Congratulations Rachael Archer taking 2nd Overall in Grand National Cross Country WXC Championship 2020. Finishing the 13 Round Series with 5 consecutive wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds and enough points advantage to nail 2nd with Final Round to go, Rachael has claimed awesome victory in just 2nd Pro season.
Racing under great Team, AmPro Yamaha, Rachael has definitely proved she packs punch above her weight when it comes determination to achieve goals. 2020 was all about improving performance on track, smarter race strategy and pushing limits to gain edge over competition- all of which banked the 18 year old so close to clinching the Championship Title.
Rachael: ‘I’m gutted I was only 2 points away from the Championship but I learnt so much this year and next year I’ll be comin in hot for the win!
‘There’s always things to improve on and next year I will be fine tuning everything to get even faster. I train with the boys everyday which has helped my speed a lot’.
Having navigated shift from home to live, breathe, train and race at 2nd home in USA, Rachael displays amazing sense of making whole path-way of her career oh-so-enjoyable- even when breaking foot at WXC Ironman at the weekend. As she says:
‘GNCC Ironman was good… I got the hole shot and lead from start to finish taking the overall win. There were 980 riders in my race and it was chaos! I landed on a lapper that stopped right in front of me as I did a jump and crushed my foot between his swing arm and my foot peg at the beginning of the last lap’.
‘Adrenaline got me through and when I took my boot off at the finish the pain kicked in. Getting X-rays tomorrow but feels pretty broken. Lucky to have an awesome crew even carrying me to the podium! 
Attitude always up-beat, fiercely focused on improving race-craft, all the while staying ever so grounded makes #650 such a formidable opponent heading into 2021 season. Mean-while, well earned rest, recovery for foot and catch-up with family and friends back home tops the list before embarking on next season’s thrilling racing career back in US.
Rachael: ‘There are some really good people over here and I’ve built a great group of friends. The team is like a big family and it’s really nice to be able to call this place home away from home! I’m really looking forward to a Kiwi summer and seeing all my family and friends back home! It’s been so long and I’m ready to go home’.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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