Bikes for sale

Both our bergamonts are for sale if anyone you know or yourself are keen on bikes let us know.

we have only owned them 7 months so they are still boosting :)

  Give us an email. They are on trade me some where im trying to sort it with trade me cause i cant find them

The week has been all on for us!

Waiariki Academy of Sport camp - Ohope

Wednesday through to Friday was the Waiariki academy of sport Camp - this camp is for Tier 1 athletes and those who are actively engaged with the academy which included athletes from all squads mtb, golf, Kayak and the general sports squad.

The camp was full on - we had seminars covering a range of areas educating us to excel in our sports, with Craig Tiriana speaking with us about the media, which is a useful tool in promoting ourselves, sponsors and of course our sports. Sam Thompson - physical conditioner at Waiariki also presented us with information on Nutrition, Recovery (SLEEP), and Strength. Also included in the 3 days there were sport specific training sessions for the bike squad this entailed a road ride to Ohope on Wednesday and a mountain bike session in the hills and team building activities 6am runs along the beach, orienteering, surf life saving activities, a boot camp activity, and a much needed pool recovery session.

This camp is ultra important in recapping on the year what has been accomplished and getting us ready for the year ahead it also helps strengthen the Waiariki culture which this year especially after the recent departure of leader Jane Boren is essential in keeping us strong in the pursuit of our goals with the support of each other.

New Bikes Arrive In Time For Huka XL

Photo by: ANDREW WARNER

FRESH WHEELS: Katie O'Neill (left) and Carl Jones will be riding new bikes when they race the Huka XL on Saturday.

Check out the daily post article by clicking this link in Thursdays paper showing off our new sponsors and bikes as we prepared for the Huka XL in Taupo http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/news/duo-face-some-hard-work-in-big-money-race/1184907/.

Trees Fall like dominos in The Huka XL

After the camp was over on Friday we packed up and down to Taupo to register for the Hula XL race which doubled as the Marathon National Championships. We spent the night at home getting ourselves and NEW bikes (which arrived on Wednesday) ready for the race. With a few hours sleep and a 4.30am start it was race day GAME ON or so everyone thought as 7am rolled around and we were charging off the start line. The weather however, threw out strong winds had other plans. After about 40km the race was called off, trees were falling like dominos on the track and it was too dangerous with the amount of riders on course to continue. Karen Hanlan was leading the women’s, followed by Fiona Mcdermid and then Annika Smail in 3rd with Katie in fourth. While the men’s was lead by Mike Northcott at the time of call off with Dirk Peters in 2nd and Tim Wilding in 3rd, Carl was in 5th. It is of course disappointing that the race was called off however under the circumstance every rider understood the risk with many grateful to just get out of the forest after some close close calls.



2011/2012 Waiariki Trek

This year we are fortunate to be welcoming some new sponsors.

 

Our major Sponsors 2011/2012 will be Waiariki and new addition Trek New Zealand.

 

We are really excited to be on board with Trek New Zealand and the opportunities they bring, including some amazing new race machines!

  

Last week we received our road bikes the Madone 4.7

 

 

 

and tomorrow will see the arrival of our Elite 9.9 SSL race mountain bike

 

 

other sponsors we will be welcoming are;

• Enervit - nutrition products
• Geax - Tyres
• Rotorua Cycle Centre - Local Rotorua Trek dealer, the place to get your Trek :)

we also want to mention the sponsors who will be continuing their support for the 2011/2012 to come;

Bike Culture - Bike culture will be continuing to be our mechanics keeping our bikes in primo condition. these guys give us endless support, definitely the place to go to get your bike fixed in Rotorua!!

 

Waiariki - as mentioned Waiariki are continuing as a major sponsor as we continue our studies, and involvement with the Academy of Sport. Waiariki invests a huge amount in its athletes helping us gain results.

 

2012 Scholarships and applications for Waiariki Academy of Sport close 30 November 2011, if your sport is a focus but you want to continue study check it out... endless opportunities. http://waos.waiariki.ac.nz/scholarships.html

  

Bring on the Huka in Taupo this weekend... but first a 3day camp with Waiariki in Ohope hope the rain holds off :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bay of Plenty sports awards

Waiariki at the sports awards

Was a great night had by all at the Bay of Plenty sports awards 

Waiariki had many finalist including our hard working mountain bike coach Evan Mcrae for coach of the year. Evan was up against Gordon Tietjens who took the award and went on to take the supreme award. Myself and flatmate Luuka Jones who is preparing for the Olympic games in London for Canoe Slalom were both proud to be finalists for the sports women of the year award which was taken out by well deserving Lisa Carrington who is the current world K1 200m Champion.

It was an amazing night, motivating and inspiring celebrating sporting sucess and fueling the fire for more sucesses to come.





Update

Just a quick update for those who are still checking the blog... Join us on Facebook 'Carl-Katie' we know its the new way of following and is easier to keep it short and you informed.

We are back into training already as Nationals are a month earlier this year, so we are already in the full swing of things.

We are also actually finding time have some fun around the training and the work trying to pay back the trip, we have been getting out a few times we had 2 good mates 21st, going fishing a couple of times now Rena has wrecked that though. We have even been out sailing tonight at lake Okereka.

We will get a full plan of things to come soon, but in the next few weeks we are thinking of doing the Whaka 100 and the Huka XL in Taupo which is actually the Marathon Nationals this year

Carl  

A little late World Championships update

A little late than never, now Im back home with my family in Whakatane after an epic trip home.

Worlds finished off the trip pretty sweet...

My aim was top 40 and I started 75th so well near the back of the over 100 riders, It was on from the gun I was been blasted by mud and stones on the start lap, Lately the start laps have been pretty good giving you a chance to get to the single track in a good spot, and move up as best you can. this start lap went on a 4 wheeled road for maybe a km and half then into the main climb of the track, before it went sharp right back into the single track down hill. It was balls out all the way to the single track then again like always in the big races it was bottle necked and we were all running while the front ones boosted away. I was 71st after the 1st start lap then the track opened up and I was boosting feeling like Katie did so I was stoked.
It had been looking like it was going to rain all weekend and then after 3 perfect laps it pist down, but it just made me love it more just like nationals, I had got up to 62 as it started to rain then after the 1st wet lap I jumped up to 52nd and had done the 35th fast lap, as it was getting near the end of the race I was thinking about the 80% lap out rule and thinking I was well inside it was because I didn't feel that far down, and usually top 60 riders are on the lead lap. on the 2nd to last lap I had moved even further up the field into the late 40s but on the final climb I really blu a valve and a few guys snuck past me down the last decent. As we were coming to the 80% I saw a few guys standing there, I was instantly stunned what the hell was happening I didn't no ( well yes they were pulling riders). So I was pulled with a lap to go, the bit that pist me and everyone else that was standing there off was it took 2 and half mins for the leader to come past us and we were 300 meters from the finish line. So there was No way in hell we could have been past by him or got in the way, my 90 year old nana could have walked to the end and not been past.

So 36 people made the last lap a world 1st... and everyone around was shocked and pist off but I finished up 52nd in my 1st year elite. I was happy but at the same time I didn't no if it was good enough. but after the race everyone was rating my ride and when other teams asked how I went they were rating it also so I think 52nd is good haha. you wait till next year...

Back home now, its good been home but freezing cold but im hardy complaining.. no riding and fishing and ski trips to plan and maybe a little work for old Evan to repay him for a perfectly executed season.

We cant thank everyone in Europe that helped us out, enough and we made some very good friends. we wish they will come to New Zealand so we can host them like they hosted us.

there are pics to come but im kinda really excited to go whitebaiting now haha so ill post them tomorrow morning when jet lag wakes me up at 3am

Thanks
Carl

Race photos and an epic adventure



Race Start, No where to be seen.. I had to move up in the climbing getting boxed out near to the back after starting in 21st



Frustrated with a chain jam





covered in dirt after spending more time on the ground than upright as things got wild after I bent my bars





Post Race Adventure - the break off the bike kicks off in full force as Sam, Ant and I concur the Via Ferrata

U23 Womens World Mountain Bike Championships

The race of the year rolled around very quickly. This morning I woke up a little sleep deprived after the very very sound proof ski chalet we were staying in failed along with my ear plugs to drown out the noise of others who couldn't sleep, although feeling as though I had been hit by a bus I had until 5pm to pick myself up from this which included a 20minute power nap and alot of relaxing! by the time 2pm hit I was eating my pre race pasta and I knew what was coming and was feeling ready, all the training had been put in, all the resting leading in had also been executed perfectly and all that was left was to get the head into gear and go out there and hit it hard!

off the line I did not instantly rocket forward but by the first climb I found myself on the edge of the grass bank going for it hitting gaps and moving as far forward as I could before the single track. my first laps went well and at one point I had managed to get into the top 10 here I got a little excited and things got a wee bit loose on the rooty technical track, a few mistakes followed which I came back from followed by a spectacular fast line down a steep shoot in the track when an inside line passing tactic went a little wrong and I flipped my way down to the bottom. The body took a fair impact and i struggled from here loosing positions but fighting as hard as I could to keep it together and stay in the race, these two last laps after my crash were full of pain but I limited my losses and managed to finish in 15th.

Stoked with the race I had form in my legs and gave it my all.. everything except flipping down a shoot.

I am nicely dosed up on pain killers and about to head up for Ant to work his magic and fix up my back so I get out there and have my full on Kiwi supporting form for all the racing to come!

All the support on the track was amazing! and every one back home thinking of me it all helped!!! thanks!

Bitter sweet, Bring on next season
Katie

Basel/Muttenz Racer bike cup

As always the racer bike cup pulled the numbers and some big names with 72 in my race, and lots of national teams having there last hit out before worlds. The track was based at the local horse trotting track and was super flat, it had a 1 minute pinch climb and a 1 min decent and that was it the rest was dead flat, full speed along road paths and in and out of trees. Not an ideal race for riders my size but it was perfect not to take too much out of me before this weekend.

The start was around the trotting track we were told we were doing 2 laps of this then 7 of the actual track I thought that was straight forward, turns it wasn’t, after getting to the front coming into the opening in the track, the tape wasn’t down everyone slowed and looked then decided it must have been 2 and a half laps they meant, so we all took off for another lap, at this moment I started to get swamped because I was on the outside of the pack setting myself up to exit the track and then I slowly drifted back. Down the 1st straight of the actual track I managed to move up again but then myself and 4 or 5 other guys got on the wrong side of the tape and had to go the long way around everyone then break back through the tape so into the 1st climb I was a little flustered but mid pack and I felt strong. Every lap I was Just off the back of bunches that were being pulled by big freight trains and had to work super hard to get back on them. I ended up 32nd I thought I was doing better than that but on a course that was not suited for me it’s ok and I was only 5.40 down on Absolon.

We are now up at Champery with the NZ team in a big ski house, its just about all rest for me and Katie.

Katies race is Thursday at 5pm so that’s 3am on a Friday NZT there is no freecaster for her race but UCI live timing is just as exciting.

My Race is on Saturday at 430pm so Sunday 230am NZT and freecaster is not free for this one it cost a few euro’s so if you want to watch the action live you will have to sort it early. Otherwise live timing... otherwise just wake up in the morning and look

Thank you to the Schmutz family for having us yet again on this trip, we stayed at their house for quite big amounts of time thoughtout our trip, they are the coolest family in europe and we will miss them.

Chur
Carl 

Swiss Bike Trophy Bern - City Race

Last night we raced our first ever city race, and it was one of the coolest experiences we have had.

We lapped around the city center of bern with jumps, ramps, stairs and other obsitcals, loads of spectators even with epic thunderstorms belting the rain down and plenty of excitement all around.

 Elite womens -Katie 6.15pm 

The Bern city race was aimed to be my last hit out before the Worlds falling at the end of a 3day block of intensity training. I had never done anything like a city race but it was exciting and lots of fun I had to rapidly learn new skills i.e. jumping, and riding over obstacles I was a real newbee to the city riding concept. Nathalie Schneitter of switzerland stormed through the circuit with Lea Davison from the usa right there impressively powering over all the obsticals and around the course. The technique these top elite women had is a huge eye opener as they attacked the obsticals with full speed and confidence even in the stormy conditions. I did not have this same confidence an struggled with no legs at all after the hard block of work I put in over the last few days on the champery Worlds track and in interval sessions (where I will have a claim to fame of pulling away from Carl the night before in an interval session.. where were those legs last night I ask?? I am now thinking Carl was pulling a sneaky one and saving it up for last night), I pulled out after a few laps after my legs virtually brought me to a standstill up a hill. I am hurting for a reason and the taper down now will bring full gas next Thursday in the U23 Womens World Championships. And setting up a circuit like this back home for training is now definately a MUST! Waiariki Makoia campus city race I am thinking:???

Elite mens - Carl 

This was by far the coolest race I have ever done, I love technical stuff and this course was pack with it, we had massive flights of steps we had to boost down over logs over jumps the works and on the start line the 4th or 5th thunder shower of the evening was wanting to burst on us. 20 seconds after the start It was all on rain so hard you could see not a lot and we were all soaked to the bone. It made the techy course even more scetchy, but even more fun I have never raced in rain that hard it was intense, this shower didn't stop though. I had a solid race after yet another average start, but there was no way I was racing for the hole shot on roads like ice. I was riding infront of a lot of the packed out field of big names for quite a while even attacked Chirstoph Sauser and Mathias Fluckiger, never had the chance to do that before. I think I finished up 29th I wanted a top 15 so I could get some cash back and some UCI points, but when I have never beaten the top 20 guys I was pushing shit up hill after not committing to the dangerous start. I had the most fun I have had in a while though. Im doing one more race before worlds this Sunday in Muttenz, in Basel Switzerland its a racer bike cup and most of the guys im racing next weekended will be there so its all on...

Chur check out some of the action below. No videos of Katie as I cant use my own camera        

 

Champery - 3 day Training block

primo backpacker and owner Catherine

The world champs Spirit in Champery



riding to the track for training



 the drop

some rooty action

Val Di Sole, Italy - final world cup

Valley of the sun - Sure was every day!!! Perfect

U23 women’s (Katie’s report)

We arrived in Val Di Sole on Monday night to primo mountains and weather which lasted the week. We made our way to the track on Tuesday and it was a tough one but it seamed to be one which I felt suited my strengths. It had a great deal of climbing with some pinch climbs which required more concentration and strength to get up and some fast descents, I really liked it but knew it would be a hard race demanding a lot from the body.

The U23 women had 40 starters the strongest field yet on a demanding climbing track, I was seeded towards the back end of the large field which made for a hard start. Off the line the legs did not go and I came through in 24th after the start loop. In the second lap I managed to move up 8 places to 16th and I was feeling as though I could only get stronger however when taking my feed I bounced my bottle back at my poor feeder and ended up without one for the lap, I then took on a gel regardless of not having water thinking I should at least keep the energy going in, big mistake. The gel was impossible to take down and stomach with no water on a hot day and it made for some shaking riding resulting in a time consuming crash with a minor mechanical. I dropped a few places and then seamed to yoyo around for a bit not feeling flash at all. I finished the 4 lap race in 15th pretty disappointed and a little out of it to say the least at the finish where I decided I would crash just riding along the grass no holes in the ground or anything.

Carl - Elite men

Ill keep it short. It was over 40 degrees I usually go mint in the heat but today I didn’t. We had been at a bit of altitude for the perfect amount of time for it to work against you, and had done it a bit wrong with our training up here maybe. I honestly don’t know what went wrong and altitude is the only thing that could have made me feel like a slug. I had a really good start as some of you may have seen on free caster, people said I was seen and mentioned on having a really good start… I had done all of that feeling like arse and maxed out all day, my data shows I was in a small little box of pain the whole race but going no where. It was probably the worst race I have ever had and it just happened to be a world cup so I’m gutted

After the race we were able to watch four Cross racing, the downhill with and Anton Coppers 2nd cross country jnr world cup win. From here it is all focus on training in the build up to the world championships in with the U23 women’s race in12 days. We will head to the track in the morning and it will be all on!

Nove Mesto na Morave World cup

The event was off the scale we had been here for 2 weeks to limit our traveling, and we watched the event take shape the track change daily.

After watching Anton dominate it in the under 19 race the pressure was on to try get good results under our belts also. I (Carl) am writing this blog Katie is organising things for tomorrows journey to Italy.

So our race day rolled around Katie was up 1st at 10.02am starting 2 mins behind the elite women she got down to business early and moved up well, however it turned a bit pear shaped for a lap or 2 losing huge amounts of time to the riders in front, in making some time consuming mistakes (her lap times tell the story). After running around for the first half I watched the end of the race from big screen from here I could rest my legs while watching the racing unfold.  I got my lunch and I look up to see Katie had pulled it back together, and pulled back over a min on the group of girls in front of her, her laps only got faster on the last lap pulling the 5th fastest lap time and stomping home for 9th, she had moved up to 8th on the last lap but cramp on the last climb thought 9th place was better. So im stoked for her but she wanted better. :) And I reckon better is what will come with the winner of the race today was only 40 seconds in front of her in the race we ballsed completely up 2 weeks ago in Ostrava.... 

Katie rolls the inside line moving up in the start lap

On to my hurt fest... 2pm, called up 77th with like 10 rows in front of me and 4 behind I was dreading the start loop it was perfect for the fully grown man to pound me. It was a wide and fast road with 2 power climbs in it, and lots of space for me to move up and back as it was, I was moving up lots but it kinda stayed even with the other chaps rolling around me, the laps were short and we were out to do 7 plus the start lap. After a few mins it went into the 1st single track from the start loop, and it bunched up hard we were barely moving as frustrated as I was there was nothing I could do about it on an 8 min start lap I lost 2 and a half mins, Not Ideal... I was in 100th place. As soon as the track cleared a bit I was on a mission every group I caught I didn't wait a second, I just kept on rolling past and attacking the off my wheel.

Every lap I moved up spots but the damage had been well done by now. My lap times were faster than my position every lap so it is very frustrating to see. I moved up to 77th in the end back to where I started. I had given every thing and got a hole lot of nothing I race with my Garmin and I defanitly was in the red the whole race with an average heart rate of 183 that is my threshold so that was mint to see. So all in all good race not happy with the place though at all. Its a world cup though and its all about the start it always has been so...

We had a mean post race dinner with Luuka, and Mike after they came from there kayak world cup to our world cup to catch a bit of the action! now its on-wards and up wards to Val di Sole in Italy where we do a 10 hour mission drive tomorrow after training. The track sounds like it may suit again

Sorry cant sort Videos and pic's now way to tired, and have a splitting head ache I will try do some at some stage just come back and check it out latter in the week. 

Chur

Carl      

Graeme Murray Photo Shoot

Graeme Murray Photo Shoot

http://www.graememurray.com

This is a bit of actions we got up to before we left NZ, 

Thanks heaps Graeme

More shots to come 

ITS MONDAY!!

Ok its getting close to exciting times, Monday the week of our first World cup race, time is flying by which works perfectly for us as we can’t wait to race in what will be our second ever World cup race.

After Ostrava we have been based in Svetnov, a small village about 20km from Nove Mesto Na Morave where the World cup will be held. We have had good accommodation at Czech cottages and it has been great to be in a little village with well nothing, time to chill and train!

Training has still been smashing us so this week coming into the world cup will be a much appreciated drop in the millage, but I’m sure the increased intensity will make it hurt none the less.

We have had a 3 training sessions on the track since being shown around by the Merida Czech team, who had it dialled – with their manager being involved with the track and event. We also became famous New Zealanders on the Nove Mesto Na Morave World cup website from this pre ride.

http://www.mtbworldcup.cz/item/trat-uz-testovali-i-novozelandani/category/news?lang=EN

Our claim to fame

The track primo, it is around 4km with 4 steep climbing sections and 4 rooty descents broken up by a few scattered rock gardens. The track was not ridden in last week but once all the riders arrive it will definitely get a lot faster and smoother too.

http://www.mtbworldcup.cz/?lang=EN

Link to world cup web page – there is a video which shows a few fun parts in the track

our amature videos of our first play on the track - thought it may be exciting for the blog - few trees in the way, glare form the sun, and a bit of a yarn.. translation "a bit stiff at the bottom" as I went off a rock in the wrong direction:)

We will head out to the track Tuesday/Wednesday when the track is marked out and perfecto for the race, our last ride they were out working hard, some more rocks went in to a few sections making what was the “rock and roll” feel a little less rock and rolly – which turned out great for Carl as the rocks it was missing early in the week were causing him a few male discomforts when his bike geed out.

Todays plan is a bit of R&R and hopefully some of the NZ Kayakers are rolling through the area and we will get to catch up.

OSTRAVA CHACHAR - race reports

Average race after a average weekend is how it was really.

We were not sure if the racing here would be the same high level as the Swiss Racer bike cups, but it definitely was. The race doubled as the final of the Central European cup and a UCI Cat 1 race, and some teams made their way over here, as the world cup is 2 weeks away. We stood at the start this morning watch loads of Pro teams and National teams from all over Europe, warm up and get their bikes cleaned and looked after, this is a dream for us that if we keep working hard we too can have aspiring amateur athletes looking up to us. The track was drying but no way near as fast enough for us, we still had dry tires on, and I was not risking running tubes again after my last two tubed races, so we sucked it up and raced. 

Carl 

It was a hard day to say the least in warm up I was boosting and was really thinking I was going to go good, I started well up but soon as we got to single track I was skating, there was a really cool peace of track though were I honestly don't know what the euros were doing but it was a sweet hot line, on the 1st lap I past 5 guys on one 40 meter peace of track I was stoked, that was as good as it got every lap. All I was gagging for was a climb but the track was really flat with only a few tech pinches but we had to run up them anyway, the mud was stuffing everyone's bikes up but I found the time to stop and clean my bike up cause it was really pissing me off. I finished up 20th where I should have been in the top 10 had I been a pro racer for the weekend like I have been for the other races.

Just so everyone doesn't get worried this race was a race a last minute one which we were going to wing, so wing it we did. The next 3 are down to the T every thing is PRO from now.

Katie

I think Carls very straight up summaries of our weekend of winging it provide insight into our frustration. It is hard to go with the flow when we know that to preform at this level we need every advantage we can get. I am a routine girl when it comes to racing, from dinner the night before to pre race nutrition... it has been so long since I have tested why but after today I will return to the routine. I am also a firm believer that when a race is muddy "I had the wrong tires" is a bad reason to race poorly as mountain biking is not just having skill, not just having power, and not just the equipment you need all these. So we suffered the consequences of our poor preparation for this one (but again it was what it was, a last minute add in which was directed at finishing off our hard training block and starting off our racing - so mission accomplished in this sense). 

The field was strong and consequently I was ranked further down than in some of the other races, the start was through a flat paddock which we twisted our way up making for a slow but congested start. The first two laps I really struggled with the muddy sections, loved the technical rooty steep sections (with carls hotline) and loved how my legs and form were from the hard training. I had a lot of ground to make up and was far back in the field but determined to do so and with the track tacking up nicely in the last 2 laps I was able to ride my way back through the field up into 9th place in the elite women's which I am pretty stoked with. 

A relief that the weekend of winging it is now over :) and tomorrow we are heading to our next accommodation which is going to be great perfect for what we need, great tracks and great people oh and a kitchen, so Carl has no reason for McD's :) 

Katie and Carl   

Rambalings Pre Race - What a day

Holey shit today has been epic... I was stressing hard most of the day but now im over it.
Sorry for the language at some points in this but its how the day was.

Started in Praha (Prague) we went for a bit of a sight see as we couldn't check into our hotel in Ostrava until later in the afternoon and the track open until after 6pm.
The night in Praha we had tried to plan to have a kitchen in our apartment as we knew tonight in Ostrava we didn't have one... so that was mint we had a kitchen with no pots or pans... we got one little pan from the chap down stairs and we cooked up some chicken breasts... hole breasts as we didn't have a knife... then fired up some pasta in the pan... no pot... that was meant to be dinner, turns out it was lunch.. any longer in a hot car and it would have been the trots.

Anyway with our cooking out of the way we got in some sightseeing, Charles st bridge and some of the old town in Prague, pretty impressive and with Hot chocolate even better. Then it was off to ostrava a 3.5hr drive away... the roads in czech are no autobarn we bumped our way to Ostrava arriving a bit after 3 to our hotel.

Check in at the hotel did not run smoothly, with our capacity of the czech language starting with hello (dobridon) and ending with thank you (diky) it was hard to explain that our bikes would be coming inside. With use of google translate on the internet katie and the lady at the hotel came to the understanding there was no where for our bikes and they were NOT aloud in our room.... sucks for them! however they got us back as there resturant is closed on Sunday and now this means our one meal we could easily get will not be available.. guess we are even and with a shower made for a 3 foot midget they really jibbed us.

We got to the track after driving in circles for the good part of 2 hours and it started to bucket down hard. I packed a sad and didn't want to get my finger wet and soggy, plus our bike had to get in the hotel and to function in the race tomorrow with no way of cleaning them, So after not eating since before 12 now been around 630 we headed off looking for food... yea good one all the places are pubs and cant read a menu... I can read one menu though McDonalds so after trying for an hour and half to avoid McDs, I ended up there and Katie went to some hong kong fuwi place and got some rice dish and vegetable dish.

Now: 15mins ago I had a bath because of the midget shower... the water was the colour of a river so got out of that in a hurry, but not before I got my finger all wet, which by the way got put back on all crocked so now I have a deformed finger that I have no feeling in, and still has all the blood on from the day it happened. Might give it a good clean now though. Still haven't decided if ill race, probably will as I have been riding all week and I feel fast, I just haven't used my finger at all yet so don't no how it will handle it. Ill Man up though for sure       


ok we are off to bed now to get some much needed rest and listen to our good old English DRINKING songs from the pub below. "Where did you come from where did you go ... cotton eye joe"


Carl 





     

On the move again

The time has finally come to leave what has been home for the last month, Karlovy Vary Czech Republic.

This month has been torture in terms of training putting in a large block, although it was all suffering it was definitely made easier with our great location where we had everything, flat, hills, really technical single track. So a massive thanks to Renata and Vasek, and Renata’s family, for showing us Karlovy Vary and welcoming us into their home.

Last night we drove to Prague, which looks beautiful a city full of history. We have a small chance to take in some sites this morning prior to our drive to Ostrava where we will be racing a UCI cat1 race, but after the accumulated weeks of training in our legs we might have to stick to sightseeing from the car this time round in our flying visit to Prague.

Carl is yet to decide if he is racing tomorrow, although his finger is healing well it is not yet back in use, we will ride the track this evening and he will see if it is up to racing.

Will keep you posted! We are off to see the 'old town' and recommended Charles Bridge in Prague

A Bit of an update on an unhappy finger

Yesterday I had a wee miss hap, our bikes needed new brake pads so a straight forward pad change was needed it all went sweet until, my bike was rubbing so while we wheel was spinning quite quick I went in to make an adjustment and as I grabbed the calliper my right braking finger went into the disk. It all happened so fast I knew what I had done but was in a wee bit of shock looking down I thought my finger was a goner, but lucky for me it was still there just cut a long way through. After getting back in the house and a good 20 mins of hanging in a sink feeling very grogy and all faint 5 minutes of that I was out of it and could see any think or hear much (I’m a real pussy with blood and pain),we started trying to think about what to do next it defiantly needed medical attention so we searched out the hospital and boosted there.

They couldn’t do a whole lot but clean it out and F#$% me they cleaned it out alright, it couldn’t be stitched because of the nail so they just strapped it back with a whole lot of bandages and sent me on my way with instructions on where to go in the morning for its bandage change and check up. So today after struggling to find where I had to go, I found a doctor behind a big steel door in a packed out patients hospital (thanks to Katie’s persistence that surely even though no one spoke English she would find someone to look at the finger) . I was fully shitting myself but it was clean and the doctor spoke English, when they took the bandages off it was manky as, they cleaned it as much as they could bandaged it and gave me orders don’t move it, don’t get it wet, ice it, go to the hospital in the weekend to get it checked and bandages changed, and come see me Monday...

So yea here I am just chilling it’s not really buggering me up to much for training because the tour de france is motivating me so much I just go riding. It’s not ideal and I defiantly can’t use my hand at all. I missed a really important double session of training yesterday, I tried to do it after the tour but it started to rain and one handed arm under my arm pit intervals don’t really cut it so I came home and wrote the day off.

Today however the rain stayed away and the tour motivated me again, and I got a easy ride in on the roads still riding with my hand up under my arm pit but riding. I’ll be on the roads for a week I would say.

We have one week left in Karlovy Vary until we move across Czech to a UCI cat 1 race in Ostrava I’m looking forward to it as I was feeling super fast at the start of the week then a bit tired from training later in the week but defiantly feeling the best I have ever felt and I will be trying my best not to let this one get in the way of any think.

Carl

Karlovy Vary (our new training ground) and our trip here

After Val d’isere we headed to check out the kayak scene and catch up with Luuka and Lou. We made it in time to watch the women’s final race which was impressive this sport is down to the wire and technique is so important.

Waiariki rep!

After the finals we went out for lunch – We had to go for the unhealthy option after Jane delivered the bad news that the academy would be without its top dog and driving force with her departure at the end of the year. Jane has had so much input into our sport and none of this will be neither forgotten nor go to waste.

mmmmmmmmmmm

After our binge and major brain storming on how to survive without Jane (with no immediate conclusions) we were back to the kayaking where luuka and Lou paddled in a lighter race a bit more fun but with cash up for grabs an exciting one to watch. It was 8 gates and one paddler would go with another setting off 5 seconds behind they would have to catch the one in front. If the gap was less than 5 seconds at the end the chasing paddler would go through and if the gap was more the front paddler would go through.

pre race - in deep thought

Scoping out his competition in luukas bib

Luuka and Lou were the chasers, but made the massive mistake of sitting on the line for some valuable seconds after the beeper went! Lou made it through to the quarter finals but luuka just missed out. It was an event like the XC eliminator event in cross country pretty exciting to watch.

Lou gunning it 

Luuka putting in a powerfull stroke!

In the mens we cheered on John Hastings a Canadian who stayed at the tihi athlete flat in Rotorua last year and should make the Canadian Olympic team, We at Waiariki would like to take some credit as he spent a day on the erg in the middle of the Mokoia campus.

John Hastings in action

It was a primo day all around in the sun

We spent another night in France and then made tracks in the morning to Champery Switzerland (which was a small detour on the route to Basel) where the world championships will be held. Although you are strictly not allowed on to bike on the track we went for a run and scoped out the track. It’s mean track and was as dry as a bone so we got to scope out lines. In the dry it looks to be a hard fast track but we can predict the carnage that would occur when this track is wet. Either way it is going to be a mint challenging track.We also did some riding in Champery we road right up the mountain and decided after seeing the massive huck in the xc that we should do the coupe de monde dh trail, a few hundred meters later and we were both walking - that is one step track not made for an xc bike at all. We were latter told its one of the steepest DH tracks that is raced in the world.

Next stop was Basel in Switzerland to break up our drive, fortunately Pascal and his family put us up for the night. Pascal was off in the early hours of the morning to catch a flight to his next race we won’t see him again until possibly the Czech world cup but wish him all the best for the Swiss National championships!!!

Carls Favourite sign

In the morning we got in hard training ride and were on the road again the autobahn helped the drive go by quickly and in no time we were in Karlovy Vary, we met our friends Renata and Vasek and then their parents who Kindly are putting us up for the next 3weeks while they are enjoying a holiday in Germany.

Film festival

Film festival

We perfectly timed our arrival to Karlovy Vary with the film festival and we had a great few days with Renata lining up some films (English translation and all) and even an impressive party that we weren’t invited to and well under dressed. Of course we avoided the drinking part, with two hard training sessions in the morning, and got through the night with a chocolate crêpe instead!

Renata and Vasek's Power plate studio - tried a work out (carl suffered as usual)

Make up time

Its great here and we have a really wicked mtb circuit technical with monster hard climbs and really sweet decents that are even testing Carl, and currently Luuka is in town on her rest week after her world cups has been primo hanging out on the other side of the world.

a section of our track - techy and fun

Chilling out - as if we have not left Rotorua

a feature wall like we have never seen before