Roof of Africa, Lesotho – Gold Class finisher placed 33^rd overall.

2016

King Of The Hill Hard Enduro, South Africa – Placed 28^th overall in Expert Class. Made history by being the first female to ever finish Expert Class.

FIM Super Enduro World Series, Prague – Placed 4^th in World Championship.

Alfie Cox Redbull Invitational Extreme Enduro – Kirsten was the only female to compete, making it into the semi- final and ranked 15^th amongst the best male extreme enduro riders in South Africa.

Redbull Romaniacs, Romania – First female in history to finish the race in Silver Class & placed 48^th overall.

Redbull Braveman, Namibia – Placed 2^nd in Silver Class and only female to finish.

Redbull 111 Megawatt, Poland – 30^th overall (out of 1000+ entries). Only female to qualify and finish.

Redbull Sea to Sky, Turkey – Finished an incredible 24^th position overall in Gold Class, reaching the top of Mount Olympus, bettering her previous year’s position by over 30 positions.

South African National Enduro Championship – Kirsten raced a consistent season finishing on the podium at all rounds, and 2^nd overall. 

Roof Of Africa, Lesotho – First ever woman in the 49-year history of the race to finish the Gold Class, completely unassisted.

2015

Redbull Sea to Sky, Turkey – Placed 56^th overall, becoming the only woman in history to ever finish a gold Class at any extreme hard enduro event.

Redbull Braveman, Namibia – Placed first overall in Silver Class in an all-male field.

Roof of Africa, Lesotho – Placed 32^nd overall in the Silver Class and 1^st female.

National Enduro Series – Placed 3^rd overall in the men’s Silver Class.

2014

Redbull Romaniacs, Romania – 47th place in bronze Class out of 160 bronze riders and first female home.

Roof of Africa, Lesotho – 23rd in Silver Class and first placed female finisher unassisted.

National Enduro Championship – 4th place in Silver Class.

Photo: Vinicius Juan Branca

“Here’s to strong women. 

May we know them. 

May we be them. 

May we raise them.”

Jacqui Ikin & The Cross Country Team 

VIDEO CLIPS:

Dakar Portraits: Landman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN8hPVQMbZI&t=197s

Onboard with Dakar Heroes – Stage 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upDnTFzlzjs&t=198s

Malle Moto – The Forgotten Dakar Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjF_m99VAv8&t=160s