Women riders: when the passion for motorcycles also protects forests

For Leslie Aranda, president of Team Mujeres Riders Chile, the forest has never been just the backdrop where she practices enduro. It is the place where she finds freedom, disconnects from routine, and shares with other women a passion that has transformed into a commitment to nature.

"What we practice in enduro is much more than riding a motorcycle. It is freedom, a connection with the environment, and above all, respect for nature," she summarizes.

At 37 years old, Leslie has been competing in motocross and enduro for about six years, although her story with motorcycles began much earlier. "I learned to ride a motorcycle when I was about 10 years old. My dad taught us along with my brother. Then many years passed until I started competing," she recalls.

Today she leads Team Mujeres Riders Chile, a group that brings together about 20 women from different regions of the country. "I formed this team to give women a space, so they could feel comfortable in this world, which is still much more male-dominated than female," she explains.

Shared respect

Every training session and competition begins by following a fundamental rule: caring for the environment. The routes are previously authorized, delimited, and marked to prevent any intervention outside the established circuits.

"We have open spaces to train and the tracks are marked. We don't go beyond those parameters. Where the track is marked, that's where you go. We don't invade an area to destroy it or anything like that," she states.

Many of these routes cross private properties or land managed by forestry companies, always with the owners' authorization.

For Leslie, that responsibility stems from the very essence of the sport. "We care deeply about protecting nature because it's part of us. If we don't have the hills, where do we ride? Where do we train?" she suggests.

And she adds that the forest represents much more than a circuit. "It's not just a place to pass through with the motorcycle. There we live our passion, share with our friends, and reach wonderful places that often can't be explored any other way."

Much more

Forest fires left a deep mark on those who practice enduro. Many of the trails where they trained disappeared under the fire. "We were all devastated because they were our training grounds. But they were also places where we found peace and that special connection with nature," she recalls.

The experience reinforced the group's environmental commitment. "We ourselves took on that responsibility as athletes. If we do this sport, it's because we are nature lovers. If not, we'd be doing karting on a paved surface," she comments.

That commitment also involves those who accompany the competitions. "Most of them are committed to taking their trash with them and caring for the environment. The culture among us is to take care of the place where we are."

Off the clock, the spirit of enduro changes completely. "If someone gets stuck, the other helps them, pushes them, or hands over the motorcycle. A true brotherhood forms," she recounts.

At Acoforag, we value Team Mujeres Riders Chile's commitment to caring for the forest heritage. Their example shows that sport and conservation can go hand in hand when respect for forests becomes an essential part of the sporting culture itself.