'People are realising girls can actually ride bikes'
BBCA British motocross champion from Doncaster has set up one of the first all-girl motocross training academies to teach the next generation of female racers.
When Lauren Collingwood took up the sport as a child, she estimates she was one of very few females competing in a "male-dominated" field.
The WMX British & World motocross racer created Girls That Moto to pass along her knowledge and expertise from more than 20 years on the track.
"It's not really a really well-known sport, especially for girls and women [but] people are getting to know more about it and they're realising that girls can actually ride bikes," she said.
Motocross is off-road motorcycle racing over mixed terrain, on closed circuit tracks.
Collingwood has been involved in the sport for more than two decades and has competed across national and world championships throughout her career.
She teaches riders as young as five years old up to adulthood across the UK, but feels a special affinity for the motorsports scene in Yorkshire, she explained.
"We are really lucky to live in this area as motocross riders," she said.
"I just think we've got a lot of good tracks on the doorstep and it's a really good gateway to get into motocross."
"I would say it's the most fun that you would ever have in your life," she said.
"For me personally, it's been my whole life, so I don't know anything else."
Although Collingwood races professionally, she does not get paid to compete, she said.
Her ambition is to train the next female British champion - even if they end up competing against her in the future.
"If I can put my expertise and my dream into them as well and they can achieve great things, then I've done a good job," she said.
One of the places that Collingwood teaches groups and individuals is at Fatcat Moto Parc in Hatfield, Doncaster.
Millie, who travelled from Chesterfield to take part in a group session said she was inspired by Collingwood, describing her as "very brave".
"I think she's changed a lot of girls to prove and show other people that we can do it and it's not just men," she said.
"I think it's made a massive difference on the motocross industry for all the other girls."
Maisie, from Sheffield, added she thought it was beneficial having a woman as a coach.
"Sometimes it is a bit difficult racing against boys as they don't really like getting beat by women, so Lauren does help with that."
Nancy loves the sport because "I can see all my friends and it makes me happy", she explained, adding that the speed was something "you get used to after a while".
Although motocross representation is still largely male, there are more women and girls starting to come through, according to Collingwood.
"I'm trying to get more and more girls involved as much as possible," she said.
"I think it's not just a one person sport, it's a family sport and it really brings the families together.
"I know I'm biased, but I don't think there's a better sport on this earth."
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