Having spent the month leading up to the Mount Sainte-Anne World Cup in Whistler riding/ training everyday this prepped me well. It was FINALLY going to be my first World Cup of the 2014 season, I went in with an open mind, wanting to have fun on my bike but stay on.
Track walk got me extremely ardent to ride, the fast, wide open track. It had plenty of different sections varying from big berms, jumps, flat out open sections to technical rock gardens and just mega fun! Check out a helmet cam of track here:
There was not too much pedaling which was even better but the fact that it was a 5 minute track of pure gnar and speed really was tough. Holding on was a big job.
Coming back off two lame injuries to race one of the baddest ( sickest) tracks in the world was daunting at first, especially first run, seeing how fast you could go was quite scary, the speeds where ridiculous!! I reminded myself to embrace it, then things got awesome. I ride to have fun, to enjoy myself because what is worth doing if you are not truly having a good time, no point in being miserable..and I am never miserable on my bike :)
Rain had been falling in Mount Sainte Anne a few days before first practice making the dirt prime condition aghhhhhh especially after being in Whistler which is very hard pack dirt, coming to ride this perfect moist dirt just got everyone amping on life. YEAHHH BABYYYYY YEAAAH
Thursday was Qualification day, to race you have to qualify in the top 20 for women which I had never done before. It is my second year in the Elite Field which is a big ol step up. It rained the night before aswell so in the morning things where sooooo much fun, I really like riding in the mud, its just a bit wilder.
The track was starting to get rougher with big holes and ruts forming which made it hard on the body. It dried up quickly though for the quali run. With over 40 girls where on the start list I really didn't know what to expect, on the start gate I thought to ride the best I could, the smoothest I could and just stay on. Knowing the length and roughness I sort of ruled out the fact that a few girls would push it too hard and crash out, so staying on was what I needed to do.
Photo Credit Laurence Crossman-Emms
My run was together but could have been faster, made a few silly mistakes but no majors. Coming over the finish line I felt as I had not gone fast enough..but when I turned round I had come down in 12th!! I was extremely surprised. Qualifications go with the fastest riders first and 30 second intervals. I was truly ecstatic to come down in that position, knowing that I had a very high chance of making the finals! I ended up in 15th wahhhoooo! I was so happy to have qualified for my first ever World Cup. Having such a disappointing start to the season this really picked my confidence up, I had not done a race since the start of March.
Saturday was finals day, a new experience and one that I want to consistently continue on. Oh wow the track on Saturday was even rougher having all the boys do there runs after us at full pace, holes and ruts where that much deeper. My race run I got a bit offline and ended up getting tangled in some tape which wrapped its way into my cassette and derailleur, enabling me to change gears. That sucked but I had to focus on holding on. I finished in 16th place.
My Banshee treated me well all weekend and gave me my best result yet. You beauty! Thanks once again to everyone that is helping me out this season I am so grateful.
I am now headed to Windham for this weekends World Cup…. very excite to see if I can pull through again.
PEACE OUT
xxxx
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