9 Interviews with British Riders ahead of the World Championships, Fort William 2023

It's not every year you manage to race World Championships, it's even rarely to get one infront of a home crowd. We headed out at the British National Championships a few weeks before the World Championships to find out what GBs best thought about their home World Championships.


Aimi Kenyon

Have you been to the World Champs before?

Yeah, this is my second World Champs.

How were you when you found out you made the team?

So stoked. I mean, it's a home race this year so it makes it all the better.

What does it mean to you to be attending a home World Champs?

I don't think there's any words. I think it's like the coolest thing ever. Like lots of family and friends and everyone going, Scottish fans just do it the best.

What are you most looking forward to?

I think just the finish line feeling like out of the whole thing, coming down through the finish arena there's just so many people, it's just an incredible feeling.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

Unfortunately no as we're so far away I won't get chance.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

I don't know, I think getting to race my first World Champs was sick, that was in Les Gets. Yeah I got fourth there so that's a pretty sick result for me as well.


Dom Platt

Have you been to the World Champs before?

This is my second World Champs, Les Gets last year was my first.

How were you when you found out you made the team?

Yeah pretty stoked yeah just to get the email, there's no feeling like it really, and then applying for the jersey and everything's just so cool. Especially with it being Scotland this year. Yeah, it's a bit of a home race which is the first time that's happened in ages and to be in junior for that's like sick really.

Does it mean more as it's a home World Champs?

Yeah, I think so. I think I will have raced there four times by now yeah, maybe five actually after the national this year so it's a crowd that I definitely know and they always bring the vibes up.

What are you most looking forward to? A nice custom painted bike?

We'll see what we're doing for that but I know we've got some sick kit coming in. Similar colourway to the current one but obviously like GB colours which should be sweet. Looking forward to the track aswell actually. They've made a few changes, I've seen new motorway and deer gate section which wasn't my favourite section obviously from last year. So yeah, change up a little bit. So it's good like not riding the same track year in year out. Especially for worlds changing it up a bit will be nice.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

Well I mean Glasgow's on the way isn't it? And that's where all the trials and stuff is. I'll watch a bit of that but I haven't made any plans yet, but it would be pretty cool.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

It's got to be well, Danny Hart, World Champs that a classic isn't it? I've watched it over and over quite a few times. That's the highlight for me.


Greg Williamson

How many times have you been to the World Champs before?

I think this will be my eighth or ninth World Champs. Yeah, I'm getting on.

How were you when you found out you made the team?

Well, nothing beats the first time you actually read it, but yeah definitely with this one, picking up an injury last year and then being pretty sick at the start of the season. I was just so glad to make it in and I got pretty lucky I'll be honest but yeah it feels good. I'm looking forward to proving why I'm here.

Does it mean more as it's a home World Champs?

Yeah, it means everything really like 2007 World Champs there I spectated and my dad took me there to watch which was amazing. So I have so many fond memories of that and then now to be racing, it is just a dream come true really.

What are you most looking forward to?

Just being in front of the home crowd. It's gonna be crazy. To be infront of the Scottish and British fans, insane.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

Yeah, yeah, for sure. I'm going to definitely try and go and watch some track and I'm gonna go watch some BMX hopefully, and maybe the cross country as well.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

Favourite World Champs moment was still hard to beat, Sam Hill in 2007 those Worlds and then Ruaridh Cunningham as well seeing him do that and being a Scottish person as well, that really hit home for me that maybe I could do it.



Phoebe Gale

Have you been to the World Champs before?

I've been to two World Champs so this is my third.

How were you when you found out you made the team?

Yeah you still get that buzz even though I've done it a few times before. You get to race for your country which is cool and to be selected is pretty sick.

Does it mean more as it's a home World Champs?

Oh, it's insane like being in Fort William in Scotland, it's just another level. I've been at that track since I was about 12 so there's been a lot, and I've got alot of family there as well, which is cool. So it'd be a nice race hopefully.

What are you most looking forward to?

New kit and a fresh bike which is pretty sick, I've been really lucky, yeah Fox and Canyon have been so good to us.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

I live pretty close to Glentress where the XC is so I might take my e-bike because they're all so fast, so I'll go and follow them around maybe, and go see some people. It's good to watch, XC is so exciting.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

Les Gets last year watching the men's finals was insane. It was incredible. The amount of crowds and just like yeah, it was another level like mountain biking was like pretty impressive then and I think it showed how cool our sport is really


Hattie Harnden

Have you been to the World Champs before?

Never been, well not for downhill.

How were you when you found out you made the team?

Oh, I was very excited. I think you never know if you're gonna make it unless you go and do something like win a World Cup, but yeah, like not having done loads of downhill this year I was a bit nervous, but I was very relieved. Very excited. I had to tell everyone straight away.

Does it mean more as it's a home World Champs?

Oh, I think it'll make it so much more special. It kind of made me want to go a lot more to make it my first downhill World Champs. But yeah, I think it'll just mean the crowds are amazing. And you know, no matter how your week goes, you're going to have a great time. So just to be a part of that experience. Like experience it all and yeah, be a part of it. I think that'll be real special.

What are you most looking forward to?

I'm very excited about a painted bike, I'm actually really excited. My parents are coming as well and loads of friends from home. So that was pretty special. Like between Evie and I the whole of Malvern will have gone to World Champs. So yeah, that will be really special because, yeah, it's been a few years since they've been able to come.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

Unfortunately, I don't think there's time like with the next block of racing coming up so fast I'll be going home and resting, training and getting back into it all so yeah, not a lot of time. Unfortunately. I would love to but yeah.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

I had a very special one in Lenzerheide in 2018, I came third as a cross country junior and then that was my first downhill World Cup this year as well ever. Oh, yeah. So that was quite a special moment to go back and do more. So yeah, my third at my world championships that was very special.


Tahnee Seagrave

How many times have you been to the World Champs?

My first one was in 2012 and I've missed one I think, so a lot. Nine maybe?

How were you when you found out you made the team?

Yeah, I was really excited. I wasn't sure I was gonna get selected this year. So I did get a bit worried so when I saw the selection this year, I was stoked.

Does it mean more as it's a home World Champs?

Um, so I'm obviously like, part of me is slightly gutted because I'm not at my best but at the same time, I'm just going to enjoy it for what it is like, we don't get it very often, and the crowds are amazing. So yeah, I'm gonna give give my all and just soak it all in.

What are you most looking forward to?

I'm excited to see the new bits because yeah, to be fair the last time I raced at Fort William was 2018 because of my injuries. So I still feel it was yesterday that I rode there though, so yeah, seeing the new bits will be will be cool.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

I don't know, we get so wrapped up in what we're doing and you have to be so focused and really, like aware of where your energy goes. So, I mean, I love watching the XC racing, because that's always pretty close to us. But yeah, if I've got the time and the energy for sure.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

I don't think I have a favourite moment. The most memorable one I have is losing my first ever World Champs, I think it really shaped me to who I am because I expected to win that day. And I got absolutely smashed by like 15 seconds, and it just shaped who I am as a racer. So I think yeah, that's the most memorable one and obviously, I've crashed at pretty much every single one since then. And yeah, getting the stripes as a Junior was fun in my second year. But yeah, it doesn't seem to like me very much. So I find I put too much pressure on myself.


Danny Hart

How many times have you been to the World Champs?

It's 14 or 15. So my first was 2008 and I've missed one I believe.

How were you when you found out you made the team, do you still get the same buzz?

I did this year, yeah, because the season hasn't been going as swimmingly as I would have liked.

Does it mean more as it's a home World Champs?

I think yeah I'll not get this opportunity again. So I've been working hard this past few weeks to be in the best shape possible.

What are you most looking forward to?

Oh, it's nice to get a nice new crash helmet and a nice new bike, and it's nice to win it.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

Unfortunately we're so far away in Fort William that it's unlikely I'm going to be able to.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

I think the winning in Champery, it set my style up for a lot of years. So probably that one.


Nina-Yves Cameron

Have you been to the World Champs before?

This is my first World Champs.

How were you when you found out you made the team?

I was over the moon. So excited because it's at my home so I was so nervous I wouldn't get it because I was like, I really want to get it because it's my home and it's like, going to be the last one there. So I was over the moon when I saw I got it.

Does it mean more as it's a home World Champs?

Yes it really does. I know I'm not one of the fastest junior women out there but I'd like to do well. I would like to qualify and I think that's my goal for coming into this world champs because it's my first one, so I'm really keen.

What are you most looking forward to?

I don't know. I'm just looking forward to the whole experience of it.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

I'm not sure because it's spread out all over Scotland. It's kind of a long drive so not too sure about that one.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

Probably like when someone comes into the finish line and then just turned around and they see their time and they're just over the moon, and they're off the bike, hands in the air and they're like: wow! That's probably one of my favourite moments from watching it from the past.



Matt Walker

How many World Champs have you been to before?

So far I think every year since I started, so six since 2016.

Were you excited when you found out you had made the team?

Yeah, 100% and I think to be honest, it's only getting harder. Like there's younger riders coming up all the time and even making the team every year is a success. So just to be on the start line's a big thing anyway, and then yeah, it's just nice to have the opportunity, that's why I go racing really is to win and be successful. So to have the opportunity to do that for the country, and it's a little bit different you know it's not just you and your trade team anymore, it's for your country and it's always a proud moment putting the old Team GB Jersey on.

Does it mean more as it's a home World Champs?

I'm really looking forward to it. And to be fair since I knew it was gonna be Fort William this year I've been trying to kind of build up to it a little bit. Obviously we've got a new bike this year as well, which is really exciting and I think it's quite important for us to try and get that ready for World Champs, it's a big goal for me and the team to try and get there in the best shape possible and so far, it's going really good. And obviously this weekend, a little bit of confidence and that's all you need. The sport is at such a high level now where if you're riding on a bit of confidence, it can take you so far. So I'm in a really good place and yeah, looking forward to it. Obviously, having all the disciplines in Scotland in one year at one time is really cool. So I've never raced the World Champs at home before so I imagine the crowd is pretty mental and just really looking forward to it. Yeah, it's just gonna be such a cool experience to say like, you know, in years down the line to look like reflect on and just, hopefully good memories.

What's your favourite bit of World Champs?

Honestly, I think like the build up to it. I feel like there's an extra bit of like, I don't know, you kind of go into World Champs and it's all about that one run, you're not thinking about points, not thinking about you know riding for a solid result. It's just all out and I really like that aspect of World Champs I feel like it's just yeah, all or nothing really. For me, it makes it quite simple. You just go there, you do your runs, you make sure the bikes set up good, and you just take risks and give it everything you got. And I really like that approach to racing. I thrive in those conditions, I would say.

What do you think about the new combined World Champs? Will you be going to see other events?

Yeah, we're pretty far out to be fair, and I think I got enough on my plate trying to do this World Champs. Obviously the levels pretty tough and, you know, we've made big, big sacrifices and stuff and we've put a lot on this race so just got to try and do the best I can. Honestly, if I had the opportunity to be able to and if it was a bit closer, I'd love to go watch crosscountry and stuff. Whenever we're at the World Cup we always try and watch it if possible and it is cool to have everyone together, but for sure I'll be following on the live timing and stuff and making sure I know what's going on.

Do you have a favourite World Champs memory, either one you rode at or one you watched?

I think for me winning in Cairns, Australia as a Junior. Yeah, that was a super cool moment, probably one that at the time I was finishing second quite a lot to Finn Iles and that was obviously a big goal at the time as well, and put a lot of effort into that race and prepared for it for a long time and just the feeling of, you know, getting the job done and pulling the World Champs jersey on there's just no feeling like that. So that's what we've been chasing ever since then, and hopefully we can do it again.