SI Cup Round 3 - Nelson 23-24/01/10

Caught the ferry down to Picton on the friday, and drove down to Nelson. Got to where we were staying just past the track and was bored instantly. We pretty much just around staring at the walls of the caravan we were staying in, couldnt really go outside as it was raining. The rain started to stop for a bit, so we decided that we would go walk the track. So we went to do that, and found out they were doing a couple of shuttles to the top for people to walk down, but we thought we had missed the last one. As we headed towards the bottom of the track to start walking up, and the shuttle passed us going up to the top, so we jumped on. Walking down the track didnt seam anywhere near as scary as i remember it being last year. Also wasnt as slippery as i thought it would be. Looked at different lines and tried to remember where the track went, looked at the jumps and decided that i probly wouldnt bother hiting any of them.

Practice came and went, only got about 5-6 shuttles in i think, so not really that many. Never really got the hang of the track in that time. I quite liked the first and last parts of the track, but not really the middle. not sure why but yeah. Couldn't remember the track at all, managed to remember the first couple of corners about the top, but that is all. Rode into a few of the jumps, but decided i would rather try and get the hang of the track before i tried to do any of the jumps, as none of the girls were doing the jumps so it wasnt nesacearey.

Sunday was race day. Got two practice runs in, was feeling alright about the track, wasnt counting on winning, figured i was gonna try for a top 3 as i was having trouble remembering where the track went and stuff like that. Decided just to cruise down on my seeding because of Dunedin, so i did that and seeded first, with Charlotte first who had crashed a few times on her run, so if i wanted to win i was gonna have to push my self, so i did, since i stood a chance of winning. Rode the track the best i had ever during the weekend only to lose it on about the 3rd to last corner. not sure what happened exactly, but i think my front washed out and i went over the bars or something like that. Ended up second.

Full results here: http://www.vorb.org.nz/download/file.php?id=126481

SI Cup round 2 - Dunedin 16-17/01/10

Me and Dad flew down friday mourning, went to check out the track around 11 and did shuttles. Did some shuttles with Charlotte Clouston until she stopped, then shuttles with Steven Pattle and Baylee Jackson. I kept doing shuttles untill they stopped, i think it was around 6 or 7. The track was so much fun, the rock gardens were pretty brutal on both you and the bike. Was having a bit of trouble in the first rock garden until i started letting go of the brakes a bit more. Second rock garden wasnt quite so bad. Did the drop into all good, was pretty easy, just looked scary coming into it. Did runs following Pattle, could keep up with him through most of the track. Was looking at trying the 2nd and 3rd jumps of the tripple jumps, but decided to wait till tomorrow during official practice, as i was starting to get a bit tired and didnt want to risk stuffing them up.

Saturday was official practice day, did some cruisey runs down the hill. Did one behind Fabian, and some behind Richard Leacock. Followed Richard off the 2nd of the tripple jumps, but just cased it so pulled out of the 3rd one. Did a couple of more runs hitting the first 2, then eventually hit the 3rd after dad told me to and to stop being a wuss. Also followed Richard off the hip jump at top, did a couple more times and nearly crashed as well, due to not hipping it properly and skiding into a drift as soon as i landed, and then next run, trying harder to hip it and ended up nose diving. All good though, managed to get the hang off it alright, just had to be prepared to corner as soon as i landed.

Sunday was race day. First run down the hill, i decided i wasnt gonna take it easy. First corner and i crash, was a bit more slippery then i thought. It had rained a little over night but i didnt think it would make too much of a difference, but it did. Rest of the track i just cruised down missing all the jumps. Second practice run down and i cruised down, except this time i hit all the jumps. Next up was seeding run, i was first woman down due to not having any points from Christchurch race as they took the order from there. I dont know why, but i pushed myself when i didnt really need to, i got a bit loose in the top part of the track i think. Cant really remember as i crashed in the second rockgarden, from leaving the braking too late and slipping out a bit and losing control. Photo shows the rest. Ended up not not being able to finish my seeding run as medics wouldnt let me, and also wastnt allowed to do my race run as dad wouldnt let me out of the hospital until i got the stitches in me lip. Ended up with 9 stitches in my lip and a chipped tooth. Worst part not being allowed to race, and of course the needles. when i could have easily

raced, as it was over 2.5 hours of waiting at the hospital until i was seen. Then on top of that another 30mins as the guy didnt want to stitch it up, so got in some specialists to stitch it up.