Sarah goes on 'What Now'
24 June 2009
It's been a while since my last update but here are the last few. I was on What Now this morning and had heaps of fun.
'What Now' - 21st June
What a huge morning! Up at 5.30am to head down to the studio for hair and make up quickly followed by having the mic and ear piece on. As that was happening, I was walking out to the set to do the pre-recorded intro and also do rehearsal.
There wasn't much time before we were underway and things started great. I didn't stuff up my opening line which was the thing I was most scared of doing. I did stuff up once when I couldn't find my script before the break finished and as we were counted back in, they pointed to me and I was supposed to announce the winners for Jump the Queue but luckily, Red (talking mailbox) saved me and everything was back on track. It wasn't too bad anyway.
After that, I did the remaining of the 2 hours without a hitch. Saw the awesome swing/flying fox in Taihape that goes 160km/h! So jealous of Tu who got to go on it. During the show, I read out emails, talked to callers, gave out prizes, arm wrestled a Vodafone Warrior and played some games! I also got cream pie, custard and foam every now and then but it was all part of the fun.
After the show had finished, the phones were still ringing like crazy. Apparently they are the busiest lines in New Zealand for two hours every Sunday morning and the chances of getting through are next to none. I remember back when I was younger, I used to try and get through every Sunday but with no luck. So, as the phones were still ringing with no teleops at their stations, I went over to a phone that was ringing, picked up the headphones and pressed 'Talk'. I talked to a Ricky-Lee and a Sam. Sam (approx. 5) was telling me about a time when he went to the Nelson BMX track and couldn't quite make it up one of the hills and how me and Charlie (other host) did a great job.
Thanks 'What Now' for having me on the show and thank you to the people who wrote emails to the show saying I did a good job - apparently the Crew thought I did a great job too and have said they would love me back later on in the year.
20th June, 2009
I've been training a lot and looking forward to Worlds. Did another first for me at my home track in Rotorua the other day. It was a head wind down the first straight and when it's like that, jumping the step up isn't usually an option. But neither is manualling or pumping the double after it. So after a few times of being a chicken and pulling out, I manualled the step up then jumped the double which sounds like absolutely nothing, but it was good and I am happy. My brother (Matt) made it a little more interesting by being side by side with me and Dave Mohi and jumping sideways with his wheel tucked in behind my arm. There was a little bit of in air commentating by the three of us but we all landed and had a laugh.
14th June, 2009
Went to Cambridge today for one of the few races left before Worlds. Once again, I was in with the boys (as were ALL the girls besides one group from memory). The format for the day was three moto's and three finals and to make things more interesting, there was about 10 to 15 minutes between races.
The JDS (Junior Development Squad) were all at the track with RMC so there were quite a few people for the 16+ class. No one gave me the memo that they'd be racing in flats so I felt a bit stink in my clips - especially with the flat start hill in Cambridge.
In moto's, I had Geoff Beaumont who is the current NZ#3 in Junior Elite Men. With my advantage of clips, I came out in front and was leading to the first corner. Thought that once we got going, the advantage of clips would go and he would pass me somewhere around the track but to my suprise, I held (and gained) my lead to the last corner where we all bunched up and went down to the finish line together with me taking the lunge for first.
Similar thing happened for the second moto and in the third moto, Geoff got me down the last straight. After that, we had a half hour break to get some legs back before three finals.
In the first race, I made into the first corner 3rd, and held there to the finish line. Second race, I came out of lane one and thought for a second I was going to beat Kurt James to the first corner but it wasn't to be and slotted into second and finished there, a fraction behind Kurt who got a puncture with two straights to go.
In the final final, Kurt James had pulled out due to his flat tyre. I was out of 7 and couldn't get across and went into 6th, managed to pick up to 5th by the finish. Don't know where I finished overall because the prize was a can of drink at the finish line. I think it was 2nd or 3rd.
Back
