The more I hang out at club events, the more I come home with a huge buzz about the MTB community as a whole, and the more “racing” becomes a chance to catch up with mates and giggle as people hurl encouragement and funny insults across the singletrack in a great big game of chasies between mates. This weekend even more so, as the Western Sydney and Manly Warringah Mountain Bike Clubs joined forces to host a combined club champs.
On race morning I was feeling pretty nervous about how the day would pan out and what kind of form I would have left after three solid weeks of training. Turns out that none of that mattered as no other A Grade women turned up to race. This was probably due to some riders taking a short break after winter events and the rain that had been forecast for a few days either side of the race – although as the week went on, the rainy forecast moved further away, eventually setting in after I crossed the line and bagged the lonely podium spot. Hopefully as the sport continues to grow, the depth of women’s field will tighten, and there’ll still be racing to be done when a few people take the day off.
The WSMTB AGM is this Friday night in Glenbrook. Please consider coming along to support the club and help the local race scene continue to grow – many hands make light work!
Kath Bicknell 