Women's BMX in the 80's

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Women's BMX in the 80's

Written by Kim Klisiak

Sunday, 06 September 2009 18:35

While women riders are still considered a rairity today, they had a brief heyday in the late 80's. GT had a full factory girl named Krys Dauchy, who often appeared in magazines and competitions. BMX Plus even had a photo contest for girls, and printed 3 pages of photos and info in the magazine. The girls riding scene seemed to be growing rapidly. The AFL was even talking about having an all girls class. Unfortunally Freestyle died down and Krys vanished along with the rest of the girls. Check out the photos below for a little piece of bmx history, and tip your hat to Krys, the true founder of the Womens BMX movement.

Krys Dauchy 1986 - 1987

In October 1986 Krys wrote the following letter to Freestylin Magazine

Dear Freestylin',
Hey guys, how ya doing over there in sunny California? I'm one of those mundane, boring, small-town chicks from the Midwest-with one exception. I freestyle. And I do the most contorted Nourie handstand this side of Mars. I just wrote to tell you that guys aren't the only ones that can get radical. Girls are alive and soon to be kicking in the freestyle world.
Stay unbelievable!
Krys Dauchy Peninsula, Ohio
P.S. You ARE going to print the unbelievable freak-of-nature contortionist photo, aren't you?

In 1987 Krys was visited by Shawn Buckley from GT Bicycles and shortly became the first girl to be sponsored with a full factory ride from GT Bicycles.

krysautograph

BMX Plus! September 1987
The Following pages are from the 1987 Sept Bmx Plus. As far as i know this is the first time girls were ever in a magazine for freestyle. Click them to see them readable size.

The cover caption reads "Krys Dauchy invertebrating at Hermosa Beach in California"
Contributed by Mike Flood