National Championships

The good and the bad, it feels like a lot of our post’s end up like this but its racing and the competition out there is tough and getting everything right on the day is not always as easy as it seems. Our accommodation was awesome Ngaio cottage, a little holiday home where we all got the best night sleep in ages. We will start with the bad news first so we can end the blog on a good note.

Katie

When travelling to wellington on Monday I noticed I wasn’t quite right with a very sore throat however with a week to nationals I thought it was just allergies and that I would be able to get on top of it. I spent the next few days getting dialled into the track and all was going well, I loved the climbs, and loved the descents even more, especially after the boys showed me the fast lines.

Anyway Race day sick as a dog, it went a bit pear shaped Wednesday when the throat had got worse and an infection was obvious. I lined up on the start line with no thoughts of being sick, my main goal was to defend my national title and I wasn’t going to just give it away. The race started out ok I didn’t fire off the start line or anything but I was still up there, but by the second climb in first lap I was struggling, I couldn’t breathe up the hills and as a result I crashed down the hills as I was trying to make up all the time I could, by the second lap I was really struggling I was getting caught on my breath and it felt like I was unable to breathe out which completely scared me, I was unable to finish the race and lapped out on the second lap.

This wasn’t the race I had wanted, complete disappointment, I had taken vitamins I was on deer velvet and I was in bed early eating well, everything I knew and was able to take for sinuses I did, but couldn’t shake it. Part of biking is about getting everything right for the big events, congratulations to Samara, the new U23 National champion, she rode a strong race. Even if I had been fighting fit it would have been a hard race but one I am ready for at Oceania’s. As disappointed as I am all I can do now is put it behind me and look forward, So Jane Borren (Waiariki academy of sport manager) is taking me off to the doctor this morning.

Carl

The good news I guess. My week went well and build up went fine. Before the race the Commissaires and Mildy informed me there was no under 23 podium and that we would be racing for our title amongst the pro field, this was not a problem for me as if I was going to win I wanted to win elite but it was still a bit of a shock. At the start we had to start behind the whole elite field but it was strait into a hill so I was happy. I had a good start and was through a line of pro riders before the first turn I thought I had, had the best start form the under23 riders but then I saw Scott right up the front so I boosted over to his wheel, into the main single track climb I was about 4 and was tasting blood and heart rate was bound to be over 200. I was hurting but was all good, Mikey cleared off nearly strait away with Bergamont Brendon Sharratt holding on with myself, Stu, Dirk and under 19 Richard Anderson not far back. In the middle of the race I had another bad patch and was climbing weak as, I just wasn’t getting the fire I got at Tokaroa and at nationals previous to this 1, so I felt like I was just riding my bike was kind of gutted but I was still doing well so was keeping a clear head. At this stage Brad Hudson and Logan Horn had caught me back up and I was riding with them but I still had an extra lap than them and started trying to race them, which was good in a way cause Stu had blown and I really wanted to catch him and on the start finish line going on to the last lap I past him and got a second wind and took off finishing in 4 in elite and 2nd under 23. Well done to Dirk Peters for beating me fear and square and winning his first under23 title as a first year, and to Mike Northcott for winning another elite title, and Brendon 2^nd

Massive thanks to our Coach Evan McRae, Jane from Waiariki, Philipp from Bergamont and the Bike Culture boys in Rotorua thanks. Oceania’s is the next race in a few weeks may do some build up ones between then keep ya posted.

Final NZ mtb cup round Rotorua

This weekend was the final round of the North Island cup and National Series, We competed in the final of the south island and the 3 North island cups so were eligible for both. For Bergamont it was a great day on the podium. Carl won the North island cup, and placed 2nd in the National Series too Brendon Sharratt fellow Bergamont team mate winning the NZ series. Katie placed 3rd in the North Island Cup and also took out the National Series.

race reports

Carl

Race started well, I stayed on the front from the start. Mikey and I had a small lead at the top of the 1st hill, we kept the pace the same for 2 laps. On the 3rd lap Dirk and Stu were back up with us and I started to go backwards until around lap 5 due to stomach cramps which were really unexpected and painful. I didn’t know what was happening but I just kept going as hard as my gut would let me. In the middle of the 5th lap I was able to open back up and by this time I had slipped back to 5th behind Brendon and Stu. I passed Stu early on, then Brendon at the start of the 6th lap then took off and put a decent gap on Brendon which I was stoked that I could do. But back came the cramps on the last few mins of the lap so I backed it off a tad. I finished in 3rd behind Mikey and Dirk with cramps going on a long time after the finish. Turns out I think I know what the cramps were from so I’m not going to get it at nationals J it was from un-rinsed drink bottles which had been soaking in dishwashing liquid haha mint what an idiot.


Katie

I went out feeling strong and wanting a win, I loved the track and knew it well. In the first lap everything seamed to be going to plan until my second lap. I couldn’t work out what was going wrong, it was only my second lap and my knees were smashed, climbing was the last thing they wanted to do. I kept trying to push through, although on each hill I was loosing time on Eloise Fry, the leader, and Monique and Michelle were reeling me back in. I managed to hold them off down the decent back to the start/finish but my legs and knees wouldn’t climb any longer so away they went.

I finished up in 5th place and was left feeling a bit lost. I wasn’t sure what I had got wrong, I had put in the training and I was feeling strong and confident. Later on in the night a friend, Clark Smith, came over and said he would have a look at my setup and double check it. JACK POT as Carl would say, when my seat was changed over it ended up changing things completely, just through the fact the seat was a different size/shape and that the Ellsworth I used to ride had a steeper down tube angle than the Bergamont bike. Everything was wrong, I was pedalling from behind the pedals, my knees were not lining up where they should. Lesson learnt, as soon as something feels wrong check the set up.

National Championships will be on this coming weekend. Bring on the racing!

Final NZ mtb cup round Rotorua

This weekend was the final round of the North Island cup and National Series, We competed in the final of the south island and the 3 North island cups so were eligible for both. For Bergamont it was a great day on the podium. Carl won the North island cup, and placed 2nd in the National Series too Brendon Sharratt fellow Bergamont team mate winning the NZ series. Katie placed 3rd in the North Island Cup and also took out the National Series.

race reports

Carl

Race started well, I stayed on the front from the start. Mikey and I had a small lead at the top of the 1st hill, we kept the pace the same for 2 laps. On the 3rd lap Dirk and Stu were back up with us and I started to go backwards until around lap 5 due to stomach cramps which were really unexpected and painful. I didn’t know what was happening but I just kept going as hard as my gut would let me. In the middle of the 5th lap I was able to open back up and by this time I had slipped back to 5th behind Brendon and Stu. I passed Stu early on, then Brendon at the start of the 6th lap then took off and put a decent gap on Brendon which I was stoked that I could do. But back came the cramps on the last few mins of the lap so I backed it off a tad. I finished in 3rd behind Mikey and Dirk with cramps going on a long time after the finish. Turns out I think I know what the cramps were from so I’m not going to get it at nationals J it was from un-rinsed drink bottles which had been soaking in dishwashing liquid haha mint what an idiot.


Katie

I went out feeling strong and wanting a win, I loved the track and knew it well. In the first lap everything seamed to be going to plan until my second lap. I couldn’t work out what was going wrong, it was only my second lap and my knees were smashed, climbing was the last thing they wanted to do. I kept trying to push through, although on each hill I was loosing time on Eloise Fry, the leader, and Monique and Michelle were reeling me back in. I managed to hold them off down the decent back to the start/finish but my legs and knees wouldn’t climb any longer so away they went.

I finished up in 5th place and was left feeling a bit lost. I wasn’t sure what I had got wrong, I had put in the training and I was feeling strong and confident. Later on in the night a friend, Clark Smith, came over and said he would have a look at my setup and double check it. JACK POT as Carl would say, when my seat was changed over it ended up changing things completely, just through the fact the seat was a different size/shape and that the Ellsworth I used to ride had a steeper down tube angle than the Bergamont bike. Everything was wrong, I was pedalling from behind the pedals, my knees were not lining up where they should. Lesson learnt, as soon as something feels wrong check the set up.

National Championships will be on this coming weekend. Bring on the racing!

Round 2 of the North Island Cup Hamilton

On Wednesday this week the Waiariki MTB Team headed over to Hamilton to prep the track, on arrival we were a bit worried, Pukete Park lacked climbing! After one lap of the track we were still not sure what to think, It was almost fun yet where is the hill?? We couldn’t work out if the track would suit us or anyone else for that matter but decided if you have the fitness and endurance to last a high intensity race it should be ok. (Although at this point we were in the middle of our last hard hit out week before our taper so another factor which would come into the race on the weekend was if we had enough left in us)

Carl

I had a hard day to say the least. The week leading up was hard, on Tuesday I was still feeling Tokaroa and Wednesday when I per rode the track with the Waiariki crew I did 2laps then lay down and had a sleep on the side of the track... obviously still hurting, Thursday was still a struggle but better than the other days. But I was hungry for another win. Race started and I started well slotted into 2^nd behind Scott Thorne, I was riding Loose as with over 40psi in the tires and running knobbier tires than I should have, I haven’t changed from the ones that came on the bike that’s what this weekend and nationals are for bring out the fresh rubber. Any way after about lap 3 it was over and Evan gave the call back off but I didn’t want to lose any more spots so did what I thought was enough, but Adrian Retief was winding up his last lot of boost and caught me in the last km and we had to have a sprint and he wasted me fair and square even with cramp. Patrick Avery smashed his massive amounts of watts through his pedals and claimed his first elite win, Scott Thorne 2^nd Matt Gorter 3^rd. Glad we are finally into a tapper now and already I just want to race Rotorua and Nationals can’t wait.

Katie

Sunday’s Race kicked off at 2pm and we were away riding the winding and only slightly undulating course. My race strategy was to be in the front few riders at the start but not to go out to hard (mainly because I had no idea what to do on a track like this), basically I wanted to sit in and see what happened when we all were in race mode on this track. My strategy Failed me I did not end up in the front few riders I ended up about 6^th into the single track I was a bit worried back here as I knew if someone on the front hit the pace and I was back to far and they would get away, and sure enough it happened, Eloise Fry put the pace down and pulled a gap I desperately tried to make my way through the field and eventually made my way to 3^rd place and then second. After my effort I was absolutely smashed with Goosebumps and what felt like dehydration so when I grabbed my feed at the start finished I managed to put on a superb show for the onlookers and get tangled in the tape, after this blunder I had a couple more as Samara and I chopped and changed between 2^nd and 3^rd place. Finally I got into a rhythm in 2^nd place and tried to hunt Eloise back down, which is a lot easier said than done, she kept the pace on finishing 40seconds ahead of me. 3^rd place was Monique Avery and she came through fast on the finishing lap I could feel her trying to reel me in. 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd Rotorua!! J I think the race had a good atmosphere and the spectators did a great job it felt like they were everywhere, which was due to us lapping round gazillion corners that went back on themselves over and over HARD HARD HARD work!

We are looking forward to next weekend and then wellington as we focus on our recovery and a few more quality training sessions before these two High priority races. Thanks Bergamont, Bike Culture and Waiariki!!

North Island Cup #1 Tokaroa

Carl

Yesterday was the first round of the North Island Cup in Tokaroa and the day was a stunner. It was really hot weather forecast said 26 degrees but felt a lot warmer. The day started up with Chris Mildon and Jeremy Christmas tossing up whether we do a 7 lap race and be over target distance or 6 laps and be bang on for under23 and just under for elite. We ended up doing 6 laps of a 6.3km course which we were cutting out sub 18min laps.

The race we started by doing 1 and a half laps of the cricket field the village and cars were parked on I was expecting a hard start but I had a good start and sat up tucked in at the front. I played the race really smart and sat in for the 1^st lap just letting everyone else set the pace on the 2^nd lap Mikey and Richard Anderson had a little gap of about 10 seconds. Myself and Stu were riding together until we caught Richard, once we caught him I hit the front on one of the pinch climbs and put the pace on once I looked back I couldn’t even see Richard anymore and Stu had dropped off my wheel which I kind of got nervous about because I have lots of respect for Stu and Know how fast he really is and I just didn’t think I was good enough to do that. I slowly lost sight of Stu and could only see Mikey about 75meters in front of me and I was slowly closing on him every lap, on lap 5 I caught and passed him which we swapped the lead a few times and on the final lap I got in front and didn’t want him back passed so after a bit of slowing and boosting I did 4 attacks one after the other and on the 4^th he didn’t come back and I kept the pace on. I was getting riddled with cramp that was just squiggling through my carves from lap 5 so it wasn’t a easy feat attacking like I did. I stayed away winning my 1^st elite race in front of my mum, my coach and Jane our Sports Academy manager and all the other people that were out there to watch.

I’m super stocked with my race; I haven’t kicked in a race like I did since 2006... Perhaps it was because I went back to what I did in 2006. Now I don’t know why I ever went away from what used to work. I learnt so much from my weekend about not panicking when things are not going right and lots about my diet, I learnt that if you eat tokaroa KFC the day before the race you become way lighter over night :p, and I learnt if you eat a lot of low GI food you actually go a lot better than eating my typical subway or some other shit food in the hours before the race...mint J hope all stays together until nationals now.

This weekend sees a clash in races with Rotorua hosting an N-Duro which I get a lot of support from Marcus and his team, and the 2^nd round of the North Island cup in Hamilton, which if I do I may have a shot at the national series title. So a bit of a hard week to pick and choose races...

Katie

It was an awesome track, great whether and I was really excited to race and try out some things which hopefully will make me go fast when it counts.

Nic leary took the win, with a gutsy race especially after having a crash at the start which after saw her arm bandaged up. Samara took 2^nd and Michelle Bellamy Tokoroa local took 3^rd. I finished just short of the podium in 4^th which for where I am at in my training is on track, each race progressively gets better and better as I perfect my racing strategy and get more and more speed under my belt. This week my focus will be on rest and recovery in between my hard training sessions making sure I get the rest my body needs.

Hamilton is the race for the weekend coming and I am going to try wake up the racer within me, this will be my 3^rd race for the season so it’s about time I get the race aggression and determination which is needed to race at the top end of the field.

I just wanted to add big ups to Carl for his first pro elite win!!! (must be the new bike J )