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Martha Hucker interviews Miranda Miller

Canadian rider Miranda Miller won the 2009 US open last weekend – a big deal by anyone’s standards, and a huge deal for this 19 year-old in her first year of officially competing as a pro-elite.

 

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Miranda Miller, Sea Otter 2009.
Photo: Used with permission from the rider

 

Riding for Mad March Racing and Santa Cruz, Miranda is no stranger to top level racing. She’s raced at World Champs, placing 4th in the junior category, and has also been Canadian Junior National Champ. She lives in Squamish, and loves it there -who wouldn’t with all those trails, and so close to Whistler? But she’s jetsettting around the world in 2009, and has been racing at the World Cup rounds in Europe already. Watch out for her tearing it up at the Canadian rounds…

So you just won the US Open. Congrats! Can you tell use how the race went for you? It was a pretty good run- it got pretty hairball in some sections as it did for everyone. It had just poured rain and was definitely sketchy for everyone as you didn’t know how the track would ride, but I kept it upright!

Tell us a bit about yourself as a rider. How did you get into mountain biking? How long have you been riding for, and what made you get into racing DH?
I have always ridden bikes I suppose. But I started riding a lot more when I moved to Squamish and got job at Corsa Cycles when I was about 13. I got a new bike and tried out a couple races where I met Shaums March of Mad March Racing and started getting some coaching. It has kinda just went from there with Mad March Racing playing a big role in my development.

Where do you ride when you’re just riding for fun? What are your favorite trails and people to ride with?
Squamish has some of the best riding, as well as Whistler and Pemberton which are close by. I just like to ride with friends, team-mates, co-workers whoever really. I usually like to ride XC by myself though.

What do you do when you’re not riding?
In the winter I work to save money for the season. I’m always riding and training though. I’ve recently started to ride Motocross and am having an awesome time doing that. I’ll pursue a college degree maybe next year ….or the year after.

What do you ride (and what color is it)?
I have an ano black Santa Cruz V10. It’s pretty sick……

So this is your first year out of the Junior category. Is it a big step up?
It is my first year as officially a ‘Pro Elite’. I raced Pro provincially for the past two years and have been ranked as Pro Nationally as well. But it’s definitely time to work harder for some World Cup results. Right now I’m gaining some experience which is good.

 

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Miranda Miller at World Champs 2008.
Photo: Used with permission from the rider

 

 

What are your favorite things about racing downhill?
Probably everything, its faster paced then XC but still demanding. Racing is waaaay cooler as it’s just you on that one run.

You were competing at the first two world cup rounds, and finished 15th in Andorra. What are your plans for the rest of the ‘09 season? Are you going to be racing more of the World Cup rounds?
I want to just ride a lot and push myself in June, maybe doing some local races and riding a lot of Moto. Then I have the National Champs and the two Canadian World Cups. Its getting harder and harder to qualify as everyone seems to be getting a lot faster.

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Miranda Miller at Crankworx 2008.
Photo: Used with permission from the rider

Anyone you’d like to thank? All of my sponsors- Squamish Savings, Mad March Racing, Team Squamish, Santa Cruz, Cycling B.C,  WTB, ODI, Dincus. And of course my family and everyone from the local bike shops Corsa Cycles as well as Tantalus.

Thanks heaps Miranda, and have a wicked season in 2009!

Al photos used with permission from Miranda Miller