Jules Coventry – Downhill Mountainbike Jules’ Story Mountain top… summertime… everywhere is lush green. Clouds cling gently to the highest peaks. Take big breaths of cool, crisp air deep into your lungs, close your eyes, feel the moment. Appreciate the silence, anticipate the descent that lies ahead in this amazing playground nature has created. For a moment the world stands still, time ceases to be a factor in your life. Treasure this moment, store it in your memory bank……click….picture perfect! Make your final adjustments, focus your mind, focus your body, move into the start gate. Take one last deep breath and as the beeps go grasp gravity by the hand and launch into the race run your dreams are made of! My love affair with mountain bikes began, strangely enough, after I was knocked off my bike by a car on the way home from a training session with my university rowing squad. My injuries were severe enough to put an end to a promising rowing career and recovery took two years of hard work and determination. I began to ride cross country with friends after my physio advised me to cycle as a way of increasing my strength and fitness levels. I completely fell in love with it, mud, sweat, tears, bruises and the sense of achievement when you conquered a demanding climb and were treated to a spectacular view. I quite often showed the boys a clean pair of heels on the descent and discovering that there were actually competitions where you only had to ride down the hills I entered my first race and won! I guess I’d have to say the adrenalin buzz after that first race got me completely hooked on downhilling, and it’s the quest for that ever elusive “perfect run” that keeps me coming back for more, time and time again. Wherever I’m riding in the world, it’s the same deal, a girl and her bike on a mission to rise to the challenges gravity throws her way. Constantly pushing the limits and moving back the boundaries in an attempt to go bigger, faster, better. I don’t always get away lightly though! My determination to keep up with the guys has earned me my fair share of crashes and broken bones, resulting in an impressive collection of scars and metalwork! All in a days work so they say! I am known not just for my results and dedication, but also for my enthusiasm and commitment to the sport and its future. I am keen to put back in to the sport all that I can. For the past three years I have been able to offer support for a number of younger riders from their first experiences of riding downhill with the Aston Hill Junior Development program through to their first national race. I am currently the Rider Representative for British Cycling, a member of the Mountain Bike Commission for British Cycling and am training to become a fully qualified cycling coach. Outside of riding bikes, I’m pretty much game on for trying my hand at anything else! I can ski, snowboard, ride horses, climb rocks, I’ve had a go at windsurfing and raced yachts! You can guarantee whatever I’m doing and however I’m doing it there will be a lot of laughter and plenty of fun………………….. Life is no dress rehearsal – live it! The Shorts: Nationality – British Lives - Northamptonshire, United Kingdom Born - Beverley, Yorkshire, 24th February 1975 Years racing - six, started in 2000. Riding XC since 1997. Category – Master Women Current Team – Ancillotti UK Current Bike – Ancillotti Tomasso DHP Favourite UK track - Innerleithen, Scotland. It's got a little bit of everything! Favourite International track - Schladming, Austria. What a blast! Goals – To be National Champion, European Champion and World Champion in the same year! Best part of racing – Riding in beautiful places, travelling with my friends, winning! Hardest part – Packing, not seeing much of my family and non biking buddies! Important things in life - Happiness, passion, ambition and love! My family, my friends, my bikes and music! Likes - Smiling, kicking through Autumn leaves, cold noses, log fires, a good book, sunday roasts, beautiful views, summer rain, dancing, the first cup tea after a long winters training ride, getting out on my bike after work! Dislikes - Spiders, peaches (because they remind me of spiders!?), putting the clocks back, indecision, dark wet winter days, headwinds, spearmint chewing gum, not being able to get out on my bike after work! 2006 Racing Calendar 7th-9th July European Championships, Commezzadura, Italy 14th-16th July British National Championships, Moelfre, Wales 23rd July Midlands Summer Series, Rd 4, Caersws, Wales 12th-13th Aug British National Series Rd 3, Caersws, Wales 1st-3rd Sept World Masters Championships, Sun Peaks, Canada 23rd-24th Sept British National Series Rd 4, Fort William, Scotland 8th Oct Midlands Summer Series Rd 6, Radnor, England 21st-22nd Oct English Championships, Coombe Sydenham, England 2006 Race Results so far British National Series Rd 2 – 1st Midlands championships – 1st Midlands Summer Series Rd 1 – 1st Midlands Summer Series Rd 2 – 1st Midlands Summer Series Rd 3 – 1st 2005 Racing Highlights British National Championships – 1st European Championships – 1st UCI World Cup Round 1 – 25th UCI World Cup Round 3 – 28th UCI World Cup Round 8 – 25th UCI World Cup Series – 45th British National Series – 3rd South of England Championships – 1st Midlands Championships – 1st Links http://www.jules-coventry.co.uk http://www.ancillotti.blogspot.com/ http://www.ancillotti.com/ http://www.surf-sales.co.uk http://www.dakine.com