After having ridden my first season of XCO it turned out that SA Champs was to be held in Stellenbosch at the same course that we had had WP Champs. But the track had a few sections added to it namely the rock garden, a super steep rock drop, a drop through a tree and the log steps – this now made it a top class course that was fit for a National Race.
My first SA XCO Champs! Having got 3rd in my age category at SA Marathon Champs last month I was hoping to at least make it a double podium but where on the podium I wasn’t sure. After a month of driving backwards and forwards to Stellenbosch and riding every inch of the track over and over my preparation was done.
As I am training to be a MTB Commissaire I had to walk the not only the whole XCO course on Thursday but also the DHI course. Walking the course after some rain showed that it was going to be pretty slippery in places.
On Friday morning I woke up to very stiff legs and began to doubt myself. The rain was bucketing down and at registration everyone seemed to be were talking about how wet the course was. The doubt started creeping in… Then we got an email saying that the “A Lines” were to be closed. The sections I had practiced so hard to get right and that I’d counted on to save me time. The worm of doubt dug deeper!
Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day though. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. I was there before sunrise helping with registration and then at 9am I could go and get ready for my race at 10.20. I rode away from the venue with music in my ears and pounded the tar for 20 minutes around Stellenbosch until my nerves and doubts were gone. My mind was calm and I was focussed on doing my best.
The start was delayed a bit so I just kept riding around to keep my legs warm. Then it was time!
We all got called up into our start batches and it was go time. I’m not a fast starter but by the top of the first climb I was sitting third in the group. I was determined to get into the singletrack as far up the field as possible so I pushed hard and made it in a good position. The race was on!
I was totally focussed on pushing as hard as I could and but still keeping safe. On the second lap I saw someone crash not far ahead of me but didn’t register who it was. A little while late someone said it was Natalie the lady ahead of me, but I wasn’t sure as I thought I’d seen her ahead of me still. I kept pushing on, heart rate at the max, legs beginning to burn but totally focussed on getting to the finish in one piece. I felt like I was floating down the BMX track, berms and jumps all flying by at high speed. It was an amazing feeling. The course was tough and slippery in places. At last I was on my last lap and Cherie (Vale) came flying past up a hill and on to win the Elite ladies race. Then a little later Candice (Neethling) passed me too and soon after I was on the last switch back down to the finish, through the mud and across the finish line. Crossing the line I was not quite sure of where I’d come. When I didn’t see Natalie that had been ahead of me and then Sharon the timing lady said ‘well done’ I realised I had won!
My brilliant Bianchi Methanol had one again carried me to victory.
Congratulations to Cherie and James (Reid) on their wins and to everyone else that rode that course! But especially to Leorine De Wet who won the Sub Vets as it was also her first SA XCO Champs and we have raced together all season.
Thanks to everyone who came and supported. The atmosphere was fantastic and the shouts of encouragement really helped.
Thanks also to Novus Holdings and Subaru for their sponsorship of the event. It was a fantastic day for the sport with a record number of entries. Let’s hope we watch it grow even more in the years to come.
[author image=”https://fullsus.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Di-Carolin.jpg” ]Diana Carolin has been a long time contributor to Full Sus, submitting race reports and articles on sports massage therapy, but now we’ve focused her talents on everything that is ladies specific in mountain biking. If you have any questions drop her a mail at dicarolin7@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter at @di_carolin. [/author]
