“I got my pilot’s licence in 2003 and did my first race in 2008,” Gardinier said. “I have looked forward to doing it every year since — it’s like my summer camp.”

This week, Gardinier, 57, an Associate Dean in the University of Iowa Graduate College, will set off on her fourth competitive race as the 35th annual women’s Air Race Classic, kicks off from the Iowa City Airport on Tuesday morning.

A four-day-long cross-country race, the Air Classic has evolved out of the 1929 Women’s National Air Derby where women including Amelia Earhart raced from Santa Monica, California to Cleveland Ohio.

“It’s really exciting to have the race start in Iowa City,” Gardinier said. “It’s an opportunity to educate people about women in aviation since we are so underrepresented.”

Making up approximately six percent of all pilots in the United States, this year’s race is a unique opportunity for female pilots to network and for community members experience watching so many women fly their aircraft.

“If a guy is in the seat next to you in the plane the assumption is that he’s flying it,” Gardinier said.

Over 100 female pilots and co-pilots of all ages will fly this year’s 2,722-mile-long route, over a four-day-long stretch. This year marks the first time that the race will have begun in the State of Iowa.

Throughout the race, pilots will experience flying in a variety of elements as they cross Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas before ending in Mobile, Alabama on Friday.

“Women can be competitive or non-competitive, but I’ve always registered to compete,” Gardinier said.

Air Race Classic participant JoAnne Alcorn, 64, of Winter Haven, Florida shares in Gardinier’s sentiments that the races provide a unique opportunity for female pilots to bond and also share in some friendly, but intense, competition.

“Racing is something that gets in your blood and is a bit like a sorority with this shared experience of flying among women,” Alcorn said. “Last year I placed fifth overall, but I want to do better this year.”

Labeled as a “time line” race, the women competing will take off from the Iowa City Airport about a minute apart and perform a low-altitude, high speed timing line in order to continue on in the race.

While performing the timing line, pilots must follow an established pattern, keep their altitude at around 300 feet and keep their plane’s wings level in order to have officials log the quickest time possible.

“Different planes move at different speeds, so we’re essentially competing against our own handicap,” Gardinier said.

The top ten finishers of the race will receive a share of $15,000 in cash prizes. Women that place beyond the top ten will share in smaller prizes if they are at the top of their respective pools.

“I’m not going into this expecting to win,” Gardinier said, “But I’m going to try, and my rule of thumb is that I’m going to have fun, meet other racers and still be speaking to my co-pilot at the end.”