BMW Motorrad->ke1398 is taking an unprecedented - and admittedly awesome - step in putting together the first-ever all-female international Trophy team that will compete at the GS Trophy endurance race. The company behind the competition is calling on all women motorcycle riders to sign up for a chance to be part of a history-making team that will compete in the biennial racing series.

If this has the makings of an all-around good idea, it’s because it is. The GS Trophy has been around since 2008 and while a handful of women racers have competed in certain events in the past, none of them have made it into the finals, much less been part of an all-female team.

BMW hopes to change that with this announcement, knowing full well that the growth in the number of women riders has created more interest in the sport from the fairer gender. This watershed moment is now being put in place to firmly bring home that point.

According to BMW, all applications entered into the GS Trophy website be taken into consideration by a jury, who will then choose ten finalists who will travel to South Africa to compete in a special qualifier from September 9 to 16, 2015. The three female riders who show the most promise in these qualifiers will then be chosen to be part of the 2016 GS Trophy series.

Female riders, especially those with experience riding the BMW R1200GS or F800GS bikes, have until June 26, 2015 to fill out their applications on the GS Trophy site. Best not be tardy about this because you can expect a lot of female riders to vie for those precious qualifier slots.

Continue reading to read more about BMW Motorrad’s attempt to build an all-female racing team for the 2016 GS Trophy endure series.

Why it matters

For those who don’t know, the GS Trophy is an enduro adventure race that happens every two years, created back in 2008 and is now gearing up for its fifth instalment in 2016.

Apparently, BMW has big plans for the 2016 race now that it has announced plans to open a racing team made up of all-female riders. I’ve already touched on the mechanics of how interested riders can register their names where a jury will select 10 applications to compete in a series of qualifying tests in South Africa from September 9 to 16, 2015.

BMW has also announced the names of the panel who will be deciding on this ground-breaking competition. It’s a group that includes Jolandie Rust, BMW Motorrad’s South Africa Ambassador and certified off-road instructor; Dr. Ralf Rodepeter, Head of Brand and Product Management BMW Motorrad; Svenia Ohlsen, Head of Brand Experience BMW Motorrad; and Tomm Wolf, considered as the “face” of the GS Trophy series since its inception back in 2008.

This is a tremendous move by BMW that should have positive ramifications for women riders competing in whatever motorcycle racing series all over the world. The mere fact that the company is putting its money where its mouth in as far as promoting the rise of women’s motorcycle racing is to be commended.

The onus now is for female riders to sign up and throw their names into the hat for a chance to be part of history. No pressure, right?