Is it possible to enjoy a activity that is dominated through the opposite intercourse?
For the 6 kart racers from the only all-women staff taking part in the inaugural OCBC Corporate Karting Challenge, the answer is a resounding "yes".
The team were shaped by motorsports blogger Cheryl Tay, while the other 5 - Doris Suresh, Michelle Kuek, Nazilah Abdul Rahim, Lemna Parvani Sani and Goh May possibly San - were chosen from 50 plus prospective female kart racers.
"I had this idea to type an all-women kart-racing crew initially when i first heard of the OCBC Company Karting Problem," Tay said.
"I was then approached through the business-development director of MindChicClub.com, a sport Web portal, which sponsored both a men's crew which all-female crew."
All 6 members had plenty of karting expertise. By way of example, Suresh, probably the most senior with the bunch at 42, may be karting since 1990. Although she stopped racing when she took on a work inside the hotel industry, she's thrilled to be back again powering the driving wheel once again.
"Once you've that passion to race, it never disappears," she stated. "When the Kartright Speedway kart-racing track opened here in Upper Jurong Street, it provided an opportunity to obtain back again into racing."
Other associates have also performed extensive kart racing around the area.
And, of course, had their own stories of being ridiculed by male racers. But instead than becoming discouraged, they simply rolled their eyes and soldiered on.
"Most from it was just good-natured teasing," stated Kuek, 31. "They would complain that people drive too slowly, which we're blocking their way."
Nazilah, 29, added: "Rather than becoming discouraged, it just created me extra going to prove that I can race as well as the men."
Forming an all-women group also helps too.
Stated Tay, the youngest from the crew at age 24: "Girls enjoy items in groups, so that's why I create this team - to ensure that we ladies may have a comfy environment to race in. And, indeed, we've been supportive of 1 an additional in the course of our practices."
They will probably be racing on Aug 6 in opposition to an all-men area within the 3rd round of qualifying for the OCBC Corporate Karting Problem, a four-hour endurance race held at the technically challenging Kartright Speedway.
The top four teams will entitled to the Oct 15 last.
As the team wouldn't say that they're dead-set on qualifying for the final, they really feel they have what it takes to provide it a go.
Even when they do not allow it to be, it's the camaraderie amongst these like-minded friends that keeps them heading strong within the activity.
Stated Sani, 28: "It's not so much winning, as planning to go as rapidly as I can. If I can win along the way, then that would be amazing and I'd adore that, but the journey alone is great fun."
Additional Goh, 25: "The thrill of sitting in a race kart, flying down the track, practically sitting on ground level, is positively exhilarating. The feeling of manage above the kart and possibility of enhancing my occasions cause me to feel want additional.