Admirable: Tayla Relph won’t let Crohn’s disease stop her

Tayla Relph is the ray of sunshine at the Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship – or WorldWCR for short. The Australian always seems to be in a good mood, with a beaming smile across her face. On some days, however, this is merely a façade.

This is because Relph suffers from Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition. In people with this condition, the body’s own immune system attacks the digestive tract. As well as the usual symptoms, this condition is also associated with tiredness, weakness and fever. “That’s why I had to put my career on hold temporarily in 2019. I had several operations and was really very ill,” said the 29-year-old.

A key source of support for Relph in Europe is her husband Ted Collins, who also acts as her crew chief. “I’m so grateful that he’s always there for me, no matter what happens. I trust everything he does, and I know he’d never put me in any danger,” said Relph, singing her husband’s praises. “He has put his dream of becoming a professional racing driver on hold so that we can build something bigger together in the Women’s World Championship. It’s a huge confidence boost to know that he believes in me; that’s been the driving force that has kept me going time and time again.”

Her condition is a constant companion and shapes her daily life, especially at race weekends. “Fortunately, I’m currently 100 per cent in remission, but I still have flare-ups, most of which are stress-related. If I have a flare-up during a race weekend, I just have to deal with it,” explained the Australian, who hails from Brisbane. “Both Ted and I know that if I get stressed or nervous, I have to counteract it quickly, because if it goes too far, it can actually take me out of a race weekend. That’s another factor I have to manage, but it keeps me on my toes. I have to have everything under control – my diet, my stress levels, my nervous system; everything has to be perfect for it to work.”