Oceania Championships 2014

Oceania Mountain Bike Championships, New Zealand

XCO U23 ~ 5th

Day 1

Flight to NZ - 3.5hours

You know those dumb looking pillows that sit around your neck when you go on a plane, well I decided to try one, 10min later I now have a lump on my now kinked neck. 

I also decided to watch 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin' on my big laptop, it was a bit funny when all the unexpected sex scenes came on. The guy next to me who looked like Bilbo Baggins gave me a funny look.

Waited for Tristan Ward coz he missed his flight - 2hours

Taxi stuck in traffic - 1hour

Wicked Campers closed at 4pm. We were there at 7pm.

Banged on the door and a guy opened the door coz he lives there. Paid an extra $50 to get van and we were out of there to start our 1.5hour drive to Methven,Christchurch. We went 20 k's with the fuel light on looking for fuel.

Got to accommodation at 9pm. Really nice place. Too bad the dishwasher that sounds like Jen on the rollers was driving Ed insane.

Day 2

Woke up to a cat on my bed staring me in the face. Don't know where it came from but lingered around the whole trip.

Practice. Great track, muddy fast wet rooty and steep as all hell. Unluckily I crashed into Mark Tupalski and hurt shoulder. So I got it strapped up.

Event Village

I then waited at the van for tristan for about 30min. Then Ed drove back to tell me that Tristan left without telling me. Good one Wardy.

Tristan and I had to get our discount with Wicked Campers by sending in a nude shot which we pulled of exceptionally well - Mark Tupalski this great shot on the second go! unbelievable fluke. 

Shot of the century

Race Day

Lap 1
Awesome start. Straight into some steep switchbacks climbing to a wicked steep rooty decent, getting my ass as far back as possible. I sat 3rd position.

From lap 2 to end I got dropped back to 5th and held it to the end making up time on the D's.

It made a huge difference mentally racing a track you actually look forward every section. Positivity.

It was also great to ride with the NZ U19 National Champ who was also called Ben...Oliver. I thought the whole world was cheering me.

With 3 Australians in the top 5 for U23 I think Australia is doing pretty bloody well.

Stoked to take 5th.

Day 4 and 5

Tristan and I decided to stay for the XCE. But when we got there, there only 2 other entrants! UCI told us we need to round up 12 to hold the event. But then everyone showed up for the muddy mudfest mud race. Mud. The time trial and heats were great to watch because it looked slow motion due to the cloggy mud. Yes cloggy is a word. Tristan and I got knocked out first round so we decided to start the cleaning of our bikes, accommodation and van which was all covered in mud, even the curtains in the van was covered in mud.

After all that we started our hour and half drive back to Christchurch, got some wifi and booked a shuttle to pick us up..the earliest they could do....9pm. So we waited 3 hours at the Wicked Van drop off area which looked like a ghost town due to being in a very bad affected area of the earthquake. We then stayed at the Air lounge at the airport where we slept on bean bags till our flights at 6.30am.

Wicked Campers

Epic trip.

Thank you to the sponsors + friends

Torq Australia
Complete Wealth
Sram
Rockshox
Truvativ
Avid
Lezyne
Louis Garneau
Adidas Eyewear
Motion

Kenmore Cycles

Scott Bowden, Mark Tupalski, Jenni King and Ed Hollinger oh and T Ward of course.

Thank you for the good times!!