racer daze: Joanna Petterson

I question what I do everyday. I know that flying to so many places and making my life as an ambassador of brands, basically pushing people to buy the products I represent, is not at all environmentally friendly. I haven’t had carte blanche to pick and choose the companies I have been supported by. I haven’t been able to say, I’ll race using your products if they are sustainable, responsible, made with as little impact on the environment and the people that live in it. I’d like to have that power. I’d like to demand a responsibility from the companies I represent as well as a responsibility from myself. But honestly where would I be right now if I had demanded that? I don’t know if I would be where I am today. Which is still working in the bike industry and still believing I can take my love of biking and espouse it on others. I still believe that bikes can save the world. But I don’t believe bikes can save the world the way our bike loving industry is doing it.

Welcome back! After living between Hawaii and California in the off season I am in hot pursuit of a successful 2010. I spent the winter months riding mostly road, working at my local shop, Kauai Cycles, and working on cycling skills with a great group of women all participants of Boot Camp by Stacy . Having some cycling knowledge I was on hand to teach flat repair, optimum ca dence an d bike handling. I race the bike leg of a sprint distance triathlon and took 2nd at a local cross country race held on Kauai and had a great time even though I pulled a rookie move and ran out of water on the 2 nd lap.. Where is my feed zone?! I kicked off my gravity season at the Fontana National where the winds seemed determined to blow not only the smoggy air away but most of the XC and gravity racers. Sunday somehow managed to pull itself together and the winds subsided to clear blue skies. I placed 1 st in 4X and 2nd in DH to my friend and fierce competitor, Melissa Buhl. Next stop would be the

Downhill is what we do. But from the get go this weekend I hadn’t expected it to go as far downhill as it did… and then make a complete u-turn. I was having a great week at practice. At times I was feeling really good on the downhill track and pretty confident in my ability to qualify this week. The track was dry when we inspected it and by the morning of practice it had completely changed with the downpours that ensued. But that’s racing… rain or shine I try to face the day with every intention of riding to the best of my abilities and beyond. One spill in practice and I was feeling focused for qualifying. I had a pretty good run but after last weekend I was definitely a little cautious, which I couldn’t afford when I hit a rock and my chain came off my chainring. Luckily I was able to spin it back on just in time and made it into finals. Racing Saturday morning was met with sunny, beautiful skies. And the track was drying out again, except for a few sections that got so soaked th

Ah what a weekend of fun in the... rain :) DH was not nearly as exciting for me as 4X. Both tracks are amazing here and the 2010 World Champs are going to be great in my opinion. I think this weekends racing has given the organizers a good idea of what they need to fix and all the changes they have made that are great! In DH I was feeling really good in practice and even had a few compliments, saying I was looking fast. I felt pretty good going into the qualifying, my run was going well, but I managed to crash in a high speed section and not make the final 20. And I was so close to the top ten with my no. 12 plate! So it was into 4x I needed to put all my focus and energy. My wrist was a bit sore from the crash but I managed to let adrenaline take over for racing and felt strong. Racing started Saturday with a round of 16 for the women, 4 heats. My first heat I was 2nd to Anneke Beerten, and the next heat was going to be a challenge. I was up against Anita Molcik, Anneke Beerten and Me

It is january first, well, almost january second. Kauai time has come and gone so quickly and now I'm on cali time and soon it will be england time. Training and getting ready for 09. It is going to be a good year, I can feel it in my bones, in my heart, in my determination. The first World Cup race is going to be in South Africa, the country of my birth. 2009 is going to be a great year.. I'll be back, as often as possible to post what ever I can come up with; most likely it will have to do with racing, bikes, kiting, training, photography, baking bread, surfing, traveling, riding, music, movies and whatever else I feel like. I just want to share with whoever reads this that you should remember to follow your dreams, don't give up, fight all the way, kicking and screaming, and clawing your way if you have to, but follow your dreams because as far as I know, this is the only shot we get.

Time flies when your riding your bike! I'm on the road again, all packed up for 5 months of riding, racing, travel and any odd job I can find! The Brodie Bunch headed to Santa Barbara for the Firestone Walker Mountain Bike classic. It was a great event, with an amazing amount of attendance. The dh course was a good skill level for the newer dh'ers and proved to be an excellent endurance test. The dusty venue was no match for the outdoor showers that were provided. After a day of practice we raced on Saturday in a two run format. My first run was clean but was too slow to beat my speedy teammate Jackie Harmony. I had to get my head into the game and pedal HARDER! So it came down to the second run, after a tough sprint to the finish I was able to clinch the win! Thanks to all the ladies for a great race! This past weekend we all headed to the famous Fontana , aka fontucky NORBA National. The Mountain cross course was excellent and I hope Norba continues to stick with that tr