This year is a really exciting year for me, being my last year in the u19 age group, and being involved in the new NZXC Race team!
Last weekend was the first round of the NZ mtb cup series held in Bluff, southland and also my first race of the season. The track followed a very long climb winding its way up bluff hill. Following the long climb was a really long decent, with lots of technical rocky sections and long sweeping berms. The course was a lot of fun and quite different to what I'm used to riding back home in Rotorua. Leading up to the race I was really nervous as being the first race of the season I didnt know what to expect and was yet to find out how I was riding compared to all the other girls in my race.
The race started straight into a steep and narrow gravel climb, with not much room to fit all the riders through at once. All the elite, u23 and junior girls started together so I was on the second line. After an initial bad start up the first few meters of the climb,where I found myself right at the back of the bunch I pushed my way past the other girls in the race, aware that I needed a good position before the climb continued into single track. I made my way into first place in my age group and second overall behind Kate Fluker. Up the first climb I was riding with a few other girls, leading the group to the top where I managed to drop them around three quaters of the way up. The decent was definitely not my strong point and by the time I reached the bottom I had lost quite a bit of the gain I had made. With this in mind I pushed that little bit harder up the next climb and opened up another gap, I rode the decent a lot smoother and faster this time making sure not too loose too much time. When I got to the feedzone for the start of my last lap I looked back and couldnt see any of the other riders. I managed to keep it together and hold my lead, placing 1st U19 girl. I was really happy with my race, placing 1st was the perfect start to the season, it was also a perfect start for our team as we took out the top placings we could, with Dirk winning the elite mens race followed by Carl in second place.
I'd like to say a big thank you to Katie and Lydia for feeding and supporting us. Also a big thank you to my coach and team manager Sam Thompson for all the hard work he has put into this new team and all his support. Thank you to Craig Pattle for helping me out. Thank you to all the NZXC team sponsors in particular NZbybike.com for getting us to the South Island for this amazing experience I am looking forward to the rest of the trip with lots of riding to come! Congratulations to my brother Nathan for his second place in the u17 boys race and thanks for all his videos and photos he took of the race. Lastly thank you Mum and Dad for all your help, support and belief in me.
