Photo courtesy of Joolze Dymond

JENNY COPNALL EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

   Twelve years after her first podium finish in a National Championship event, reigning women's elite national champion Jenny Copnall of the Subaru-Gary Fisher team is still the rider to beat in 2008. Ever the competitor, Jenny spoke to us about the 2007 season, which she viewed as "not a great year for me" and vowed to return to her "usual self" for the coming season.

While Jenny makes no secret about the National Championships being her number one goal for the year, she looks to have a very busy season ahead with planned competition at all National Points Series events, Marathon Champs, World Marathon Champs, selected European World Cups, 24/12, one of the G2 Revolvers and as she put it, "I would hope to race Worlds XC."

Those who follow mountain biking will know why she's not making any firm plans for Worlds. Her exclusion from major events has on several occasions united the mountain biking community as they rallied on her behalf. While she's clearly disappointed about decisions made in the past and would prefer to channel her efforts into preparing for the big races rather than just getting to them, she understands it's not just about her. Her battles could be paving the way for future women riders to have a clearly defined path to the highest level of the sport.

TMTBR: You're a very accomplished racer and have been at the top of the sport within the UK for many years now. Do you have any unmet goals or things you'd like to accomplish in the sport?

JC: Coming into the sport all those years ago, I'd not have believed someone if they'd told me I'd be National Champ even once! So, I feel that I have surprised myself really and still cannot believe it most of the time. Having said this, I would like to do myself justice in this year's World Cup events and I am currently in a good position to achieve that. My other goal is the World Marathon Championship, where I finished 18th last year at my first attempt.

TMTBR: Marathon and Enduro races seem to be outpacing XC racing in popularity in the UK. Several of your closest rivals in the series last year came from these disciplines. Do you have any interest in the longer distance racing or even 12 or 24 hour events?

JC: I certainly have an interest in the marathon event. I have raced two official marathons. The first was the 2006 UK National Champs, which I won. The second was the World Champs last year where I finished 18th. I am an endurance animal, so marathons undoubtedly suit me. At the top level, XC racing complements marathon ability, so I do not see them as mutually exclusive; however, I can't see myself doing more than one or two per year; I simply find it drains all mental energy from me. As for 12 or 24-hour events, I think the answer is no. I have a curiosity as to whether I could last out a 24-hour solo and how my body would react to it, but I think it is best left at that if I wish to maintain some dignity! I have great respect for Jenn [O'Connor] and Kate [Potter] for putting themselves through that.

TMTBR: Are you a full-time racer or do you do other work to make ends meet?

JC: I have never been a full time racer. Whether I could have scraped by is another issue. I have always been very independent. I moved out from home at 17 and have always funded my own lifestyle. To try to do this on the wages of a cyclist would have meant enormous concessions and probably would have seen me leave the sport many years ago. Instead I have compromised. Other work has been varied over the years, but now I am fortunate in that the majority of my income is related to cycling and sport, so at least it is all in the same broad area. I think this is the best that I could hope for and I have no complaints!

Photo courtesy of Sylvain Garde

TMTBR: Do you train 100% in the UK or do you get to get away to warmer climates in the winter?

JC: In recent years, I have wintered exclusively in the UK. This is principally due to the weight of my conscience concerning flights and CO2 emissions. I also carry this over into my racing schedule and, where possible, drive to events and offset CO2. However, I am a hypocrite because this year I am off to Majorca for a week in March, but I have offset the carbon. I think that as mountain bikers we have a greater interest than most in the conservation of our environment, so I simply want to do all that I reasonably can to this end. The irony is that, as a possible early sign of our changing climate, the winters here are fine, giving me even less reason to choose to be elsewhere.

TMTBR: Can you tell me a little bit about the make up of your team at Fisher and how you fit into the team's objectives?

JC: The Subaru-Gary Fisher team comprises a group of US athletes and then another four international athletes. Having been on the team since 2004, I am a bit of an old timer. In terms of the team's objectives, I fit into their World Cup schedule for selected events, and my points in these (in 2006 in particular, when we were third ranked women's UCI team) contribute to the team's ranking. However, I also have a strong role here in the UK, representing the brand at home, and this continues to be a major part of my deal.

TMTBR: Do you do any pre-production testing for women's specific products?

JC: Not for women's specific products since this is all done in the US. I have done some testing for equipment that the team uses and our feedback is always welcomed for any of the products we use.

TMTBR: Fisher really seems to be pushing the 29ers in the UK… what will you be riding this year?

JC: I will have the choice of three bikes this year: a 26" bike similar to my '06 and '07 bikes, a Superfly carbon 29er, and a Hifi full susser. This will be my first time on a 29er and I am hopeful that, on certain courses, it will prove to be an advantage.

TMTBR: What's your racing schedule like for 2008... will we see you at all the NPS races?

JC: Yes, the NPS forms part of my schedule. I have raced the NPS every year since 1994, so I am a loyal supporter of the series! National Championship remains my principle goal. I'll also be contesting the Marathon Champs, World Marathon Champs and selected European World Cups as well as the 24/12 and one of the G2 Revolvers. I would hope to race Worlds XC too but that, as we know, is always a great unknown. 2007 was not a great year for me in so many ways. I am sure that 2008 will see me back to my usual self!

TMTBR: Nothing brings to life the racing forums like your exclusion from a top level race. First the Commonwealth Games and then Worlds saw the whole mountain bike community rally behind you and possibly was responsible for you getting your well deserved spot on the Worlds team. What is your opinion on the current state of women’s racing within the UK?

JC: I am always humbled by the support I receive. However, this is not about me; it is always about the principle of how we should treat our best British athletes and this is, I believe, why people will always be ignited by the topic. The Worlds issue was a victory on the one hand in the sense that a decision was reversed and further athletes were added in to boot. On a personal level, my performance at Worlds was hampered the minute the original exclusion was made. It was unbelievably stressful and I felt mentally exhausted by yet another battle on this issue, because for all the public ones there have been an equal number of private similar ones fought down the years. I felt like a politician in those two weeks and spent many hours on the laptop and phone amalgamating the various angles of attack. Undoubtedly the public support helped, and I am very grateful for that and I will always fight such decisions. I only wish that I would one day not have to use so much of my fight before the real battle has begun, as it is thoroughly draining. As for the Commonwealths, that is a series of events that I will always regret and feel quite badly about.

On a more positive note, I do think that the women's racing in the UK is very good at the moment. Undoubtedly the antipodean presence makes an enormous difference. We effectively lost a generation of promising racers when Katy and Hazel called time on their racing. Now we have some supported juniors coming through. However, girls and women are still being lost from the scene and, until there is a clearly defined path through to National Teams and international opportunities, I think we will continue to see this fallout.

TMTBR: What can we do as promoters to encourage more women to participate?

JC: I think that promoters are already doing really well here. I know that some areas of women's racing have seen huge growth... the masters category, for example. I do not see this end of the sport being a problem. It is what happens once a promising rider is achieving at national level that the path of progression becomes blurred. I would encourage women in this position to take themselves to a World Cup to experience it for themselves. I know some girls have done this already and that is great. Sure, it is a big eye opener but it is also very inspiring. It is what I did and is why I have been able to achieve what I have.

TMTBR: I read elsewhere that you came to mountain biking by way of horse competition... is that still an interest or hobby of yours?

JC: Well, it is a part of me and will never go away, so it is certainly an interest. It is what I wanted to do from the time I could talk. I don't have it as a hobby. It was such a big part of my life that the idea of playing at it doesn't really compare. I did school a horse for half an hour or so in the autumn and, despite being a bit rusty (and bloody stiff afterwards!) I hadn’t lost much. That's the great thing about horse riding. It is so skill based that it is something that you can always go back to. It is a very intuitive thing for me, too. I know I could be back to where I left off very quickly. When I finally hang my wheels up I may have to buy myself a retirement present. Whether that is a young jumper or an old cob depends on how many races I win on the bike I guess!

TMTBR: I know it's probably a long while off yet, but what do you see yourself doing when you’re no longer racing?

JC: There seem to be any number of options, and I have sacrificed many a job offer to be a bike racer. The obvious one would be to continue my role in sports development, perhaps in a more strategic role. Another would be to work within the industry in a marketing, team, PR-type capacity. The less obvious ones are perhaps closer to where my passions lay... conservation, ethical farming and food, and green living. There is no clear path!

TMTBR: Are you competitive at everything you do?

JC: Not at all. I am very competitive, but I have tried to channel all that energy into my sport, meaning that I am left quite placid the rest of the time. I certainly notice this when I am driving. Everyone else seems so damned competitive and there I am, in the slow lane, thinking how much more productive these people's lives would be if they could find an outlet for all that aggression.

TMTBR: Anything else you’d like to add?

JC: I'd just like to thank everyone who has supported me over the years. When I came into the sport of mountain biking, I was struck by how friendly and supportive the scene was, and the great thing is 15 years later that hasn't changed.

TMTBR: Thank you, Jenny. Best of luck for a successful 2008 campaign!