This Hobbit's on a quest for stripes, not rings...

When I looked up Cameron Cole’s profile on blogspot.com I discovered that he is an 18 year old male Pisces (Chinese year of the dragon), born in Hamilton, with a long term interest in fashion design. A young male fashion designer growing up in Hamilton… well you’d have to be fast wouldn’t you. And damn is he fast! I talked to someone in the know recently who told me that he reckoned Cameron could take the world champs junior title if he didn’t let the pressure get to him. Well there sure is some pressure, with many New Zealander’s expecting Cameron and his nemesis Sam Blenkinsop to take the top two spots on the Junior podium between them.

But I know this kid can take pressure! At the Moonride 12 hour he was on our team; we wanted a top 20 finish but as he started our last lap at we were in 22nd. Half way around his lap in the cold and the dark his lights failed, but miraculously he pushed on, as soon as he got back under the stadium lights he got into a standing sprint for the last 5 minutes of the race, and hauled in 5 other riders to take us to 17th. He looked like he was going to puke on the finish line, but that sums him up. He will push himself further than any other racer I have met in the pursuit victory.

I caught up with Cameron whilst he is in Europe preparing for the world champs, by racing World Cups, Swiss Cups, Maxxis Cups, and basically anything else that’s on a hill.

NZR: How come you started racing DH?
CAM: I always liked to ride my mountain bike even when I was fully focused on bmx and couldn’t wait to get into high school so I could do the secondary schools nats. So basically it was just the fun factor that pulled me into it and I love it haven’t turned back.
 
NZR: What cool stuff has been happening in Europe for you?
CAM: There’s sooo much riding going on here its insane. There’s so much variety in the tracks in Les Gets and Morzine: steep and tight, fast and open, its good for your skills that’s for sure. It’s good to see the other grommies over here too and how much they have improved. The NZ season is going to go off next year in elite and junior. Then of course there’s the partying in Morzine....
 
NZR: What’s the coolest place you have ridden?
CAM: I would have to say Les Gets. The track’s in the town itself and of course the world champs thing that happened a couple of years ago which just adds to it all.

NZR: Are there real contenders from NZ for this world champs?
CAM: You would bloody well hope so aye.

NZR: Would you rather be DH racing or dirt jumping, or racing BMX?
CAM: DH racing for sure by far. BMX is still pretty crappy in NZ.

NZR: Are you thinking beyond the worlds?
CAM: Yeah I’m trying to sort stuff out for next year but nothing set in concrete yet. I really want to ride my bike for a living.

NZR: What will the Rotorua worlds track be like if its wet?
CAM: Pretty slippery as mud always is. I think boggy in the paddocks so it could well be a bit of a grovel on the flat stuff but the race in general will be insanely massive.

There you have it. Cameron Cole the ripper from Hamilton. One big part of the bright future of NZ Downhill. He took no. 1 at the Oceania’s DH, coming down the hill in roughly the same amount of time as Cedric Gracia (who is no slug), and he reckons he’s got faster since then. Get up the hill and shout his name

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