The Roost // Issue 5 by Robert Conroy

Roost the

ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY - MARCH

free

the contents Regulars 4 5 6 - 7

Fifteen Seconds of Frame // Liam Daley Lucky 7’s // Lewis Kerr Bike Check // Conor Bullard

Short Reports 8 - 11 Gravity Cup Round 3 // Mt Stromlo 12 - 15 All Mountain Cup Round 3 // Mt Stromlo 16 - 19 All Mountain Cup & Gravity Cup Final Round // Awaba 20 -23 Rocky Trail Roller Coaster Round // Del Rio Features 24 -39 40- 45

Australian Mountain Bike Championships 2012 The Mont 24hr 2012

Interview 46 - 54

Dani Beecroft // The Interview

Editor/designers/photoguy/writers Waffle This is still primarily a one man band that goes for the design of this mag, the photos, more than half the stories and a lot more web and facebook than a human can handle. However I could not have done it without so much help from others, others who can see just what this mag and web page are trying to achieve. Thank you especially to the two Liam’s that is both Renaut and Howarth who put up with more than their fair share of the paranoid crap that comes out of my mouth online or otherwise. To everyone phenomenal I met over the period of the Nationals, all the filmers Liam Renaut, Sean Anderson, Jake Lucas, Ty Bowmaker, Joe Killen, Michael McClean and Leon Fry, the big wig Mick Ross for being the all round nice guy I wasn’t expecting, the great photographers Dave Bateman, Tim Bardsley Smith, Chris Fox, Jayden Ostwald, Sean Lee and Shane Wee. Thanks again to Leon Fry and Sean Lee again who I met all the way back at the first round of the nationals, who show just as much passion or undoubtedly more to showcase the WA riding scene. The Stevens crew you are all legends, Jon Odams, Blake Nielsen, Nigel and Chris of Pedal for Pierce thanks for your support. To the event organisers MTBA, Martin & Juliane and Fi & Joe and many more thank you for giving me/ us the chance to cover your events. Lastly if you’ve made it down this far to YOU thank you for taking the time to read through this magazine. Thats it thats my Oscar worthy speech so get on and keep reading.

FIFTEEEN Seconds OF

frame

RIDER : Blake Nielsen Photographer : Liam Daley Location : Unknown.

lucky

LEWIS KERR / VIC Lewis is the manager of one of Australias premier downhill teams, TrailMix Procon. Starting the team pretty much off his own back, the bloke is a legend so we decided to ask him a few pointless questions.

Movies - The Tipping Point - 3 Minute Gaps - The Shawshank Redemption - Forest Gump - Hot Rod - Finding Nemo Bad habits of the Trailmix – Procon Racing team - Slow to get out of bed - They are all bad cooks - Cleaning up after them - Crashing Best things about Trailmix – Procon Racing - The mateship - The roadtrips - The views and things we have seen together - We all bond well, but with so much time on the road together we don’t really have a choice either! -My cooking

- Getting to ride our bikes all summer!

from a 100m cliff face, there is nothing like it!

Food - Pizza - Spaghetti - Servo pies and sausage rolls - BBQ Shapes - Chicken biscuits - I survived this whole season on the above foods!

Words to describe Jai Motherwells Mullet - I don’t want to talk about it.

Beer - Whiskey! - from a bottle, never a can! Super Models - Any… Eye candy is eye candy, lets not get picky now… Favourite Trails Favorite I have ridden would be a secret trail network in the Melbourne area, or some single track back where I grew up right on the coast. Railing berms and drops just meters 5

People - Wayne Hepburn - Dylan Coulson - the guys and girls at Specialized Australia - Phil Wood - Wayne Zwar - the team at Trailmix. Songs you have on repeat - Traditions - Anchors, - The Gaslight Anthem - Blink 182 - Parkway Drive - anything acoustic Areas you want to get tattooed - arms - torso - feet

Roadtrips - After spending just over 60 days on the road this year for work and the team, I can’t narrow it down to a favorite road trip this year. Everything I have done, everyone I have met, and everyone involved with the team has made this the best summer of my memory. Can’t wait to do it all again next year! Things to hit up on the Bucketlist - The Northern Lights - bungee jump from the highest jump I can find - skydive - road trip around USA, Canada and Mexico in a shitty little van - streak a major sporting event - learn to scuba dive

CONOR’S BILT Full Name : Conor Francis Bullard Age : 17 Sponsors : Bilt Bikes Tell us a little about the bike ? It is a Bilt Eight frame from Bill Dengate of Bilt Bikes here in Canberra. It the first of the production run before the general release. I started riding a prototype last year, and have used this bike most of this year’s national series. The bike is so good, the fastest bike I have ridden. Lots of fun. How long have you been riding this frame ? Since 10 January this year. So how does the current Bilt compare to the prototypes ? I was riding a small/medium prototype, and this is a medium/large, so it

handled a little different. Really good straight line speed, and corners really well. This has new linkages so it seems stiffer in the rear too. Apart from that still awesome like the protos. Any special modifications you’ve made ? Gold gear cable ferrules and headset spacers. This is the bike you took through all the nationals, hows it handle on all the various trails ? The Bilt frame handles amazing at all the tracks i have rode this year. I wouldn’t want any other bike. Where can we expect to see you next ? Next race will be the ACT CORC champs at Stromlo in April. 6

SPECS frame - Bilt Eight shock - Cane Creek Double Barrel fork - Boxxer World Cup 2011 stem - Sunline Direct Mount bars - Bilt 750 head set - Cane Creek Angle Set grips - Bilt Lock Ons shifters/deraileurs - SRAM X9 9 speed seatpost - Funn seat – Pro vulture (white) brakes/rotors - Shimano Saints crank - Shimano Saints chain - SRAM 971 9 speed cassette – SRAM PG970 12-32 pedals - Funn Cobra wheelset – Mavic Deemax silver tyres - Maxxis Minion Front/Schwalbe Muddy Mary Rear tubes - Maxxis freeride special mods - None Weight – 18 kg

Brosnan had now beaten Hill fair and square on two occasions and the rabble were beginning to talk. At the previous round, Brosnan put a clear five seconds into Hill and It is well documented that Hill doesn’t particularly like Mt Stromlo. However with a fifth at World Champs here in 09 and a improved top section, that would greater suit Hills style, the outcome of the race looked far more uncertain then people wanted to realise. Obviously The Specialized duo had a stranglehold on the series and neither had a inkling of letting it go, one of the many frustrations of the main field. Designed and implemented by Ben Cory, the new section runs from a new start mound closer to the observatory from there down to the bridge completely by-passing the beginning of the world cup track. Designed not as a replacement but as a easier alternative for beginners to the sport avoiding the drops and the harshness of the rock garden the older trail offered. Basically all this meant was that everything on the new trail could be rolled with ease if desired. Large drops may have been replaced by smaller versions but the technical aspect far out

LET THEM TALK GRAVITY CUP RD 3 // MT STROMLO

weighed that of the old. Flat corners, cornering and jumping onto rocks, jumping over rocks into a series of off camber corners, plenty to master and love here. Riders really seemed to be loving it.

Friday practice was essentially rained out, however riders still turned up in two’s and threes eager to sample the new section. Most riders left after a few runs keen to get out of their wet kit. With predicted rain all weekend Saturday was a surprisingly different story. The unpredictable weather of Stromlo had turned once more and Saturday turned into a bright sunny day. Much of the trail had dried out but one particular corner in the new section had developed a spring and was doing its best to bog riders. Hill was looking at home on the off camber upper section, quashing jumps and staying low and was in general looking good for the win. Brosnan was looking up there but didn’t appear to be feeling the track as much as Hill. Other threats in elites included Ben Cory the track builder, a string of local riders including Tim Eaton. Atkinson and Boyer last years rivals were always not to far from the podium but it was relative new comer Todd Madsen of WA who was the darkhorse. Camping out all week he knew the tracks ins and outs.

U19’s Dave McMillan , Thomas Crimmins, Joey Vejvoda and Luke Ellison were all looking fast after a little sneaky practice in the week leading up to the event. It didn’t hurt that some were locals. Like wise Dean Lucas was looking faster than usual whilst Connor Fearon would be keen to impress, even if as many believed the track was not his style. Come Quali’ time,Tracey Hannah put down another easy pole position. Dean Lucas surprised himself a little when he took top spot in U19’s but it was straight forward affair after that. Vejvoda,Crimmins, McMillan, Fearon filled in the remaining podium spots. First year U19’s Brent Smith made another appearance in the top ten looking to shake things up in finals with a seventh whilst Northern Territory’s finest Ellison was in sixth. Brosnan qualified in first with a three second buffer on course creator Cory whilst Madsen surprised many to qualify third. Hill was back in fifth with ample time to make up tomorrow. Race day turned out to be another fine day, not so much for Ben Cory however. Taking one of the nastiest over the bars ever seen during the morning practice, he landed on his head and shoulder. It looked like no major damage but he was “out” for the race. A crash second only to Jai Motherwells now world famous over the bars at triple treat resulting in a nice taco’ed wheel. Riders spent the afternoons practice session re checking lines or attempting to make existing ones. There was a little hype surrounding a gap towards the bottom of the course which is colloquially known as “Sam Hills Gap”. Not any more. The line required a rider to boost off a small mound from a run in that was difficult to hold speed on, and land on a downramp several meters away. Brosnan and Hill both had the line dialled whilst Eaton also had it within his grasp and Atkinson also came very close but in the end opted for the pump and quash. The line was worth milliseconds but had the ability to separate the top five. Dani Beecroft kicked things off taking the win once more in the U19’s females with a 2:54.28 which would have been enough for second in elite. Trent Pirribauer was the first real danger to the hot seat as the U19’s entered the top ten seeders. Smith was unable to beat the clock and finished eventually in 6th. Luke Ellison was next and he had been looking faster and faster with every run, his time was enough to claim the hottest but with Fearon up next anything was possible. Fearon took the hot seat. McMillan made a few mistakes and slotted into fifth whilst Thomas Crimmins finished off the podium for the first time at a National race. The first! A slide out in a upper corner and clip-out mid air at the bottom put him down in 8th. Down to the final two, Vejvoda has a smooth run but its not enough for the hot seat. Dean Lucas had been (to over use a phrase) looking hungry for the win and certainly looked like he had everything sorted for the win. It was not to be, a crash in the final tree section before “bunnywalk” ended his race hopes finishing in 12th. Fearon held the hot seat for the win, Vejvoda second and Ellison a extremely happy third. Ahh the controversy. Ricky Boyer had seeded well with a 8th but put everything into his final run making a early grab at the hot seat. However with a stacked field ahead it would take a lot to hold it. Cannan and Atkinson came down to no avail but next up was Hill. Coming down on a flyer but something is wrong, a bent crank arm makes it hard 10

to pedal but Sam Hill still goes into the hot seat. A 2:16.85 three seconds faster than Brosnans seeding time but will it be enough. Eaton has minor issues to finish fifth behind Boyer but what has the new guy got to show. Madsen comes down with a time to place him in a now guaranteed podium position, the first in Elite Men for the Western Australian. Cory was next but with the crash earlier decided not to race, only Brosnan left. Brosnan comes into view sprinting like no tomorrow he crosses the line with a 2:14.40 the fastest run of the weekend and the win. There will be some debate as to whether Hill could have beat Brosnan had his bike been in full working order but thats racing. Either way the gap from third to first was almost six seconds, the two Specialized boys are on another level.

Top L -R : Tracey Hannah navigates a technical upper section, Dean Lucas is on fire he was a little unlucky this race but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be back with a vengance. Bottom : Two of WAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest Sam Hill on the left and newcomer Todd Madsen on the right

his was one of only two rounds where the cross country/ All Mountain Cup was separate to the Gravity Cup, which made for a much more relaxed vibe. Especially for those of us in the media contingent. There was no hustling between events just time to sit back and enjoy the action. Friday started off bright and sunny but the mount. was hiding a greater threat. Super D practice did not start till two in the afternoon but when I arrived mid morning racers were casually completing laps on the XCO course. Surveying lines and checking the course layout for passing opportunities. Riders slowly began to prep for the afternoons festivities. In particular Josh Carlson and Andy Blair who were enjoying some bright yellow goggles they had acquired. As the shuttle bus approached the top the back side of the mountain looking out toward the brindabellas revealing dark almost black rainclouds. Those on top prayed it would head in another direction but everyone knew it was heading straight for the Mount.

Storm IN A TEACUP ALL MOUNTAIN CUP RD 3 // MT STROMLO

Practice got underway utilising a trail many are familiar with especially if they have attended the scott 24hr. Traveling up to the crest just past the observatory it then descended using the crowd favourites Skyline and Luge to descend to the finish line. Most riders only achieved one practice run before the storm hit and the storm hit hard. Riders and officials raced to find shelter down in the carpark whilst those on the hill struggled to find something to cover themselves. A marshall and I huddled under a large pine tree, we stuck it out whilst lightening struck and hail fell both quite happy when the storm passed 15 minutes later.

The show must go on and as soon as the storm had officially started racing was underway. Elites first so as not to get caught amongst the read of the field. Josh Carlson was surely the favourite for the Super D after having a straight flush of the series so far. Carlson has stated he wasn’t feeling the win so much today but we would have to wait to see what results transpired. Carlson’s gut feeling was right, newly returned Chris Jongewaard took the win, a expert bike handler he is not to be underestimated. Carlson finished a solid second whilst Paul Van Der Ploeg the powerhouse finished in third. In Elite Women local Bec Henderson knocked a undefeated Jenni King off the top spot for the first time this season. Henderson would be a major threat to King’s chances tomorrow. Kyle Ward showed some grit and determination to best Jack Haig and Trenton Day in U23’s. Meanwhile a few downhiller’s with a week off had decided to try their hand with cross country’s finest. Joey Vejvoda took the win in U19’s with a time to rival the elite top 5 but it would be a completely different story tomorrow. After waking up on a couch at Uni Res which may or may not have seen many bodies before I headed back out to the track to catch the XCO. Overcast skies presided over the Elite Womens start, Bec Henderson lead of strong putting half a minute into Jenni King back in second by the end of the first lap. It wasn’t enough. By the third lap King had made up the distance and put equal the time on Henderson again, King is just unstoppable this season. The track was relatively flat with very minor climbing and for those still on the scott 24hr wavelength it was the blue lap. Heading out to the Willos lnk interchange before returning, it would be the constant cornering and pumping that could tire out a rider here. There was ample fireroads for passing opportunities but also for building potential breakaways. Back behind the two front runners Kath O’Shea and Jenny Fay were working hard to reel in them back in. It appears Henderson had gone out too hard and soon fell to the pursuers. In U19’s there was a strong battle for one and two developing between Holly Harris and Emily Parkes. Parkes was using some sneaky inside lines but it just wasn’t enough to get in front of Harris by the end of the day. Kyna Millan rode strong to finish in third. Amy Austin rode smooth to finish first in U23’s. King rode comfortably to the win with the duel behind ending with Kath O’Shea in second, Fay in third and Henderson was able to hold on to fourth. In the mens even before the race had begun there was controversy, Jongewaard was looking to start on uci points rather than series points and ready to protest. However nothing ever came to fruition. Dan McConnell with a win up his sleeve would be a major player whilst Jongewaard could never be counted out but spending little to no time racing lately, his form was largely unknown. The race began and a group of all the usual favourite formed almost instantly PVDP (Paul Van Der Ploeg) , Jongewaard, Taberlay, McConnell, Blair, Norris and Carlson were all there. In the U23’s a group comprising of Trenton Day, Luke Fetch, Jack Haig and Robbie Hucker were leading off the front and were already beginning to catch the Elite group. Lap 3 and Jongewaard was leading in elites with PVDP close behind whilst McConnell was a close third. The fourth lap was when everything changed Jongewaard was dropping in pace, McConnell working on a slow build approach made 14

the gap and powered off the front. PVDP and Taberlay were left to fight for minor positions. Meanwhile the U23’s group had worked their way up as far as seventh position in the elite field. Day got a flat on the penultimate lap which knocked him out of the lead group. Only a lap before Haig suffered a issue with his front derailure leaving him with only his smallest ring. On a power driven course this was a major setback but he pushed hard to gain the group once more. When Day got his flat Fetch was able to gain the advantage he needed and with the mechanical issue last race he was certainly looking for the win. Hucker and Haig tried desperately to make the gap but it was Fetch who took the win with Hucker a close second. As fans heckled from the bridge racers came into the final stretch , McConnell continued on to take the win whilst PVDP just couldn’t make the gap back to finish second. Sid Taberlay was able to hold off Jongewaard for third. Point to Point The hardest to observe of all the disciplines, the race is run much like a enduro however a very short one at something like 21km. One direction, one lap racers would head up Mt Stromlo along the ridge but down the less used back side out to the far west carpark back along the flat to the finish. The sun was out today which made for a fine race, Dan McConnell put in another win whilst Taberlay and PVDP switched spots on the podium to finish second and third. Bec Henderson was able to inflict another win to tarnish Kings winning streak whilst Jack Haig was able to make up for the mechanical yesterday for the win in U23’s with Hucker strong on his tale for second. Likewise Day made up for his flat yesterday with a third today. With the next race being the Australian Champs riders would be heading home to train hard and prepare themselves for the heated racing Adelaide would surely offer.

Clockwise : Dan McConnell, Carlson and Blair are hardcore, Bec Henderson leads out the womens field, Jenny Fay and Kath O’Shea make a dangerous duo. Upper Right : Luke Fetch eyes on the prize. 15

RAIN HAIL OR SHINE I know such a cliche title but no words could be more accurate here. The weekend started of wet rainy, muddy, sodden and then miraculously became sunny sunday. The cross country and downhill saw a rather small turn out this round, as it was on the back of the Australian Championships only just a weekend prior. Many of the seniors in the cross country were missing. All in deep preparation for the World Cups, so, the field was pretty much wide open. Trenton Day (U23’s) a local stormed past the U23’s field and then the elite field in what were more than atrocious track conditions. Lindsay Gorrell likewise capitalised on the conditions to take the elite womens field. Either walking or riding the scene was pretty similar, MUD. It was everywhere and volunteers were working flat out all weekend to repair holes almost as rapidly as they would appear. You can only feel sorry for the trail builders who have to fix the so heavily beaten trails.

the weather change those perceptions? In the end the general consensus seemed to be that it was a sick track but it would be way better dry. The battle in the elites continued with this being the last chance for Sam Hill to beat his young teammate. Seeding on saturday was a shambles with riders let go at random and was a few minutes before spectators understood what was going on. Brosnan qualified fastest. On sunday the sun came out but did little to change conditions ruts were deep (almost up to 2 ft in some berms) and the surface slick. Connor Fearon came out on top in U19’s whilst Lisa Mathison took the top spot in elite women despite a over the bars. In the elite mens Brosnan crashed into a tree on a extremely brief off the track excursion to come second whilst Hill claimed the win. So ended the final race of the season amid mud and sludge, maybe not the best way to cap it off but hopefully Awaba will be back on the calendar next year in much dryer conditions.

The downhillers had all been looking forward to this round. Especially with more than a few rumours circulating of “the most world cup worthy track in australia”, would 16

Left Page clockwise : Sam Hill comes through a technical corner during finals, Take not when the ground beneath you is mush bring hay. Ben Leslie smashes through a section. Right Page Clockwise : Ben Bradley still smiles despite a broken chain, Connor Fearon U19â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner, Lindsay Gorrell pushes through the mud and Troy Brosnan takes on one of the most bogged sections 18

New kid on

the block ROCKY TRAIL ROLLER COASTER - DEL RIO - 18 MARCH WORDS - Blake Nielsen Photos - Robert Conroy

Â Recently I raced the first round of the Rocky Trail Entertainment Roller Coaster Super D series and it was a huge success. Although the Hawksbury area has had an abysmal summer with more rain than shine, the track located at the ever popular Del Rio was amazing. The only disappointment was the last singletrack section was culled late in practice due to a ridiculous amount of mud. Which made it near impossible for the 100 or so competitors to get through at all. The rest of the track was amazing including fast, open fire roads, tight rutted corners, a small pinch

uper D is a relatively new genre of racing and it is growing rapidly. It could be considered a combination of two disciplines Cross Country & Downhill with a bright future. Being a time trial in nature, all of the pressure is on you, no other competitors to get tangled up with on the start line or stuck behind in the tighter sections you might find on a Cross Country race track. Racing against the clock has its own troubles, playing upon and affecting the mental aspects of the mind in training and also getting in the zone when it comes to crunch/race time.Â

climb or two, water crossings not to mention a few rock garden sections which wouldn’t have been out of place on a Downhill track. You can’t forget the long tar sprint to the finish line which tested the fitness levels of every competitor. The track builders had done an amazing job in such a short amount of time, the track flowed really well. The track may have been short but you could easily put yourself in the hurt box.

in front of Vanessa Thompson and National DH rider Jo Fox. However it wasn’t all about the upper classes with riders from expert to juniors pushing the limits. Perhaps it was lucky the finish line was in a grass field as riders crossed the line only to fall amongst the grass and share stories of their crazy runs. Super D & All Mountain tracks are growing in popularity, with Mt. Bullers new Stonefly trail being one of the most popular. The 2011/2012 National series saw Super D races being held at Perth, Mt. Buller, Mt. Stromlo & Awaba. The fast natured feel & all out physicality of Super D racing will assure that more & more competitors will flock to the coming races to try there hand in the newest form of MTB racing. With the MTBA & Rocky Trail Entertainment behind it, there will be a lot of racing to be had too, I can assure you there will be exciting things to come from Super D racing!

“Being the first race on this particular track, no one really knew what to expect and in the early stages it really felt like the race was really anybody’s.”

For further images : http://theroostmag.com.au/rocky-trailrollercoaster-gallery/

The race schedule was similar to that of a Downhill event, a group practice in the morning, consisting of as many shuttled practice runs as you felt necessary. Then a short break for lunch and onto timed race runs. There were 2 timed runs, the faster of your 2 runs counted. Being the first race on this particular track, no one really knew what to expect and in the early stages it really felt like the race was really anybody’s. This definitely showed in the different equipment that racers were using. Everything from Cross Country hardtails to duel suspension bikes to all mountain trail bikes to the heavier downhill and jump style bikes. Full face helmets, skate park lids, lycra & baggy shorts. You name it, it was there. The favoured bike for this particular track seemed to be the shorter travel dualies, but at the end of the day it’s all comes down to the rider. Michael Vanos took the win in the premier elite field ahead of some tough competion from Nash Kent, Michael Crummy, Blake Nielsen to name a few. Sarah Booth took the womens 23

AUSTRALIAN Mountain Bike CHAMPIONSHIPS ADELAIDE 23RD - 26TH FEB 2012 While the Australian Champs may not be World Champâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, it is certainly the most important race on the Australian racing calendar. Everyones searching for the title, the juniors abandon school and the seniorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skip work just for a chance to wear the fabled green and gold jersey. A chance to wear the stripes and represent Australia domestically and internationally. The trails at Eagle MTB Park are not unfamiliar to many contenders having been the chosen venue for Champs the last three years and a national round before that. Dry and dusty under the harsh radelaide sun racers would have to be at their physical and mental peak to claim the title. With a plethora of big names heralded to make a appearance this week/end and a forecast of endless sun, it should make for some epic tight racing.

Dan Mc Connell on his way to the stripes

Thursday // Team Relay After arriving mid way through Wednesday and par-taking in a track walk with a few mates this was the first time I really got to see the venue. Apart from the enforced $2 entry fee everyday the place was great, everything was centralized around the pits with every track no more than 2 minutes walk away. What more could you ask for? Thursday morning. The downhillers hit the 2 minute long track with gusto in open practice. Temperatures were already in the mid 30â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and the trail was already beginning to blow out but that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop them. Whilst the downhillers hit the hill the first event got underway with the Team Relay. Due to the strict criteria it was a fairly small affair with only 6 teams entered composed of various teams and clubs. To enter teams required one veterans rider, one elite rider male, one junior rider and one female rider from any catergory. With only 6 riders on track at the one time riders were fairly well spaced out, Torq led from the outset and would go on to claim their first win of the weekend. Coming into second was CORC followed by a team from Perth Mountain Bike Club.

Friday // The 4x Friday was yet another laid back day of practice for Downhillers and the competition for the younger Cross Country riders kicked off but the main event of the day the 4x was kicking off in the twiglight. Blake Nielsen would be keen to grab the top spot after losing out by just two points in the series overall to Rick Levinson two weeks earlier at Mt Stromlo. Nielsen still has fractured ribs from earlier in the year that refuse to heal, with only a breast plate to protect him. Graeme “Muddy” Mudd would also be present after missing out on the previous two series rounds and would be a major threat on the night. Ryan Hunt, Ryan Chesney and Jared Rando (doing his one bike for every event challenge again) were all also in the mix. Sadly this really did feel like the final nail in the coffin for 4x in Australia with only ten riders total in the elite field and much less in the catagories below. That doesn’t mean spectators weren’t treated to some crazy racing and zesty manouvers, in the first semi Nielsen and Levinson went through whilst in the second Chesny and Mudd went through to the finals. In the Elite Final’s Mudd and Nielsen got the snap out of the gate and were neck and neck into the first turn where Muddy got the shut down and Nielsen was forced behind. Mudd crossed the line in first by a bike length with Nielsen in second whilst good mates Levinson and Chesney in third and fourth.

Far Left Top : Billy Sewell helps the Torq team to gain it’s first of many wins for the weekend. Bottom L to R : The spectators go wild for the Team Relay, Blake Nielsen leads out on the first corner with Ryan Hunt in tow. Top : Your new Australian 4x Champion Graeme Mudd drifts one for the cameras. 27

Saturday // XCO Kicking off in the mid morning sun, the elite women, U23’s and U19’s all hit the course on what was heading to another 35 + degree day. The cross country tracks at Eagle on the Hill are quite beautiful once you have escaped the main quarry where the event centre is. Trails that run through pristine bushland with vistas out toward the sea. Bec Henderson pushed back into U23’s for this race, led out strong on the first lap just in front of Jenni King. Henderson has been riding up amongst the Elite women all series but even she could not hold back the in form King. By the end of the second lap King had made the leap and was holding a large gap on the rest of the field. Rowena Fry a former winner was back in second looking to make the leap. Moving up behind her fast were Jodie Willet, Jenny Fay and Tory Thomas vying for the rest of the podium positions. At one stage Fry looked as if she would close the gap on King but with the temperature increasing she just didn’t find the legs. By race end the gap from the from King in first to Fry in second had gone out to 2:34, whilst Willet was a close running third. Bec Henderson finished number one in U23’s after she put such a large lead in at the beginning of the race. Only passed by the elite podium racers. All she had to do was hold on and not crumble in the heat. Amy Austin fought hard to retain second from Shelly Flood in a crowded womens field. In the U19’s it was a close race all the way with Holly Harris leading off strong early Kyna Millan pushed hard for second. This really is Jenni King’s year undefeated throughout the series and now at champ’s, with only one race left to go you would be stupid to back anyone else. The race now concluded saw the appearance of frozen towels around necks and water poured down backs. The midday sun was at full strength and riders were doing everything they could to keep cool and not just those finishing but those getting ready for the next round. Chris Jongewaard sprinted hard off the line, gaining almost a thirty second lead on the first lap but that would quickly change. Andy Blair, Dan McConnell, Paul Van Der Ploeg (PVDP), Lachie Norris and Sid Taberlay were in a chasing group hard pressed to not let them get away. In the U23’s it was down to a core group of four riders, Trenton Day, Luke Fetch and team mates Robbie Hucker and Jack Haig. Just as the junior riders have been pushing the limits over in the downhill there is no denying a similar thing is taking place in cross country. Consistently these riders have been catching the rear of the elites field and champs was no different.

Clockwise : Champions Holly Harris U19’s & Jenni King, second place Green Edge rider Rowena Fry, U23’s Champion Bec Henderson & Jenni King and Rowena Fry congradulate each other. 28

Trenton Day led with the Torq teammates in hot pursuit but whether it was the heat or the new ride Luke Fetch was dropped from the top three. Jongewaard was fast bleeding through places by the second lap much to everyones surprise. New front runner being Dan McConnell. He was riding in a similar style to that which took him to wins at Mt Buller and Stromlo, off the front, careful and in control. Taberlay suffered a flat but was able to rock it back to the technical zone, however the time was already lost. Hucker admitted that he suffered through the first few laps but somehow found legs again. When it came down to the last two laps he passed Day with team mate Haig hanging onto his wheel they made the break. Forcing a gap on Day they led to the line where Hucker became the U23’s champion. With McConnell out in front the latter part of the race became a dual for the minor places. Blair held second for the first few laps, then PVDP got the leap but by now it was too hard to bridge the gap to McConnell. For third and fourth it all came down to the final lap as Blair pipped Norris on the line. Mc Connell took the green and gold in what was a exciting race. The pit area looked like a warzone, the extreme midday sun had taken its toll on riders. Josh Carlson had fought his way into fifth trying to catch the break away group and when he hit the finish he could barely walk straight. Dean from Torq seated him beneath the water tank and let the water flow on his head, elsewhere the ice cold towels were re emerging as riders made desperate attempts to cool down. Written on faces around were pain, triumph and exhaustion. This was racing at its finest and the day wasn’t over yet.

Left top & Bottom : Robbie Hucker styles is mid air & Josh Carlson shows just how much everyone was suffering in the sun. Top Row : Elite Men Australian Champion Dan McConnell, U19’s Champion Ben Bradley Second Row : Robbie Hucker savours the sweet juices of success, Andy Blair and Lachie Norris support each other after a hard spring to the finish & Paul Van Der Ploeg navigates a tight corner. Third Row :Chris Jongewaard had a tough time of it and was unable to retain the green and gold hopefully we will see more from him when he’s overseas, Andy Blair keeps it low in the air 30

Short Course Champion Paul Van Der Ploeg Bottom L to R : Josh Carlson , Sid Taberlay and the mid race three leaders Dan McConnell, PVDP & Luke Fetch

Sunday / Short Course Cross Country This is the one that brings the crowds this is the one that has people hanging over barriers screaming in riders faces. SCXC. Just to set the scene ,the track started at the main start finish line, up to the 4X track down through the last section of rollers and jumps around the back pits and back to the finish line. All age classes were thrown together in this one and with alot of U23’s pushing the limits of the elites lately it looked like it would be a interesting race. Women were up first and I missed most of their race. You see rooming with a few downhillers, I had to coax one out of bed before I could get them to drive me to the track. One hire car amongst four blokes. Bec Henderson took the win from Rowena Fry whilst Kath O’Shea was back in third. In the mens Chris Jongewaard looking to make up for the mistakes of the day before led out strong. Only a few laps later he was forced out due to a mechanical, all to eager to take his place were the familiar faces of Dan McConnell and Paul VDP. Hot on their tails was Luke Fetch, Robbie Hucker , Sid Taberlay and a bunch more all looking like they could take the win. Only a quarter of a way through the twenty laps plenty more could happen. The battle off the front revolved around McConnell and PVDP, a leadership that changed several times but neither dropped back beneath second position for the whole race. The turbulence was behind, Fetch held on for a few laps but slumped mid race eventually climbing back into 5th. Then it was the U23 duo of Haig and Hucker, Hucker was briefly in third before teammate Haig took up the mantle. Late bloomer Lachie “Chuck” Norris looked like he might be up for it but didn’t have the legs for the distance (4th) and it was Sid Taberlay who rode consistently into third. On the second to last lap PVDP made the leap on McConnell holding the gap till the end where he triumphantly held his hands aloft in the V for victory. The new Australian Short Course champion.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONS 2012 DOWNHILL

CROSS COUNTRY OLYMPIC

Elite Men // Troy Brosnan Elite Women // Tracey Hannah U 19 Male // Connor Fearon U 19 Female // Danielle Beecroft U 17 Male // Max Warshawsky U 17 Female // Tegan Molloy Veteran Male // Karl Peel U 15 Male // Remy Morton Masters // Andy Murnane Super Masters // Steven Bullard Expert // Luke Reynolds Sport // Knut Wunderlich Junior Hardtail // Daniel Campbell Senior Hardtail // Matt Pearce

Elite Men // Dan McConnell Elite Female // Jenni King U 23 Male // Robbie Hucker U 23 Female // Bec Henderson U 19 Male // Ben Bradley U 19 Female // Holly Harris U 17 Male // Reece Tucknott U 17 Female // Ellie Wale Veteran Male // Jarrod Moroni Veteran Female // Stefanie Van Amerongen U 15 Male // Liam Jeffries U 15 Female // Sarah Tucknott Master Male // Jon Gregg Master Female // Donna Dall Super Masters Male // Craig Peacock Super Masters Female // Sharon Heap Grand Master Male // Bruce Dickey Expert // Matt King Sport Male // Tim Rowe Sport Female // Anna Puckridge

4X Elite Men // Graeme Mudd U 17 Male // Callum Morrison U15 Male // Stephen Henderson Vet Male // Tom Gilfedder Sport Men // Matt Pearce

SHORT COURSE CROSS COUNTRY Open Men // Paul Van Der Ploeg Open Female // Bec Henderson U 19 Male // Billy Sewell Sport Male // Peter Kreilis

TRIALS Pro 26” // Andrew Dickey Pro 20” // Nathan Mummery Elite // Owen Gwillam Sport // Kyle Rolands Novice // Jeffrey Solomano

TEAM RELAY Torc Nutrition

Saturday/ DH Seeding After several extra days of practice it was time for riders to make it count. All the big names were in town, Hill, Brosnan, Kovarik, Graves, Delfs, Whillemse and more. With such a pool of Aussie talent it certainly would be hard to break through into that top ten. It was no different in U19’s with the likes of Crimmins, Vejvoda, Fearon, Lucas and MacMillan all keen for the title. The track in Adelaide was short with most times coming in at just over two minutes, there was little room for mistakes. Scorching conditions in the lead up to the race left the trail bone dry and dusty for practice but by seeding holes were beginning to appear. Local Troy Brosnan knew the ins and outs of the track and with his current form throughout the national series would be the one to beat. In one practice session I witnessed him come through the chute section, where the trail drops pretty much head first off the ridge line. Where most riders were dabbing their brakes trying to hold their line, Brosnan came sliding in side ways before skating through the off camber and railing the bottom corner, nuts! The kid was carrying some serious speed and bar a off looked to be the sure thing for the weekend. Hill was up to his usual calculated ways cruising through practice not giving too much away. The team mates, were also rooming together at Brosnans place, things would be tense come race day I’m sure. Graves had returned to the scene after racing a national or two in New Zealand. Still dropping the bulk muscle from 4X to achieve a more downhill phsyique ,he was looking strong and smooth on track aboard his new ride. Kovarik was also looking like another strong contender, having won here before. First spotted drifting through the car park and later destroying every berm on track the man is a machine. The golden light hit the quarry track and seeding got underway. Dean Lucas took the top spot in U19’s with local Fearon tucked into second. It looks as if it would be a battle between the two Kona teammates on Sunday. Occasionally whilst standing on track you will get that guy who absolutley destroy’s a section, leaving you with a open mouth going what what was that? Well thats Peter Knott who was the surprise seed in third, a relative unknown the kid is nuts. No surprises in Elite Women with Tracey Hannah taking Jill Kintner by a second. Times were looking like they might be going under the two minute mark this weekend when Brosnan laid a 2:01.86 for top pole. With Hill almost three seconds back it looked like it would be another battle to break into that green and gold Jersey this weekend. Jared Graves was also up there in third whilst Todd Madsen in form from his Mt Stromlo third was comfortably in fourth.

Top Row :Tracey Hannah takes the high line, Tom Crimmins foot out flat out & Dean Lucas more than a next big thing. Bottom Row : Jill Kintner rails one, Connor Fearon off the brakes through the chute, Look at the Time! 36

SUNDAY / The Downhill After many days of sun and heat it looked at if the rain might have finally come. Many were hoping the clouds would burn off after the mornings Short Course, instead they only got darker. The only thing was to pray it held off till after finals. Nervous faces were spotted around the pits as the final practice got underway, with the green and gold on the line it was all or nothing today. The U17’s were the ones to watch in the mornings racing. Andy Crimmins had been the favourite all week and with a cleansweep of the season thus far, why shouldn’t he be? However a flat very early in his run dashed his hopes of the podium, pushing him down into 14th to say he was disappointed was a understatement. Many expected Aiden Varley to take it now but it was not to be with relative unknown Max Warshawsky of QLD who took the win. There was a brief break and then the final practice got underway. Riders flooded down the course at first, all keen to see how the track conditions had changed. But as the race neared closer it fell to a trickle, whilst the crowd grew with downhill enthusiasts, group B racers, cross country riders and locals to a increasingly large size. Dani Beecroft was always set for the win in U19’s but was aspiring for a time that would have given her a elite womens podium. She admitted she made a few mistakes under pressure and finished with a 2:25.21 which was two seconds slower than her seeding. However it would have given her third in elite. David McMillan was the first real threat of the day coming down with a 2:06.08 but with the top seeding time three seconds faster it was just a matter of time before someone took his spot. Jai Motherwell seemed to be on a flyer but coming into the final section he went off a drop nose heavy and went over the bars his race was over. Into the top ten, Brent Smith warmed the seat briefly with 2:06.06 before a rider later Thomas Crimmins took over. Vejvoda missed his chance and so did new comer Peter Knott finishing 6th and 4th. Crimmins was guranteed a podium but it was now time to see what this young Kona duo could do. 2011 Australian U19’s Champ, Connor Fearon was on course looking to make it a double, crossing the line in 2:02.15 he went straight into the hot seat. He barely had time to relax before Lucas appeared through the trees, railing berms, pedaling in the right places it looked like he might have it. Crossing the line he collapse’s over his stem, a 2:03.00 flat it wasn’t enough. Not enough for the win but its a Kona one two, Fearon Aus Champ and Lucas in second. Crimmins slots into third, a happy return to the podium after the misfortune of the previous round. The rain begins, sprinkling, it barely even disturbs the dusty surface. A group of people behind me make bets on which rider will win and the final time for small change. The brief wait is over and the first of the Elite Women break through the tree line but everyone was waiting for the final two. Jill Kintner the American was closest to Hannah in seeding and was by far the greatest threat. Coming through the final corners Kintner looked like she was on a good time but a flat coming of the drop saw her fish tailing over the finish line into second. This left it wide open for Tracey Hannah finishing with a 2:15.07 she smoked the field by over eight seconds for the green and gold stripes. 38

The crowd were going off, the U19’s had come up the hill to join in the heckling and the stage was set for the finals. Will Rischbeith (9th) came down first after a mix up at the start hut and held the hot seat right into the top ten. Prop’s go to Luke “The Import” Ball for his breakthrough tenth. From here on in the brunt of the Australian elite took over, literally as Kovarik briefly muscled his way into the hot seat. Bryn Atkinson didn’t seem to have it slotting into fifth. Contolling his lines, holding speed and keeping low over the jumps Rhy Willemse suprised himself when he went into the hot seat. The sound of a crunching hub could be heard amongst the rabble as Sam Hill descended, after the mechanical at Mt Stromlo this was the last thing he wanted. Still he went fastest and everyone held their breath as Brosnan powered through the berms, hit the drop before losing their collective minds as he scrubbed the hip jump, slid through the final corners and crossed the line as the only rider to go sub 2 minutes. The ecstatic Brosnan claims the title, the green and gold and the right to wear the Australian sleeve overseas. Hill looked obviously shattered at the finish line but you have to wonder if he had a problem free bike, could he have taken Brosnan on the day? With only one round left less than a week away at Awaba there was plenty of time to tell. This was also the last Australian championships for Eagle Park but hopefully a national round will return next year. Now teams would be celebrating their various wins before focusing on the final round just a week away.

Jared “Grubby” Graves, Sam Hill takes the inside line, Rhys Willemse powers out of the corner and Bryn Atkinson whips it in front of the crowd 39

THE MONT

KOWEN FOREST MIDDAY THE 24TH till

MIDDAY THE 25TH

MARCH

words and photos : Robert Conroy

twenty twelve

Top :Le Mans style starts are always interesting. Bottom : Mark Tupalski lead out the first lap and was first through the beer garden. The Beer Garden. 42

he best laid plans almost came to naught at this years Mont 24. With a string of enduro’s postponed due to the recent rain, it certainly looked like the Mont would be next to visit the chopping block. Luckily organisers saw the light. To use a frequently over used term, the Mont is one of the premier “feel good” events of the year and riders turn up from the farthest corners of the country to sample the flowy trails. Driving into the campsite late friday evening, the area was shrouded in darkness betraying the true behemoth size of the Mont that was lurking just beyond the fireroad. I stumbled into the event centre and came across the finals of the Rawhide rollers. The tent was packed and the beers were flowing, please don’t ask me who won this one. I heard the words three way tie and went back to the car to sleep. Big day tomorrow.

their bikes signs are made and flags are flown which ranges from the relatively normal to the downright weird. Highlights include a Johnny Howard placard, a pirate flag, stolen bunting and a beware of polar bear sign. The gun was never heard up in the forest but next thing it was pandamonium as riders raced to bikes and off down the road. Having to complete a extra two kilometers on top of a regular lap, there was plenty of time for the masses to spread out.

Saturday heralded blue skies, perfect race weather. I have been to the Mont and similarly the Scott before but the amount of people gets me every time. Where else do you get to see several thousand like minded bike riders in the one place. Tents in every direction, spread over what is usually a grazing paddock, from the edge of the forest to the road. Thousands.

About an hour later it was time for the first transition, a crowd three riders deep on all sides were looking to see who would break the treeline first. Mark Tupalski of Onya bicycles charging in first with Andy Blair, Andrew Arthur and Sid Taberlay quick to follow. Slowly the masses started to return all forced down into one tiny fence lined corridor into timing but luckily no crashes. Yet.. Forced to walk through timing riders then had to find their teammate and pass on the “passport” (a card which had team details and some contact numbers) before sprinting off for the next lap.

The cars continued to roll in as time ticked down to the race. Plenty of time to mill about meet old friends and decide who was the unlucky soul who got to run the le mans start. A quick race briefing for the newbies and it was runners to the toilet blocks and team mates and bikes to the forest. Oh and break out the banners! To direct running teammates to 43

Not to be rude but if I have any gripe with the Mont organising it would have to be with how the announcers conducted themselves in this instance. A rider had just returned from the first lap when his teammate wasn’t there to meet him. Which is bad enough and as the announcers say is a “cardinal sin”. However, what I don’t agree with is their choice to instruct the crowd to boo said missing rider. Thanks guys but mob mentality and booing thats not how you promote the sport of mountain biking. On with the fun. The mass in transition began to splinter as the race settled in and racers spread out over the course. There are not many now who have not heard of the Kowalski brothers trail building prowess. Responsible for the epic flow of the almost 20km windy singletrack, you would have to say they hit the nail on the head. Smiles all round its would seem for I did not hear a single cross word about the trail all weekend. Each section had a funky name from “snakes in the grass” (where there were rubber snakes trackside) to “magic mushrooms” named after the deadly trailside mushies to “Bliss out” which frankly is exactly what racers did. Punters and weekend warriors pumped out laps whilst the elite racers were trying to crack the leader boards on “Strava” (Strava uses the gps in your phone or garmin to rank you on time through a section). For the most part the vibe out

sight but there was still time to bust out hard laps. Still the vibe out on course was light hearted berms were smashed and “Hero Man” (Supermans more humanoid cousin) was out keeping watch. Camp sites began to disappear into the back of cars and still the minutes counted down and the announcers were right there to bring it home. With only two seconds to spare one last racer squeezed in one final lap. Then it was done, racers closer to the forest shared stories whilst everyone else scrambled for the gate eager to share the stories in the car or over some well deserved maccas. Don’t mistake the eagerness to leave as a willingness to leave. For although 24 hours is a long time, I gurantee you next year they will all return and with their mates as well. Ride the Kow.

on track was fun and chatty with passing made easier with plenty of dual track and even if there wasn’t, in most sections there was plenty of room on the side. Late in the afternoon during my trackside travels a surprise appeared in the form of a drummer who was amongst the “restless natives”. From far off, all I thought was “is that drums?” to “ maybe they’ve moved some speakers out back” nope! It was a drummer with a full drum set banging out the beats. Werid! Riders didn’t seem to mind though, whooping and fist pumping as they went by. As evening came,the lights appeared and as per usual it was all about who would last the night. A major battle seemed to be brewing in the six-pack mixed teams with Merida out in front with a stellar team including Adrian Jackson and the 24hr kingpin Jason English. Jet Cycles were in second with Stevens Bicycles in third both these teams would drop back in the night with wheel trouble affecting both teams.

For further images : http://theroostmag.com.au/the-mont24hr-the-end/

The drummer was replaced with a guitarist, blasting out solos and the race continued into the darkness. That Canberra cold returned with a biting force, arm warmers and the like were required for all without thick skin. Experienced riders employed strategies, dual laps or one off, one on, team work, anything to eek out those extra minutes of sleep and strength. This included the usual deals that were made and the dice thrown to avoid the dawn lap. The coldest part of the night but also the most beautiful part of the day. Morning broke and the smell of bacon and eggs was everywhere in tent city. Clear and dry it was nothing like the rain and water of the previous year. The homestretch was in 45

DANI BEECROFT THE INTERVIEW

You know the usual phrases that grown men spit out when they are afraid of being beaten by a girl? Well Dani Beecroft is the girl they are referring to. She has that all out speed and fearlessness that make competitors tremble and buckle at the knees, a true racer. Having already shown her prowess on the National stage and briefly on the International stage, she has shown she is not a rider to be trifled with. sO WE CAUGHT UP WITH HER FOR A CHAT.

Full Name : Danielle Beecroft Age : 17 Sponsors : Jet Black , Pivot , Adidas , Troy Lee Designs , BSC & Boss fitness Lets kick this off, so you started off in bmx racing. How long did you do that for and what brought about the change to mountain bikes? I started BMX racing when I was 8 and raced till I was about 12. Then one day Brett Barnes said that my riding style was suited toward downhilling. He lent me his Iron Horse ‘Sunday’ to ride down at Thredbo and it just went from there. Do you think racing BMX in your youth has given you a different perspective on racing mountain bikes? Racing bmx has definitely improved my skills on a mountain bike. Till this very day I still go down to the bmx track on my 4x bike and practice my pumping and cornering skills. What was your first real mountain bike? My first real mountain bike was a iron horse sunday which was past down to me from Joanne Fox. It was a amazing bike a definite difference to the fully rigid BMX’s I had been riding. What riders do you look up to for inspiration? Riders like Rachel Atherton and Tracey Hannah , ever since I’ve started racing I have always looked up to them and their riding styles. What is your favourite track to ride in Australia? I love the hard stuff so the steeper and the gnarlier the track the more I like it , so it would be between Mt Buller and Thredbo. 48

You were first picked up by craftworx how did that association come about? When I won the Australian title back in 2011 Craftworx offered me a spot on their team and at the time I was thrilled. Your very skilled at 4x, what do you think of the current state of 4x in Australia? Is this part of the reason why you have turned solely to Downhill now? It’s such a shame to see how 4x has died out throughout the year, it’s very disappointing to see. I was really looking forward to racing the world cup rounds this year against tougher competitors, it would have been a real learning experience. On the other hand I have always had a bigger passion for racing Downhill and as 4x is out of the picture, I have set my sights much more on the downhill this year and not so much 4x which is a little disappointing.

In mid 2011 you headed over to America and Canada, you podiumed at Crankworx against some of the stars of our sport. Can you tell us what led you over there and the a little of your experiences? Crankworx was the most amazing experience. I met some amazing people such as Leigh Donovan , Melissa Buhl , Kill Kintner and Rachel Atherton who all gave me advice and helped me out so much. I was ecstatic to not only compete against them but to also be on the podium in front and alongside them. I pulled a third behind Jill Kintner and Melissa Buhl and I was one second in front of Rachel Atherton. Racing over in the US and Canada with the big girls taught me so much and I’m more than looking forward to the world cups this year. You came away with a few new sponsors didn’t you? Yeah I’am now very happy to be apart of the Troy Lee Designs team, thanks to Leigh Donovan and Craig Glaspell aka stikman. They have been amazing with all there support. Thanks Troy Lee Designs. 51

Coming into the 2011/12 national season you were without a major bike sponsor how did you come to be hooked up with Pivot? Jet Black heard that I was without a bike sponsor and offered me a Pivot Phoenix to ride and it has just gone on from there. I switched from the green decals to the orange on black decal set and with all the components its just a dream ride. Throughout the season it has been pretty much faultless love it. Walking away with the series overall and the Australian Championships, you must be very happy? To be placing second behind Tracey Hannah majority of the time throughout the season. I’d say yeah I am very happy. I trained hard in the lead up to races and always walked every track, picked and followed my lines, tried to keep clam in race runs and it paid off. So now I just have to keep it up for the world cups this year.

You operate on a level above others in U19’s and we quite often see you posting times in elites that would have you on the podium alongside names such as Tracey Hannah. Do you see Tracey as a rival even though you are not in the same category? I’ve never had a rivalry with Tracey she is a bit more of a mentor to me and she is someone I’ve always looked up to in racing. She has always asked me to do runs with her, show me lines she has been a big help in making me the rider I am today. You keep some contact with Tracey, how has this helped your riding? The first time I ever rode a Downhill bike was at a training clinic with Tracey at Thredbo. It was a 2 day clinic with her and she taught me pretty much how to ride a downhill bike and since then I have always looked up to her for inspiration.

Training must be a priority on your daily schedule, so what does a general training session incorporate for you? Everyday of the week I am doing some form of training , -Monday and Wednesday are bootcamp days which work mostly on my cardio. -Tuesday and Friday I do personal training with Boss Fitness focussing on my strength work to improve my overall feel on the bike. -Thursday tends to be my break day so I head out on a light cross country ride or road ride. Chill out a bit. -Saturday and Sunday ride days, some Downhill runs where ever the trails flow.

You’re heading overseas once more this year, tell us a little of those plans. What are your goals whilst your over there? I’m heading overseas in May to do some racing at a few US rounds and two rounds of the World Cup series Mont St Anne and Windham. My goals are to get first place in the World Cups, I’m aiming high but you have to succeed. Do you have any advice for any women looking to come into downhill? Try your hardest and never give up, train hard like you want to win that race and follow your dreams. Thanks for your time. Anyone you would like to thank? Big Thanks to JetBlack , Pivot, Troy Lee Designs , Bsc , Addidas , Boss Fitness and my Dad You can find out everything on Dani’s Pivot Phoenix here : http://theroostmag.com.au/bike-check-dani-beecrofts-pivotphoenix/

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