The Women’s World Speed Championship celebrated a milestone today at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” with its inaugural race. Under a sunny sky, twelve laps of intense competition marked the debut of this groundbreaking discipline. However, the race ended prematurely due to a severe accident.
María Herrera emerged as the main contender right from the start. Familiar with the circuit from her World Cup days, Herrera surged ahead, closely followed by Ana Carrasco. Their rivalry set the tone for the race, with Sara Sánchez and Beatriz Neila joining the leading pack. The Spanish riders quickly established a clear lead over the rest of the field, with Roberta Ponziani leading the chase group.
The excitement at the front was abruptly interrupted on the fifth lap when a red flag halted the race. The leading quartet of Spaniards continued to showcase skillful overtaking maneuvers, but the race dynamics shifted dramatically following a serious crash involving Mia Rusthen on the seventh lap. Rusthen’s Yamaha R7 tumbled through the gravel, necessitating immediate medical attention and the deployment of the red flag.
The severity of Rusthen’s injuries required more than ten minutes for emergency services to transport her off the track to the medical center. Subsequently, she was transferred to a Cesena hospital with multiple injuries (“polytrauma”). The incident led to the suspension and postponement of the race, which will resume after the Supersport race in the afternoon with fewer laps, as per regulations.
The debut race’s results were declared void, pending the restart. Our thoughts are with Mia Rusthen for a swift and complete recovery. The Women’s World Speed Championship continues to break new ground, even amidst unforeseen challenges.
