The Point to Point was shortened for Masters Women to a 20km loop out to Howqua Gap and back via the steepest, rockiest singletrack that they could find.
The race start was very casual - Sharon, Flip and myself in 3 separate categories having a chat and laugh on the start line. Funny how each of us were set to win our own races - all we had to do was finish. Halfway up the road climb we'd already sorted out the order in which we would enter the singletrack descent so as to not hold each other up and risk not enjoying the descent to its fullest !!!
The climb from Howqua Gap was hideous for me - 25 mins of non-stop hard climbing...steep, rocky, transverse tree roots and never ending. But that's when my thought for the day came in handy. Dad has been dead for over 30 years, but he was with me today. Dad loved the outdoors and nature, and he would be proud of me racing well and loving doing it.
The climb finally came to an end, and I was happy that I had mastered all but one of the tight switchback climbs. The descent was welcomed, though it was very rocky and difficult to see through corners due to the regrowth from the base of the Snowgums after they were burnt in 2007. I nailed the final descent from Corn Hill, only to have Chris from work (who was marshalling) tell me that I had to do the XC climb back to Mt Buller Village. Damn...Chris is so being demoted when I get back to work tomorrow....
I finished in 1hr 30min - placed 1st in Masters Women (Jenny was a DNS due to stitches from a fall in the XCO).
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| Master Women National Series Leader - got a new jersey out of it !! |
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| Back in my room - dirty faced but still recognisable, unlike some of the Elite Men |
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| Thanks to Panther Cycles for getting Luke Brame (U17) and myself on awesome Cannondales and kitted out |
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