It’s amazing if you look back just a few years ago and see the numbers of women racing. There were usually no more than five, and sometimes there was just one, especially at smaller races. With more women getting hooked on racing, the competition is beginning to get tougher, which isn’t a bad thing. Whether you race for fun, to improve, or to win, we can learn a lot from it. Hopefully with more women attending races, this can only mean good things for the future! There are also a greater number of women getting involved in other ways, rider organisers, guides, race organisers, media and loads more. No longer such a male dominated industry; sponsors, publishers and the industry are beginning to take note! New, exciting things are happening all the time, and it’s great to see so many women on bikes. It doesn’t matter if you picked up your first bike yesterday, or whether you’ve been riding for as long as you can remember, we all share one thing; and that’s our love for life on two wheels!
This week we catch up with, Farah Ahmed. One half of geebeebee media, she talks us through work, play and what she gets up to in her spare time!
1. Who are you?
I’m Farah, producer at geebeebee media and a freeride mountain biker. I occasionally film and take photos when Oli, the other half of geebeebee media, isn’t looking.
2. Tell us more about geebeebee, how did it all start?
Quite a while back on the snowy slopes of Austria, but it really took off a couple of years ago when it formally became the production arm of Fraktiv Post Production. Everyone at geebeebee media rides bikes and we wanted to bring a professional service to the mountain biking industry using techniques we have honed from our TV work, commercials, short films and high-end corporate promos.
3. What has been your most rewarding, and most challenging project so far?
The most rewarding was BTR Fabrications – From the Ground Up documentary. It was pretty magical seeing a bike being built in front of you by hand and it was a great story to tell. The documentary is actually being shown at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival in April to coincide with the Tour de France coming to the UK. Our film will be screened at a special screening to celebrate the bicycle, which couldn’t be more fitting.
In terms of challenging, I think filming at Crankworx Whistler with Pinkbike last year is probably on the top of the list. It was a great experience but a tough one, lugging kit around the Boneyard, changing lenses in the dust and making sure you weren’t in the way of any of the riders (we had exclusive access to the courses throughout the week and a half long event). It’s pretty scary riding down a relatively tough trail with 25kg of camera gear (including tripod) on your back to film the Whip-Off Worlds! Luckily we had the Pinkbike crew looking after us, so we could chill out in their tent overlooking the Boneyard after a long day on the hill!
4. What are the best and worst things about your job?
The best thing is the people you meet along the way as well as the places you get to see. When you’re filming you get to stand around and actually take in the environment around you. I think we probably saw a much more of Whistler that most people see given the most they see is a blur whilst they’re rattling down the trails!
The worst thing is that they’re just never enough time!
5. What do you ride? Bike (s) & discipline (s)?
I have a few bikes, but my favourite one is my Specialized Demo 9 Carbon. It has to be the best bike I have ever ridden. I don’t think I’ve ever been as confident or as fast as I was when I rode with it in Whistler. It was just a shame we were shooting so much that we only got a few days riding in!
6. Describe your perfect biking adventure?
One where there’s enough time for shooting some creative content and also being able to ride! It’s always nice to go somewhere different, but Whistler and interior BC is always going to be on the top of my bucket list.
7. Aside from work and riding, what do you like to spend time doing?
Going for long rides on my KTM motorbike and chilling out in London.
8. What kind of things would you like to see integrated into the MTB industry in the UK that are not currently available?
TV coverage would be a real game-changer but it’s going to be a tough road to make that a reality, even with the likes of Rachel Atherton winning BT Sports Female Personality of the Year. More mountain bike parks like Bike Park Wales, Aston Hill and Penshurst and more investment into these facilities in general.
9. As a relatively new company, what is your advice to those breaking into the industry?
Invest in the best gear you can afford (not always the cheapest) and learn your craft not skills. Also, knowing the value of your own time and work is crucial to all of us in the industry, making sure big companies don’t get everything for free.
10. What have you got planned for 2014?
We have a few projects in development and we will most probably be travelling a bit to North America, Africa and around Europe.
To find out more about geebeebee, find them online – Twitter – Facebook – Website
News
Lots of racing going on in the past few weeks, the ladies are stepping it up and numbers are most definitely rising!
Mini Downhill – Forest of Dean: Results
Pro-Am Ladies:
Open Ladies:
Woodland Riders Winter Series Round 2, Tavi Woodlands Results:
U14 women
| Rank | Bib | Name | Sponsors | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best run | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 51 | Tyde D’SOUZA  |
1:44.686 (1) | 1:45.915 (1) | 1:44.686 | – | |
| 2 | 9 | Maya ATKINSON |
2:13.229 (2) | 1:50.499 (2) | 1:50.499 | 5.813s |
Women
| Rank | Bib | Name | Sponsors | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best run | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 162 | Haby-Blu CANN |
1:42.000 (1) | 1:36.322 (1) | 1:36.322 | – | |
| 2 | 3 | Heather KAY |
1:49.573 (2) | 1:42.533 (2) | 1:42.533 | 6.211s | |
| 3 | 239 | Natasha BRADLEY |
1:51.327 (3) | 7:23.244 (5) | 1:51.327 | 15.005s | |
| 4 | 244 | Katie PARSONS |
2:01.893 (5) | 1:52.922 (3) | 1:52.922 | 16.600s | |
| 5 | 71 | Meghan HARRIS |
1:55.490 (4) | 1:57.938 (4) | 1:55.490 | 19.168s |
2014 Scottish Enduro Series – Round 1 – Fort William Results:
Junior women
| Rank | Bib | Name | Sponsors | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Total time | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 188 | Elena MELTON | Team Bicycles | 8:15 (1) | 8:30 (1) | 4:07 (2) | 2:33 (1) | 23:25 | – |
| 2 | 162 | Lottie MALLIN-MARTIN | Pedal-Me-Not | 8:20 (2) | 9:49 (2) | 4:03 (1) | 2:33 (1) | 24:45 | 1:20 |
Senior Women
| Rank | Bib | Name | Sponsors | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Total time | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 111 | Emma GUY | Team Ibis UK | 7:43 (2) | 6:44 (1) | 3:12 (1) | 2:17 (2) | 19:56 | – |
| 2 | 31 | Tracy BRUNGER | Team Jayfest | 7:28 (1) | 6:53 (3) | 3:28 (3) | 2:11 (1) | 20:00 | 4s |
| 3 | 126 | Lesley INGRAM | Team Ibis UK | 7:53 (4) | 6:50 (2) | 3:23 (2) | 2:19 (4) | 20:25 | 29s |
| 4 | 121 | Julia HOBSON | Juliana Bicycles / Mavic Trans-Provence | 7:51 (3) | 7:35 (4) | 3:36 (5) | 2:18 (3) | 21:20 | 1:24 |
| 5 | 51 | Angela COATES | The Development Racing (orange bikes)) | 7:53 (4) | 8:11 (6) | 3:30 (4) | 2:21 (5) | 21:55 | 1:59 |
| 6 | 312 | Fiona BEATTIE | No Fuss | 8:06 (8) | 7:54 (5) | 3:44 (6) | 2:31 (6) | 22:15 | 2:19 |
| 7 | 71 | Gill DAVIES | Mzuzu Cycling Club | 8:28 (11) | 8:14 (7) | 3:53 (7) | 2:38 (11) | 23:13 | 3:17 |
| 8 | 305 | Kirsten MOINIHAN | 8:00 (6) | 9:07 (9) | 3:54 (8) | 2:34 (10) | 23:35 | 3:39 | |
| 9 | 311 | Sophie BUCKINGHAM | Elevation / flotec | 8:02 (7) | 9:18 (10) | 3:55 (9) | 2:33 (8) | 23:48 | 3:52 |
| 10 | 202 | Roslynn NEWMAN | Dare2b – West Highland Wheelers | 8:21 (10) | 9:05 (8) | 4:06 (10) | 2:33 (8) | 24:05 | 4:09 |
| 11 | 219 | Gillian PRATT | bikers boutique / Team Leslie Bike Shop | 8:14 (9) | 10:37 (12) | 4:07 (11) | 2:31 (6) | 25:29 | 5:33 |
| 12 | 48 | Wendy CHAMBERS | Uplift Scotland | 8:57 (14) | 9:31 (11) | 4:18 (12) | 2:52 (14) | 25:38 | 5:42 |
| 13 | 85 | Liz FARLEY | Dirt Muncher | 8:44 (12) | 11:03 (13) | 4:19 (13) | 2:43 (12) | 26:49 | 6:53 |
| 14 | 97 | Lindsay GALLOWAY | Giggleberries | 8:51 (13) | 12:51 (16) | 4:23 (14) | 3:08 (18) | 29:13 | 9:17 |
| 15 | 224 | Liz READ | And now Cake | 8:58 (15) | 12:49 (14) | 4:41 (15) | 2:50 (13) | 29:18 | 9:22 |
| 16 | 77 | Sandra DRUMMOND | Team Tattie Heid | 9:04 (16) | 12:49 (14) | 4:42 (16) | 2:53 (15) | 29:28 | 9:32 |
| 17 | 251 | Anne-Margaret STEWART | A.M.S | 9:22 (18) | 13:29 (17) | 5:21 (18) | 2:56 (16) | 31:08 | 11:12 |
| 18 | 238 | Kirsty SHEARER | <:-) | 9:24 (19) | 13:42 (18) | 5:12 (17) | 3:24 (20) | 31:42 | 11:46 |
| 19 | 170 | Eva MCCARTNEY | Team Edelweiss | 9:13 (17) | 15:08 (20) | 5:37 (20) | 2:59 (17) | 32:57 | 13:01 |
| 20 | 122 | Emer HUGHES | Fast Skirts | 10:55 (20) | 14:42 (19) | 5:30 (19) | 3:19 (19) | 34:26 | 14:30 |
