A week back on the rainy Sunshine Coast and I am still completely miffed by the awesome weather conditions in Tasmania for Wildside 2010. Wildside for many years has been reputed as a mud-fest but I have attended 2008 and 2010 and both years have had exceptional weather, exceptional organisation, exceptional lunches and a really rad atmosphere. The tragedy is we now have to wait another 2 years for the next WILDSIDE 2012.... anyway...
Wildside 2010 was a bit of a whirlwind last minute excapade and we owe Dave and the King of the Mountain Cyclery (KOM) team immensely for the experience. Andy and I flew to Launceston and hooked up with Zoe King, Warren Burgess, Andy Blair, Amanda Sanderson and our support Sammi Legend Jesney (team KOM) in Tullah Friday afternoon. Race brief Friday evening and early to be before stage 1 starting at the base of the magnificent Cradle Mountain.
I suppose neither Andy or I were prepared for the mist/fog and light rain that greeted us at race muster Saturday morning. It was 9C at the base of Cradle and the air was very heavy with water droplets (mist/fog/light rain?), a far cry from the tropical Sunshine Coast. Race start was 1000 and the air had thinned but still wet, so we cruised to the start, located our start groups and smack or should I say wham bam thank you mam! How the hell could 16km (54 minutes) rip my legs and lungs so intensely, but I suppose that is XC racing and the reason I elect for marathon distance. The lead ladies, Rowena Fry and Heather Logie, started a battle on this stage that was destined to ebb & flow through the entire four days of racing. These girls were amazing in their ability to maintain such a high intensity for the entire seven stages....AWESOME. My place: 4th in Vets, 6th overall
Stage 2
Around 1400; and more to my liking, a longer stage with predominantly undulating fire trail. there was a small amount of single track at the start, not my finest few minutes, but I hit th ethrottle when I was snuggled within th ecomforts of the familiar single trail. I passed Zoe mid course (after a few encouraging words from the queen) I set the tracker for Trudi... determined to eat up her adn her 29er!! I rode well and stomped through in 2nd place in vets, 4th overall.
Stage 3
Out of Tullah and a solid climb, winding up and up through some truely magic single trail. There is limited passing on this section of trail and any hesitation by the rider in front is felt through the entire line. Technically taxing up but a well earned spell at the top then down down down !!. Here I unexpectedly met a forlorn Andy on the track side fixing his second flat for the stage. I comiserated briefly before mustering the mind set to brave the really gnarly rocky and rooty 6" travel territory that lead down the other side. Fortunately the roots were drier that I remembered 2 years ago and the Santa Cruz is built to descend even if the rider is a bit of a muppet at the moment (I have a resolution to rectify this situation soon). Hold your breath and hang on..... 3rd in vets, 5th overall and this was pretty much my place for the remainder of the race.
Stage 4
Out of roseberry and up a 6km road climb. I was keen for this climb as I really can climb but heightened by the chick on the line next to me on the start. She had the audacity to skyte off about her climbing ability.... well....Andy and I are no sloches in the climbing front and on this occasion we were ready...suspension locked out and smack down we crested ahead of our group after blowing a certain chick to the wind....one thing I can do OK is climb! The descent that follows is all about Santa Cruz but as hard as I think I am riding there is always a guy that blows past like I am stagnant in the mud. The swing bridge was a treat and just when the buzz from the awesome descent is maxing the trail flattens and climbs again with 10km to the finish...slippery, rocky, muddy stuff....
Stage 5
The time trial over 6km with Andy 30s ahead and Zoe 30s behind, Zoe had me by half way, fortunately the last 3km was fire trail so I managed to redeem myself a little and monstered home as best I could. Fortunately in front of Zoe at the end despite my 30s advantage... She is a mean technical rider... I can only hope...
Stage 6
A climb to start, phew, a chance to buy some time on the descenders. It was somewhat of a seeded mass start and I managed to bridge the gap to Rowena/Heather on the climb only to see them disappear at lightening speed on the next descent. Large rocks, sand, boulders, drops, bridges, water...ARGHHHHH...then Zoe (with 5km to go) descended past me like a blur. The next rise and I had bridged the gap just before pst pst pst and sealant from my front tire started kicking me in the face...please seal... please seal...doh!!...5 minutes in ripping off the tire, removing the rim tape and smacking in a tube....my first race flat and it sucked...
Stage 7
The beach stage...I followed Zoe through the dunes and onto the beach then for some crazy reason I decided to take first turn along the beach...the sand was heavy and wet.... this is bad.... I rolled as Zoe hit the front closely followed by a guy in blue, he surged and I sucked..spat and on my own.....so close and yet so far until the next group rolled through....a fatal error that left me in no mans land for too long...the soft sand after the beach drained me and I was glad to see Strahan and the finish in the distance.
Final results: 3rd vets and 5th overall femaleThanks a heap to Sammi our super support and the KOM team, especially Warren for his mechanical prowess. I love my Santa Cruz for guiding me safely down and a'qto for the cap that stopped the mud getting in my hair.
....and I think Andy wins the best legs competition with his ultra short shorts (for the record he squeezed into a medium bibshort for the occasion....:)
