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Sung improvised poetry in ottava rima has been documented in Italy since the 14th century and has survived until now in Italian folk song. Although it is currently considered a male tradition, women played an important role especially in the 18th century, when they were admired both as famous improvvisatrici who performed in literary academies and as illiterate folk singers. This article deals with the involvement of women in the poetic duel in ottava rima in Central Italy. The first part is dedicated to the presence of women in sung improvised poetry in the 18th and 19th centuries, focusing on the gendered aspects of their singing and their public performance. The second part deals with a quite exceptional event: the meeting of improvised poetry in ottava rima dedicated exclusively to women, which took place in Borbona (Rieti) on 13 September 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]