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 2006 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 Bromont, Canada 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 Criteriums.

My first full season with Torq Nutrition was quite incredible. In sport terms I won the Australian National Series in Cross Country (XCO) and Short Track (XCC). I was also able to do the complete World Cup series which took me from the wilds of South Africa to the summer ski slopes of Quebec Canada via the legendary courses of Europe.  In doing so I was able to gain selection into the Australia team to compete in my first World Championships, which were held at Mt Stromlo Canberra. This was all achieved with the support of my team and team mates. Racing and travelling with such a supportive crew means so many things to me; the ground support at races, the encouragement behind the scenes when things are going well and especially when things are not going so well.  The team is such good fun group to travel with and they make the time away from home all that much more bearable.

In 2010, I hope for a blend of my 2009 success plus to check out some unexplored territory.  Wildside in Tasmania is on the list as are some enduro’s outside of Victoria, with a big focus on continued improvement with the full World Cup season again  Culminating in my second World Championships to be held at Mt Sainte Anne, Canada.