Andreane Lanthier Nadeau had a breakout season on the Enduro World Series circuit in 2019.
The 麻豆社国产resident, formerly of Whistler, held on to finish the season on the overall women鈥檚 podium in third place after the final series race of the year in Zermatt, Switzerland.
鈥淚t hasn鈥檛 fully sunk in yet,鈥� she said. 鈥淥n the way back in the plane, I was writing about how there was this stillness, this calm feeling of a completed task. Having done it, rising up to my potential, and having sealed the deal with that third-place overall feels very grounding.鈥�
Lanthier Nadeau said after the race, having clinched her position, she needed a break and took some time off in Italy before the standalone season-ending race, the Trophy of Nations, in Finale Ligure, Italy.
鈥淚t was super stressful for me to secure third place at that last race,鈥� she said. 鈥淎fter Zermatt, I was in need of a break so we took an Italian vacation before the Trophy of Nations. I went to Cinque Terre, went on a boat with a bunch of friends from New Zealand and Great Britain. It was really chill and that was truly what I needed.
鈥淚鈥檓 glad I listened to my body because I ended up having such a good performance for the team and for myself, too.鈥�
At the inaugural Trophy of Nations race, Lanthier Nadeau teamed with Squamish鈥檚 Miranda Miller and rookie Jennifer McHugh to earn a third-place finish as part of the team event.
鈥淚t was awesome. I think it was kind of an experiment for everyone that was there because it was the first time we had that format and it was the first time for many riders to race together,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he atmosphere was a bit lighter and everyone was excited to try it. Everyone got their national pride because when you race for your country, it鈥檚 always something special.鈥�
Though it wasn鈥檛 officially tallied, Lanthier Nadeau did the math and discovered she was fastest female rider by time, even beating overall champion Isabeau Coudurier of France, who swept all eight races.
This offseason, Lanthier Nadeau plans to work on some weaknesses where she can improve, namely technical work and core, stability and strength training.
Meanwhile, on the men鈥檚 side, Whistler鈥檚 Jesse Melamed finished 11th, missing the top 10 by just 45 points, which can be chalked up to a midseason crash in Val di Fassa, Italy that left him at less than full strength coming into the Canadian Open Enduro here in Whistler.
Reached via email, Melamed explained that while he was proud of his achievements over the course of the season, especially with how he came back from injury, they鈥檙e not exactly the accomplishments he had in mind coming into 2019.
鈥淚 proved last year I could come back from injury straight back to the highest level. If that鈥檚 a challenge I had to prove I could overcome, great, but I don鈥檛 want to keep doing that. So to me this was just another potentially-great season marred by injury,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淚 am proud of the way I started the season to get myself to second overall, and I am proud of the way I came back yet again finishing inside the top 10 at the last three races of the season.
鈥淏ut I know what I鈥檓 capable of and with my current goal being a solid overall season, I won鈥檛 be fully satisfied until I achieve that.鈥�
Melamed, who had had his fair share of injuries over the years, felt that he made some strides this season in an attempt to pull off the consistent season he鈥檚 looking for in 2020.
鈥淢y development was my approach to each race. I always want to win every race I enter, but I had to tell myself that my win was riding consistent and within myself. It was challenging holding myself back a bit but it was working. Of course I was still riding fast but it was more about knowing where I was comfortable going fast and where I thought I should hold back to be safe,鈥� he explained. 鈥淯nfortunately, a small slip-up put into question whether or not I was sticking to my approach. I believe I was. I don鈥檛 plan on changing anything for next season. Just be smarter.鈥�
Melamed said he enjoyed the Trophy of Nations format, as it turned the typical enduro race experience on its head.
鈥淚t was such a fun way to experience an Enduro race. We all ride and hang out during a normal Enduro day but when the time starts, it鈥檚 all you,鈥� he wrote. 鈥溾�here were 2 other riders to think about in the race run and it worked as a beneficial distraction for me. I was thinking about them as much as myself, which broadened my focus and helped me ride instinctively and not over-think things.
鈥淚t was super fun racing with Remi and Rhys and sharing the effort and achievement with them. We were all having a lot of fun and bringing each other鈥檚 stoke and performance up. I felt the most energized for the last stage of this race than I have at the last few races.鈥�
With all the challenges he鈥檚 faced in his career so far, Melamed said some elements of racing have become easier, while some are harder. Essentially, he said, he鈥檚 more familiar with what he needs to do, but the process of accomplishing it remains as difficult
as ever.
Heading into the offseason, Melamed will look to get his body back to 100 per cent as he said he 鈥渢ook a beating鈥� this year. Other than that, he鈥檒l stick with his traditional regimen as he found it has kept him fit in the past.
