Electric bike riding experience sharing

As mountain biking fans, Todd and Jennifer Erickson needed to deliver their youngest daughter, Ella, alongside for the journey once they had been dwelling in Ellensburg, Wash., throughout Jennifer’s time in graduate college.

“We did not have a variety of household or associates there,” Jennifer Erickson mentioned. “We might find yourself shuttling one another to the highest of a neighborhood mountain and driving again down. We simply form of roped her together with us, and fortunately, she favored it.”

FOR ELLA, a senior at Coeur d’Alene Constitution Academy, the love of driving all began with some native races.

“I’ve been driving bikes my complete life,” Ella mentioned. “I began out racing BMX bikes at Cherry Hill Park (in Coeur d’Alene). My dad and mom additionally rode, so whereas I used to be racing BMX, I additionally began driving downhill. I did a race at Silver Mountain (in Kellogg) for enjoyable and actually loved doing these as a substitute of driving BMX.”

And the joy of flying downhill didn’t harm both.

“When you attempt it, you’ll be able to’t cease,” Ella mentioned. “I simply sort of have a necessity for pace I assume, and it’s an effective way to try this.”

Ella Erickson, 17, competes within the Northwest Cup Sequence, in addition to a couple of races a 12 months on the nationwide circuit by means of USA Biking.

“I’ll usually do 12 races a 12 months,” Ella mentioned. “This 12 months, there has solely been a few races as a result of most of them have been canceled due to the coronavirus.”

Ella, a two-time World Junior champion, will get to compete within the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships in Leogang, Austria, on Oct. 7-11 after not too long ago being chosen to the U.S. staff.

Ella’s occasion, the Junior Women downhill, is scheduled for Oct. 11.

“You’ve bought to get a specific amount of wins every year,” Ella mentioned. “However so long as you’ve bought a license by means of USA Biking, you’ll be able to compete at nationals.”

Profitable the previous two nationwide titles in her age group additionally helped significantly in getting chosen for the world championships.

“I gained the final two nationwide titles after I was 15 and 16 years previous,” Ella mentioned. “My occasions would have overwhelmed the remainder of the 17- and 18-year olds this 12 months.”

Ella is the lone woman competing for the U.S. within the Junior Women downhill.

Ella added there’s a couple of anxious moments that include every race, however she’s bought a routine that has helped with that.

“I used to get much more nervous beforehand, however now have that beneath management,” Ella mentioned. “I normally hearken to ‘Clean Crusing’ by Leon Bridges, and that’s been my good luck attraction. More often than not, I’ll eat smoked salmon earlier than a race. It appears to be the simplest factor to deliver with you and is an effective protein supply.”

DUE TO the COVID pandemic, Erickson’s dad and mom — like all different dad and mom of the junior rivals — are usually not allowed to journey to the occasion. No followers can be current for the world occasion both.

“I’m a bit of nervous about touring alone,” Ella mentioned. “I can go as a result of I’ve bought an exemption as a result of skilled athletes are thought-about important employees in Austria, so I’ll be staying with among the different athletes which might be going and a mechanic to work on our bikes.”

Ella not too long ago returned from nationals in West Virginia. The world staff was introduced previous to nationals.

“It’s fascinating,” mentioned Jennifer of Ella’s journey. “It will likely be bizarre to not go to worlds together with her. Neither my husband or I’ve been to Europe in any respect, so for her to get to go earlier than us is sort of a humorous factor. I’ve bought the numbers of among the different dad and mom, and we’re all in the identical boat, so we’ll be supporting one another for positive.”

Group USA doesn’t cowl bills for junior athletes, so all prices are as much as Ella to handle.

“I’ve bought a GoFundMe web page (www.gofundme.com/f/send-ella-to-2020-uci-mtn-bike-world-championship) and have obtained a variety of assist from Doma Espresso as nicely,” Ella mentioned. “The assist we’ve obtained has been nice to this point.”

The finals of the occasion can be broadcast on RedBull.TV.