Six-time New Zealand Ironman Champion, Joanna Lawn, will be going back to her roots this week when she lines up for the SRAM Tour de Ranges on Saturday 23rd January.
Lawn competed as a cyclist from 1994 until 1998, including representing New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in 1998, where she placed ninth in the Road Race. It was not until 1999 that Lawn participated in her first triathlon.
The SRAM Tour de Ranges is a new cycling event on Auckland sport calendar and was created to attract all levels of cycling ability to some of the most remarkable roads in Auckland.
Starting and finishing at the Clevedon A & P Showgrounds, both the 110km and 30km rides will wind their way through the tree-lined country roads and rolling hills of the Hunua Ranges before taking in the breathtaking sea views of the Hauraki Gulf.
Lawn is looking forward to her first cycling event for quite some time and is using the event as part of her build up to the New Zealand Ironman in March.
"This race will be a great way to get out there and ride with some top level cyclists and to challenge myself. Road riding is very tough, as the pace is always changing, and this is only going to help me as I build towards my 2010 race plan.
"It is also a great opportunity to race at home, the nature of my sport means I have to spend months overseas every year but I always love coming home and to race in front of a home crowd and also give back to the sponsors that enable to me to achieve the goals that I do."
One of those sponsors is SRAM, world leaders in cycling componentry.
"I have used SRAM equipment for many years, it is the best equipment and in my sport the best is the only way to go. I feel privileged to ride with the best and represent a brand that strives for excellence as much as I do."
While cycling provided Lawns first experience at professional sport, it wasn't her first choice out of school – in fact it was a case of third time lucky before she found the sport that she would make mark on the world. Tennis was Lawn's first love and after school she travelled to the United States as part of the University scholar/sport program. However she soon realized living over there without her close family and friends was not for her and returned home. Cycling was sport number two where Lawn had some great success.
"Cycling provided for me a very solid aerobic base, where a very high percentage of ironman is. Also, patience, in cycling the race is not one in the first pedal stroke but you must put the hard work in when needed and the result will just happen at the right time.
"I loved cycling and was good at it quite naturally. However I was like a diesel engine, could go and go and go – but had no sprint at all, which was great for my team but I needed something where I could be first across the line, that's when I considered triathlon."
And the rest, as they say, is history and who knows, perhaps Lawn will be making history once again at the inaugural SRAM Tour de Ranges.
Lawn has had a great start to the season already; winning the Whangamata Contact Energy Triathlon, taking third at the Stroke and Stride event in Auckland and placing fourth at the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman.
"Even better than my fourth pacing in Tauranga was that I finished in a time quicker than last year - it shows I am right where I want to be in my build up to Taupo." commented Lawn after her race.
Expect Lawn to add to these already impressive 2010 results at the SRAM Tour de Ranges.
