Kojie.san spotlights women in sports

Skincare brand backs budding motocross champ Shana Tamayo

MANILA, Philippines — Over the years, Kojie.san has focused on the many ways the brand can support and empower women, whether through its popular roster of high-quality beauty and personal care products, its call to Command Beauty and take charge of achieving the best version of oneself or supporting local and international sportswomen.

Though perhaps not as well-known as its other endeavors, Kojie.san has in fact been providing sponsorships to several promising athletes in motorbike racing including superbike riders and sisters Des and Jacq Buncio, who have dominated many superbike competitions.

Shana Tamayo is one other young, talented rider who has raced motocross since 2016, back when she was 7 years old. Shana was introduced to Kojie.san in 2022 while she was competing at the Dumaguete MotoCross Cup. Impressed by her work ethic and determination, the brand immediately took her on and has been with her as she races and wins motocross competitions here and abroad.

Her interest in the sport was sparked by her dad and uncles who also did motocross back in the 90s. “I started racing at the age of 5 in a flat track race using my pw 50. I won first in my first race against other girls my age,” Shana recounts. She was, for most of her early racing career (2016-2019), consistently finishing as champion, if not first place and never out of the top 3.

Shana began competing in more international races in the US in 2022 with Kojie.san. The now 13-year-old is one of the only 40 riders and the first-ever Filipina to qualify for Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, the world’s largest amateur motocross race.

She won races from city to city, placed second in the girls’ category in the area qualifiers race at the Fox Raceway in Pala, California, and ranked top 4 in the AMA Amateur Regional Motocross Championship beating 500 riders across the USA. Aside from that historic first, she is also Overall Champion at the 2022 Swap Moto Triple Crown Series: Women’s Open and the 2022 Moto4kids USA: All Girls 10-16, and a qualifier for the 2023 Mammoth Motocross (WMX): Women’s Division.

When asked about her inspirations in the sport, Shana lists her dad and older brother, both of whom she considers as role models. “My dad is one of my inspirations. My dad was always winning his races and I told myself, I just want to be like him.” She continues, “My kuya Jethro also inspired me to ride. He was always someone I looked up to as a kid and I’ve been wanting to follow in his footsteps.”  

Her routine is mostly composed of school and training, though she rounds those off with other fun interests during her downtime. “I like listening to music, collecting shoes and playing video games.” As a young athlete, Shana finds balancing school and motocross a bit difficult since she works hard to excel in both. “Having to train and go to the gym after school every day is tiring,” she points out, “But I enjoy doing all of it.”

Despite certain challenges that she faces, Shana continues to be motivated to race. “The feeling of relief and happiness after winning a hard and intense battle always makes me want to have that same feeling in every race. Making the people around me, most especially my family, proud when I win most of my races puts a smile on my face and makes me want to do better,” she says.

Five years from now, Shana sees herself riding professionally and racing in local and international competitions. With her discipline, hard work and dedication to the sport, and the staunch support of women-empowering brands like Kojie.san, that vision will surely not be far off.