Mountain Biker Reece Potter
New Zealand downhill team member Reece Potter at the World Campionships in Switzerland.
Reece Potter says he definitely wants to go back to the UCI World Mountain Bike and Trials Championships in Europe next year.
He has just returned from this year’s championships in Champery in Switzerland, where he finished 30th, and says that the experience he gained there will make him a better rider.
“I’ll still be under 19 and in the junior grade next year, so that’ll be good. Riding in the world champs was awesome – probably the best experience of my life so far.”
Reece was away with the New Zealand downhill team for about four weeks, training in Morzine in France near the Swiss border before crossing into Switzerland for the championships. “It was crazy. We crossed from France into Switzerland by chairlift.”
Reece says that the team as a whole achieved quite disappointing results, having promised quite a lot in the time leading up to the races.
“Nobody was very happy with their results. We trained for a week on the track in the dry, apart from one day that was a little bit damp. Then on the Sunday morning we practised on the track in the dry. I loved the track when it was dry. While we had a three-hour break it started to pour with rain and when we came to race on the track it might as well have been a new track. I had a crash and stalled out a couple of times and still got 30th. It’s annoying when you know you can do better. That’s racing though. It was a great experience. All the guys you see on TV and in the news and that are just walking around like anyone else.”
Reece says that next year he aims to go to Europe during their summer racing season so that he is well acclimatised by the time the world champs are held again.
“Most New Zealand guys who do that kind of thing: buy a van with a few mates and then live as cheaply as they can while they’re going around the events. It’s crazy how good us New Zealanders are at mountain biking. One guy, Sam Blenkinsop, got third in the pro men’s event. That’s pretty choice.”
To be selected for next year’s world championships, Reece has to put together the sort of performances that impress the selectors. He also has to finish school, get a job and do some serious saving.
“It would be nice to get a job round here and save enough money to keep myself going in Europe for the season. The trouble is that I have to have time off work to compete in the nationals and the other events that count.”
The Golden Bay Mountain Bike Club and the whole community supported Reece in his efforts to get to this year’s world championships, but he says he has to make his own way next time.
“Everyone was awesome. I want to thank the club and the community for their support.”
Neil Wilson
