Baker, the brains behind Velo Girl, a website which acts as an
informational gateway for female cyclists, tackling issues like Girl
Diets, Girl Mechanics and Girl Training.
Since
gsport launched, our monthly Woman in
Media offering has focused on women who work in television, radio, and
print. This March we are delighted to introduce you to Jolande Baker, our first
online Woman in Media, and a cycling enthusiast of note, who has been
passionately supporting and promoting women’s cycling for nearly three years.
Jolande is
the brainchild of the informative Velo
Girl website, and since 2005, she has successfully managed to give women a
platform to ask questions, find solutions and correspond directly with experts
regarding training, nutrition and mechanical aspects
of this competitive sport.
This
popular online cycling portal is dedicated to all those ladies, who despite
their careers, homes and family still find time to ride. The Internet is the quick guide to
all our answers, and Velo Girl acts
as an informational gateway for female cyclists, tackling issues like Girl
Diets, Girl Mechanics and Girl Training. Its no wonder many sportswomen enjoy
visiting this noteworthy site for regular updates.
Although
the facilities at ground level need improving and girls are still in need of
regular clinics, it is pleasing to learn that Velo Girl is helping improve this situation by offering women specific
skills clinics in various disciplines.
We
look forward to hearing more about the women’s weekend of mountain biking that Velo Girl is currently planning for
later in the year. Jolande’s commitment and passion shines through to all those
she comes across as she continues her quest to increase the database for women
riders in the country.
Jolande
admires all women featured on the Velo
Girl website but BMX racer Sharlene McGilvray stands out as a true
inspiration for her, having taken up the sport when she was 39, and proving
you’re never too old to try something new.
Jolande’s
greatest ambition is to be a constant positive influence to everyone I come in
contact with. She must be applauded for her compassion towards women in cycling
and for top-notch service and products.
Introducing
gsport’s March 2008 Woman in Media, the energetic Jolande Baker!
Jolande, what is the aim of the Velo Girl
initiative, and how are you involved?
I started Velo Girl in 2005 with
the aim to provide women in the sport with an avenue where they could feel free
to ask any questions, find solutions to problems and correspond directly with
experts in their respective fields with regards to the sport of cycling.
Going hand in hand with this was
our aim to increase exposure of women in the sport by putting the spotlight on
the top girls in BMX, track, road cycling and mountain biking. I am responsible
for all aspects of the job.
Since it’s launch, how has Velo Girl contributed to promoting
cycling among women?
Prior to the
Velo Girl website there had not been a dedicated site for female cyclists for a
few years. It has taken us a good few months and many hours to get noticed.
With the industry a male dominated one, women who were new in the sport did not
feel comfortable walking into a shop filled with male cyclists and asking them
seemingly obvious questions.
We started
by providing newcomers with the basic tools (info) to enjoy and "survive" the
sport. We also offer women specific skills clinics in various disciplines.
This is part of the Specialized D4W workshops. This workshop was for
road riders where they did a 30min time trial on their indoor trainers.
Tell us more about your website and how you succeed
in attracting traffic to the site?
Our
website acts as an informational gateway for female cyclists, tackling issues
like Girl Diets, Girl Mechanics and Girl Training. We also feature a top girl
every month under our Who’s that Girl? section and offer general info such as a
race calendar & clubs page. We aim to keep the pages and info fresh and
topical to current cycling events.
Our
monthly newsletter goes out to a subscriber base of 1300 readers and has been
very successful in attracting new visitors to the site. On top of this, top
media publications such as Ride Magazine & SHAPE regularly features exerts
from our website articles on their sports or snippets pages, which helps to
increase the amount of traffic to the site.
Who are some of the cycling experts that contribute
to your website?
All
our coaches are accomplished people in their industries and all of them with
the exception of one sports nutritionist (who were blessed with a Dec. baby)
are still active in their respective sporting disciplines. Erica Green &
Liza Serfontein are our top female coaches, both being ex Springbok road
cyclists and accomplished mountain bikers. (Erica an ex-Olympian in both
disciplines and Liza the first SA women to win a criterium race in Europe)
Besides
the book knowledge that our coaches have they bring years of experience to the
website as well. We provide their contact details so that visitors are
encouraged to contact any coach or expert directly, enforcing the idea that
professionals does not necessarily have to cost an arm and a leg but are
accessible to top athletes and fun riders alike.
module2 Skills workshop presented by Velo Girl’s Liza Serfontein. Here
the girls are practicing riding over obstacles and doing bunny hops.
Cycling magazines have long dominated the market,
how are cycling enthusiasts responding to the Internet as a source for their
information?
Paging
through a new magazine is always like opening a present for me, but nothing
beats the Internet for quick references and finding info that can’t wait. This
is where newsrooms etc. currently have the edge. If you have missed a deadline
it doesn’t matter as a newsletter can be sent at any moment marketing a new
product or service.
Looking at
the hits we receive and how it has increased over the past two years as well as
the increase in enquiries, shows that the cyclists’ are turning to the internet
more and more for info that can’t wait until next month’s magazine.
Sports media is still male dominated. How do you
deal with the challenges of being a woman in this industry?
In
the beginning it was very difficult for men to accept what we were trying to do
in the industry, but on the other side of the coin we had many men that
supported our cause and this was enough encouragement.
Women
are always going to be few and far between in most industries. I focus on what
I want to achieve and work hard at that. I surround myself with other positive
strong willed women and remind myself that I should concentrate on dealing with
people not genders.
1: This was part of the Specialized D4W workshop series held in
Grabouw. Here the girls learn to ride singletrack in the forest.
What drives your passion to promote cycling among
women?
To
see women who had no confidence on their bikes before, realizing that they have
the inner strength to do anything they put their minds to and seeing the growth
within themselves. Their thankfulness for the info and advice they receive that
so many riders take for granted.
How can the state of women’s cycling in South Africa be
further improved?
On
the professional side, things are looking up with more sponsors for amateur
female teams visible at races and MTN finally stepping up to the challenge of
supporting the first fully sponsored female team.
On
ground level girls are still in need of regular clinics that we are now finally
providing to assist in increasing the numbers of ladies participating in races
and ultimately the field of top ladies. Development on schools level will also
assist in increasing the visibility of the sport amongst young girls.
What is your advice to women and young girls keen to
take up cycling?
Firstly
contact the right people for advice, don’t just follow your friends and copy
what they do. Realise that it might not be easy at the beginning and it will
initially set you back a few rand to get the correct gear, but it will be worth
it in the end.
Don’t ride
alone, try and find a club near you where you can slot in with the beginner
groups or ride with like minded friends. Never be too scared to ask
seemingly stupid questions.
How is the Velo Girl initiative funded?
It
is mainly privately funded at the moment with skills & other events
carrying some of the costs. We offer advertising space on our website as well
with advertisers confirming good responses from their respective packages. Many
companies in the industry don’t seem to realise that the beginner skills
clinics are the ideal places to promote their industry related products and
services.
The
women we deal with here have no or limited knowledge for example of insurance
packages or cycling products. In the series we did last year we sold more women
specific clothing during two separate days with only 35 women than the
manufacturers sold in shops in the past few months.
Any
commercial company wishing to partner or sponsor some of our initiatives are
welcome to contact us for a formal proposal.
What are some of Velo Girl’s focus areas for 2008?
Our
focus area this year is definitely beginner skills clinics for the road and
mountain bike disciplines. We present them in sets of Two Modules each and are
planning to do at least another 3 sets this year still. We are also planning a
women’s weekend of mountain biking for later in the year. As the database for
women riders increase, so will the events that we organize.
Road Workshop: Erica Green was the presenter for the whole series. The
workshops were presented as far as KwaZulu-Natal.
What is the long-term vision for Velo Girl?
To
become the top female cycling icon locally, known for her compassion towards
women in cycling and for top-notch service and products.
Who are your favourite female cyclists?
I admire all
the girls I have featured as they all have super qualities that make them the
champions they are.
But one lady stands out as an inspiration to any women in
cycling. Sharlene McGilvray started riding BMX at the age of 39 and came 2nd
at the 2007 World Championships in Canada.
She has an
undaunting, colourful, positive spirit and absolutely loves her discipline. She
never hesitates to do anything that can help to promote the sport amongst
ladies or increase the visibility of BMX women in the media.
and another woman riding the pump track. This is a track at Dirtopia
Trail Centre designed to teach BMX riders trickets, but it also helps
MTBikers learn the value of riding with momentum.
Aside from cycling, what are your other favourite
sports?
I
enjoy the challenges of multi-sport & especially swimming, I want to try my
hand at adventure sports this year. I love winter sports & if I lived in Canada I would
have loved to snowboard & ski – I’m a winter person :o)
How do you keep fit?
I
follow a training program that incorporates, road cycling, mountain biking, on
and off road running and swimming. I enjoy variety and do these sports for fun,
a training program helps me stay focused and improve my weaknesses and does not
put me under any pressure to perform.
gsport strives to celebrate femininity. What role
does it play in your life?
It
plays a very important part in my life as I need to stay true to myself. It is
important to remember that we are all different, each with our own positive and
negative qualities.
seen here on one of her cycling expeditions, is comfortable with her
femininity, and believes being feminine doesn’t mean you have to be
weak.
What makes you proud to be South African?
The
diversity of the country and its people, where else do you have 11 official
languages and 4 seasons in one country?!!? And of course Robbie Hunter winning
a 2007 Tour de France stage and finishing second in the race for the green
jersey…
Who are your role models?
The women
who despite their homes, careers & families still find time to ride…
What inspires you?
Natural
beauty, children overcoming challenges, unconditional love.
What is your greatest ambition?
To be a
constant positive influence to everyone I come in contact with.
(0 rating, 0 votes, rated)
Loading...
