After flying to Brisbane on a midnight flight earlier than the team (it was cheaper) then hanging out in Brisbane for 8 hours until they arrived, we set out on our journey from Brisbane airport to Hastings Point (northern NSW). It should have taken about 2 hours, but after a number of very serious accidents on the M1 freeway, we were planning to stop for dinner en route at 7pm (some 5 hours later). Eventually we arrived and were all very keen to sleep.
The “WA Team” consisted of;
Elite Women: myself and Rebecca Armstrong (Beck was staying in alternate accommodation arranged through her Dirt Roads TID program)
U19 Girls: Melissa Hoskins, Camille Pallett, Sarah Kent
U19 Boys: Patrick Gill, Sam Davis (“aka DOC-Duty of Care”), Mark Bailey (Albany), Michael Freiberg, Luke Durbridge, Matt Puzey (Albany).
Our support crew was Darryl Benson, and Mels parents; Amanda and Peter Hoskins.
N.B. The Rickettes were staying with Ricki Lee in alternate accommodation and Matt Puzey was staying with Brett Gillespie, who is currently also based in Albany (so I am told).
For me, the event had three stages; Stage 1: 24.2km Time Trial (Thursday), Stage 2 105kms Road Race (Saturday), Stage 3 69km Road Race (combined with the U19 girls on Sunday).
Stage 1: 24.2km TT. It was pretty much flat, a little rough in parts, a little bit of undulation but nothing that you would call a hill. It was going to suit me nicely, the wind was up a bit, I felt it but no one else seemed to complain. I had been seeded first for the Elite Women, I told you it would only be a matter of time, and this seemed to give me some confidence because someone at Cycling Australia also expected that I might win (whoo hoo). But at the same time, the expectation was that I would win; and this works for me too.
Personally, I had a bit of a shocker of a morning and my race prep was less than ideal. However, the temperature was good, the sun was out, I was plenty warmed up and the very last rider off. I spoke with Andrew (over the phone back in Perth), he sorted me out and I was even early for the start line (somewhat of a novelty with me and TTs). In front of me was Carlee Taylor (Miss Amy Gillett scholarship 2008) and then Carly Hibberd (came 2nd on GC at Tour de Perth-MB coaching), Carlee was a good target one minute ahead of me.
Based on last years times I expected that I would need to average 41kms/hr. But after about 5-10kms I was sitting nowhere near that, I am not sure if it was windier, the roads were rougher (something about lots of rain to the region) or the standard of athletes was lower. We had to ride from the start, up the coast and back past the start; Darryl signaled that I was 3 seconds up on Carlee after about 4.5kms. I could see Carlee in her white Jayco SA Skinsuit at points off in the distance, once I was sure that I must have lost her and was convinced that I was riding crap, but then there she was with Carly Hibberd sitting just in front of her.
We were on the home stretch back with about 8kms to go, I watched Carlee go past a street pole and counted the seconds up to estimate how far I was behind her, about 30 seconds. I was very surprised, but smiled to myself, the pain was nearly over. It is about this stage in races that I get my second wind, somewhere close to the finish. But instead of pushing harder I seemed to cruise (it is easy for me to say this now as the race is over, maybe I had nothing left…). I sprinted for the line (remembering very clearly Ruth Corset beating me by less than a second in Tassie), nearly catching Carly Hibberd in the process (she started 2 mins in front of me). I crossed the line and immediately looked for someone to tell me how I went, a split time from Carlee to me, but no one was around. I rode up to the cars and everyone was packing up or had ridden home.
I rolled back to the start line and Carlee yells at me “I think you got it”, I was actually pretty stoked that she knew who I was…then her coach (SAIS Head Coach; Gary West) came and congratulated me “unofficially”. Do you know how good it was to see my name at the top of the results board? I seriously love that feeling. I am still not quite sure who Rebecca Barwick is, I am really not good with who the other girls are, but am compiling a list. There was a bit of a common theme happening with me and TTs…maybe it is just the flatter courses, because I dont think it is the TT bit.
Top 5 Elite Women Time Trial
1. SUMMERS, Davina (WA) 37:25.8
2. BARWICK, Rebecca (ACT) 37:30.0
3. TAYLOR, Carlee (SA) 37:57.5
4. ROWNEY, Loren (QLD) 37:59.4
5. GRIFFITHS, Helen (QLD) 38:01.9
I won some money (this makes my Luke very happy) and this little Australian kangaroo stuffed toy thing. In the words of the great Muz- 'One small step for mankind, one giant leap for Davina'. Beck Armstrong (WA) came 15th. In the U19 girls; Sarah Kent came 3rd, Melissa came 5th, Camille DNS as she was unwell. In the U19 boys Patty chose not to ride the TT, Sam did well to finish 21st, Mark 27th, and Puzey 34th.
Stage 2: 105km Road Race- Elite Women.
This morning was an early start for me with everyone else racing later in the day. Darryl and I set off before sunrise (I had to find some lights to put on my bike). For me, today was 6 laps of a hilly circuit with over 2000m of ascending (ouch, seriously, ouch). They were shorter hills that the Sunday course, but after 6 laps, there was going to be so many hills. Basically, I was climbing quite well (for me), I was positioned well in the bunch, saw the moves as they happened and went with what I could. I am not sure if I am getting better at where to be in the bunch, or I have some street cred. after winning the TT, so the riders let me be where I want, just another dynamic to women’s racing, I am learning.
On the third lap, I was involved in chasing an attack on a hill, and then a counter attack, but I began to fatigue really quickly. I looked down and realized that I had been chasing up a hill in my big chain ring. Not a smart move. Before I popped, I eased off and climbed steadily over the hill. I was off the back with some of the other girls, we chased for most of the next (4th) lap to get back on and succeeded right before the start of the next set of climbs. Again, I was positioned well and saw the moves coming, went with the first few, then just didn’t have it to go with one. I was about mid-pack with #119 BEST, Tracey, a bunch of about 13 in front of me. Everyone else, that was still riding, was too far behind to wait for.
Tracey and I stayed together for about half a lap, but she was whipping-it up the hills and I had nothing left, I was spent and had dug deep in the first 4 laps. I time trialed home to finish 14th (or there about, official results are still to be posted). I was happy with my race, the efforts that I put in when it was really hurting. I saw a glimpse of something today, that made be really believe for the first time that I will be one of those girls smashing it on the front, sometime soon. I have to be patient, I know.
Beck finished about 9th, and had a good day, she should be happy. In the U19 girls race, Mel finished about 11th with some bad cramps, Camille DNF. Final results TBA.
Stage 3: 69km Road Race (combined with the U19 girls).
It was not a good sign when it hurt to get out of bed as I woke this morning. We were flying out tonight so had to get everything packed up as well as getting everything ready for the race. Our race was a reasonable sized group of about 50 with the U19 girls in addition to the Elite Women for a 10:05 start. The course had 4 main hills in it, we started in Murrwillumbah racing to Mooball and then doing a big lap of a circuit and come in for the same finish as yesterday.
The race was very aggressive, which was awesome and the top 8 or so girls were making the rest of us hurt and chase…a lot. So it went like this: 8kms into the race was the first main hill, I got dropped with quite a few other girls and got back on with help from the descent just before the turn around in Mooball. We then went back over the hill we had just come over and I got dropped again (there is a pattern here, I am aware) a bigger group this time and we fought to get back on successfully, just prior to the third hill.
About half the field got dropped on the third hill, less and less were making to back on to the main group of 8, who seemed to actually be hurting each other as well as the rest of us. The whole race had been on the rivet, I was not focusing on drinking and eating like I usually do, just hanging on, it was like a very long points score race, with hills. I was thirsty and looking forward to the feed station. The descents were quite technical in some parts, especially with the potholes and inexperienced riders. Not that I can talk, but I actually did well today on the cornering and descending, I think I was too fatigued to be scared so just went with it. It did occur to me that it would hurt considerably if I fell off at any stage.
The forth climb was the steepest after a gradual ascent to the base of the climb, the girls stomped up it, I could not hang on to the front 8 despite being in good position, just didn’t have enough kick in me. Some of the riders were out the hoop at the base, a few of us finished at the top together and formed a nice little chasing group for the final 10kms to the finish. If only the girls were interested in chasing. In this group there was Kirsty Braun (yesterday’s elite women winner), Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW), Beck Armstrong (WA) and Melissa Hoskins (WA). Beck did some very strong efforts on the front, she was probably one to the closest ones to staying with the front group and I suggest may have been spewing that she had not been able to stay with them…thus chasing really hard. Kirsty also wanted to be up there and was working hard.
After a while it was clear that we were not going to get back on, no one else would catch us and hurting yourself on the front would not do you any favours for the finish, especially with everyone else sitting on. I did what I had to do on the front, no more, no less. Also, there were one or two AIS TID girls (they mostly look the same in their kits) who did some work, everyone else was along for the ride. I finished 3rd in our bunch sprint, I would have liked to win it but did a “Ryan” and over geared too early. The finish was flat, not downhill, 11 cog was not required for the final 250m. But my timing was perfect, thanks to a lesson I learnt in Albany last weekend. Mel finished right behind me and Beck somewhere in our bunch. I expect that I got somewhere between 10-12th place. Final results TBA. Again, I got the feeling today that I can be up there with these girls, I can see that I am improving and getting better every race. A block of training that will be coined “Operation Hill Climb” and I will be on track to win the RRs too. So I have 6 out of 10 podium finishes for the NRS events thus far, not a bad effort. The BBB wet-weather booties got a run all event (much to the embarrassment-by-association for Patty and Sam). They made my toe feel so much better, will stick with the cut out shoe, thongs and slippers for another week and see where we are at.
Whilst being away I missed the SRS race in Collie on the weekend. By all reports, it was a standard WA chicks race. Sarah Fraser winning the bunch sprint, Linda Evans 2nd, Hol third. I wonder if they awarded the jersey at the event, how the points table is traveling and whether I am going to have a chance of winning this series if I miss quite a few of the races being away at NRS events.
The “WA Team” consisted of;
Elite Women: myself and Rebecca Armstrong (Beck was staying in alternate accommodation arranged through her Dirt Roads TID program)
U19 Girls: Melissa Hoskins, Camille Pallett, Sarah Kent
U19 Boys: Patrick Gill, Sam Davis (“aka DOC-Duty of Care”), Mark Bailey (Albany), Michael Freiberg, Luke Durbridge, Matt Puzey (Albany).
Our support crew was Darryl Benson, and Mels parents; Amanda and Peter Hoskins.
N.B. The Rickettes were staying with Ricki Lee in alternate accommodation and Matt Puzey was staying with Brett Gillespie, who is currently also based in Albany (so I am told).
For me, the event had three stages; Stage 1: 24.2km Time Trial (Thursday), Stage 2 105kms Road Race (Saturday), Stage 3 69km Road Race (combined with the U19 girls on Sunday).
Stage 1: 24.2km TT. It was pretty much flat, a little rough in parts, a little bit of undulation but nothing that you would call a hill. It was going to suit me nicely, the wind was up a bit, I felt it but no one else seemed to complain. I had been seeded first for the Elite Women, I told you it would only be a matter of time, and this seemed to give me some confidence because someone at Cycling Australia also expected that I might win (whoo hoo). But at the same time, the expectation was that I would win; and this works for me too.
Personally, I had a bit of a shocker of a morning and my race prep was less than ideal. However, the temperature was good, the sun was out, I was plenty warmed up and the very last rider off. I spoke with Andrew (over the phone back in Perth), he sorted me out and I was even early for the start line (somewhat of a novelty with me and TTs). In front of me was Carlee Taylor (Miss Amy Gillett scholarship 2008) and then Carly Hibberd (came 2nd on GC at Tour de Perth-MB coaching), Carlee was a good target one minute ahead of me.
Based on last years times I expected that I would need to average 41kms/hr. But after about 5-10kms I was sitting nowhere near that, I am not sure if it was windier, the roads were rougher (something about lots of rain to the region) or the standard of athletes was lower. We had to ride from the start, up the coast and back past the start; Darryl signaled that I was 3 seconds up on Carlee after about 4.5kms. I could see Carlee in her white Jayco SA Skinsuit at points off in the distance, once I was sure that I must have lost her and was convinced that I was riding crap, but then there she was with Carly Hibberd sitting just in front of her.
We were on the home stretch back with about 8kms to go, I watched Carlee go past a street pole and counted the seconds up to estimate how far I was behind her, about 30 seconds. I was very surprised, but smiled to myself, the pain was nearly over. It is about this stage in races that I get my second wind, somewhere close to the finish. But instead of pushing harder I seemed to cruise (it is easy for me to say this now as the race is over, maybe I had nothing left…). I sprinted for the line (remembering very clearly Ruth Corset beating me by less than a second in Tassie), nearly catching Carly Hibberd in the process (she started 2 mins in front of me). I crossed the line and immediately looked for someone to tell me how I went, a split time from Carlee to me, but no one was around. I rode up to the cars and everyone was packing up or had ridden home.
I rolled back to the start line and Carlee yells at me “I think you got it”, I was actually pretty stoked that she knew who I was…then her coach (SAIS Head Coach; Gary West) came and congratulated me “unofficially”. Do you know how good it was to see my name at the top of the results board? I seriously love that feeling. I am still not quite sure who Rebecca Barwick is, I am really not good with who the other girls are, but am compiling a list. There was a bit of a common theme happening with me and TTs…maybe it is just the flatter courses, because I dont think it is the TT bit.
Top 5 Elite Women Time Trial
1. SUMMERS, Davina (WA) 37:25.8
2. BARWICK, Rebecca (ACT) 37:30.0
3. TAYLOR, Carlee (SA) 37:57.5
4. ROWNEY, Loren (QLD) 37:59.4
5. GRIFFITHS, Helen (QLD) 38:01.9
In an effort to over-analyse things (as I do) I have compared the times of the girls who completed the TT in both 2007 and 2008;
GRIFFITHS, Helen 37:49.81 and 38:01.9 = 12 secs slower in 2008
ROY, Sarah 39:14.53 and 38:20.0 = 54 secs faster in 2008
YOUNG, Liz 37:19.01 and 38:32.8 = 1min, 13 secs slower in 2008
HIBBERD, Carly 38:38.48 and 39:10.0 = 32 secs slower in 2008
ALWAY, Suzanne 38:27.31 and 39:32.1 = 1 min, 5 secs slower in 2008
I find it hard to believe that all these girls (minus Sarah Roy, some training me thinks) would be in less form than 12 months earlier and come to the conclusion that the conditions were tougher- agree?
I won some money (this makes my Luke very happy) and this little Australian kangaroo stuffed toy thing. In the words of the great Muz- 'One small step for mankind, one giant leap for Davina'. Beck Armstrong (WA) came 15th. In the U19 girls; Sarah Kent came 3rd, Melissa came 5th, Camille DNS as she was unwell. In the U19 boys Patty chose not to ride the TT, Sam did well to finish 21st, Mark 27th, and Puzey 34th.
Stage 2: 105km Road Race- Elite Women.
This morning was an early start for me with everyone else racing later in the day. Darryl and I set off before sunrise (I had to find some lights to put on my bike). For me, today was 6 laps of a hilly circuit with over 2000m of ascending (ouch, seriously, ouch). They were shorter hills that the Sunday course, but after 6 laps, there was going to be so many hills. Basically, I was climbing quite well (for me), I was positioned well in the bunch, saw the moves as they happened and went with what I could. I am not sure if I am getting better at where to be in the bunch, or I have some street cred. after winning the TT, so the riders let me be where I want, just another dynamic to women’s racing, I am learning.
On the third lap, I was involved in chasing an attack on a hill, and then a counter attack, but I began to fatigue really quickly. I looked down and realized that I had been chasing up a hill in my big chain ring. Not a smart move. Before I popped, I eased off and climbed steadily over the hill. I was off the back with some of the other girls, we chased for most of the next (4th) lap to get back on and succeeded right before the start of the next set of climbs. Again, I was positioned well and saw the moves coming, went with the first few, then just didn’t have it to go with one. I was about mid-pack with #119 BEST, Tracey, a bunch of about 13 in front of me. Everyone else, that was still riding, was too far behind to wait for.
Tracey and I stayed together for about half a lap, but she was whipping-it up the hills and I had nothing left, I was spent and had dug deep in the first 4 laps. I time trialed home to finish 14th (or there about, official results are still to be posted). I was happy with my race, the efforts that I put in when it was really hurting. I saw a glimpse of something today, that made be really believe for the first time that I will be one of those girls smashing it on the front, sometime soon. I have to be patient, I know.
Beck finished about 9th, and had a good day, she should be happy. In the U19 girls race, Mel finished about 11th with some bad cramps, Camille DNF. Final results TBA.
Stage 3: 69km Road Race (combined with the U19 girls).
It was not a good sign when it hurt to get out of bed as I woke this morning. We were flying out tonight so had to get everything packed up as well as getting everything ready for the race. Our race was a reasonable sized group of about 50 with the U19 girls in addition to the Elite Women for a 10:05 start. The course had 4 main hills in it, we started in Murrwillumbah racing to Mooball and then doing a big lap of a circuit and come in for the same finish as yesterday.
The race was very aggressive, which was awesome and the top 8 or so girls were making the rest of us hurt and chase…a lot. So it went like this: 8kms into the race was the first main hill, I got dropped with quite a few other girls and got back on with help from the descent just before the turn around in Mooball. We then went back over the hill we had just come over and I got dropped again (there is a pattern here, I am aware) a bigger group this time and we fought to get back on successfully, just prior to the third hill.
About half the field got dropped on the third hill, less and less were making to back on to the main group of 8, who seemed to actually be hurting each other as well as the rest of us. The whole race had been on the rivet, I was not focusing on drinking and eating like I usually do, just hanging on, it was like a very long points score race, with hills. I was thirsty and looking forward to the feed station. The descents were quite technical in some parts, especially with the potholes and inexperienced riders. Not that I can talk, but I actually did well today on the cornering and descending, I think I was too fatigued to be scared so just went with it. It did occur to me that it would hurt considerably if I fell off at any stage.
The forth climb was the steepest after a gradual ascent to the base of the climb, the girls stomped up it, I could not hang on to the front 8 despite being in good position, just didn’t have enough kick in me. Some of the riders were out the hoop at the base, a few of us finished at the top together and formed a nice little chasing group for the final 10kms to the finish. If only the girls were interested in chasing. In this group there was Kirsty Braun (yesterday’s elite women winner), Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW), Beck Armstrong (WA) and Melissa Hoskins (WA). Beck did some very strong efforts on the front, she was probably one to the closest ones to staying with the front group and I suggest may have been spewing that she had not been able to stay with them…thus chasing really hard. Kirsty also wanted to be up there and was working hard.
After a while it was clear that we were not going to get back on, no one else would catch us and hurting yourself on the front would not do you any favours for the finish, especially with everyone else sitting on. I did what I had to do on the front, no more, no less. Also, there were one or two AIS TID girls (they mostly look the same in their kits) who did some work, everyone else was along for the ride. I finished 3rd in our bunch sprint, I would have liked to win it but did a “Ryan” and over geared too early. The finish was flat, not downhill, 11 cog was not required for the final 250m. But my timing was perfect, thanks to a lesson I learnt in Albany last weekend. Mel finished right behind me and Beck somewhere in our bunch. I expect that I got somewhere between 10-12th place. Final results TBA. Again, I got the feeling today that I can be up there with these girls, I can see that I am improving and getting better every race. A block of training that will be coined “Operation Hill Climb” and I will be on track to win the RRs too. So I have 6 out of 10 podium finishes for the NRS events thus far, not a bad effort. The BBB wet-weather booties got a run all event (much to the embarrassment-by-association for Patty and Sam). They made my toe feel so much better, will stick with the cut out shoe, thongs and slippers for another week and see where we are at.
Whilst being away I missed the SRS race in Collie on the weekend. By all reports, it was a standard WA chicks race. Sarah Fraser winning the bunch sprint, Linda Evans 2nd, Hol third. I wonder if they awarded the jersey at the event, how the points table is traveling and whether I am going to have a chance of winning this series if I miss quite a few of the races being away at NRS events.
So what is next, you ask? I am racing York this weekend, hoping some of the newer girls to racing will come along (I am happy to help them out). Three weeks time is the State Road Race. But need to sit down and re-assess my aims and goals- job for this week.
Happy Riding xx
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