Jessica Howden

Jessica Howden is a South African motorcycle racer blazing a trail as the first African woman to win a race in Europe, competing in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship and proudly representing her home country on the international stage.

EARLY YEARS

Born around 2003 in Cape Town, South Africa, Jessica Howden grew up in the kind of household where the smell of race fuel was just part of the weekend routine. Her father, Ian Howden, was a rally and circuit racing driver—the type of dad who didn’t drag his kids to soccer practice but rather to the track, where engines screamed and lap times mattered. For Jessica, this wasn’t unusual. It was just family life.[1][2][3]

She spent part of her childhood in Zimbabwe before returning to South Africa, always surrounded by motorsports. While her father chased lap records, Jessica and her brother absorbed the culture. Her brother got into motocross in 2017, which planted a seed—maybe she could try it too. But the turning point came when she was 14 years old, standing trackside with her dad on yet another weekend. That’s when she saw Savannah Woodward, a South African woman, absolutely ripping on a motorbike. Jessica’s reaction was immediate: “I told my dad that I wanted to try that.”[1][2]

Most kids have to beg for go-karts. Howden skipped straight to the real deal. While her brother’s motocross stint sparked curiosity, seeing a superbike at the circuit made up her mind. She wasn’t interested in dirt. She wanted pavement, speed, and lean angles that made your stomach drop. Ian, despite his initial skepticism about his teenage daughter’s new ambition, got on board. “My father is my idol,” she’d later say. “Without him I wouldn’t be anywhere.”[1][2][4]

At 14, she started racing on a Yamaha R3 in South Africa’s domestic scene, no beginner Honda in sight. It was a ballsy move—most riders build up slowly, but Jessica had grown up watching MotoGP and WorldSBK with her family. She knew what she wanted, and she wasn’t wasting time.[1][2][3]

OTHER INTERESTS

Outside of racing, Howden keeps her personal life fairly private. There’s no public record of hobbies beyond the track, no side hustles or creative pursuits making headlines. If she’s got interests beyond motorcycles, she’s keeping them to herself—which, honestly, makes sense when you’re pouring every ounce of energy into making it in Europe as a teenager from South Africa.

EARLY SUCCESS

Jessica’s early racing years in South Africa were a steep learning curve, but she had a secret weapon: Nicole van Aswegen, a fellow South African racer who coached her for a year. Van Aswegen taught her the ropes, sharpened her skills, and became both mentor and inspiration. The two would eventually become competitors—and friendly rivals. “Nicole also used to coach me,” Howden said. “She taught me a lot. It is amazing that we now race against each other, and we do fight a lot!”[1][3]

Howden racked up experience in South Africa’s domestic series before setting her sights on Europe. At 19, she made the gutsy decision to leave home, her family, and everything familiar to chase her racing dreams abroad. It’s the kind of move that sounds romantic until you’re alone in a foreign country, trying to prove yourself in a brutally competitive sport.[6]

In 2022, she entered the Women’s European Cup—a series where she was decidedly the underdog. Nobody expected much from the South African newcomer. Then she won the opening race at Misano. Just like that, Jessica Howden became the first African woman to win a race in Europe. “For me, the best moment was entering the Women’s European Cup as an underdog and winning the first race in Misano,” she said. “The feeling was incomparable.”[2][7]

From there, her trajectory pointed upward. She grabbed podiums in the ESBK paddock and notched wins in the CIV300 series, building a resume that caught the attention of the newly formed FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR). In 2024, she joined Team Trasimeno for the inaugural season, racing a Yamaha R7 against the best female riders in the world. She finished in the top ten—a solid result for someone still adjusting to the nuances of the bike. “It’s very different from the superbike I was used to,” she noted, particularly in corner speed.[1][3]

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2022: Won opening race of Women’s European Cup at Misano, becoming the first African woman to win a race in Europe[2][7].
• 2022: Multiple wins in CIV300 series[2][3].
• 2024: Top-ten finish in inaugural FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship with Team Trasimeno[1].
• 2024: Podium finishes in ESBK paddock[1][3].
• 2024: Competed in WorldWCR alongside former coach and current rival Nicole van Aswegen[1].

INSPIRATIONS

Ask Jessica who inspired her racing career, and the answer starts and ends with family. Her father, Ian, is her idol—the man who took her to the track every weekend, who raced himself, and who supported her leap into a sport that doesn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for women. “Without him I wouldn’t be anywhere,” she’s said plainly.[1][2][3][4]

But the spark that turned curiosity into commitment? That was Savannah Woodward. Seeing a South African woman racing a motorbike at 14 flipped a switch in Jessica’s brain. Suddenly, it wasn’t some far-off fantasy—it was real, tangible, and possible. Woodward probably has no idea she changed a teenager’s life that day, but she did.[1]

Then there’s Nicole van Aswegen, who went from coach to competitor. Van Aswegen didn’t just teach Jessica how to ride faster—she showed her that South African women could hold their own on the international stage. The two now battle it out on track, and Jessica seems to relish it. Their relationship is proof that inspiration doesn’t have to be distant or untouchable. Sometimes your hero becomes your rival, and that’s exactly how it should be.[1][3]

REPUTATION

In the paddock, Howden is viewed as a talented young rider with serious grit. Making it from South Africa to the European racing scene isn’t easy—financially, logistically, or emotionally. The fact that she’s done it, and done it well, earns respect. Her 2022 Misano win turned heads, and her top-ten WorldWCR finish in 2024 proved she belongs among the best female riders in the world.[1][2][7]

Media coverage of Jessica has been overwhelmingly positive, painting her as a trailblazer and South Africa’s big hope in women’s motorcycle racing. She’s described as a star, a history-maker, and someone proudly carrying her country’s flag into uncharted territory. That pride, though, comes with pressure. “It’s a lot of pressure,” she admitted when discussing the expectations from home.[1][2][3][8]

Her peers recognize her determination and skill, especially given the leap she made from domestic racing in South Africa to the international stage. “It meant a lot to me to have raced against the best women in the world,” she said after her 2024 WorldWCR season. “It makes me very proud of how far we have all come.”[1]

Howden’s reputation isn’t built on hype or drama—it’s built on results and resilience. She’s not the loudest voice in the paddock, but she’s one of the most determined. And in a sport where talent is common but tenacity is rare, that distinction matters.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Looking ahead, Jessica has clear ambitions. Going into the 2024 WorldWCR season, she set her sights on a top-six finish, though she admitted a podium would make her happiest. “I’d really like to get a top six but weekend by weekend, I’d be happiest with a podium,” she said.[3]

Beyond results, she’s motivated by representation. “I hope this opportunity will show South Africa who I am,” she said, acknowledging the weight of being one of the few African women racing at this level. It’s not just about personal glory—it’s about proving what’s possible and inspiring the next generation of South African racers, especially the girls watching from home.[3][8]

As of 2024, she was racing with Team Trasimeno in WorldWCR, but details about her 2025 plans remain unconfirmed. What’s certain is that Jessica Howden isn’t done. She’s got the talent, the support, and the hunger to keep climbing. Whether that means more WorldWCR campaigns, a move to another series, or a breakthrough podium that cements her legacy, she’s got her eyes on the prize—and South Africa is watching.[1][3][4]

References:

HER STORY: Meet Jessica Howden – WorldSBK.com
WorldWCR Series Vol. 1 Jessica Howden – Paddock Sorority
WorldWCR STORIES: I hope this opportunity will show South Africa who I am – Jessica Howden – WorldSBK.com
SBK, Jessica Howden: My father is my idol… – GPOne.com
Interview Jessica Howden – Palmen in Motorradsport
Jessica Howden Rider Profile – eSkootr Championship
INSIDE LINE WITH HOWDEN – WorldWCR YouTube