Nduro/Napier Cup/McDonald's

Hi all

Have been busy over the past 3 weeks with the 2nd round of the national series, new sponsors, and the 2nd Nduro summer series race.
Napier did not go too well for me finishing in 10th in a UCI race. The course was hard on the body with a lot of dust and the sun was pelting down sapping energy. But there was a bit of prize money which was pretty sweet! and I had a fun time racing on the fast Napier track as well.
Just last week McDonald's decided to help me out in getting over to Europe which is awesome of them and I am very thankful to Rob and Linley who own the Rotorua McDonalds. Cheers! I also have started working for McDonald's as well and they are being very supportive in making work flexible around training.
Last but not least the second round of the Nduro Summer Cup was yesterday and HOT. I didn't take much fluid which probably wasn't a smart idea. But apart from that the race was really fun It was a good hard course which put my legs to the test and made for some good racing.
I started in the middle of the bunch and worked my way up the field as the race went on, towards the end I was battling it out for second and third but my legs could not handle the last burst and I settled for third.

The Nduros are always a good fun race with a sweet course so cheers to the organisers for making it an awesome day.

3D OFF-ROAD WINTER MULTISPORT FESTIVAL ROTORUA

I'd just like to give Neil Gellatly a big thanks for lending me his Giant TCR 0 for 3 months after I wrote my road bike off in  race. Neil also happens to be the Director and Event organiser of a new multisport festival coming to Rotorua on the 5th of June (Queens Birthday long weekend). There are six different events to choose from, 69 categories, and $10,000 of prize money for the top competitors. This is going to be one of Rotorua's biggest multisport festivals, find out more at http://www.3drotorua.co.nz/ .  Neil is also a multisport coach and has twelve years multisport experience under his belt. He does:
-Multisport Consultancy
-Training Programmes
-Technique Coaching
-Race Nutrition Plans
-Event Organisation
-and Skills Training

So if any of these are interesting to you contact Neil  via email neil@multisportcoach.co.nz
                                                                                     Tel 0064 7 349 6554
                                                                                 0r Mob 0064 27 648 7546

National Series Round One Win and general update

OK, I have not updated my blog for a while but first of all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

So here is what I have been doing since the Huka Challenge.

The  week following the Challenge was the Rotorua round of the Mid-North Island Cup. It was a good hard course and there was strong competition. I went fast up the first steep climb and was sitting in a good position but my chain kept on popping off so I just had fun sitting in fourth until the end of the race.

Three days after the Rotorua race I went to Brisbane with my girlfriend to stay with her father (he's the man, paid for my tickets). Most of my training there was on the road, and through way too many traffic lights.

When I got back to NZ I picked up a cold straight away which then developed into a chest infection over Christmas which sucked but didn't stop me having an awsome time with the cousins making bike tracks.

After Christmas it was straight back into training coming up to the first round of the national series, but the chest infection was hanging on. I was not expecting a good result..

National Series Round One Tauranga 9/1/11

For this race I wanted to maintain a solid pace throughout and not wither away towards the end. From the gun the pace was hot, everybody wanted a good posistion before the first single track, which was a steep climb to the top. I entered the single track in 7th or 8th and worked my way into the top four by the end of the first lap. From there I took over second posistion and held it to the last lap. I passed the Leader on the final lap and took out first place in my first ever Elite Mens race, which was very sweet.

I really enjoyed the course and want to give a big thanks to Ash and Chris for making such an awsome course; also big thanks to anybody that helped them. My Scott Scale 10 felt amazing on this course, making the uphills and the downhills feel like a breeze (unill the last lap .. cramp ahh). Couldn't have askd for anything better than Leppin for a tough race like that, and it kept me going hard and fast

80km Huka Challenge, Taupo 27th Nov 2010

I awoke at 3am (probably wasn't the best idea) to start packing the car, eat breakfast, and finish the final preparations for the big day ahead. Mum, Aroha and I were out the door by five and making our way to Taupo for the Huka's 7am early start. The horn blew and the pace was hot from the gun. I managed to keep up with the front bunch for about 20 min, from there on I rode mostly by myself keeping a strong pace in the single track but losing a lot of time on the roads.
Eventually a group of four including Carl Jones caught up to me in the last 15km. Carl decided to make an attack and I just held dropping the other guys. Towards the end my legs gave up and Carl dropped me and I  finished in 8th overall. This is the first race I have competed in on my new Scott Scale 10 and so far I'm loving it, it is light and stiff making easy work of the hills and is really comfortable allowing me to focus more on the race and less on a sore back. I was also racing on Leppins Enduro Booster mix which was great for this race giving me a big energy boost towards the end and holding off cramp the entire race.

Overall the Huka Challenge has great single track and is an awesome race that you would not want to miss!

Finish of the Huka Challenge