Once the green flag waved on Saturday at the FMF Camp Coker Bullet, it was JMR/Action Off-Road/GBC/Moose Racing's Kate Osburn who dominantly took the BNR Motorsports Holeshot and led the pack into the woods. WXC newcomer, Chloe Harper, soon made her way into the lead. By lap 3 it was a heated battle for the podium positions. Elioff Racing/BNR Motorsports/GBC Tires/Fly Racing's Jessica Elioff made her way from 3rd into the lead before the white flag with Harper on her tail, and Hunter over 30 seconds back. Elioff would build a gap to reach the checkers with just under a minute to spare, but that wasn't the end of the excitement. Hunter had caught the rear tires of Harper nearing the finish. In the final turn of the race, Hunter came up the inside of Harper as they collided. Getting stuck for a moment, "Hurricane" Hannah was able to free her machine and cross the finish in 2nd place. Chloe Harper would race through just behind her to grab her first ever WXC podium.

Jessica Elioff with her third win of the season commented, "That was a fast, hot track, but it was fun, I had to push to the end. I battled with Chloe through the 4x4s, I was finally able to get to the front and tried not to look back! I'm strong in the sand, I wouldn't necessarily say I like the sand, but I'm good at it so I guess I have to like it.

"I didn't have the best of starts," Hunter said after the race. "I finally made my way up to third and caught the leaders, but a lapper screwed me, I almost yard sailed on a straight away. I had to dig that last lap, I was 30 seconds down, but I saw Chloe and knew I had to push and I got her right at the finish."

Chloe Harper after her first WXC podium, and with a big smile said, "It was a great race! I got to ride with two amazing Women Pro's that I've dreamed about racing against my whole life. It was incredible, I'm so happy I got my first podium today! I definitely have more confidence going into the next races knowing I can run the pace and I've earned this."

When Sunday rolled around it was time for the WXC bikes to go to battle in the South Carolina sand. Korie Steede on her Trail Jesters KTM Racing machine would grab her 4th Trail Jester's Holeshot of the season to lead the way on lap 1. Steede built a 10-15 second gap through lap 1 with GasGas USA/Over and Out Moto's Rachel Gutish and Ampro Yamaha's Rachael Archer battling for 2nd. By lap two, the three of them were wheel to wheel and the battle was on. Swapping positions, Rachael Archer was able to take over the lead by lap three with Gutish hanging on to her rear tire. Steede had a crash that set her back from the front two,  but managed to stay in third. As they neared the checkered flag, Archer was able to build a comfortable lead over Gutish to take her third WXC win of the season. Gutish held her ground for second, Steede third, Prestin Raines fourth, and motocrosser Jamie Astudillo, fifth.

"I didn't know if I was going to be able to do it at the start," said Rachael Archer. "I was a little way back, I went down twice and stalled my bike. Once I got going I was able to make my way through the pack. Korie and Gutish caught up to some lappers and had a bit of a tangle up and I finally got my way into the lead on the second to last lap. I was able to keep going, pull a gap, and here we are!"

Rachel Gutish pumped on another 2nd said, "That was kind of terrifying in spots honestly, I don't like going that fast in a straight line! The back section was all super tight corners that I could actually gain time on the other two, so I knew if I could just keep them bottled up behind me in the fast stuff, I could build just enough, that maybe I could keep them behind again in the fast stuff. If we ended on the fast stuff I might've been in trouble! But I'm stoked with how I rode, this isn't a place I normally like, so to be on the box here I'm really happy with it.

"The two laps I led it was a steady 10 second gap," Korie Steede commented. "But with the single track we'd get into the lappers and I couldn't break away, so that was a bummer. I came around lap 4 up a gnarly hill, I think I hit a stump and it just sent me cartwheeling over the bars and knocked me silly. My trainer Steve Hatch picked my bike up and got me going, I just tried to make it to the finish line from there."

The Women's classes are not only exciting to watch, they're exciting for the future. It's the future of the WXC class! In the Women's ATV class, Malia Crump took her third win in a row to tie in points with Makenna Bruderly! Makenna grabbed the second place spot, and Anna Nicely took third for her second podium of the year.

The racing taking place in the Women's bike class has been epic all year as well. Ruby Fustini takes her third win in a row too, but not without heat from Carly Lee in 2nd and Ellie Winland in third. These three have had some serious battles every round for podium positions! 

It's pretty amazing to see the growth in the youth girls classes. From only one class just a few years ago, to four girls classes in the ATV Youth race and three in the bike race! These young athletes are eager to get on the track and twist (or push) the throttle too.

The Girls Supermini Bikes class is stacked with girls hungry for the next level. Addison Harris has built quite the win streak, taking her 5th win in a row at the FMF Camp Coker Bullet. Zoey Kimble is putting in strong laps to give Harris a run for it and we're hoping to see some battles soon! Jalee Coen grabbed her first Supermini podium of the year! We're excited to see her up there again in future races. 

Isabella Gouker, no stranger to the center of the box, took the ATV Girls Supermini Sr win at Round 5 to further her points lead. Lillian Frye with top 5's all season moves into second in points after a 2nd place, and Tatum Coriell takes 3rd for her first podium of the season! 

These incredible athletes have three weeks to build as we head north for Round 6 at the Amsoil Hoosier. We're eagerly looking forward to the return of WXC E-MTB's at this one! Be sure to follow @women.of.moto on Instagram to stay up to date with all things women's racing.