Katherine O'Shea

Katherine O?Shea
Born: Bendigo Victoria
Resides: Port Melbourne Victoria
DOB: 22^nd March 1979

I was an accomplished softballer until a few years ago, when I was bitten by the mountain bike bug after a group of my girlfriend?s got together to race a 24 hour enduro. Not the most obvious of transitions, but both sports have developed my competitive nature and introduced me to some great friends.

In May 2007 I was accepted into the Australian Institute of Sport?s Dirt Roads to London talent ID program. A program that is designed to get potential female MTB racers to an elite level of competitiveness and race at World Cup events with the ultimate goal of representing Australia at the 2012 London Olympics.

In this relative short time I have progressed from a sport level rider to a National Series race winner, having consecutive wins at the Gold Coast and You Yangs rounds for the 2008/2009 Australian season.

My favourite training area is Mt Beauty in the North East of Victoria. There is so much choice for training for either mountain bike or road, which over Christmas/New Year becomes my second home. Closer to home I enjoy mountain biking at the You Yangs and out at the Dandnongs, the later is also good for some road hills.

Nothing gets me more pumped up for a race than listening to fast and loud music, so I have bands like Underworld, Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy on high rotation while warming up on the wind trainer. But then chill out to Missy Higgins and The Sundays afterwards.

My favourite MTB races have been Offenburg World Cup, You Yangs National round and the Otway Odyssey.

While my favourite road races were Geelong Road World Cup, Oceania Road Champs and the Jayco Bay Series Critriums.

Joining Team TORQ this year has been a great boost to my fledgling cycling career as I step up to the World Cup plate and take on the 2009 season with the hope of making the Australian team for the Cross Country World Champs in Canberra.