The Weekly Rider - Jemma Eastwood
Images Supplied by Jemma Eastwood
Jemma Eastwood is the Weekly Rider! We think she's a future star. In her first season of racing she won the state under 17 road title.... in what was only her second major race!
Since then she has raced at the junior nationals and is currently training with the state track team with promising results . She also has a number of QOMs on some of Melbourne's toughest climbs icluding recently becoming the first female under 16min on strava with a 15:51 on the legendary 1/20 climb.
La Velocita's Brendan Edwards caught up with Jemma to find out why she loves to ride.
Name - Jemma Eastwood
Lives - Belgrave
Dream bike - Scott Foil 2016 Premium
Favorite local ride - Dandenong ranges rides
My current cycling goal is - To make the state team in the track season and then again in the road season over winter.
When I am on the bike I - I am happy. When I get to ride is the most exciting part of the day, I can’t wait to get out and push myself to know I'm working towards my goals.
How did your love for bikes come about - My love for bikes and cycling came about a few years ago now when my dad started to ride. Soon after he started he bought me a bike so I could do the Great Victorian bike ride with a few of my school friends.
After getting my bike and riding the Great Victorian bike ride I just loved riding even more. I began riding with dad in the Rowville Riders and met heaps of great people that just made me really enjoy my riding even more.
I later joined Blackburn cycling club and started racing. I loved racing from the very first time and to this day still get so excited to race more.
Share a cycling memory - One of my favourite cycling memories is from my first Junior tour in Lake Eildon. This was where I competed in my first every ITT and road race.
The reason the tour is one of my best memories is because everyone was just so nice to me. I was very new and no one knew me and yet at the start line and after the race people were introducing themselves, welcoming me and just being very friendly.
It was really comforting and from there I started forming friendships in the cycling community and really felt a part of it all.
Image - Jess Varey
I love to ride because - It pushes me to new heights that I didn't ever think I’d be able to reach. I love the freedom of cycling and the ability to explore it brings. You can travel so far along unknown roads and find places and views you never know existed. I also love that you meet so many new people, may it be at racing or just out on the road.
Reviews.
As we are well into winter everyone is asking me about lights, however, I think you should be riding with front and rear lights all year round, no matter what time of day or night, terrain, country or city, bike paths or roads.