Off the Grid: The COTA Grid Girls Get to Work
Like the drivers on the track at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, the COTA Grid Girls are in it to win it. Leading up to the first anniversary of the Formula One (F1) United States Grand Prix, which debuted at COTA’s multipurpose facility last November, the Grid Girls are shifting into high gear. On November 15–17, they will welcome and play host to F1 fans from across the globe.
Leading up to the F1 Grand Prix, being focused is a priority for each Grid Girl. After all, this isn’t a volunteer position. Each COTA Grid Girl has signed on to a full-time, one-year modeling contract. How they carry themselves throughout the year, and this weekend, could have an impact on their future, so they are serious about being the best. Nabiya de Grace, one of the leaders of the Grid Girls—as well as COTA's DJ—summed it up simply: “We are the ambassadors for the Circuit of the Americas.” As any ambassador or representative knows, that means people see you as an example. And, since COTA exists as a high-caliber, world-class hub where society meets sports, so must the Grid Girls embody class, culture, and charisma.
To get pumped up for this paramount weekend, the Grid Girls joined forces with CYC Fitness for a workout party. CYC is an indoor cycling studio that can help participants burn up to 800 calories in a single class, all to the cadence of the latest hits. Looking to maximize the possibilities of any workout, Jess Tonahill, Studio Director at CYC, said, “One of our main goals is to create these ‘sweatworking’ opportunities for our clients.” Many can attest that balancing health and fitness with a social or work schedule is difficult. But adding a little sweat to a networking event is exactly what the COTA Grid Girls did to bond with each other before their big weekend.
It helps that CYC is designed more like a night club than a traditional gym. In the cycling studio, the lights are dimmed, glowsticks are optional, and moving more than your legs to the beat of Usher’s ‘DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love’ is pretty much mandatory. Not that anyone is complaining about the setup. In fact, this class is more energetic than a zumba class or relay race. The Grid Girls cheer and clap in response to their fearless instructor, who amazingly shouts out instructions while still dictating the pace with almost annoyingly perfect form. But it’s not about her. As she told the room: “This is the best-looking class I’ve ever had”—a statement that is definitely believable.
This was the first workout party of its kind for the COTA Grid Girls, but they plan to have more in the future. For this event, they had plenty of help: Austin Skinny Limits provided healthy drink options, and Rae Cosmetics, the cosmetic sponsor of COTA, even had some representatives there in support. To be the best, this group of women is committed to adding a health and fitness regime to their daily routine. As the year progresses, it will be interesting to see how they add COTA's energetic spirit to each workout they tackle.
