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Rae’s Race Report: Enduro World Series #1, Rotorua

Rain, Roots and Muddy Chutes: Conquering the Giant Toa Enduro

with RAE MORRISON

After a gnarly first round of the Enduro World Series in Rotorua, New Zealand, we caught up with Giant Factory Off-Road team rider Rae Morrison to get a behind the scenes look at her practice strategy, race routine, injury status and overall race-day impressions.

Results Rae Morrison Rotorua

Rae at EWS Rotorua

All photos by Sven Martin Photography.

LIV: The first EWS race of the season was in your home country of New Zealand. How did that feel?

RAE: It felt so good to be back on the bike and doing what I love, especially after missing the last half of the 2016 season. I love racing my bike at the top level and to get a taste for that excitement again felt really good, especially in front of family and friends. I’ve still got a fair bit of work to do to get this heel back to 100 percent, but I’m incredibly motivated to make that happen as quickly and effectively as possible! 

 

LIV: Did racing in front of your home crowd add any pressure?

RAE: The only pressure on me is my own and that doesn’t really change much regardless of where in the world we are racing. I’m never going to settle for mid-pack, so even though 11th is a good result here in NZ, I’m always going to be gunning for better.

 

LIV: How did your practice days go?

RAE: Both days were a bit wet, so it gave us a fairly accurate insight as to what we could expect on race day. It’s a fine balance between getting out and practicing the tracks as much as you can and keeping the legs fresh for race day. We did over 7 hours of practice between the 2 days and that was enough to get all the info we needed. We use a lot of GoPro footage that we get out on course and will spend the evenings recovering and reviewing trails, lines and any features that may save time on race day. 

 

LIV: After practice, did your bike set-up change for the race?

RAE: Since it was raining on both the practice days, my set-up stayed very much the same. I had aggressive knobby tires on and I ran a reasonably low tire pressure which works well in the mud and wet roots. 

EWS Rotorua Rae Morrison during practice

EWS Rotorua Rae Morrison during practice

EWS Rotorua Rae Morrison during practice

LIV: Do you ride in wet and muddy conditions often?

RAE: I usually live in sunny dry places so I am more a fair weather rider, but this year living in Wellington has forced me out into the rain a few more times than I would like. It has been good for me and quite fun as long as you have a good rain jacket and a hot shower waiting for you when you get home. 

 

LIV: Have you ever raced in conditions like this before?

RAE: Some of the racing in the UK reminds me a bit of last weekend. This race was particularly hard with the hundreds of riders practicing and racing on the volcanic soil, which meant the tracks got pretty beat up and looked nothing like what we had ridden a few days earlier. It made for some exciting and unpredictable racing!

 Rae Morrison Enduro Race in Rotorua

LIV: Race day. Walk us through your morning routine.

RAE: I find getting a really good night’s sleep leading into race day help (easier said than done) and then coffee… if it wasn’t for coffee I wouldn’t be going far! I tend to get all of the food, bike, kit and race prep done the night before, so race day is as stress-free as possible. My morning routine is just about getting up, eating a mega breakfast and going over last minute GoPro footage of the race tracks. I like to eat porridge with raw banana, berries and yogurt for breakfast – low GI and lots of goodness to help sustain your body for the work it’s about to go through.

 

LIV: It was a long day on the bike in Rotorua. How did you feel mentally and physically over the 8 hours on the bike and 2000+ meters of climbing?

RAE: It really was a massive day out on the bike. The tracks were really hard going and the climbs were boggy and slow, so transition times between stages were tight. You had to ride quite hard between the stages to make it to the next one on time, so it really was a full-on 8-hour bike race. Mentally, you just need to get stuck in and get on with the job. We were all out there facing the same conditions and tackling the same challenges, so you just have to stay positive and keep attacking it stage by stage. I am really happy that I managed to dig deep and keep progressing from 28th to 11th spot after a few setbacks and multiple crashes on stage 1. It wasn’t the best way to kick off the day. My heel held up really well. It doesn’t get sore anymore, but I still don’t have the ankle strength to unclip which made for a few awkward-but-funny crashes in the mud. 

 

LIV: How do you keep your composure during an EWS race?

RAE: My mindset is to always treat each stage as its own race, there is no point getting in a state about mistakes you made and can’t undo, but instead getting on with the job and focusing on how to be as fast and smooth as possible on the next stage. For the technical pieces, I focus on my breathing which in turn relaxes me and allows me to concentrate on what I need to do rather on where I might fall.

Race Day in Rotorua

LIV: What was the hardest part of the day?

RAE: For sure stage 1, I lost a lot of time with crashes and traffic. It was a hard way to start the day already being on the back foot with losing over 60 sec. But it was good motivation to better myself throughout the day.  

 

LIV: What was the highlight of your day?

RAE: A delicious bacon, egg, spinach and avocado sandwich at the end of the race. I was meant to have it for lunch but didn’t have time to eat during the day, so it was brought to me at the end of the race – that sandwich tasted spectacular. 

 

LIV: Do you allow yourself a reward after a race? If so, what is it?

RAE: Of course! I went deep… I had pizza, burgers, caramel slice and chocolate after the race including a 2:00 am binge when I woke up starving and needing more calories after such a taxing day. 

Liv Hail Advanced 0

LIV: It sounds like this course really put the equipment to the test. How did the Hail perform?

RAE: The Hail was amazing; it’s such a confidence-inspiring bike that just loves to be raced. I’m lucky enough to have all the top gear on it which makes for one seriously cool bike.

 

LIV: It looked like you switched between your 100% full-face helmet and your Liv Infinita trail helmet. What determines your helmet choice out there on the course?

RAE: For racing, if I can I will always go with a full-face helmet because head safety is so important. I am much more confident in a full-face knowing my head and face are better protected. However, Rotorua was over 60 km of racing in warm and muggy conditions. I tried the full face on one of the practice days but found it was too hot and my goggles were fogging up in the humidity, so my Liv Infinita helmet was a better option for me this time around!

Helmet Choice during an Enduro

LIV: What was it like to race with the support of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team?

RAE: The Giant guys are amazing! My mechanic, teammates and manager are very experienced and knowledgeable, so being in a race environment with them is a huge help. We will go over race lines together, talk strategy, nutrition and how best to approach each stage. And, having my bike washed and cleaned for me is still the best feeling. I’m really stoked to be a part of the team!

LIV: What are you looking forward to the most about the next EWS race in Tasmania?

RAE: I’m really looking forward to riding somewhere I have never been. There has been a lot of hype about all the trail work and new tracks in Tassie. I can’t wait to go ride it all! 

 

Learn more about Rae by clicking the link below, and keep up with the latest news by following her on social media! 

Meet Rae