In early October, a group of mountain bikers from Nayland College competed in the National School MTB Championships in Wellington. It was a successful competition for Nayland with two of our students gaining podium finishes.

Year nine student Xanthe Robb finished second in the U15 girls enduro and downhill events, while Year 11 student Seth Buckley finished first in the enduro section and second in the downhill of the U16 boy’s division.

Downhill racing is exactly what it sounds like, with participants using their technique to get down the hill as fast as they can. They are given a shuttle ride to the top and are given a chance to practice on the terrain before getting their time recorded.

Enduro racing is much more arduous. Competitors have to go up the hill as well as down. Only their downhill times are recorded, but having to go uphill before each recorded descent, means the event is a test of a rider's fitness as well as agility.

Seth has been racing for a while and riding mountain bikes since he was three. He would like to go professional one day and will be competing in a range of races around New Zealand over summer.

Xanthe, despite her success at this event, still considers the sport a hobby, albeit one she is proving to be very successful at.

“It is super fun just to go riding with my mates,” she said. “I find it really challenging and it is quite scary sometimes. But when I do things that I didn’t think I could do, it is really rewarding. Heaps of adrenaline, I find it really exciting and intense,” Xanthe said.

“I don’t think I’ll get into it heaps competitively. I do like racing, but it is more for fun. I just really enjoy doing it on my weekends and stuff. I’ll definitely keep going to these events because they are good fun. I don’t think I’ll get into it too competitively or take it too seriously.”