Since my last update, a lot has happened. I have raced a Word Cup in Argentina, headed to USA and raced the final round of the World Cup, flown home back to New Zealand, sustained injuries, had university exams, started training again and back into the full swing of my 3 days a week coaching and running clinics all over the country in the weekends. You could say things have sped up since returning home, not slowed down that’s for sure.
I went into Argentina after spending 2 weeks training in California ready and prepared. As I competed at this race last year, I knew the track relatively well with only a few changes to the heights of jumps. Practise came and went and so did qualifying motos going though to finals day. I drew some outside and idle lanes for motos, which I went through comfortably to quarterfinals. I drew a decent rack for my quarter and came out strong sitting in 4th the whole way till the last 1metre into the finish line where I was passed missing out on going through to the semi final. That was my day done having to watch the semis and finals still struggling to believe what had just happened.
From there we flew up to Rockhill, South Carolina where we were based for the next 3 weeks to train, ride the World Cup Track and settle in and have a base for more than one week. Training went really well. The Dutch national team and a few others that came and went during the build up which made for some quality training keeping everyone honest every effort.
Racing came and once again like most world cups this year, the week leading up to the race the weather was great and come the weekend, it would either rain or be crazy winds. This weekend did not disappoint on previous trends and practise came and it was raining and windy. First practise went well. Then the second practise session right before qualifying racing unfortunately seen me rip a clip before the first jump in the wet and blow to pieces. As all Bmxers can relate but going back to the pit area I knew I had broken something in my hand or wrist but strapped it up, ate some pain killers and clenched my teeth and got on the gate. First moto took the holeshot and finished in second, second moto somehow managed to flip the gate and coming in last going into the last moto having to take the win from lane 7 which getting the holeshot and taking the win secured me for day 2s finals day. The day left me sore but confidence levels high knowing I had just gone 12 rounds with Tyson in practise and moto 2 and won.
Day 2 I woke up and felt exactly that, I had gone 12 rounds with Tyson. My hand had blown up and bruised, the body was covered in grazes and bruises and I struggled to turn it on and surpass the pain. Once again I strapped up, ate painkillers and did what I could in racing but couldn’t manage to qualify out of motos into quarters. Mentally I struggled to turn it on and the pain got the better of me.
From there I packed up, went to my first American Football Game and flew back home to New Zealand.The same day I landed into the country I went straight to the mountain to snowboard for the week and catch the tail end of the snow. I also headed down to the south Island and ran another successful coaching clinic with Vic Hill once again re iterating why I love this sport and everything to do with it.
On my return back to Cambridge where I started to settle in again I went and got scans on my hand showing what I already knew was the case and I had broken my hand which meant 6 weeks in a splint and at first possibly surgery but managed to stare clear of that. This meant I missed the nNorth Island titles in New Zealand and training has had to become creative but loving being back into it. Also as you do as a student, you leave everything to the last minute and
That meant I had to cram and spend every spare minute I had finishing assignments and studying for exams. Fingers crossed I have done enough to pass this semester haha. Studying on the road is usually easy for me but this year being away and racing so often I have really struggled.
I’ve learnt a lot being overseas for the 6 months I was away. I’ve experienced a lot, been to a lot and although I love living out of a bag and traveling race to race, the feeling of actually putting your clothes in a set of draws and not having to sleep in 2 different beds per week has been amazing. The things I learnt out on the track from this seasons racing will be worked on over summer and coming into the final year building into the Olympics is crucial that every box is ticked is crucial.
Moving forward, training will commence back to 100% when this splints off my arm, my coaching schedule is fully booked out till I fly back out to race next season in march and I’m looking forward to a New Zealand summer!
All for now, time to go train!
#Nine4nine
I went into Argentina after spending 2 weeks training in California ready and prepared. As I competed at this race last year, I knew the track relatively well with only a few changes to the heights of jumps. Practise came and went and so did qualifying motos going though to finals day. I drew some outside and idle lanes for motos, which I went through comfortably to quarterfinals. I drew a decent rack for my quarter and came out strong sitting in 4th the whole way till the last 1metre into the finish line where I was passed missing out on going through to the semi final. That was my day done having to watch the semis and finals still struggling to believe what had just happened.
From there we flew up to Rockhill, South Carolina where we were based for the next 3 weeks to train, ride the World Cup Track and settle in and have a base for more than one week. Training went really well. The Dutch national team and a few others that came and went during the build up which made for some quality training keeping everyone honest every effort.
Racing came and once again like most world cups this year, the week leading up to the race the weather was great and come the weekend, it would either rain or be crazy winds. This weekend did not disappoint on previous trends and practise came and it was raining and windy. First practise went well. Then the second practise session right before qualifying racing unfortunately seen me rip a clip before the first jump in the wet and blow to pieces. As all Bmxers can relate but going back to the pit area I knew I had broken something in my hand or wrist but strapped it up, ate some pain killers and clenched my teeth and got on the gate. First moto took the holeshot and finished in second, second moto somehow managed to flip the gate and coming in last going into the last moto having to take the win from lane 7 which getting the holeshot and taking the win secured me for day 2s finals day. The day left me sore but confidence levels high knowing I had just gone 12 rounds with Tyson in practise and moto 2 and won.
Day 2 I woke up and felt exactly that, I had gone 12 rounds with Tyson. My hand had blown up and bruised, the body was covered in grazes and bruises and I struggled to turn it on and surpass the pain. Once again I strapped up, ate painkillers and did what I could in racing but couldn’t manage to qualify out of motos into quarters. Mentally I struggled to turn it on and the pain got the better of me.
From there I packed up, went to my first American Football Game and flew back home to New Zealand.The same day I landed into the country I went straight to the mountain to snowboard for the week and catch the tail end of the snow. I also headed down to the south Island and ran another successful coaching clinic with Vic Hill once again re iterating why I love this sport and everything to do with it.
On my return back to Cambridge where I started to settle in again I went and got scans on my hand showing what I already knew was the case and I had broken my hand which meant 6 weeks in a splint and at first possibly surgery but managed to stare clear of that. This meant I missed the nNorth Island titles in New Zealand and training has had to become creative but loving being back into it. Also as you do as a student, you leave everything to the last minute and
That meant I had to cram and spend every spare minute I had finishing assignments and studying for exams. Fingers crossed I have done enough to pass this semester haha. Studying on the road is usually easy for me but this year being away and racing so often I have really struggled.
I’ve learnt a lot being overseas for the 6 months I was away. I’ve experienced a lot, been to a lot and although I love living out of a bag and traveling race to race, the feeling of actually putting your clothes in a set of draws and not having to sleep in 2 different beds per week has been amazing. The things I learnt out on the track from this seasons racing will be worked on over summer and coming into the final year building into the Olympics is crucial that every box is ticked is crucial.
Moving forward, training will commence back to 100% when this splints off my arm, my coaching schedule is fully booked out till I fly back out to race next season in march and I’m looking forward to a New Zealand summer!
All for now, time to go train!
#Nine4nine
