AmPro Yamaha Team quote after WXC Final Round 2019: ‘Way to finish the year #strong @rachael_archer65 👊🏁👊
And it was great debut season for the Kiwi, making 4th place in America’s prestigous GNCC (Grand National Cross Country Series) Women’s WXC class. Having experienced all learning curves from racing 13 Rounds over course of 9 months, Rachael is well primed to hit her stride from the very first Round at Big Buck course in South Carolina on February 22nd-23rd.
Gathering momentum from initial Rounds 1-4 last year, Rachael made all adjustments necessary to gain first 3rd podium at X-Factor Round 5, after which came a string of podiums to celebrate the Rookie’s season with 2nd at Final Round 13, Ironman end of October.
Refreshed over break in NZ, back home on farm, working- racing the odd Marathon race and why not! nab your very own crayfish- Rachael has jetted off to join her AmPro Yamaha Team based in South Carolina.
If one year racing your first Pro-GNCC is hard yards, for sure Rachael has all expertise banked and will be more than ready to race the Big Buck course close to Team’s base. The track and dirt make-up will suit Rachael’s riding technique.
As GNCC organisers state: ‘The soil at Big Buck is unique. It isn’t a sandy soil that people associate with South Carolina. It’s more of a clay base that can get slick when it’s wet, and gets very silty and almost feels like sand when it’s dry’.
‘The course is winding and can be tight. In fact, the quads usually have a section of tight trail, and the bikes have their own section of even tighter trail. If you’re not a single track expert, don’t worry, the sections are short and multiple lines open up’.
2019 WXC winner Tayla Jones will no doubt be on top of her game hunting consecutive Title, as will 2nd and 3rd placed Overall podiums of Becca Sheets and fellow Australian MacKenzie Jones. Not to say, anything can happen in racing and all Women in top tier will race for the win.
With stretched out WXC season ahead, and plenty of skilled competitors in WXC class, one things for sure, Rachael will only be too happy to show all what she has learnt, what she is capable of, and what she has worked super hard to achieve.
GNCC WXC Round 1: Big Buck February 22nd-23rd. Round 2: Wild Boar March 7th-8th
Round 3: The General March 14th-15th Round 4: Steele Creek April 4th- 5th. Header Photo: Rachael Archer Photo Credit: James Bennell
Words: Sharon Cox.
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