Celebrating International Women’s Day at Mondello Park

Saturday March 8th, Mondello Park hosted a remarkable celebration in honour of International Women’s Day, showcasing the strength, dedication, and achievements of women in motorsport, from committed dedicated volunteers to the female competitors.  

One of the focuses of this day were the female marshals.

 A special shout out to Ruth Nugent Chief Marshal for her initiative in promoting and co ordinating a female marshal corner. Ruth has previously marshalled at an all Female Marshal corner at the  Canadian Grand Prix and it was fabulous to replicate this on International Women’s Day at the final round of the Rallycross Championship  at Mondello Park. Ruth with her assistant Chief Marshal Maureen Cross had an incredible team of marshals who all contributed to the celebration. This helped to highlight the vital role that women play in motorsport marshalling. A heartfelt thanks goes to all the marshals who volunteered their time and ensured safety throughout the day.

A special mention also goes to Laura Hannon, Laura is not only the Guest Experience Executive at Mondello Park but also an accomplished racing driver herself.  Laura instigated and orchestrated all the other day's activities. Laura’s efforts brought together a series of engaging events, including securing sponsored free entry for all, informative track tours, and two fascinating panel discussion that concluded the day on an inspiring note. The panel offered insightful discussions on the challenges and triumphs from the young upcoming female racing  drivers that were competing at the Rallycross on the day. After the panel session the attendees were greeted by a  recorded video message from the inspiring Scottish former racing car diver and current managing director of the F1 academy Susie Wolff MBE . Susie recalled her own days as an instructor at Mondello Park and gave great encouragement to all the young drivers present.   

With an impressive 1,100 attendees, a really exciting day of Rally Cross racing where the female competitors raced alongside the male competitors, it was really a fabulous day.

A big thank you is also due to Des Hughes Motors for their generous sponsorship of the entry to all, which played a crucial role in making the event so successful. A special thanks also goes to the Rally Cross Commission for their invaluable support.

Thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, and supporters who made this event a huge success. The energy, camaraderie, and inspiration shared throughout the day will undoubtedly inspire into the future. We look forward to celebrating more International Women’s Day events at Mondello Park in the years to come!

Photos:
Kelsey Kirby Motorsport Ireland, Vicky Gissane Women in Motorsport Ireland Commission member, Ruth Nugent Chief Marshal Rally Cross event, Laura Hannon Guest Experience Executive Mondello Park