Kiwi downhill mountain biker Jess Blewitt is making her long-awaited return to the international stage after multiple setbacks caused by injuries.
The 21-year-old from Queenstown is among many New Zealand riders preparing ahead of world cup season.
"I love the adrenaline you get from it. It’s kind of like a one shot to give it your all," Blewitt said.
Blewitt has a need for speed — she used to be an alpine skier but, in 2018, decided to give downhill mountain biking a go. Since then, she's become a four-time national champion and landed world cup podiums. She’s even broken boundaries in the women's downhill scene after becoming the first woman ever to compete in the Red Bull Hardline — one of the toughest downhill mountain biking races in the world — in 2022.
"It was special and daunting," she said.
"I managed to achieve what we wanted to and that was to get females to the event and showcase that us women can do it."
But her ride hasn't always been smooth.
Blewitt has suffered multiple setbacks, including a broken wrist, ribs, collarbone, and fermur.
Her most recent injury was a fractured ankle, which forced her out of last year’s world champs and final world cup events. But next month, Blewitt will make her return to the international stage for this season’s first world cup event in Scotland.
"It's always that kind of, 'have I done enough; how am I looking; how am I going to go this season?' But we always find that out at the first race," she said.
"I'd like to be known as the best of the best so this year I’m hoping to win a world cup – that would be the ultimate dream and maybe some rainbow stripes to add to it."
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