Oceania Championships 4th elite women 5th elite men

Carl Jones – 5th Elite Men


5th place was not quite where I wanted to finish the season off but I was happy to slip onto the podium as the only Kiwi. The only rider I hadn't beaten leading into this race was Sid Taberlay from Australia but at last years world champs he was only just in front of me, and the boys that have been beating him earlier in the season I had also beaten in Dunedin. 
I was hoping the change in training over the last 2 weeks would get me out of my little hole I got myself in from a long season. We were a bit unlucky with how it panned out with the 1st UCI race been early in the year we got back into training after the worlds a bit to early and it has finaly caught up. lesson learnt.


But yeah the race was pretty cool, hundreds of people lined the track mainly around the rock garden but fair enough as it didn't dissapoint, on the first lap it felt like the Aussies were playing with us, we were hardly moving at points but then after a lap it was balls to the walls and it got hard... I lost sight of the 4 Aussies in front of me after a few laps and another Aussie Chris Jongewaard was snapping at my heals behind, going into the last lap he was closing the gap big time but then unlucky for him had a mechanical with half a lap to go. 


Well done to the Aussie boys Dan, Locky, Pauly and Sid Good luck for the World Cups, and the Olympic selection, Hope to see ya latter in the year.


Not to sure what the rest of the year holds for me I have to do some work and hopefully get to WC's latter in the year but the bank will decide that. Latter today ill find some goggles and bordies, and my running shoes are in my truck, 1 month to NZ Xterra... can I make a come back?? 


Thanks to all my Family and Friends for coming over to watch and Evan for getting us back on track as much as he could. 
Thanks very much to Bike Culture, we were in the shop every day last week. Thanks to Sam Thompson from Waiariki for having a tent up for us and all the guidance and pre riding and conditioning over the last few weeks (years).
Big thanks to Trek bikes they are a big step up for us and they have stepped our proformance's up
GEAX tires we both ran Barro Race tires they are perfect for Rotorua conditions. We are also on the international website now :)
Enervit, Adidas eye wear, Ant at the Physiotherapy Clinic, Nigel from Endura       
            

            

 

Katie – 4th Place Elite women

Finished the season strong.

I have really struggled this year following nationals and It has been a season full of obstacles, illness, dental work, and illness again leading into Oceania championships, although this was not my own illness. Sadly my grandad was diagnosed with acute leukemia September last year given 2 weeks to 2 months to live. Grandad is tough this toughness is admirable and is the reason he is very successful. He has easily surpassed this time frame, working and managing his business up until a week ago. This week however he took a bad turn as is now undergoing intense treatment. Thursday I was ready to go home, everyone however encouraged me to stay and see my final race through. This was hard for me but once the call was made race is what I did!

The race itself was HARD! I rode strong but with no real Kazaz! It was a demanding track with no let up throughout the entire lap. I enjoyed the track but struggled with some sections in particular Genesis, more of a power track and one that hurt not only physically but required a lot of mental power to keep focused when driving out of corners and up climbs. Off the start I did not match the pace with no major acceleration but as the climb went on I worked into 3^rd place through ‘genesis’ however I was passed and unable to match the speed of Jenni King. This lap I nailed the rock garden, stoked and feeling good, climbing strong into lap 2 but struggled again through ‘genesis’ and got loose on the rock garden loosing time with a sit down. The race continued this way although after the lead moto went through before the rock garden I opted for the Nana line not wanting to get ridden down by the elite men who fly down the section both on and off their bikes on occasions. The support on track was awesome big thanks in particular to Carl's family aunties, uncles, grandparents, cousins, Catherine Carl's mum who is so supportive and coach Evan.

All and all 4^th place in a strong women's field, New Zealand national champion Karen Hanlan 1^st place, Olympian Rosara Joseph 2^nd place and Australian National Champion Jenni King 3^rd. Pretty pleased with that!!

Each of these titles ‘National champion’, ‘Oceania champion’, and Olympian are all titles I aspire to obtain. I am now more determined than ever not only be a strong rider in a strong field but be the best in the field and with athletes like Karen and Rosara to look up to along with a great coach, academy of sport, sponsors, family and supporters this is very achievable!

Dick Tonks former New Zealand rower and influential coach was a guest speaker at our athlete function early this week and his speech enforced that it is not necessarily the athlete with the most natural talent but the one prepared to work the hardest ad there is no substitute for training as sport is unnatural it has to be trained… and has to be fun!

… I can and am prepared to do that, work hard and have fun!! :)

Rock garden – lap 1… PRIMO                                                                                                         lap 2 …. not so smooth
Photos from Mike Vincent's album
























hurting up the climb…                                                                                                                    focusing on the downhill…

…and Debbie Retiefs album

Daily post article, Oceanias getting close now!

http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/news/cycling-still-much-at-stake-after-podium-finish/1293919/

Napier MTBcup final - 3rd place for both

Today has been full on back into work after the weekend of racing in Napier and a quick goodbye to the camper-van which has been home for the last two weekends, pretty mint way to travel! We even thought we were part of the wings club waving out to all the 'older' members along the way.. they loved it!! 

here is the run down of the racing below

Katie's Race - 3rd place

Two 3^rd places for me on Sunday, taking 3^rd in the 5 lap race and 3^rd again in the NZMTB XC cup. I am pleased with this it is a massive come back from last weekend where I was unable to complete the race. Although the time off forced upon me by illness was not ideal and has set me back on where I was, I have another 2 weeks ahead of me leading into the Oceania championships my peak event for the domestic season it is definitely not too late to gain form and lift my game and I have a training plan in place to do so. 

Carl's Race - 3rd place

The start of this race was a good one for the first 3 laps Dirk, Mikey and Myself exchanged the lead attacking each other until Dirk got the break we were looking for. After Dirk had a small gap it was me and Mikey battling trying to close the gap, in the end we finished 30seconds from each other with Dirk winning the final race and the series with Mikey 2nd and 3rd in the series, and myself 3rd today but 2nd in the series. It was one of the closest races we have had in NZ and was good fun bummer I was on the end of the 3 way battle. 

12 days till oceania's and there is some shaking and baking to do before we get there.  

Wellington NZ MTB Cup, UCI cat 2

Another hard day out for the both of us, both not having spark from earlier races, the course was ment to suit both of us in different areas, with lots of climbing and some really pinchy climbs within it and some tricky decents.

Carl's Race

Another warm up thinking oh shit is that all you have got, but knowing what had to be done, I had the chance to wrap up the national series with another win, but it was far from that, first lap there were guys shooting off everywhere but I was trying to cover off Dirk and Mikey as I felt they were the biggest threat to me. I had tried to stay with them but once Dirk put the hammer down we split, Dirk had 30 odd seconds on me and I had 30 odd on Mikey, then all of a sudden Anton had caught Mikey, and Mikey had carried Antons pace as soon as Anton had finish Mikey was on a mission to the front I held him for a lap but not very well, slipping a few more seconds back on the final lap still finishing 3rd but not so stoked about it, these two boys are the ones I need to be beating.

This week Ill be resting up with my spade out ;-) 

Katie's Race 

After nationals I was forced off the bike with an ugly virus! It wasn't until I tried bike testing Wednesday after nationals that we realised the body was clearly fighting something.  It zapped me completely headaches, glans wanting to swallow my head and a throat which I could barely drink water with, I used the first method of recovery rest however the Saturday following nationals I was worse and went into the doctor. I came out with a nice stash of drugs, the legal ones of corse- panadol, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory tablets.  I slowly got back into training it was frustrating to say the least. Thursday I managed my first full session however this was short lived as after 3 days of normal I ended up exhausted again. from here I had days where I was ok and days where I was fatigued and training below my potential. Wellington was a long shot, but I loved the track. I felt flat Saturday morning but pretty good by the evening and decided it was worth while entering as Sunday could have been one of my up's. After the first feed zone on lap one I new it wasn't, I could have completed the race however if I had continued it would have set me back further in my recovery. Karen won the race in clear style with over a 9minute lead. It is back to the doctor for me today to get on top of everything and return to racing strong!

On a better note, although dispite my lack of full health I have had some really big ups over the last weeks;

• Finished summer school
• Got the best valentines day present ever... from my dentist a new front tooth! 
• Jolanda Neff stayed with us in Rotorua, really enjoyed showing her around, riding with her and learning a thing or too especially in terms of technical skills and descending faster.
• Rafted down the kaituna - flipped down the waterfall... survived :)

NZ MTB CHAMPIONSHIPS

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A winding, pinchy sprint course in sync with the way european World Cup courses are now being set was the description of the national championships course held in the codgers mtb park. The track was demanding and one we both enjoyed however race day we were unable to lay down the performances we desired and were capable of never the less we put down everything that was there on the day, and pushed through challenges presented.

Carl 6th place – 2nd down hill 1st lap, I was in 2nd then washed out down a bank, I got up fast only letting dirk past but my day was only just starting, the blood was flowing everywhere literally all my muscles were contracting in ways only a crash produces. I was making it hard for myself to retain my title and I was in for a hell day after crashing more myself  I got back to 4th I thought I would finish up there but then on the final lap I was hit by another rider who was watching the race he was coming down an open road which double as the race track for a head on collision, It felt like I had been hit by a bus, by now I was now in the most pain I have ever felt in a race, after been hit I had a busted finger and smashed up arms and a good knock to the head I lost over 2mins and 2 more spots. Completely gutted the race had cost me much more than just a title I rolled to the finish in 6th. Apologies have been said and hard to accept but mistakes happen.



Katie 4th NZ rider 5th including swiss Jolanda Neff – No gas in the tank off the line back in 7th on first climb, with a mechanical in the first decent I managed to loop my chain loosing more places, I fought back to 5th but despite chasing could not get to the riders ahead with the body fighting what appeared to be a virus ending up unwell for the following days.

Disappointment after these performances was inevitable however this is a small setback in what is to be a long race season which we will overcome. We are now building to the second half of the domestic season with round 3 and 4 of the NZMTB and more importantly the Oceania championships on our local tracks.
Wellington UCI Cat 2 in a few weeks time to make up for the lost UCI points at nationals and to win a national series
also if anyone happened to pick up a Garmin 705 or has handed one somewhere could you let me know

Cheers
Carl and Katie

NZ MTB Cup Cross Country, Christchurch Cat2

Spending the week in Christchurch leading into the second round we were stoked to have found summer, FINALLY. Weather conditions however took a sharp turn Sunday and the day saw cold southerlies and rain broken up with flashes of summer. With the rain nervs were high wondering if the dry tires would hold up on a track we had never seen in the wet. Rumor had it that it would not turn to mud like Dunedin but more to a slippery greasy surface. The first lap was indeed a little wet, however sticking with the dry tires worked out as the laps following it was back to the dry track we knew from practice laps.

Spectators were out in full force and really supportive it was a great atmosphere.

 

CARL – ELITE MENS

  I was a bit nervous with the weather and having full on dry tires on, but after slipping and sliding a lap it started to dry out fast. I was sitting in 3rd for a few laps behind flying local Brad Hudson and DP Dirk Peters. All I wanted to do was enough win and try save some gas for next week. As Anton Copper caught up yet again, I went with him again I was the only one to be able to go with him and soon opened up a very healthy lead into the decent. Then the locals boosted…Anton was gone and brad was coming back. going on to the last lap I was buggered and really starting to feel the size of the hill, but Dirk and Brad were together and racing hard closing in. once I got to the top of the hill I rolled down and enjoyed the win. hopefully the gas tank will refill asap.

Chch

 

 

 

KATIE - ELITE WOMENS

Bit of a tangle at the start saw me pushed out and off to a bad start taking a bit of time to close gaps and get back up to the front of the field but never quite to Karen Hanlan’s wheel. From here 2nd place it was with Jolanda Neff close behind. A much better performance than Dunedin and staying true to what I am hoping and have been planning for which is getting stronger and stronger each race as the season progresses. Debbie Retief did a great job in the feed zone even with my sudden change of drink plan as I changed to just water and my Enervit gels (with instant boost :) after feeling rather uncomfortable on a stronger drink mix ratio I was trialing for the race. It was also great to have my dad out there supporting me as I am from Christchurch originally I always enjoy my stay here with Dad. Even the dog was supportive who tried chasing me at one point, I was too scared to look just praying dad still had hold of the leash as BRAINS are something unheard of for Alvie the dog.

 

 

Enjoying a recovery day today – with recovery ride follow by Hanmer Springs as the evening plan before heading to Nelson to get the track dialed in for Nationals on Tuesday.

Daily post article - Jones and Peters battle the mud to beat aussies

http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/news/jones-and-peters-battle-the-mud-to-beat-aussies/1240251/