Contact details
Website: www.wimanorway.no
Instagram: @wimanorway
About WIMA Norway
WIMA Norway was founded in 2019 by Eli Johanne Stene and Emilija Kostovska, who were the ambassadors for the Norwegian route of the Women Riders World Relay the same year. The international relay gathered almost 3000 Norwegian female motorcyclists to the Facebook event and was a massive opportunity to get organised. Eli is still the president of the Norwegian division, while Emilija has chosen to step down. Anette Sundsbak has replaced her, but as vice president.
In only its first year, WIMA Norway managed to consolidate a board with board members from all across the long spread-out country, build the organisation and host several events. Rapidly increasing numbers of paying members made us capable of hosting even more events, and expand the variety of courses, training, lectures and social gatherings. Within the first year, the members grew to over 300. Leaping into year three, Norway already had divisions situated in ten cities, with corresponding crews and online-chats for planned and spontaneous trips.
In co-operation with dealerships, driver licence schools, other biker organisations, second-hand shops, artists and local authorities, we expanded the menu of offers for female bikers.
For 2019, we were awarded ‘The Initiative Prize’ by the Community of Motorcycle Enthusiasts, consisting of members from importers, dealerships, press, motorsport, tourism and driver training establishments.
For 2020, we were nominated by the local Lodge for the annual prize for youth-related work.
In 2021, the biggest number of female amateur bikers in Norway – ever – took part in a two-day racetrack course. The combination of safety, schooling, speed and sisterhood is working well for us northerners.
Notable members
Eli Johanne Steine, co-founder and president
Eli has a garage filled with bikes, and the diversity is huge. A Triumph Bonneville, a Russian Ural with sidecar and a Yamaha MT07 – the ‘Wimaha’ among them. Which means Eli is capable of riding practically anywhere. And does so. At her summerhouse in Spain, Eli has a Suzuki Bandit to relieve her from any restlessness that might appear after car or flight arrival.
Below, Eli left & Anette right.
Anette Sundsbak, vice president
Anette has, for the last 11 years, had a monogamous relationship with her Yamaha R1 which is best suited to asphalt roads and tracks, but has been known to wander slightly about as well. Maybe it suffers from as little sense of direction as its owner. Rumour has it that she is flirting with some offroad ideas, though.
