100% Powered by Women - Global Car Rallies

Rallies offer a unique experience to fans and drivers interested in experiencing a more extreme side of motorsports, but that isn’t to say the demographic is equal in gender. Historically, this male-dominated sport comes with high stakes, rough roads, and intense point-to-point play that is highly competitive and previously closed off to women.  

To those unfamiliar with rally racing, the event can take many forms with varying levels of competition depending on location, length of rally, and environmental conditions. Rally drivers choose courses and competitions in various forms. Major competitions include touring rallies, course rallies, convoy rallies, off-road competitions, all time-sensitive and point-to-point racing.  

The Rebelle Rally - Powerful Women, Extreme Terrain 

Rallies have answered the call for the need to provide more female-only competitions with the Rebelle Rally, the first all-female off-road navigation rally in the U.S. The off-road navigational competition is a 1,400-mile race in the southwest desert. In 2021, the tournament’s sixth year in action, fifty-two all-woman teams raced their vehicles, a mix of crossovers, SUV’s and trucks across the dangerous desert terrain from Nevada to California.  

The Rebelle Rally, developed by an international rally driver by Emily Miller, focuses more on a point system, navigation techniques, and vehicle performance. Over eight days, the women pass checkpoints throughout the day, stopping only at basecamps at the end of the day.  

Teams compete in two categories based on the type and capability of their selected vehicle(s): the X-Cross class for all-wheel-drive equipped crossovers and SUVs and the 4×4 class, compete in two categories based on vehicle capability: the X-Cross class for all-wheel-drive equipped crossovers and SUVs, the 4×4 class and most recently EV’s.  

This remarkable showcase for women is all about savvy driving, intelligent navigation, skilled strategy, and roughing it day after day until the blissful finish. The Rebelle Rally takes the tournament a step further, offering women the opportunity to train amateur drivers to compete through Rebelle U, a training center for the competition where women develop skills and specialties in driving. 

WIAA Women’s Rally - Competition With a Cause

Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) Women’s Rally hosts their female-only competition. Each team focuses on a cause of their choice ranging from women’s safety and rights, racial equality, promoting tolerance, female youth education, and combating sexual harassment.  

Not only is the competition a rally with checkpoints, but participants over the last decade have turned the competition into a colorful display of personality where teams choose a theme and dress the part throughout the match.  

Class Meets Competition - The Rallye des Princesses 

The Rallye des Princesses combines class, civility, and vintage vehicles in a rally against the clock in France. The friendly starts in Paris and ends on day 6 in Saint-Tropez, where drivers navigate using a good, old-fashioned paper map and compass. It takes severe scrutiny and attention to detail (like a car running out of gas without a nearby station) to finish first after 1,600km of the beautiful, scenic road.  

International opportunities continue to rise for women who are interested in pushing the limits of the road while giving back, having fun, and collaborating together on rally racing across the globe. Which competition will you watch this year?​