067 – 2x Junior British DH Champion Maya Atkinson Talks Turning Elite
Todays Guest
Maya Atkinson – We chat racing, sponsors, training, motivation and turning elite.
On episode number Sixty Seven we are chatting to two time Junior British Downhill Champion, Maya Atkinson. It was great to get Maya on the show fresh off the back of her new film ‘Get It Done’, by Mid Nowhere Productions. Jacob Martin the founder and owner of Mid Nowhere Productions emailed me the movie and after watching for the first time I knew I had to reach out and get Maya on the show. Maya was very cool and agreed to come on and share her story about racing, crashing and her preparation for her up-coming elite racing season.
Maya is so laid back in her approach to racing, training and results that you would be forgiven for thinking that she doesn’t really care, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Maya is super focused, motivated and very determined to make her mark on the ladies downhill elite scene. I love Maya’s approach. She is determined to have fun and enjoy herself in the process by not taking the whole thing to seriously. She has her goals set and is going to work hard until she achieves them. Maya is excited and nervous all at the same time about her up-coming season which is totally normal. We chat about this and how among many other things her parents have been a major driving force behind her getting to the level she is at and how they help in so many ways. We also chat about ladies in mountain biking and how best to get involved. Plus tones more great stuff.
So hit play and find out what it is like to be advancing from Juniors to the elite level of ladies downhill mountain biking.
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Find Out:
- How Maya started mountain biking
- Why Maya liked mountain biking over the other sports she tried
- What Maya’s first bike was
- How supportive Maya’s parents are
- How Maya got to be involved with Mid Nowhere Productions
- How Maya felt about making her first mountain bike movie
- How long it took to film
- Maya’s past racing achievements
- What she feels about moving up to the elite class
- Who Maya’s new race team is and the support they will give
- What Maya thinks about her new ride
- What Maya’s training looks like
- Her goals for this up-coming season
- How she keeps motivated and pushing herself
- Why she feels she is lazy (trust me, she’s not really)
- How you can best get in contact with Maya
It is so cool what riders like Maya are doing for the sport, including what they are doing outside the racing scene. Maya is very keen to get more ladies involved in mountain biking, may it be from simply just getting more ladies out on bikes to learning new skills and building confidence. Maya believes this is very important for the health of ladies mountain biking and that this success carries the whole way to the top elites and the support they receive from events and sponsors. If you get more ladies involved at the grass roots, this in-turn will encourage sponsors to promote ladies racing or whatever it may be, helping the riders at the top get better deals and encourage more females into the mountain biking scene.
Maya finds her motivation from other riders and what other people are doing in the sport. If she ever needs a bit of motivation she watches some of her favourite riders on the likes of YouTube, which get her pumped to hit the trails and stoked to get back out on the bike or in the gym. Maya really seems to enjoy what she is doing and is really making the most of this opportunity she has worked so hard for. Maya is taking some time away from the traditional university route to chase her dreams and I agree. Why not? Life is to short not to jump on these opportunities when they come your way. She is well aware that university is something she may have to look at in the future but for now her sights are firmly set on making the most of her youth and her racing career. Well done I say!
So take some wait off and find out what it is like to be chasing your mountain biking dreams and making that very exciting move into the elite downhill class. Enjoy.
To Connect with Maya:
Instagram: maya_atkinson29
Facebook: MayaAtkinson29
Maya’s Sponsors:
Leslie Bike Shop / Bikers Boutique Downhill Team
The Support deals that are in place for this season:
- Specialized UK
- Hope Tech
- Acorn Industrial
- Saddleback
- Madison
- Extra Uk – Crank Bros
- Thorntons Solicitors
- Invisiframe
- Mudhugger
- AVS Scotland
- Brian Fairfull Consultancy Ltd
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Massive thanks to Maya for coming on the show and sharing her story.
Thanks again for listening and being part of the Tribe. Have a great Christmas!
Join me next week for another MTB TRIBE Podcast show!
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