Nationals XCO Champs, Adelaide

Final climb in the team relay

Team relay podium

Cam on Sunset Boulevard again - nice line bud

Cam on Sunset Boulevard

Nick on sunset Boulevard

Me on Sunset Boulevard

Elite XCO Podium (L-R: Me, Norri, Blood, Aido, Lewi)

XCC

The dust has well and truly settled at Eagle Mountain Bike park in Adelaide after the National Championships, but it is only now that I have got a chance to sit down and write my race report.

The National Mountain Bike Champs started with the club team relay. This competition is based on the team relay at the World Champs, with clubs putting forward a junior, a woman, a veteran and an elite to battle it over a 4 lap relay, for the title of Australia ’s quickest mtb club. It is not the most serious event of the championships, more just a great opportunity to drum up a bit of club pride and have fun. CORC has typically been very successful in the team relay, but going into this year’s race against a very strong Adelaide team, we weren’t sure if we could do the job. Trekky got us off to a good start to put us into the lead against Ben Hogarth from Adealide. Hesther Logie was next out but she could quite hold off Adealides gun Junior, James “Shorty” Hanus. Shorty passed Heather late in the lap only to puncture and surrender the lead back to us. Our little man, Hamish Prosser went out closely followed by ever-speedy “Stink” Rhodes and he managed to stretch the lead to about 3 minutes; a great effort for a first year U/17 rider. When it came down to me to finish it off, I knew the race was ours to lose; 3 minutes is a big advantage, but knowing what Chris Jongeward is capable of I was looking in the rear view mirror all the way to the finish line. So in the end it was CORC followed by Adealide MTB Club, with Perth MTB in 3rd. Congrats to everyone that raced the relay and to everyone else....start planning your team for next year!

For me, Friday was the big day with the running of the Elite Men XCO. I crashed pretty hard the day before and had a corked thigh; I told myself at the time was that it was actually a good thing as it would force me to rest up and spend the day on the couch, something I typically struggle to do. As it turned out it didn’t feel like it slowed me down so I might have been right!? The start was hectic, more so than usual. I got boxed in off the line and lost some places when most of the second row came past. Then 50m in, I got caught in a big pile up and was back to about 20th position...not the start I wanted. With very few passing opportunities I had to really dig deep to make up positions whenever I could and by the end of the first lap I was up to 9th. I think I burnt a few too many matches though because for the next few laps I was really struggling. Fortunately I started to come good in the second half of the race and managed to make up some places. With Chris and Norri riding away from the rest of the field, I was never going to see the front of the race again, but I was very happy to eventually finish 4th.

As you might know the event was marred by the controversy between Chris J and Hendo. I don’t think it is really my place to comment on that, but I will offer my opinion on something that seems to have been overshadowed by the drama: that is Norri’s terrific ride! He got caught in the same crashes as me in the start (I even put my foot trough his wheel at one stage), and he managed to get back into the lead, only to be pipped by Blood in the finish. Well done mate. Equally worth a mention was the welcome return to form of my team mates Nick and Cam. Nick has been struggling after having a big crash nearly 12 months ago and his 11th place is hopefully an indication that he is on his way back to the kind of racing that I know he has in him. As for Cam, he has been battling with glandular fever and has barely been able to train. He has much bigger fish to fry this year and was not even sure that he would start, just getting through the race is a good sign that he is on the mend and is a good chance of getting back on track for the European season. Good work boys.

From the high of my best ever elite national champs result, I headed over to NZ for my buddy Ronan’s wedding. The first stop was the “buck’s do” at Rotorua and on day one, Ronan, Mocky, Malcs and I smashed out “be rude not to”, hot-X bun”, “billy T”, “rollor coaster”, plus more.....gold! Then, after 4 hours of riding I managed to drop my chain and have a bit of a moment that resulted in my shoulder dislocating. 3 hours, a cylinder of happy gas, an ambo ride and a couple of viles of morphine later, it was finally back in place. At least it was me and not Ronan! This of course ended my further participation in any activity that involved mountain biking or bombing 7m waterfalls in a raft, but it did allow me to get reacquainted with my favourite coffee shop, Zippy’s. And other than limiting my choice of which hand to use, I was still able to join the boys at the pub. That’s something at least. Then it was off to the island of Waiheke for the actual wedding and what a beautiful place. I definitely recommend a visit if you find yourself in the area. New Zealand is a great place and the frustration of my “clipped wing” has only got me more motivated to get back over there soon.

Unfortunately I have had to shelve any immediate plans to race the mountain bike so I won’t be racing in Wingello this weekend. Oceania’s is also up in the air, but hopefully with a lot of physio and some good strapping, I will be good to go.

Thanks to Swell Design Group, Felt bikes, SRAM, Thredbo, FRM wheels and Maxxis tyres.

Fast Rider Needed for Terra Australis!!!!

I have a friend from the UK coming out to rider the Terra Australis stage race and he is looking for a team mate. He is pretty quick, so ideally looking for someone who can move fairly fast. You would have to pay your own entry.

The race starts on the 20th March, detaiuls are at www.terraaustralismtbepic.com.

Contact Scott Cornish by email at scrontcondo@yahoo.co.uk if you are interested.

Jayco National Series #3 - Mt Buller

Photos by Tim Bardsley-Smith

After 40 degree temperatures and melting tarmac the last time we raced a national round at Mt Buller, the mountain turned on contrasting conditions this time, with riders battling hypothermia rather than heat stroke. It rained constantly from lunch time on Friday, and right through race day on Saturday, making the track very hard work but heaps of fun. My team mate Nick and I got around for a practice lap in the rain on Friday afternoon and we had a blast, sliding around in the alpine mud, I couldn't wait for the race.

Unfortunately, I just didn't have the legs on this occasion and after the first 2 laps, I had gone from the front row to 18th position. I kept pushing hard, especially on the descent, and eventually managed to get going. After a couple of solid laps through the middle of the race saw me climb up to 11th, and I was having heaps of fun, but on the second last lap I started to blow like a steam train. This was a very bad sign, and with the rain & wind driving harder than ever, I was soon struggling to keep warm. The last lap was an absolute struggle, my arms felt so cold and stiff that I felt barely able steer my bike. I limped into the finish for 12th place, and went straight back to the lodge for a hot shower and a nice cup of tea. Having had a lot bigger expectations for this weekend, I was a bit disappointed with the result, but it isn't the end of the world. At least I had a lot of fun (for about 1/3 of the race) in some of the toughest conditions I have ever raced in. I've got to say a big thanks to all the feeders, volunteers, and race staff that braved the horrendous conditions.

So what is the perfect therapy for getting over a disappointing race? ........Stonefly. Stonefly is the latest trail to be opened at Mt Buller MTB Park and makes a 10km loop out near Mt Stirling. Nick and I headed out there on Sunday morning and timed it perfectly to see the first signs of sun shine all weekend when the clouds parted long enough for us to glimpse some of the most amazing scenery that the Victorian high country has to offer. As for the trail, it was great. Still slick from all the rain, it was in prime condition for drifting through the countless berms and rhythmic inversions. Definitely one of those trails that has you subconsciously squealing like I little girl. Though in Silk Lane and Misty Twist, and I was cured...what race?

Bermagui 3hr and new FRM Wheels

Sweet Bermi single track

FRM Urano XC Team Wheels

After what seems like has been a long block of racing and training on the road bike, I made the trip down to the NSW Sapphire Coast on the weekend for a hit-out on the mountain bike in the Bermagui Dirtsurfers twilight 3 hour race. I was very keen to test the legs and get an idea of my form coming off the Christmas break as I prepare for the National Championships, and the 3 hr format provided a great opportunity to achieve this, as well as a good excuse to get down to the coast for a relaxing weekend away with my brother, James.

Having arrived at the track a little early, I had a peek at the course to find that the local “dirt surfers” had been going nuts with the leaf blower, and the course was groomed like a champion race horse. It really indicates the level of pride they have in there track that they keep it looking so nice. Probably not so obvious was the amount of work that they needed to do after the recent storms to clear all the fallen trees and make the track ridable again, from all reports a solid achievement to get it done before the race. Having a track devoid of leaves also had the advantage that there was no need for much in the way of bunting and arrows. It is pretty funny being used to racing on fully bunted and signed World Cup course, to come to a local race with very minimal arrows and virtually no bunting. It definitely gives the race a natural and organic feel.

The start of the race was pretty fast with Shane Spicer not scared to drive it on the front for the first firetrail. When we turned into the first corner, Trekky (Brendan Johnson) came through to the front and then I thought I’d chop him on the inside to snake him into the single track. However, having had to brake too late cost me some speed and he snuck back in front of me, good fun.…rubbin’ is racing! My coach had instructed me to ride the race like an interval session so I pushed 100% for the first 3 laps, not your typical strategy for a 3hr. After one lap, Trekky let me go, probably laughing at the idea that I thought I could ride that pace for 3 hours. From then I managed to stay in front of him despite my erratic lap times and his consistently solid splits. At the end I narrowly got though before the cut off to complete an 11^th lap, while Trekky and Shane just missed out on the extra loop and finished 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. My brother James completed 7 laps and came 27^th – it was nice, I got to see him 4 times during the race!

The race was also a great opportunity to test out my new set of FRM Urano XC Team wheels that I received during the week. These are some seriously cool looking hoops; they are anodised red, and feature FRM’s Urano hubs, XMD 333 eyeleted rims, laced with Sapim CX-Ray bladed spokes. The weight comes in at 1330g with rim tape and valve stem, which is exactly the claimed weight – That would have to be a first for the bicycle industry?! The wheelset’s light weight make them feel very fast, while the asymmetric rim helps to keep them stiff be accommodating a bigger spoke angle on the drive side. In fact they feel a bit stiffer than the previous incarnation, I’d say most likely due to changes in the hub design which now has a higher flange and a bigger axle, which is not bad for the same weight. Another great feature of these wheels is the system for mounting the rotors; it is a bit like centre-lock in that all you need is a cassette tool to screw of one nut, but the standard ISO rotors fit on there. . It is clean, simple and light design that makes taking rotors on and off a breeze, perfect for taking your bike on a plane. Setting them up tubeless was also pretty easy with the FRM sealant and the “tubeless-ready” rim locking the bead of Maxxis Exception tyres without any dramas. Overall I am super happy with how they rode in the race. I pushed hard on a few laps and they felt solid underneath me the whole time, even when I got fatigued later in the race and started bounce off a few rocks. With Exception series Maxxis tyres, the weight of these things is pretty impressive. That and having good quality bearings make them feel very fast, just what you want for race day.

I’m off to Mt Buller this weekend for the 3^rd round of the Jayco National Mountain Bike Series. It should be a cracker of a race with more riders starting to hit form and the first UCI points for the year up for grabs.

Australian Open Road Championships

I headed down to Ballarat last weekend to have a crack at the National Road champs. I usually don't manage to fit in a massive amount of road racing, but the calendar was a bit more favourable this year and with so many top professionals riding there each year I was very excited about racing against some of the worlds best on the road. The 160km course at Buninyong involving 16 laps of a 10km course with a climb on each lap, was always going to be a tough day and it was my main goal just to finish (typically not very many do).

The first lap was fairly steady and I tried to work out where the best position was and where I could move forward when I had to. With so 160 in the race, that wasn't always easy. It was such a buzz to look around and see so many guys on the top ProTour teams; there were guys that had won & worn jerseys or won stages in the grand tours, former world champions, Commonwealth games champions, and on and on....

The climb on lap two was a little more hectic when the break got away, but it soon settled down again. Then lap 4 the pace was on again up the climb and I definitely felt my legs...."I wonder how many times I can go up there that fast" I thought to myself. It backed off a little again and there were a few laps there where I wasn't under any massive pressure and I was getting the hang of maintaining a good position, which definitely made my life easier. On lap 11 I started to be in trouble but just managed to drag myself over the climb, but a lap later I lost contact. I was in a small chase group of about 10 guys and we swapped off trying to get back on through the convoy but couldn't pull it off. With such a short lap, it was now a matter of doing what we could to stay in the race. We worked pretty well together and our group soon whittled down to 3 of us as we eventually came through with one lap to go, I think we were the last through, phew! The lap felt like a bit of a victory lap, we still kept the pace on, but we were all relieved to make it. I ended up 45th out of 48 finishers..close.

Overall it was a really good experience. I was amazed by the pace of the race and I definitely learnt a lot. I am keen to do more big road races now and definitely will be going back to Nationals with some higher expectations next year.

James Williamson Enduro - 13th March 2011

If you haven't heard about this event, check it out, it should be good.

The inaugural James Williamson Enduro Challenge is to be held in memory of James Williamson, the 2008 World and 2006 Australian MTB 24 Hour champion. James passed away on 23 March 2010 while he was participating in the Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race in South Africa.

The James Williamson Enduro Challenge is a joint initiative between the Southern Highlands Cycling Club and Canberra Off-Road Cyclists and is intended to be a ride for those who love mountain biking, and a race for those who love to ride hard.

Categories include:

· Open Male & Female - 75km, 50km & 25km

· Under 19 - 50km & 25km

· Under 17 - 25km & 13km

· Under 15 - 13km

Proceeds from this race will be used to finance a range of activities in support of developing young mountain bike riders in New South Wales and the ACT including an annual training camp, assistance packages and other forms of support to be determined by the administrators of the James Williamson Fund.

All registrations completed before December 1st, will receive a specially designed “Willo T-shirt” as part of their entry fee. Numbers will be limited to 600 riders, and registrations will cease after this number is reached.

For all enquiries please contact Meg Patey at meg.patey@gmail.com

More information and registration for this event can be found at

http://www.southernhighlandscc.com.au/news/mtb/the-james-williamson-enduro-challenge-2011%20

National Series #2 - Glenorchy, TAS

Saturday's XC race

Short course suffering

After the Tour of Bright last weekend and a few solid days training though the week, I was pretty tired when I woke up on Saturday morning for round 2 of the Jayco MTBA National Mountain Bike Series. I've done a far bit of travelling and racing during the past month and it took me a while to work out where I was; it was definitely a pleasant realisation to discover I was in Hobart and just about to smash out 7 laps of the fun XC track at Glenorchy.

Going into a race a little tired can be an advantage, I didn't have any nervous energy to waste or adrenaline that could potentially cloud my judgement, yet I was confident that I had done enough training to get me through 2 hours of racing.

With the return of Chris J to the start line, this race was always going to start fast, but with Blood starting from the back of the field, it was Carlso that got the hole shot and led up the first single track climb (Blood somehow got through most of the field to be 2nd!). Aido was up there too, then Norri, Paul VDP, AJ then me. I was pretty happy to sit there in 7th for the time being, and my (relatively) conservative start was looking like a good move when Carlso got spat backwards through the field before the top of the main climb on the first lap. (He had a tough day, but showed a lot of ticker to hang in there for 7th). I rode the first few laps with Pauly and AJ, but Blood, Lach and Aido rode away. I was happy to try and keep my lap times consistent and hope that some of the boys at the front might fade. About half way through the race, AJ had dropped off and before long Pauly and I could see Aido. Often gambling everything on a ridiculously fast start, Aiden has also been known to blow up on occasions, and I was hoping this would be the case today. Unfortunately, with the sudden presence of a carrot, Pauly stepped iup the pace and left me behind. I thought: "it's ok, he will smash past Aido, Aido will drop his head, then I'll pick him up easily". Wrong! Sneaky Aiden had saved a few beans for the final laps and promptly jumped on Paul's wheel and they cleared out together, leaving me in 5th and all alone. I had nothing else to do but keep chipping away and do my best to drag myself back to them but it wasn't to be. Blood ended up taking a narrow win over Lachy, and it was over 3 minutes before Paul came in for 3rd (1st in under 23) closely followed by Aiden, I was a further minute behind in 5th, AJ 6th and Carlso 7th.

A great comeback race for Chris, a solid effort for Norri to be the only one that could go with him, and some good old fashion jostling for the minor places between Pauly, Aiden, AJ, Carlso and myself.....good fun.

Chris did the job again on Sunday by taking out the short course ahead of Norri and Paul VDP. I managed to battle around for 6th place but it was a bit of a punish. The highlight of the day though, was a trail ride up Mt Wellington with teammate Nick and our marvellous Tasmanian host Sam. We rode the famous North-South Track and a bunch of other trails including the appropriately named "breakneck track". Prefect way to finish off the weekend before the flight back home!

Thanks to the Swell-Redshift team and all our sponsors, as well as Sam for being a great driver, feeder, hotelier and soigneur!