All the NZ National Series are finished up. Here is the low down on how it all ended up.
First round of the NZ North Island series was Levin, down the bottom of the North Island. Last time I raced on that track for nationals was in 2009 when I did my first ever National Series. It was still quite similar to back in 2009, except I think I have picked up a bit more speed since back then, so it was lalalalooose! It ran parallel to the shuttle road which was straight up the hill, so you could go tapped out the whole time, chutes into step ups. Felt like I had the track pretty dialled but on seeding I seemed to mess up the run into one of the main step ups, if you didn't do the step up there was a timely nana line around it..Thinking that was only my seeding run I was happy so went into race with a clear mind..trying not to think about that step up too much. Unfortunately, somehow the universe collided somewhere in outer space and made me do the exact same thing on race run, totally gutted. Knowing that my time would not be as near fast as if I did do it. Came down with a 5th place, wasn't happy with that result and hoped that Hunua would go better.
After the Levin race drove back up to Auckland, my home town which i hadn't been to in a while as I live in Christchurch now, hung out there, getting meals cooked for me, washing done, higher class living in the hood. Hunua is in south of Auckland, about a hour away from my house..not really a home track considering I hadn't ridden it before the race. All I knew going into this race was that it was pretty straight forward, fast, with some huuuuuuuuge jumps at the bottom. A massive step down where you came tapped out into it , around 70 km someone said, then you just had to send that bad boy. Was pretty gnarly.Thankfully, none of us gals decided to do it... bit too freeride on my behalf. Hunua wasn't really my cup of tea, I like more technical tracks with roots, rocks and crazy obstacles, not saying this track wasn't but it was more straight sections cutting in and out of 4WD track. Didn't have a good mind set going into this race either, ended up with 7th place, was really gutted with that result but I knew that the following week in Rotorua for National Champs would go a heeelllla lot better, can't dwell on the past yalll.
On Tuesday decided to go down to Rotorua for the day for shuttles as it was the bike week there, so they had a lot of activities ranging from sprint road races to dirt jump contests. Had an afternoon and evenings worth of riding, shuttles went until darkness fell, kalabunga dude. Friday was the Skyline Sprint Warrior race, there were so many people there! and we had access to the Gondola which hadn't been used for Mountain bikers since 2009 when the Downhill World Championships were up there. That race was a lot of fun, good track for everyone, was a wide range of ages and bikes hitting it up! Hopefully next year it happens again.
National Champs weekend, was good weather and had been for a long time so the track was bone dry. Few new sections had just been build which turned into pure dust. I always like riding in Rotorua cause its a mix of everything, jumps, chutes , wild times. The elite women category was tough competition, having Emmeline Ragot former World Champion over from France testing out her new Lappiere, and Jess Stone former U.K. national champ. Jess had been racing the whole circuit and Emmeline had raced at Hunua the previous week. Unfortunately since they are not NZ born and bred they had to be ghost riders, but good to compare yourself to the international riders. Race day the sun was shining, birds singing, hecklers heckling, just was looking good from the start. Seeding run just had a full run down not as hard as I could go but it was still tiring. The track is really physical and gets your arms pumping, everyone was mirin at the bottom. I seeded 6th or 4th without the ghost riders. The main thing I wanted to achieve that weekend was just to have fun, and enjoy myself and let the result come with it. Which it did :) Amy Laird National Champion, Alanna Columb 2nd and I was in 3rd. First year in elite and I was absolutely stoked with this result, after having two average as races it was good to end the season and a positive note.
New Zealand National races finished up for 2013, now I am planning my 2013 Euro trip!!!!Heading over at the end of May to London so I can catch the first World Cup in Fort William, Scotland. I am planning to race all the European World Cups, so will be traveling round France, Italy, Austria, Norway and wherever in-between! Will over there for 4 and a bit months. Tripping round in a van with my bike. Living the dream. Watch out
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