Highly experienced down-hill, free-ride and cross-country mountain biker, Jamie Mitchell, has competed for eight years at both national and international levels. Mitchell has been intensively preparing for the 2009 season by building up general fitness and keeping motivated through the Winter Season. The coming season will be a busy one for Jamie, he is looking to compete in smaller grass routes events round the country and where possible National Points Series races round the UK. This year the Avalanche Cup will be holding a round in Keilder and Jamie will also be racing this Euro event. He is also looking to compete with a team in a number of 24hour races around the UK.
He will once again also be out in the Alps for sprint Avalanche at the end of July and hopes to fly to Spain for weekend races in the sun where he, of course, will be equipped with all the best Thule gear.
On top of these events he is also looking to gain his cycle MTB Leader qualifications allowing him to teach others skills in a safe controlled environment.
Jamie’s previous UK achievements include Scottish Downhill Association events, National Points Series races and the Irish Cup. In 2008 Jamie went to the French Alps to compete at the Mega Avalanche event in July where he was to race up to 25 kilometres down the side of a mountain. Unfortunately, after a great start at the qualifying race he clipped hid pedal of a rock and broke his leg in 2 positions. For the next 3 months he kept up the physiotherapy training and focused on getting strong again. Jamie has, apart from that, had a great winter on the bike and boards and is ready for the season ahead.
Jamie says that the support he has received from Thule has changed his riding and made travelling with his bikes a pleasure rather than a chore. Wet, muddy riding kit is now on the roof and not stuffed under his bed. Placing his bikes on his vehicle roof leaves him more room to store other vital equipment.
When not racing, Jamie can be found working as a guide at some of the UK’s leading trail centres, or being involved in the planning of mountain bike events. The sporting enthusiast also snow boards, kayaks, climb kites and surfs in his ‘spare’ time!
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