Naomi Hansen is one of Australia’s leading Marathon and Stage Race riders. Beyond looking after all the pets in Noosa at her veterinary practice – she is also racing for the Subaru-MarathonMTB.com Team in 2012
One of the benefits of living and training in Noosa is that you never really know who you may end up riding with. Over the summer months it is a given that you will be riding with some of the big heads of Australian Ironman and triathlon as the likes of Belinda and Justin Granger, Laura and Greg Bennett, Luke and Amanda McKenzie like to mix it up (or smash it up) with the Noosa road bunch. I also understand Matt Wilson is a frequent flyer (to date unsighted by myself) as is Benny Kersten, who now calls Noosa home (engaged to Sally Prowd, daughter of Garth Prowd of USM Events: some local gossip to bring you upto speed). When the afore mentioned Benny K and John Madill (Madill Holden: typical car salesman) invited me to join one of his training rides Sunday I really didn’t expect to be riding alongside the Ford Performance Racing Team.
Initially I thought “what a bunch of hubbards” then I realised they were so pale because they were from south of the border (Victoria). Their training camp had starting the previous Wednesday and they were due to return home Monday with the scheduled training ride to Mooloolaba (100km return) their final hooray before leaving the Sunshine Coast. So this is how the morning progressed….we headed south along the coast and within minutes one of the riders brandished his phone and insisted on taking photos of the coast, something about the sun over the water and such. I threatened to spank him if he continued with such irresponsible behaviour and I suspect maybe I was quick to judge as he was riding a TT bike and drifting into the middle of the road while at the same time assuring me he had the balance to email and ride. Kids these days!! Fortunately Benny K ramped up the pace a little which quickly silenced the masses and resulted in a more ‘sensible’ ride south. A mandatory coffee stop at the 50km mark was followed by a solid, tail wind assisted ride north (33-38km/h) lead by Benny K, much to the dismay of the masses but I fear they had no extra breath with which to complain or request extra sunscreen.
Safe to say they were extremely happy to return to their Noosaville accommodation that afternoon and escape the searing 36C heat… just another training day in Noosa.. So when rookie Chaz Mostert (googling tells me he recently received the Mike Kable Young Gun Award at the V8 Supercars Gala Dinner) becomes rich and famous I will remind him that I assisted (pushed) him up a hill in Noosa…..
On the road with iProcycling and the FPR Team