Although a small country by size and population, Malta does not shy away when it comes to organising big events and proof of this is certainly the Ladies’ Trotting Championship being organised by the Malta Racing Club in collaboration with SportMalta.
Although many countries host ladies’ races and championships, this by far will be the biggest one ever organised by way of participating countries as 19 female drivers from just as many different nations will be competing against each other at the Marsa Race Track on Sunday 7th May.
The idea for this championship is to celebrate Malta’s EU Presidency. Even though in Malta harness racing is very popular this is still a male dominated sport and currently only three females hold a valid driving licence. This is the 5th time that the Malta Racing Club is organising such an event and every year it has grown in its participation.
Four races will be held with each driver participating in two races. Points will be awarded according to placings and the driver with the most points will be declared the winner of the championship.
The drivers will be in Malta from the 4th to the 8th May and during their stay they will have the opportunity to visit some of the beautiful sites of the island. A courtesy visit to H.E. The President of Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca is also on the programme.
The participants are the following:
- Austria – Sabine Klettenhofer
- Belgium – Linda Van Bael
- Czech Republic – Elena Volf
- Denmark – Mariann Thorup Nielsen
- Estonia – Jelena Fironova
- Finland – Sanna Riikonen
- France – Camille Levesque
- Germany – Julia Knoch
- Hungary – Emese Vezer
- Ireland – Brenda Hudson
- Italy – Maria Giovanna Bortolanza
- Lithuania – Gedvile Vinslauskaite
- Malta – Laura Cunningham
- The Netherlands – Annemiek Beekman
- Norway – Renate Aarlie
- Russia – Maria Khoreva
- Slovenia – Masa Habjan
- Sweden – Patricia Gordin
- Switzerland – Stephanie Theiler