last year Katy Winton took on the entire 2021 EWS season as a private driver. For 2022 she is back in an official team and is more motivated than ever.
Despite managing her own racing schedule alone, the Scottish rider has achieved excellent results, which have secured her a place in GT Factory Racing for 2022. We present an interview made by the Enduro Word Series staff to Katy to get to know her better. , reflecting on the new adventure and much more.
- How is life in New Zealand?
Katy: New Zealand is great. It was what I needed. I just enjoyed being a tourist, cycling a lot and enjoying the good weather. I seem to have recharged the batteries.
What makes New Zealand your favorite off-season destination?
Katy: It is much easier to drive and train regularly when you are not cold. Switching from Scottish winter to New Zealand summer is always surprising. Once you know that there is a place in the world where it is warm and sunny while at home it is cold and dark, it is hard to resist!
How important are rest and recovery after a stressful season? Did you have a lot of free time or did you return to training immediately after the season?
Katy: It is very important to take some time to rest because before you can start making progress you need to get rid of the accumulated stress. Having raced the Crankworx until December, I don't feel like I've had as long a break as I would have liked. However, I did a lot of mini-breaks which was really cool. A usual mini-vacation would include hiking in the mountains, getting away from it all, and spending time in the wild countryside.
What does a typical off-season week look like for you? Is it structured or do you go mainly to sensation?
Katy: I have a coach, who gives me a weekly plan. We know the bigger picture of what we are trying to achieve together and he charts what needs to be done on a day-to-day basis. I really like having that kind of structure, because then I can tick the boxes as I go. All I have to do is follow the plan and report to my coach how he is doing. He really helps me relax.
You ran the Dunedin EWS Qualifier earlier this month. Was it just for a little fun, or do you find it important to occasionally put yourself in a racing environment during the off-season?
Katy: Off-season races like this in Dunedin are good indicators. They highlight what is going well and what needs to be improved. They are also a good opportunity to pick up the pace on a recorded and safe track. However, for me, local off-season races are ultimately more stressful than an EWS. The pressure and expectations seem to increase.
How did it go?
Katy: Not great, actually. I'm probably exactly where I need to be now, I still have three months to go before the season starts. However, it's not nice to show up for a race and not compete as you would like.
Much of the running process takes place behind the scenes, which means most people never get to see it completely. They will judge you in a race based on your result, without knowing all the factors that contribute to that result.
Nobody knows what my goals are. I know when I want to be fit and I know when I want to do well. Everything is fine for me to be where I want to be when I want to be there, but at the moment I just have to aspire and believe in the process.
Dunedin was a good training weekend. I learned things about myself, my vehicle and what I need to do to improve. It's an important part of the process, but you have to do it with everyone watching you.
You signed up for GT Factory Racing this winter, which is great! Tell us about how it happened
Katy: GT approached me and gave me the opportunity to race for them and from there we had a lot of discussion and chat, to understand how it could work. It was a big decision for me because it was a huge change. I knew I couldn't do another year on my own and the opportunity to join GT, an established team, along with another female top racer was an opportunity I couldn't turn down.
It's great to see a team led by two women. How does it feel to be Noga's teammates?
Katy: I get along very well with Noga, so everything is fine! I think it will be a lot of fun. In the end, we both want to win. I am confident that we are mature enough to support each other and move forward. The hope for this 2022 will be to see a double GT podium!
How do you feel with your new bike?
Katy: Replacing most of the parts on the bike took some getting used to, but I knew it would. The geometry of the new frame is not too dissimilar to that of my old one, so I feel quite comfortable. Now it's just a matter of adjusting the minor configuration points and entering them. GT gave me the vehicle very early, so I had plenty of time to learn what happens with each modification.
You recently posted some interesting information on suspension setup. Are you working with anyone on this?
Katy: I have been in contact with my mechanics in GT. Until now, it was all about making the bike predictable so you could go fast. I am now working on making changes to further increase my speed. We also have a rally camp in Scotland in May so it's going to be really cool.
What are you most excited about in your new team?
Katy: To be able to run at your best, without excuses. This is what excites me the most. It is an opportunity to give everything.
Not long before the start of the EWS 2022 season in Tweed Valley. It must be an exciting feeling!
Katy: I can't wait for EWS Tweed Valley to arrive. It will also be quite surreal. It's a milestone for me because that's where I ended the season last year. This year I will be there with a team and I will have done all the preparation to really compete at my best. I'm thrilled to be coming home with better energy and actually being able to be present and have fun giving it all in front of the home crowd.
Which place are you most looking forward to this year and why?
Katy: As excited as I am to run home to Tweed Valley, I actually can't wait to get back to Whistler. I love that place so it will be really nice to come back after a two year hiatus.
What's your biggest motivation for the season?
Katy: I'm motivated to be better than I've ever been before. This is what fuels my decisions and what I am doing. I have the opportunity to do all I can and leave no stone unturned between the tapes.
What is the most important thing you learned last year and want to take with you into the 2022 season?
Katy: The most important thing I've learned is that if you are firmly focused on where you want to be, then even if everything around you is falling apart, you can take a new path to get there. It wasn't easy at all, and the whole time I had no idea if it would work, I was just doing everything I could one step at a time.
I couldn't believe it when everything worked out: I'm back in the team, I'm confident, I can compete at the highest level. It was a huge lesson in the power of not losing sight of where you want to be, no matter how unrealistic it may seem.
Source: Enduro Word Series
