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 Canada held its first event for female riders inspired by its neighbor, the American Motorcycle Association’s International Women & Motorcycling Conference held last year in Colorado.
Approximately 150 plus women attended the International Women Riders Congress and Festival (IWCF). The location in Huntsville, Ontario was beautiful with great weather to enjoy the roads and scenery with the Algonquin Provincial Park just a few miles away from the event. Hosted at Deerhurst Resort, a place with its own beach, was the backdrop of the evening BBQ. The food was terrific! Offering what we thought would be hot dogs and hamburgers, turned out to be surf and turf of steak - cooked to your liking - and maple-glazed salmon, not to mention the other sides, plus a boat load of deserts.
The gathering of women mc riders in any arena is a great thing and this was no different. Women throughout Canada came in addition to a handful from the States, including AMA representative Tiagra Tsujikawa and Women's Motorcyclist Foundation's Sue Slate and Gin Shear.
 Guided tours were offered in addition to demo rides. There were seminars that were inspirational and uplifting such as those given by Alisa Clicking and Sue Slate and Gin Shear. It was unfortunate that there was not a strong turnout of vendors as compared to the numbers at the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference. Only one vendor for clothing, non MC related, and a few others. But over all they were supportive and had some good info like the Power Lily booth, which introduced an online forum that provides information about female owned and operated companies in the motorcycle industry as well as others to help make connections. It’s a must link for all @ powerlily.net.
Pictured L to R: IWCF Honorees Lise Sculland (representing Audrey Alexandre), Lesley Gering, Lise Grenier, Meg Thorburn and Toni Sharpless. Not pictured: Deb Gray.
Test rides were offered by HD, Honda, BMW, Ducati, and Can-Am Spider. It was disappointing that HD was only there for one day, Thursday, due to another event , “Friday the 13” MC, in Port Dover Ontario, Canada. Honda offered a skills course at the test ride site, and BMW also had an advanced skills with Marc Fontaine whose lessons were invaluable. 
Events like these really do recharge ones batteries. Meeting fellow women riders, sharing stories about our love of motorcycle riding all while increasing our knowledge of the sport. It’s one great big bond, which is what you always hope to encounter at such events. I have to say kudos to MCC for their first IWCF event. Although it was not at the same height of the US Conference, give them time and it will. It’s up to us to continue to support each other and any organization that shares the love of motorcycling and makes the grand effort that goes into putting on such an event -- not an easy feat, but in my opinion well worth it.
Although the number of women riders has increased throughout the years, we still have more growing to do. When seeing a women rider on the road becomes the norm rather than the exception is when we can finally say ‘we have come a long way, have arrived, and are not going anywhere!’
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Culture