Soviet Road Racing Championships For Women
SOVIET ROAD RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR WOMEN
Anke-Eve Goldmann
HOW many motorcyclists in the Western world — male or female — are aware of the fact that in the Soviet Union women are enjoying their own road racing championships? While England is already exceptional in Western Europe by occasional appearances of some dauntless girls on short circuits, there are hundreds of female road racers competing regularly in Soviet Russia.
And the most enviable thing is that they have their own championship races. The first of them was held in 1949 on the lovely, 6.746 km (4.189 mile) road circuit at Pirita-Koze-Kloostrimetsa, near Tallinn, in Esthonia. For reasons unknown, that small country is the center of Soviet motorcycle racing. Naturally, no highly specialized racing mounts were ridden in that first meeting. The 125cc K-125, and the 350cc IZH-50 and IZH-54 twostrokes (very much DKW-looking), which developed about 7.5 and 14.5 hp respectively, had solid frames and girder fork.
V. Prytkova won the historical 125 races over 15 laps at a speed of 80.5 kph (49.99 mph), with veteran Lydia Jefremova second. Most girls lapped at below 70 kph (43.47 mph), and the best male rider at 86.76 (53.87 mph). Irina Ozolina, of Moscow, won the 350 class at 89.76 kph (55.74 mph), ahead of Lydia Tratsevskaya.
Next year’s 125 winner, Nina Mikhejeva, was faster than the best male had been in 1949. That strong, blueeyed girl who took 7th place in 1949, won both race and championship at a speed of 86.6 kph (53.77 mph) and a record lap of 91.2 (56.63 mph). With Nina, the most prominent of Soviet girl racers had entered the scene. Indefatigable, of great physical strength, and entirely fearless, this woman conceals high personal charm under very determined looks. Second place went to Armenian Tumanjan at 84.84 kph (52.68 mph), while V. Morosova, T. Trossi and Esthonian N. Ratasepp filled the next places. Irina Ozolina again won the 350 event, this time at 91.62 kph (56.89 mph) with a fastest lap of 93.3 (57.93 mph). Lydia Tratsevskaya finished second.
In 1951 Nina Mikhejeva (whose name was now Susova) shattered all records, riding her 125 faster than the male winner of the year before. She averaged 90.46 kph (56.17 mph) and pushed the lap record to 93.41 (58 mph) in the 125 division, out-racing V. Morosova and L. Sviridova. A lovely girl came in fourth — Virve Gustel, of a famous Esthonian racing dynasty. Tumanjan and Ratasepp did not finish.
The 350 event was won, not by Irina Ozolina, but by T. Trossi who, taking things easy, rode to a safe win at 89.29 kph (55.46 mph). That Miss Trossi can ride is shown by her lap record of 93.77 (58.23 mph) established when Irina was still in the race. N. Nosenko beat Virve’s sister, Ylme Gustel, for second place.
In 1952, both Nina Susova and Irina Ozolina returned to Moscow with their third championships secured. Nina, in top form, smashed all opposition. Though unchallenged, she took the checkered flag after 1 hour, 5 minutes, 2.3 seconds for a 93.35 kph (57.97 mph) average. A new lap record of 4.15 minutes and 95.24 kph (59.14 mph) also went to her credit. Second place was taken by V. Morosova, who had been lapped by the dashing Nina. Miss Reichenbach finished third. The 350 race was won by Irina Ozolina at 96.01 kph (60.62 mph) and the lap record now stood at 98.72 (61.30 mph) Runner-up was Ylme Gustel; V. Petrova wound up third.
1953 became the year of the sisters Gustel. Nina Susova was out of the race on the first lap, and lovely Virve defended her first place successfully, averaging 89.02 kph (55.28 mph). Fastest lap in that race, at 93.18 kph (57.86 mph), was ridden by V. Morosova who, after a long stop in the third lap, hurtled through the whole field and finally beat Esthonian N. Ratasepp by a narrow margin for second place. Virve’s sister Ylme was the winner of the 350 class after Mrs. Ozolina had engine troubles. Ylme pushed the 350 record up to 97.56 kph (60.58 mph) and rode to a splendid 350 lap record of 99.67 (61.89 mph). Esthonian Tea Tahk grasped second place, in front of N. Nosenko. Helju Kuunemae, bearer of a famous name in Soviet racing, went out of the race with engine bothers for the fourth consecutive year.
For 1954, the 350 class was abandoned. All girls now competed in the smaller class, and Irina Ozolina won the championship with a speed of 90.91 kph (56.45 mph) over Nina Susova and I. Toming. In these years other changes also took place. Different road circuits had been prepared, and the best racers now made use of a new model, the S-157, a twin OHC single-cylinder affair, giving 14.5 hp and built on the lines of the Czech CZ racer. Fairings made their appearance, and the Russian girls met female road racers from other Communist countries, notably Hungary.
In 1955 Nina Susova struck back and won that year’s championship, beating Irina Ozolina and Esthonian Evi Nugis, a beautiful fair-haired newcomer who was to become one of the most prominent racers of her country. After the 1956 championship had again been swept by Nina Susova, Evi obtained top honors in 1957, establishing a scintillating new record of 97.16 kph (60.33 mph) and also a lap record of 99.02 (61.49 mph).
The championship was decided by two races for the first time in 1958 — at Leningrad and at Tallinn. The first heat was won by the indestructible Mrs. Ozolina on her S-157 over blonde Evi Nugis and veteran Tratsevskaya. In the second race, Evi had trouble, so Irina was content to secure a second place behind Nina Susova which was all she needed to take the 1958 crown. Incidentally, no one knows for sure just how old Irina is, but she started motorcycling in 1939, and is now well over 40!
Three races counted for the 1959 championship — Riga, Tartu, and Tallinn. Nina had given up racing so it became a year for the “old lady” again. At Riga, Irina managed to beat V. Petrova and local star Vilma Oshinja; at Tartu she was chased in determined manner by an unknown 20-year-old girl from Esthonia, Evi Freiwald, who also gave her a breathtaking fight in the third race, at Tallinn. Mrs. Ozolina won, but she had to try all she knew to keep Evi from winning — a girl who was born after Irina had already started to ride motorcycles!
The 1960 championship consisted of two heats: Tartu and Tallinn. The Tartu event was a terrific struggle. The winner was — well, who? — Irina Ozolina, who propelled her S-157 around the circuit at an average of 101.27 kph (62.88 mph). The lap record, however, was established by Visma Lapinja on an East German MZ at 109.57 (68.04 mph)! Visma took second place in the race at a speed of 100.15 kph (62.19 mph.) Tea Tahk, on another S-157, was third. Evi Freiwald had engine troubles. The Tallinn heat was won by Irina, too, at 93.97 kph (58.35 mph). Fastest lap was ridden by runner-up Tea Tahk at 96.43 (59.88 mph), while Latvian Erika Kiope beat Vilma Oshinja for third berth.
In 1961 several major changes were observed, the most notable being a ban on specialized racing mounts. This decision was taken to level the chances, and meant that star riders no longer were assured the fastest machines. 1961 was also notable in that it brought the “Ozolina monopoly” to an end. Irina was defeated by Latvian racers. At Tartu, Vilma Oshinja seemed a safe winner when, in the last lap, Erika Kiope made a determined effort and won by a few yards. At Tallinn, Irina tried to rescue her championship chances and gave Vilma a sparkling fight for victory, but Vilma won the race and the 1961 championship.
I do not know how the Soviet girls would look in races in Western countries. Without doubt their courage is comparable to the fearlessness displayed by Soviet International 6 Days Trial riders, but I think that their riding style and racing experience still lacks perfection. If given International racing experience the Soviet girls certainly could become racing competitors to be reckoned with, and I would give all the tea in China to see them race against this year’s 50cc Isle of Man competitor, Beryl Swain, and that dashing Californian, Mary McGee.
