Video: 2x British DH Champ Prepares for Her First Year in Elite

Dec 15, 2018
by Jacob Martin  


Becoming the best at any sport is obviously really hard. It’s not just about being the fittest, strongest or having the most skill, the mental side of it is also a massive portion of the pie. Maya Atkinson, who has won the British downhill championships twice, once in Junior and once in Youth, knows this and uses it to help train, learn new skills, and become the best she can possibly be.

Maya Atkinson
Maya Atkinson.

She credits her parents as being a big positive influence on her mentality that helps her train and compete, she says “I’m actually quite a lazy person at heart, but without them pushing me I wouldn’t be able to be where I am at the moment.” Her parents were also the people she started mountain biking with and they have all been hooked on it since. They regularly ride together and are often traveling abroad to do so.

Maya does a bit of urban DH in a castle near her home in Wales.
Maya does a bit of urban DH in a castle near her home in Wales.

Maya recently moved to South Wales and is training hard and having fun on some of the best trails in the whole country. She has been loving Cwmcarn, Afan, Bike Park Wales and many of the other amazing spots.

Pushing back up to get another shot during a soaking wet day of filming at Cwmcarn.
Pushing back up to get another shot during a soaking wet day of filming at Cwmcarn.

Next year’s race season is looking to be an exciting one for Maya, with a new team and the big move up from the junior to the elite category. She will be at World Cups and EWS events competing for Team Leslie Bike Shop. Hopefully, her strong mentality and the hours spent training, many of which are out on the trails, will pay off and make it a great season of competing.

She gives a better insight into her mountain biking in this film, I hope you enjoy it.

photo

Go follow Maya @maya_atkinson29
Film, photos and article by Jacob Martin/Mid Nowhere Productions: @mid_nowhere

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Author Info:
midnowhere avatar

Member since Dec 28, 2015
7 articles

39 Comments
  • 35 1
 Thank you for the nice comments???? I would like just to make a small correction please. I was a Youth (2015) and Junior DH Champ (2017), Not twice Junior. Sorry, Jacob, didn't get a chance to correct you before it was publish... Thanks, Jacob!
  • 4 7
 #fakenews from me.
  • 3 0
 @midnowhere: What is the name of the song? Truly Inspiring
  • 1 0
 @brokenspokephoto: It is About The Weather by Tom Rosenthal. Great to hear you liked it.
  • 9 0
 Meant to be emojis instead of question marks..
  • 3 0
 Go get 'em! Remember to focus on the process not the outcome, you can't determine or change what others are doing, only what you are doing. Don't focus on your goals, instead focus on the behaviours and habits that get you to your goals and the rest will take care of itself. Looking forward to following your career!
  • 1 0
 Whoo! Yeah, exciting stuff to come i'm sure.
  • 2 0
 Thabk you for your advice! I will try to keep that in mind!????
  • 5 1
 Great riding. Great attitude. Great girl. Just showed my son - inspirational stuff
  • 1 0
 Great to hear you like it. She is pretty good for sure. Would be amazing if it inspired your son, or even you.
  • 2 0
 Thank you and hope to meet your son at a race soon.
  • 4 0
 Ahh the local (and cwmcarn), cant fault the riding down here!!
  • 2 0
 What a star and always smiling . do some enduros as well if you can and world's yours. Two of my favourite trails and now no bridge toll , going to cwmcarn next week.
  • 2 0
 Lucky to have all those trails near you. For sure great riding,
  • 3 0
 @nick1957: yep, I have done an EWS, Finale. It was frigging hard. I tried to do local enduro races with my parents, e.g.. The Southern Enduro. I will try to fit some local Welsh enduro in with the full time nationals and world cup... maybe another EWS, if time allows again. Thank you.
  • 3 0
 @willaasss, definitely live riding there. I am there most weeks. Might see you there sometime.
  • 2 0
 @midnowhere: Sure am, there's some sweet stuff hidden in these hills! ;-) @mayadhracing I'll try to keep up lol!
  • 2 0
 If anyone is interested in how we made this film check out this BTS video youtu.be/Hx-z5yUbWpQ
  • 1 0
 Even as a relatively old dude, this makes me want to go race. Great story and best of luck in elites this year!
  • 1 0
 Haha, get out there and race man! Glad you like it.
  • 3 0
 Thank you, @allenfstar. Never to old to ride. I still ride with my parents... they are quite old (joking).
  • 2 0
 Lovely video and such a good rider to watch! Look out world Smile
  • 1 0
 Cheers, definitely one to look out for!
  • 2 0
 Thank you, @wee-lou.
  • 2 0
 Good stuff...go get em and keep enjoying it, cool to see.
  • 1 0
 Cheers. Glad you like the film.
  • 2 0
 Thank you, @klerric.
  • 2 0
 Certainly got the style, nice inspirational video Smile
  • 1 0
 Style everywhere! Glad you like it.
  • 2 0
 Thank you, @kipvr.
  • 2 0
 Great to see allot of talented new riders making South Wales home Smile
  • 1 0
 For sure, such a great place for them here.
  • 2 0
 Love living in South Wales. The Welsh coast is pretty awesome.
  • 2 0
 Style for miles Smile
  • 1 0
 All the style.
  • 2 0
 Thank you, @Bombscarebaird.
  • 2 0
 Vitus bikes????
  • 3 0
 @RileyBK, yep. Still a privateer. Those are the only I can afford...
  • 2 0
 nothing wrong with them. A bit portly & internal routing is terrible but for the price definitely hard to beat







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