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