|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
UCI WORLD CUP SERIES DOWNHILL CHAMPION JUNIOR WORLD DOWNHILL CHAMPION AUSTRALIAN DOWNHILL CHAMPION AUSTRALIAN DOWNHILL SERIES CHAMPION |
 |
|
|
|
D.O.B. : HEIGHT : WEIGHT: RESIDENCE: PREFERENCES: LIKES: SPORTS: |
May 1980 (Aged 26 Years in 2007). Six foot three inches (188cm). 205 pounds (95 kg). Gold Coast, S.E. Queensland, Australia. Flat Pedals, Rear Brake on the Left, Smart Women. Strawberry Milk, Meat Pies, Roast lamb Dinners. Surfing, Frisbee, Motocross, "Mucking around on bikes" |
 |
|
 |
When I
was young I was into Athletics, Soccer and Basketball. I got into Mountain
Bikes because of the stress fractures on my heels, caused by these sports.
My doctor suggested I take up a "low impact" sport such as cycling.
I chose mountain bikes and won my first downhill race at a Western Sydney
MTB Club event. I went on to become NSW Sub Junior Downhill Champion and
Dual Slalom Champion, Australian Sub Junior Series winner and came 3rd
at the National Junior Downhill Championships. A year later, at the age
of 15, I "came from nowhere" to win the Australian Open Mens
Dual Slalom in Australia's capital Canberra. |
|
In the
same year, although still a Sub-Junior, I was selected to compete for
Australia at the World MTB Championships in Chateau D'Oex in Switzerland.
So, at the age of 16, I came 10th at the World Junior Downhill Championships.
In 1997, I also won the Australian National Downhill Series, the National
Downhill Championships, and travelled to New Zealand to win the Junior
Oceania Downhill Championship. |
 |
|
 |
In 1997
I was picked up by Avanti Cycles Australasia to ride their new Mountain
Bikes. For a 16 year old it was a big buzz to have a "factory ride"
and jersey. The deal was supported by local bike shop "Chain Reaction"
in Sydney, with "Kegs" as my mechanic. I was again selected
for the World Championships in 1998, this time in Mte Ste Anne in Canada.
I came 3rd on a borrowed bike after someone stole my Avanti race bike
(shown above) two days before the race. This was my first UCI jersey.
On the way back from the World Championships I stopped off to do Round
#6 of the Southern California Championships at Mt Snow, and "just
for fun" rode in Pro men, which I won. |
|
|
 |
In 2000,
I joined Yeti Cycles to promote their range of USA hand built bikes and
enjoyed a number of successes in Downhill and Four Cross around the world.
Yeti has had a very benevolent attitude towards up and coming riders and
many big names such as Jimmy Deaton, Shaun Palmer and Marla Streb had
their start with Yeti. I rode with Marla and Jason Sigfried on the Yeti
Team. The association continued through 2002 but when a major sponsor
was lured away and the team looked like folding, I moved on. |
|
In 2003
I took the opportunity to ride for Iron Horse with fellow Aussies Sam
Hill, Bryn Atkinson and Jared Graves. The team achieved a high level of
success and helped elevate the Iron Horse name as a value for money product.
In 2005 I was UCI World Series Champion on an Iron Horse bike. In the
end, the team was not big enough for all of us, and I was the one to move
on. |
 |
|
 |
In 2004
I joined the Santa Cruz Syndicate Team. The owner, Rob Roskopp comes from
a skating background and in building up the company has made many industry
contacts, and this is benefiting me greatly with team sponsoship so I
have the best components and support. It is the best of both worlds. I
ride my own races, but I am doing more testing and development for sponsors.
I am providing feedback to people who understand and their responses are
getting to the bikes on the showroom floor. I have the opportunity to
ride with some of the up and coming riders and at the same time challenge
my own skills. In 2006 I was joined on the team by Steve Peat from the
U.K. who has been a good rival and kept me "on my toes". |
|
