Craig Wapnick, race director of the nine-day joBerg2c, said elite women riders have opted to race in mixed-team categories this year rather than in all-women pairs.
It was for this reason, he said, that the event had last week introduced the Amabokkebokkie Global Mixed Champs.
“We have about eight pro women taking part in the mixed category this year,” Wapnick told In the Bunch. “However, with all-women teams we only have one [taking part]. Why that is, I really do not know.”
Wapnick added that it may be due to the “compatibility” aspect of racing over a long period of time.
“In team racing nowadays riders have to be very compatible. If riders are not prepared to race seriously they will be deemed to not be a professional,” he said.
“To find two women at the moment who are completely compatible is quite rare.
“If you look at the [Cape] Epic, there were essentially only 12 competitive racing teams among the women. For a global event, that is quite small.”
Women’s pair Ariane Luthi (left) and Amy McDougall pictured at the Cape Pioneer Trek last year. Photo: ZC Marketing Consulting
He feels there may be a lot of pressure in the women categories to push each other.
“If one partner is quicker while the other one struggles, or vice-versa, they could put a lot of pressure on each other,” Wapnick said.
“In a South African context there are a handful of fast women riders and if they team up with the wrong woman partner they will basically be playing a waiting game for nine days.
“I suppose in that case they would prefer to be pushed and race in the mixed categories with a man instead, and they will in turn feel more secure.”
Wapnick said it would not be financially viable, for this reason, to make the all-women field’s prize monies equal to the others.
“I once told Ariane Luthi that if they were to get together six competitive female teams I would make the prize money equal, but we only have one.
“I simply could not make the prize money equal for a category that has little to no competition.
“Prize money does not exist because it is their [the riders’] right. It exists because it has commercial value attached to the event. That is commercial value of reporting and talkability.
“It has nothing to do with rights; some sports do not even have prize money.”
However, Wapnick still stressed the importance of having prize money in the event.
“It is important because if I get paid a lot of money for a sponsor and other sources, then I want to share the rewards to get more pros in my event.
“The more pros I have, the more talkability I will have and then theoretically I would increase the prize money because of a commercial return and equation.
“It is not a personal or sentimental thing. Women are an awesome commercial product. The question is whether it is the chicken or the egg.
“I proved it is not quite there yet, because I raised the prize money [of women teams] to be equal two years ago, but we got fewer teams that year than the year before.
“I am as mystified about it as the next person.”
The race starts on Friday and ends at Scottburgh on April 28.
