Women in motorcycling – Charli Cannon

I’m Charli Cannon, and I race motocross at a national and international level for the Honda Racing Australia and the Quad Lock Honda Racing Team. I’ve been competing in the Women’s ProMX Championships, where I’ve won the last four Women’s titles, and more recently I’ve started racing in the American Women’s Championship which has added a whole new layer to what I do.

My journey into motorcycling started young. My dad played a huge role in that. He was the one who trained me and my brother since we were little and has always been in my corner. It was always just part of life and that support has never changed, even now. Growing up, I didn’t really have one specific rider I followed or really looked up to. I just loved watching all the professionals, as in both the guys and the women’s motocross riders. I was a big fan of American Ashley Fiolek when I was younger – she was a massive inspiration for me – and I enjoyed watching New Zealand rider Courtney Duncan, but more than anything I just loved the sport and what the top riders could do.

When I moved into senior racing, things happened pretty quickly. No one really knew of me and it was awesome those first two years that I went undefeated in every one of my races. That period was exciting because I was surprising people, and that was an awesome feeling. Coming into the 2026 season, I hadn’t lost a race in four years. Winning became the norm, it was kind of just expected, which is a great position to be in but it also meant I wasn’t always being pushed in the same way. That’s something I found again when I started racing in America last year. I had a lot more competition there and I wasn’t always winning. So, it kind of fuelled the fire a bit more. It reminded me what it feels like to fight for every position and stay switched on for an entire moto.

When I’m racing, it’s intensity for the whole moto, not just a few laps. Racing internationally has also given me a better understanding of where I sit. It gave me lots of confidence to know that I’m at the top. At the same time, results don’t always tell the full story. The wildcard ride at the MXGP round in Darwin last year was bittersweet. I had some really good speed, but crashes affected the outcome. Still, it was valuable. It honestly just gave me a bit of motivation to go back, start training again and hopefully give it another shot this year. As well as racing in the US, I’ll also be defending my Australian ProMX title in 2026, but it won’t just be smooth sailing like all the other years have been.

There’s more competition coming through, which I’m looking forward to. Two-time AMA Women’s Motocross Champion Lachlan ‘Lala’ Turner is competing in this year’s women’s ProMX championship, as well as the WMX division at the Darwin MXGP. That’s going to make for some really good racing. I’ve also had the chance to captain the Australian team at the Oceania Women’s Cup for the last three years, which is something I’m really proud of. We were aiming for our third consecutive win at Wonthaggi in March this year, but we lost out to the American team. Seeing that event grow each year has been exciting too. More countries are getting involved, and the level of competition is improving. It feels like it’s building towards something bigger for women’s motocross. Hopefully down the track we can get Europe involved and it can become a women’s MX of Nations type thing. That’s my goal for this event. That growth is something I’ve noticed across the whole sport.

When I was younger and coming through juniors, there really wasn’t much of a pathway for women racers. That’s changed a lot. There’s more support, more visibility and more opportunities now. When I turned senior, Yamaha picked me up as their first factory female rider and from there a lot of the other teams and manufacturers have followed. All the teams have girls on them now, which is something you never saw a few years ago. For younger riders coming through, that makes a big difference. Now, if girls really want to make this a career, they’ve got a pathway to race nationally with factory support.

When it comes to racing, my mindset stays pretty consistent, no matter where I am or who I’m racing against. You can’t focus on the other riders. You have to just focus on yourself and race within your means. Whether it’s a domestic race or an international event, the process is the same. Even when there’s pressure, like defending titles or fighting for team results, I try to keep it simple. When you’re on the line, it’s kind of just you’re racing yourself in the moment. Right now, I feel like I’m in a really good place physically, mentally and with my riding. I’ve experienced what it’s like to dominate and I’ve also experienced what it’s like to be challenged again. This year, no one knows what to expect for either championship, so that’s going to be really exciting.