Just had to post up the pics below that I just got my hands on. Sum's up Nic's day at XTERRA quite nicely huh?! As we speak (or I type at least) I'm at work at the Gym in Ohakune. Very nice of Megan to give me some hours as I'm otherwise unemployed now that my TriNZ contract is up. And with the impending euro/canada trip $ are essential.

Crazyman this weekend in Wellington as Nic breaks out the Kayak for first time in 18mths and attempts to chase Elina Ussher. I'm looking forward to being support crew and watching it unfold. Watching you ask?

In breaking news.... X-Rays today confirmed that my foot in fact is fractured (5th Metatarsal). This is a good thing. If only because it means I wasn't imagining the pain at/during/after Xterra. Nice that the injury coincides with an off period. It's healing fine I think. Will just take some time.

Think someone is happy?! All Nic need's is to catch her breath and some idiot hugs her. Nice one Cabin

09 Singlespeed Champs

while we definately wanted to win.... I'm not sure that any race involving one gear, beer drinking shortcuts, and for many of the 'competitors' some serious fancy dress; can be considered too serious of a race?! And so it was, that we found ourselves yet again in our second home of Rotorua over the weekend for the 2009 "Rest of the world" Singlespeed MTB champs.

How'd it go? Well, our dress up choice as Banana's in Pyjama's went pretty awesome if we do say so ourselves.

B2 (Nic) had a great introduction to SS'ing. After a brief 30min on friday night she stopped trying to change the non-existent gears. Lined up and rode fast. Took the shortcuts. Got a little drunk. And finished 2nd. Not bad, as the winner, Annika Smail is super strong and the World #2.

B1 (Cabin) had a shocker. Way back at the start (I'd blame the fact I couldn't find my bike, except that neither could Tim and he still won). Good beer scull at end of lap 1 got things back on track. Making some ground and up to 6th on lap 2 when broken chain halted progress. Marcello eventually came along repaired it for me. Nice chap that one. I almost completed that lap before breaking it again. Ah well.

Over a 2nd recovery beer in quick succession, I had the bright of borrowing a bike. It was way too big, quite old, and a bit rattly compared to my bike.... But I'm spoilt. This one pedalled fine and got me round the rest of the race. I enjoyed some more beers, mint singletrack trails, and eventually finished. It was good. Big ups to T-Rex Wilding for the win. Respect.

Big thanks to Graeme Murray for the pics below

Um... no good explanation for that one....
Not exactly intimidating am I?

That sky blue bike was mine for the day.... not that I could find it at the start

Calm before the chaos. B2's in there somewhere

The odd bunch that are Simglespeeders stroll off to the Le-Mans running start

B2 hard at work

B1 manages to finish and still ride straight. Kind of

Thanks

As our NZ season pretty much draws to a close for 2009.... we just wanted to say thanks to all of you out there who support what we do. While it's easy to get jealous of the fully funded pro athletes, we really do enjoy what we do. Yes it's challenging....but we love the challenge, and knowing we've got so much support is pretty cool.

So we figured instead of reading our comments, it's a much better read to hear an account of XTERRA from seemingly one of our biggest fans (apologies to our respective parents!). Click here for a report from a different persepective.

Thanks everyone, wherever you are.

Cheers
Cabin and Nic

Nic wins XTERRA NZ!!!!

As you may have heard, Team N-Duro/CabinRacing had a pretty good day at XTERRA NZ 2009.

Nic was successful in her mission yesterday picking up the 2009 NZ XTERRA Championship title. Her biggest win yet, to go nicely with her 2nds at the 09 NZ Elite MTB XC, and MTB Marathon Championships. She executed her race plan perfectly. Solid swim. Fastest bike split, and strong run to bring it home. Her report is below.

I didn't quite hold up my end of the bargin in the search for a double win. I had a good solid day. Not spectacular and I didn't quite meet my time goals for the day. I was aiming for a 2hr05, and didn't deliver. PB swim started things out great, but didn't ever really get 100% on top of things on the bike, and struggled on the run.

That said, both Richard Ussher and Scott Thorne had storming races and throughly deserved their 1st/2nd places. Had I done that sub 2hr05 I still may have ended up 3rd. So in the end, I am very satisified to grab 3rd in what was the most competitve NZ XTERRA field to date

3 podiums in 3 years. Mr consistent huh? Not a bad way to be.

Cheers
Cabin

XTERRA ’09 – a sweet victory

Saturday was a very enjoyable day for me at XTERRA NZ held at Blue Lake, Rotorua. I picked up my first NZ title, winning the pro-women’s race by over 2 minutes from Susie Wood (Nelson) & Annika Smail (Rotorua).

I had a plan and executed it well. It was largely built around my escalating form on the mountain bike, which is my focus this year.

With over 400 individuals hitting the lake, the 1km swim was its usual exciting turmoil of arms and legs. I joined in, managed to find the odd hip & feet to exit the water well in touch with the contenders. Exiting transition I rode up to Susie on the seal climb and enjoyed the ensuing battle up hill road as we went blow for blow. I had the legs on her up the final part of ‘frontal lobotomy’ and as we hit the first single track descent I put the hammer down. Soon after I caught and passed Monique Avery taking the lead for good.

I completed the MTB recording the fastest female MTB split, had another swift transition and set out to consolidate my race on the two-lap 11km run. I took a bit to settle into the run, then ran a solid pace to victory over two minutes clear of 2nd. Heading out on my second lap I wanted a time split back to second but my supporters just said, “You’re looking good Nic” or, “You are looking strong.” I didn’t care what I looked like! But they were right, forget about the others and just go.

I like winning, so already I am looking forward to building on what has been a solid domestic season on the mountain bike and in off road triathlon. I have been selected in the NZ MTB team alongside Rosara Joseph to represent NZ in the elite women’s race for the world championships in September. Cabin & I head off to Switzerland in five weeks to begin a 3-month build up amongst strong European and North American competition. I am very fortunate to have him alongside, as my partner & coach. He has been hugely instrumental in my achievements this season.

Thanks to all our friends, family, sponsors, and supporters….. and everyone who takes an interest in what we do. It is much appreciated and makes any success that much more rewarding.

Cheers
Nic

48hrs and counting

Ohakune Lakes... Our "secret" XTERRA transition training spot

Just 48hrs, and we'll be smack bang in the middle of the XTERRA NZ Championship MTB leg. Hopefully, following the swim I will have caught/passed both superstars Ussher and Bozzone by this stage and will be working on building a lead. If not, I'm in trouble!

Nic meanwhile will be tearing the bike course apart. Building a lead she will extend on the run. I'll probably get in trouble for saying that.... but I'm confident on her behalf.

Preparation has gone pretty well. Last weekend we enjoyed a quiet long weekend at home. Perfect, as its the first weekend we hadn't travelled in quite a while.

I did face a small hiccup though. After the Highlander two weeks ago I went for a fast paced 11km tempo run on the XTERRA course. All positive. I was strong, and fast. Only problem was I rolled my ankle. It held up, but ligaments in my forefoot didn't. Very painful and I haven't run since. It was a week before I could walk relatively comfortably. I missed some planned key sessions and was one very unhappy camper which Nic unfortunately has had to put up with.

However, 48hrs out and its starting to feel like I can run again. I've been able to swim/bike still so not all bad. And as Michael Jacques wisely told me...."success in endurance events are rarely about what you do in the last 4 weeks. They're about what you've done in the last year." We've done plenty.

And after all, how cool would it be to upstage the big name pro's, and be the first couple to win XTERRA NZ titles at the same race? It'd be a very cool debut for Team N-Duro/CabinRacing. we'll see what we can do :)

Team N-Duro is here

We got an exciting e-mail last night. News that our new riding gear was about ready to ship. Awesome. Check out the pic below for a sneak preview of the all new Team N-Duro/CabinRacing riding shirt.

We went with stars to symbolise the southern cross. Trying to have a kiwi theme, but without the silver fern and/or kiwi symbols used by every man and his dog. We hope everyone else likes it?!

As soon as we have the shirts in our hands, and pics are taken, the official press releases will go out. In the meantime, all our readers get the news first. It's pretty exciting, and as you can see by the logo's on the shirt, we have some great support from some loyal partners.

There will be a very limited number of shirts made available to the public for purchase, so if you want one be sure to e-mail cabinracing@gmail.com asap

Role Models?

Time for a rant...

... While the Highlander was a mint race, I left pretty pissed off after hearing some stories from fellow competitors about the conduct of other athletes who I would have thought would no better.

An athlete who was not just rude, but downright abusive to fellow competitors during the race. Swearing at and abusing riders who'd beaten her to the single track. Apparently they were f'ing useless. Shouldn't be racing a bike etc... When another rider told her to pull her head in, they were told that apparently they were just bitter cause she was faster than them. Wtf?

This from a very well known athlete, amongst the countries very best MTB riders. She knows who she is.

When a complaint was laid post race, the athlete denied it. Even in the face of multiple witnesses.

I don't care who you are. That is disgraceful behaviour. Leaving a very bitter taste in the mouths of other competitors it is a pretty successful way to sour an otherwise event experience. It is bad for the sport, for the event, and especially for that riders sponsors. What a great representative for our sport?

So lets all think about this for a minute. We all compete because we love to ride our bikes. And push our own limits. Sure, in the heat of battle we can get a bit fired up. But there is no place for abuse. It spoils the experience for everyone.

Think about it.

Highlander

First of all, let's get the results out of the way... It was a pretty successful day for Team N-Duro really. Cabin takes the NZ Masters Marathon XC title, and Nic 2nd in the Elite Womens, to go nicely with her silver medal from the Eite XC Nats.

But it was a funny old day really.

The course, and the setting were mint. Blue Lake has to be one of the best locations from which to hold an endurance sports events anywhere in the world. Period. Coupled with a stunning Rotorua day, good people, and good trails you couldn't ask for much better. So a funny old day I said. Whats with that? Well, it just could've been a whole lot better.

Nic's Race

Nic for starters was having agreat day. Legs were good, feeling strong, and maintaining close enough contact to potentially really threaten local favourite Annika Smail. That was however, until once again Nic's eyes played up. Serious dust early on had iritated them, and by the time she reached old chevy with still around 30km to go, her vsion had deteriorated to the point that in that state, she'd probably be eligible to compete as a blind athlete.

Bravely, and after numerous very scary moments, she completed the course, after borrowing some eyewear that helped a little. And amazingly, held on to finish 2nd, only 6 1/2min down after almost 4hrs. Imagine if she could see?!

Nic, donating her prize to Ross Abercrombie. The kind sole who loaned her glasses mid-race

Cabin's Race

Well, a masters title is nice. But.... I tried to be a bit too clever and regret it a little now. After spending the first hour on the front, I couldn't match the pace of Ash Hough and Scott Thorne when they attacked up direct road. Deciding to follow my Karapoti tactics and riding my own race I let them go.

Matt Gorter must have decided that I had a good plan as he decided to sit behind me. After an hour or so of this I got a little sick of that. If you're strong enough to stay there then do some work. He didn't. It annoyed me. I had my Masters title sewn up, and decided I didn't want to help him win a national elite title. After all it was Scott and Ash making the race, and they deserved it more than someone who was just going to sit on. So I went on deliberate go slow.

So when we still caught Scott and a blown Ash 30mins or so from the finish, I decided against attacking (as I should have), and instead tried to play the roadie game and set up Scott for the title I felt he deserved. All went swimingly until Scott cracked in the last 5km. Handing Matt the win. Don't get me wrong, he rode strongly, and probably smartly. It just goes against my nature. I believe you should do your fair share of work in a race.

So in retrospect, I'm a bit bummed. I should've attacked and gone for the overall. I still have my national champs jersey. But I felt I was the strongest. I tried to play games and it backfired. I should've gone for the overall. Next time huh?

Cabin cruising to the finish. Maybe not as exhausted as he should've been?

Riding or Hiding?

This Sunday see's the running of one of NZ's best MTB Marathon events. The 75km Highlander. I've pre-ridden the course and it's a good one.

For 2009, the event doubles as the NZ MTB Marathon Champs. With Junior, Elite, and Masters titles on the line. In the past, the champs race has been a bit lame. This year, its a primo course. However.... I have just heard that while the race in general has good entry numbers; those that are contesting the NZ titles is somewhat lower.

The race is no different, and doesn't cost any extra either. In fact if you are contesting the title's you'll get to start at the front. All you need to be eligble is a BikeNZ licence, and to tick the 'champs' box on the entry. Easy.

So if you want to be a part of the best NZ MTB Marathon Champs yet, then hurry up and enter! We'll make it easy.... click here

See you on the startline Sunday

Cabin