Leading Australian female racer Leanne Tander has received a nomination in the Top 100 Australian Sportswomen.
Close to 200 nominations of elite Australian sportswomen have been received, ranging from past and present Olympians to iron women, netballers and more.
Tander, the wife of star V8 Supercars driver Garth, has been one of Australia’s leading ambassadors for women in motorsport, both on and off the track.
Besides her exploits on the race track, which includes two overall runner-up placings in the Australian Formula 3 Championship, plus a number of starts in the Bathurst 1000, Tander chairs the Women of Australian Motor Sport Committee and is also Australia’s delegate to the Federation d’Internationale Automobile (FIA) Women and Motor Sport Commission.
Tander is thrilled to have been nominated and is honoured to see her name listed amongst some of Australia’s sporting greats.
“Motor racing doesn’t always get perceived as a real sport, so it’s nice to just be in the same sentence as the likes of Betty Cuthbert and Susie O’Neill,” Tander told Speedcafe.com.
“I have no illusions that I’ll come out number one, but it’s a nice recognition for all the women that race and compete in the sport.”
Tander is currently taking a sabbatical from racing after recently announcing that she is expecting her and Garth’s second child.
While her helmet may be in the closet, she continues in an active off-track role, mentoring many up-and-coming female drivers.
“Motorsport is a passion of mine, so while I’m not driving myself, I’m more than happy to be there as someone that the girls can talk to,” she said.
“The formation of the Women in Motorsport committee is all about having someone to talk to and feed off. Anything that I can give back is the least I can do.”
The Top 100 Sportswomen is being run by Sportforwomen.com.au.
CLICK HERE to vote for Leanne Tander in the Top 100 Sportwomen award.
