Injury

I have managed to ruin myself for the rest of the 2016 season, so I made a new blog documenting my recovery. I broke my leg and tore my ACL so have undergone surgery. Sucks BALLS.

Posts will be on here, so keep updated motherlickers. 

Link: http://ouchihurtmyknee.blogspot.co.nz/

Check err out

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

My last update I was still in Europe, but am glad to say I have made it home to NZ about a month after World Champs, having had to sort a home for Bumble and also some TLC for the girl after a hard summer of smashing out thousands and thousands of KMS. 

Since arriving home to NZ I have been mainly working to get some money together before I can make the move down to Queenstown which will be in the New Year. It is nice to have time at home with my family and dog and escape the regular scene, but do say I have a bit of FOMO from all my friends in Queenstown. Worry not though, all in time.

I have done some filming with Garage TV which is an action sports channel on Sky for a New TV show they have out called "Easy is Hard". I did this out at 440 Mountain Bike Park so keep a look out on Sky Channel 77 for that ! 

Coming up is the NZ National Series and Crankworkx ! Super pumped for Crankworx. Also Oceanias in Queenstown will be meggaa!!

Thats all for now, Im going to go enjoy the sun!! 

xxxxx

World Championships ,Vallnord

The season Finale, World Championships. 

I was always excited to get to Andorra, after riding the track 2 years ago and just missing out on qualifying by placing 21st, I was eager to redeem myself..not just for that race but this season. 

I went in with a open mind and with excitement. The first couple of days for practice where wet and slippery, which I loved! Mud riding is awesome…until you have to clean absolutely everything!  I was hoping at the beginning of the week it would stay a bit greasy to really SPICE up the world champs... Things turned as the week went on and the sun decided to make an appearance for the weekend, drying out the track in most spots and leaving gracious ruts. 

Track walk with Alanna 

Saturday morning UCI had us girls to start practice at 7 am… it was still dark at 7 am!!! Luckily they moved it back…half a hour!! Comedians … There was Ice on the start ramp and I didn't wear gloves. On that day we had timed practice which was just after 9, even still then at the bottom I had numb fingers and toes. 

Zach Faulkner for the Shot! 

Race day was approaching and the track was changing constantly, absolutely loving it. Putting on the NZ jersey is an amazing feeling, I am so proud to be a kiwi! We are an amazing bunch of humans.  I hadn't done a World Champs since 2013 in Leogang as a junior . The year before was Champery but unluckily I broke my wrist before finals, It had been a while since a bit of World Championship action. 

Photo credit @tommyawilkinson of Decent-world.co.uk

At the top, before my race run I listened to some Gangster RAP hip HOP Boom DE Boo and mentally prepared myself for doing the last jump.. which I hadn't hit yet!! OOOPs. I kept it together and stayed on the bike in my race run. There was one section in the middle between two bridges which was still slippery and wet, this was where a lot of people where crashing, so I took it.. controlled as possible and stayed on, which paid off mega. My run felt together…the result I got was not what I was expecting. I came into the last opening before the jump and just thought to myself…YOLO.. better send her to the moon! Hit the jump perfect and came across the line into the hot seat…where I sat for a while and it was pretty unreal. 

A friend asked me what result I wanted at World Champs earlier in the week.. I jokingly  said "Top 10 would be nice"… Then it happened !! 10th position in the WORLD! Love surprising myself . I know I am well and truly capable of this at a more consistent rate, with a few changes happening in this off season I know what I have to work on as a person and an Athlete.  I had a below average season I thought, I wasn't very happy with my results and I was questioning myself.. what was I doooooing. To be fair, I wanted to get through the season with no injuries, last year, A broken collar bone, back and tendons in my hand just made me remember how much I hate time OFF the bike. In all, I am so happy with the way the season ended. Couldn't be happier with my best result yet, Top ten!? 

For now.. I am being a solo gypsy, with no plans of now.. other than head to the uk and sell my bike so I can purchase a plane ticket back to NZ, home. 

I would like to thank everyone who has helped me out this season, Firstly my amazing, wonderful, beautiful parents, I love you eternally. Nana and Grandpa for being the best supporters in the world :) Love you !!  Bruce at 3sixty Sports NZ for helping me out with everything!!! Banshee bikes for having the raddest rig on the scene with Keith, Jay and Dennis, Aaron , Scout at Ti Springs.com. Halo Wheels, Aaron at Alta,  Smith optics. My friends, Victoria for putting up with me for a few months and everyone on the scene who created more memories for me to treasure. THANKYOU. 

Duncan Philpott with this banger from race run :)  

Keep your eyes pealed for Off season edits!! Big plans up my sleeves. 

:) :) Peace out, Happy days hombres. 

MSA, WINDHAM and CRANKWORX

Hello! 

Wow, the last couple of weeks have been full on! Not much down time until now. Ill begin in from where I left off..

Mont Sainte-Anne World Cup in Canada. I was excited to get back to this track, It was where I first qualified for my World Cup last year which brought back many happy memories and relief.. The track was as wild and rough as it was last year with a few new features.. like a ROCK drop roll.. which then became my nemesis. Long story short I crashed after it on my qualifying run.. went straight over the berm and off track.. I pushed it after that bit as it was before the first split .. I finished in 21st….for the second time in my world cup HISTORY. THis is the worst place to finish for sure. 1 off. STUPID. 

Photo Zach Faulkner 

On to the next, Windham in New York state. Managed to get a day in New York city which was … busy.. Hired bikes out and rode round central park for a hour or so.. then saw the sights and ventured back home.. big city life…mmmm. I had started to get ill in the couple days after MSA along with a fair few of the other World Cup races. I did track walk on the Wednesday but the next day I was struggling, no strength, no energy and just felt completly drained. The amount of garlic I consumed over that week was enough to keep all the boys away for the next month! I only managed to do 2 runs on first practice day despite the short track . I went home and slept for, hoping to have more energy for qualifying the next day. 

I woke up in the morning still rough, throat swollen and horrendous cough! I went out and did 4 runs before qualifying and had to hit all the jumps and really send it if I wanted a chance of qualifying as the track was short and times where tight. First few runs I even doubted I was going to attempt Qualifying, but Im so happy I did and I just made the cut!! Miracle I thought. Finals day I felt mildly better and I pushed it a bit more and finished in 15th :) I was happy with this result  of course. I know I have more juice in the tank. 

Straight after Windham we drove through the night through to Montreal to be at the airport at 6 am to get our flight to WHISTLER :O Stoke levels where high even off little or no sleep. Landed in Vancouver about Midday, got picked up by a friend. Arrived about 3 ,built bikes up , then went straight to the chairlift!!! PEAAAKING. Rode till 8 and was completely shattered but it had to be done. I lovveeeee Whistler, it is such an amazing place and am always so happy there. A week was not long enough though. On the monday I had practice for the Garbonzo race which is a 14 minute decent from the top of the mountain… this race was on tuesday.  On race I came off on to a hard old rock, which blew my elbow up and was swollen for the next couple of days.. ouch. Also bent my iPhone !

Canadian Open track was rough and fun,  I had a crash in my race run but ended up 8th! 

After Whistler flew back to Europe to get to the next world cup in Val di sole!!! A rough gnarly track. Every time I have been there though I have managed to get extremely ill… Not this time though. I was absolutely peaking off first practice day.. it was hero dirt and running prime. Unfortunately my qualifying run I didn't give it enough beans… my arms where holding on for dear life at the bottom and finished in 24th. Gutted. 

Photo Duncan Philpott

Went to morzine for a week prior to World Champs for mega trains.. I will write a world Champs update shortly :) Wehhoo stay tuned xx 

Fundraising for World Champs in Andorra

Hello!

This year I have been selected to represent NZ in the UCI MTB World Championships in Andorra! I have decided to take it on and try get myself to this amazing place and event. I have not competed in the World Championships since 2012 when I was a Junior. 

Myself and Veronique Sandler have set up a Give a Little page where anyone can donate to help us get there !!! Every little helps and we would be forever thank-full for your support and generosity :) 

More Info on the link below

https://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/kiwigirlsworldchamps#

xxxx

Updates of life!

Soooo I'm on the plane right now to Canada, heading to the Monte Sainte Anne World Cup..so I have down TIME to write a big ol post. Lots of thinking happens on planes.. I think… 

Spent the past 2 weeks riding in Morzine which was AWESOME. I have spent a fair bit of time there ever since I started coming overseas to compete, it is a great central place with many mountains to explore and shred down. 

Van life has been awesome so far, being the only girls on the World Cup Ciruit committing fully to the way of life has been fun!  I am pretty sad that we can't take Bumble to Canada and the USA!! Waking up and being in central Morzine ( or wherever we have been).. 1 minute walk from the supermarket, 1 minute ride to the bottom of the Gondolas, you have your shower/ bath right next to you in the refreshing river which comes down off the French Alps.. Its so simple and easy! Although, some days you do get lovely wake ups from the Gendarme… Traveling with another awesome female companion makes it even better, the state of the boys vans are fly infested and have VERY distinct odors to them..which are not on the pleasant side…delightful, Bumble is a organized, fly free, inviting HOME! GIRLS RULE. 

Victoria and I did some filming with Liam Moss a few days ago for wee edit he is putting together kindly for us…STAY TUNED. Vic has just started getting back into riding after her Broken Pelvis from Fort William, poor thing had only 1 and a half runs in to the trip. She had to make a decision whether to stay in Europe or go back to Canada where she has a working Visa. I was worried at the beginning because if she left Europe, I wouldn't have known what to do, traveling by yourself is expensive and not so fun, something I was not prepared for so soon into the trip. Thankfully, she stuck it out and she is SO HAPPY with being back on the bike experiencing a little of what Europe has to offer. She will be back euro!!

Its been great having her also as she is very good on the Mechanic side of things, she pulls her forks off weekly to give them a service… Lets just say some of the boys where put back into there place, BOOOM. They would never have the balls to come and ask her to service their forks HAHA. Its awesome. I think Downhill really needs to push that side for the girls, to actually work on their bikes and not let the boys do it for them, It is a bit of a essential for us privateers but even if you don't race, its good to know these things. People are too busy sometimes to help you or you are stuck and generally need to know how to do certain bicycle mechanical maneuvers.  I am learning a lot off Victoria, as I partially fall into that demographic.. but I'm escaping it, it feels great. Learning new things off another gal is cool,  I don't know why it is but I just have more time for listening to her and don't feel like I'm being annoying if I ask stupid questions. She gives no singular grams about how idiotic I sound. Bike maintenance is a essential if you ride a bike. DUHH

I am making a new blog,( but will still have my personal one) for myself and Victoria, to show you and tell you of our journey so far. In the past month and a half so much has happened and the amount that you see though Facebook or Instagram is not too much.. A photo from a race doesn't tell you really that much.. IF we can get a photo from a race.. Many things to learn if you are not on the circuit ! 

ANYWAY, Im tiered after only about 6 hours sleep past few days so might have a snooze. Had to drive 9 hours to Rome to get the flight out plus hectic stuff in-between! 

CHOW FOR NOW xo

Updates

I had the Lenzerhide World Cup 2 weeks ago now, this track had never been used on the World Cup circuit before which is always exciting going into it . The track at the begning seemed a bit bike parky , but then it did cut in and get better.. I prefer more technical tracks , but I know I need to improve on that sort of riding for races.. 

I qualified in 24th place which meant I just missed out with a slip out in my run.. I was happy with the way I was riding everything and still trying to get my head fully back to where I was before my injuries, I still know Im not where I used to be but I can feel it coming back which I'm excited about. I just need time on the bike .

My time at Crankworx Europe in Les 2 Alpes has gone & I had an epic time in the dry dusty and very hot conditions, but the track is the same for everyone and you just have to do your utmost every time.
I unfortunately had a mishap in the seeding run & wasn't sure if I would be able to race. BUT being who I am, I dusted off my Banshee, checked my Halo Wheels, cleaned my Smith goggs and thanked 3SIXTY Sport for all being amazing people who are helping me so much. I raced and placed 12th.







I don't have any pics from there atm cause It is difficult to get photos of riding if you are not on a payed team who pay a photographer… so it can be difficult sometimes . 

Next stop Canada & Mt St Ann….can't wait

Au revoir France for now.