The Fastest Woman on Earth

I was wary coming into this documentary, purely on it's length. Sometimes long documentaries need padding out, to justify it's existances. In this case, it wasn't so, I was engrossed from start to finish.

I only "knew" Jessi from Overhauling, me being Irish, living in Irish land. Yet, there was something infectious about her demeanor, which probably gave her the job in the first place.

Learnng about Kitty O'Neill was an eye opener, this documenatry kicks male drivers in the balls, and rightly so.

She probbly wasn't aware of an IRISH female driver, Rosemary Smith, who kicked ass in the 70's and 80's, winning many championships.

And just to confirm she couln't drive, she drove a Renault F1 car as a guest of Renault, about 3 years ago, at the age of 80; when Richard Hammond of Top Gear fame, couldn't drive an F1 car beyond 100 metres.

Look it up, we Irish love our women drivers.

The life of Jessi Combs is on display in this documentary. She races repurposed cars that are converted fighter jets to attain the fastest speed on land. The idea of a jet propulsion-powered vehicle on wheels that could move up to the speeds of 500-700 mph is so crazy that only a handful of people have the money, fearlessness, and fortitude to do it. And there has been one female within the last few decades ever to try to break the record.

Nonetheless, this documentary is more than just the superb shots from the driver's side making you feel like you are in the driver's seat. Jessi's story is truly inspiring for all women. Her strength comes from her belief in God, the creator of all things, and facing the difficulties with patience and passion for truly loving and believing in her purpose. That is changing the world forever for the better.

Her strong conviction about how she saw women as men's equal is quite evident in her statement. As she sat on top of her big boy motorcycle, she said "this bike does not know or care if I am a woman or a man. It responds to me in the same way it responds to a male. So if a male can do it so could I".

Having been a woman in a man's world a thousand years ago (aviation), I know that I couldn't have gone far without the men who surrounded me and taught me so very well, and kept my aircraft in tip top shape (I flew aerobatics).

What Jessi Combs did was amazing - and so was the team that supported and respected and loved her. BTW - she earned all of it - and they knew it.

This documentary was a tribute to people who are extraordinary and want to find a way to go faster (and higher) and help one another - at all costs. For Jessi, it was the cost of family. My flight instructor admonished me to "Stay with your own kind". He was right. I wish I could have told that to Jessi.

The addition of Kitty O'Neil's achievements - and life - was a bonus and the fact that Jessi looked up to her was a lesson for all of us.

The way this documentary was presented (inside the "car") was edgy - and let us hear and feel exactly what was happening - taking us to the edge. Taking us over the line to the record breaking speeds.

Thank you, Jessi Combs AND Thank You to her wonderful Team. We lost you far too soon.

Nothing spectacular about this documentary. Made just like any other but it does add more to just being someone that was on Myth Busters for a short time. Which is how I knew her. I think the interviews were well done and the land speed footage was great. Thought the part about her wanting/needing/willing to start a family or whatever they were trying to say was a bit over the top. The part of Kitty O'neil was great and needs to be told on its own. The ending is what really makes this. We all know how it ends but I would say how they portrayed it but I was surprised how they did it when other documentaries might not have done it that way. So maybe this documentary was not like any other.