Anka Martin is a EWS and adventure rider sponsored by Juliana and SRAM. She’s been racing downhill since around 2000 – she raced World Cup DH, and has represented South Africa in DH World Champs – and got the bug for longer form races in around 2008. Those DH skills help her to highly place in Enduro World Series rounds, and she also races the Trans-Provence, in which she’s come second every year since 2011, apart from 2013 (she won in 2013).
A few weeks ago, Barney caught up the naturalized Kiwi (she’s originally from South Africa) in Patagonia during a SantaCruz launch to ask about the past year, her philosophy, and the future:
“Well, 2015 started off pretty amazingly – we had a really busy time in New Zealand! Due to the EWS coming to Rotorua for the first time brought so many people, and a lot of people spent a lot more time in NZ before the race, and we had so many visitors and showed so many people around, and did so many cool things before the race, and because of the race. But before and after: those are the fun things. You race – and that’s fun – but the good memories are made when people just come out and ride your local trails, and you eat and hang out and see the sights.”
This is Anka’s philosophy in a nutshell: she’s much more interested in the experience than she is in actually beating people – although she just seems to be good at that too:
“I never thought that I’d race – it’s something that sort of happened! I define myself as a rider rather than a racer, really. But I was intrigued by racing because of where it took me. I wanted to go to these events and cultures and the whole experience.
“We’re based in Nelson, New Zealand now, and that EWS stage was pretty special – just to have all those people you’ve been racing with for so many years come over to your home country! It was cool to show people around and do the sort of summer stuff that you don’t usually get to do at races. We [Anka is married to renowned MTB photographer Sven Martin] felt really proud – although w’re not really Kiwis yet – we only moved here in 2011!
“We’re able to ride our bikes in so many amazing places and I’m really thankful for my bike for giving me those opportunities and the people who spend it with. But another stop that was great for me last year was the EWS in Ainsa, in Spain. It’s amazing! The food, the people, and the whole thing is set in a medieval castle; it was an incredible place [Ainsa was Barney’s editor’s choice for 2015, coincidentally]. And the riding was amazing. We had a few days with Doug from Basque MTB before the race, and the whole experience really stood out in terms of events for last year. I can see myself going back there for holidays, definitely.
“Gosh, so there were so many highlights. But I think it goes back to who you ride with. That’s what makes a place memorable, the whole emotional bond. If you have an amazing day with a bunch of friends, with maybe a feed afterwards, then everything’s just jolly! If you went back there a few weeks after on your own, you’d still have a great time, but you wouldn’t get the same buzz without people to share it with.”
And is there more of the same this year?
“Well, last year I was hoping not to do a full series, but the Juliana team wanted to promote a women’s team, and part of that was committing to the full EWS series, which was great – I loved doing it – but for this year I will be cherry picking the events that I really love. I like the longer multi-day events that aren’t so serious. You can’t turn up to those events and go “I’m going to try to win this race”, because so many things are going to happen throughout the week – you could be leading up to the last stage of the 8th day and you could just get lost! So you never know how they’re going to turn out. And I really like the camp vibe, where you actually get to know people. With a 1 or even a 2 day event, you see people, but you never really get to hang out with them.”
Right now, Anka is riding across New Zealand to raise money for World Bicycle Relief, which aims to provide bikes to healthcare workers, teachers and students (70% girls) in Zambia and rural Zimbabwe. Which is a pretty cool thing, if you ask us.
You can donate here.
As we speak, she’s just reached the South Island having ridden over 2000k since the 25th February. Not bad at all. But what happens after this huge adventure is over? Why, more adventures, of course!
“I’m really excited about this year. I’m going to be doing some women’s camps. Not really skills camps – there are so many of those out there – but we’re working with some outfitters, we’re doing some stuff with Ash from the Trans Provence, and Doug from Basque MTB in Spain, putting on a Womens’ Week of riding where we shuttle, ride, we do yoga in the morning, we eat good food, we drink good wine, and just introduce those trips to women who are maybe to intimidated to go along with the guys groups.
“And then I’ll do the first 2 EWS races – mostly because I’ve never been to those places and I really want to go there – and I’m really excited about not chasing points on a series. I’ve never had visions of me becoming a World Champ or anything like that – I just enjoy riding. I like racing because it pushes my boundaries – it makes me a better rider. A way to keep challenging myself. Sometimes it’s just one small little detail that I’ve never thought about – Someone says something or does something in a slightly different way that makes sense to your brain; that just clicks with you, and all of a sudden it’s ‘oh, now I get it’.
Not racing for its own sake, but a way to improve yourself, improve your skillset – and most importantly, a way of making new friends and doing amazing new things. Now that’s a philosophy we can all get behind.
