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All-female motorcycling team takes on the Australian Historic Road Racing Championships

Gemma Kernich and Jo Dettloff are the only all-female team in the competition. (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

The racers look the same in their riding leathers and helmets, but Gemma Kernich is a little different from the rest of the pack.

Surrounded by revving engines, she stands in pit 13, waiting for her session to be called.

Gemma has been waiting a long time for the Australian Historic Road Racing Championships.

The event, at Mount Gambier's McNamara Park, has been postponed for two years due to COVID-19.

The pair hope more women will get involved in the sport. (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

"I'm looking forward to it," Gemma says.

Among the almost 200 competitors, Gemma is one of just a handful of women.

But she says it's "not that unusual".

"It's a bit disappointing that more women don't come out.

Almost 200 competitors have entered the national competition.  (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

"There are some younger girls that do come out here every now and then. I suppose it's one of those things where you can't be [it] if you don't see [it].

"I hope it encourages more women to come out and have a go."

Jo Dettloff is Gemma Kernich's pit crew for the weekend.

They are the sole women-only team at the event.

"We can do it just as much as they can."

Racers swarm to the track at McNamara Park outside of Mount Gambier.  (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

Ms Dettloff says they are ready for an intense but fun weekend.

"I'm pretty excited for her [Gemma] so hopefully we can get up there and do the best we can," she says.

"I enjoy the motorbikes and just the camaraderie and everyone here, it's just a fun atmosphere. Everyone's very supportive.

"It doesn't matter if you come first, it doesn't matter if you come last, at least you're out there giving it a go."

Riders from 'all over'

For event host the Mount Gambier Motorcycle Club, the championships have been a long time coming. 

Alex Trnovsky is very pleased the event is going ahead this year.  (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

President Alex Trnovsky says it was "hugely disappointing" to postpone the event for two years.

"We've been building up to this for probably five years now," he says.

"To put all the effort in and then have to pull it right at the end, that was pretty demoralising, but we just kept plugging away and here we are."

But Mr Trnovsky says he is "super excited" to have the event go ahead this weekend.

"It's brought people from all over Australia. We've got riders from Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia, so they've made a huge effort to get here.

"They're spending a bit of time in the region as well, so it's great for the town and it's great for us."

The simplicity of old technology

Gemma Kernich says she enjoys the mechanics of racing older bikes.

"It's a bit of a mental challenge … it's problem solving," she says.

Gemma Kernich enjoys the mechanical and tinkering side of racing.  (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

"I like just going out and tinkering and seeing if I can get everything working as best as I can.

Mr Kernich says "the simplicity" of historical motorbikes is most enjoyable. 

"It's old technology, there are no fancy electronics," she says.

"I can just go through and nut things out mostly for myself.

"One of the things about historical racing is everyone's used to things blowing up.

"Everyone here is extremely giving. It doesn't really matter who you are, where you come from, if something goes wrong, everyone will drop everything and try to help you."

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