Georgia Stephens: The Australian Sensation in The ASBK

At just 18 years old, South Australian racer Georgia Stephens is already making her mark as one of the few female competitors in the Australian Superbike Championship. In this interview, Georgia opens up about her journey into motorsport, the challenges she's encountered along the way, and her aspirations for the future.

Georgia’s path into motorcycle racing is far from typical. Growing up, she had little interest in motorsport despite her father’s passion for it, recalling how trips to the racetrack would often end with her 'begging to go back home.' However, everything changed at 15 when she began watching MotoGP, the premier class of motorcycle racing. Soon enough, spectating wasn’t enough for Georgia, and that’s when she decided, 'I’d give that a crack!'

With no experience beyond riding a Pee Wee 50 dirt bike as a child, Georgia took the plunge. She bought her first bike, gathered the necessary gear, and hit the go-kart track to learn the ropes with her first rider coach, David Johnson. At first, Georgia humorously admits it took her a while to get the hang of things, saying, 'I was dog sh*t for a long time.' Still, she persisted, setting personal goals and steadily building on the basics.

After achieving an incredible personal best lap time, Georgia entered the State Championship, and by mid-2023, things 'really started to click.' She recalls, 'I knew what I was doing. I just really needed to add more speed to it. And I started showing results.' With no expectations going in, she feels she 'didn’t do too bad for a first time at the championship.' Most importantly, she 'literally loved it.' Following her remarkable performance, she was picked up by Race DNA for her first season in the Australian Superbikes.

Georgia’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges. She faced her fair share of injuries, including a severe collarbone break and ongoing carpal tunnel issues, but her courage and resilience have kept her going. 'It’s all about what can I do right now, rather than sit and complain about it,' she explains. For Georgia, staying mentally strong is key, and she focuses on finding ways to improve even when recovering from injury. 'If you're scared of crashing, then you'll never be at the top level that you are,' she says.

Through it all, Georgia’s mindset has been her greatest asset. 'Getting upset about [injuries] doesn’t change the fact that you’re injured,' she points out. Instead, she turns each setback into motivation, determined to come back stronger every time.

Georgia acknowledges the unique challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated sport but is quick to point out that in racing, 'we're all equal when our helmets are on.' Reflecting that her competitors focus solely on winning, regardless of gender. However, she admits there were times when the differences in learning styles made it difficult to fully connect with male coaches. 'A lot of the things the men were saying didn’t really correlate with how I learn or how I ride the bike,' Georgia explains. It wasn’t until she started training with Tayla Relph, one of the fastest women in Australia and a rising star in the World Women’s Championship (WorldWCR), that things finally began to click. 'Another woman knew exactly what I was talking about, and she really helped me' 

Beyond being an exceptional coach, Tayla has been a role model for Georgia. 'Having another woman to look up to helped me tremendously,' she shares. 'Tayla didn’t have many women to look up to, and I’m grateful to have her guidance.’ 

In addition to Tayla Relph, Georgia’s inspirations extend to the global community of racing. Fabio Quartararo, MotoGP world champion stands out as a prominent role model in Georgia’s journey. 'I think everyone knows how much I love Fabio Quartararo,' she laughs. 'I have a replica helmet, and my logo is pretty much identical to his!' Her admiration began unexpectedly while watching a race with her dad. 'I didn’t really pay attention to MotoGP at first; it always seemed a bit confusing. But one day, they showed a clip of Fabio, and I thought, oh, he’s my favorite now!' She also highlights Marc Márquez’s remarkable comeback after injuries, noting, “If he had given up, he wouldn’t have come back to win races.” For Georgia, champions like Márquez and Quartararo exemplify resilience in the face of adversity. Additionally, she looks up to Ana Carrasco, the first woman to win a world championship on a mixed-gendered grid, embodying the possibility that women can achieve greatness in motorsport. 

As she looks to the future, Georgia remains focused on self-improvement and setting competitive goals. She hopes to make a substantial impact at the upcoming finale at The Bend, aiming for a podium finish despite the setbacks she has faced this season. Her long-term aspirations include competing on international stages and, ultimately, representing Australia in motorsport.

Beyond personal accolades, Georgia has a clear vision of helping the next generation of female racers. “I want to show the future that women can do it,” she affirms. Her commitment to fostering a supportive environment for aspiring female racers is evident; she envisions training initiatives and ride days tailored specifically for women, recognizing the differences in learning styles between genders.

Georgia's advice to young girls is simple yet powerful: “Just do it. If you really want to and you're scared, use that as motivation.” She aims to be a role model, sharing her journey to encourage girls who might feel discouraged by the male-dominated nature of motorsport. She wants them to know that “it’s not as bad as everyone makes it out to be,” and that with determination, they can achieve their dreams.

All of these images were supplied by Georgia and taken by Tayco creative