(Emma on way to medal at Manchester World Cup)

During the 1995 & 1996 Seasons Emma competed for Great Britain at the Junior World Championships. ‘It’s interesting to look back now and see where the riders who I competed against are today. As far as the pursuit is concerned no one who competed in either ’95 or ’96 is riding today!’

As far as the British team is concerned the only survivors are Charly Wegheillius and Russell Downing from the 1996 team.

1997 was a transitional year as Emma changed emphasis from being sprint based to becoming a track endurance competitor. ‘It was a tough year but in the September I was 4th in the British Time Trial Championship at Ripon. This showed I was on the right track and that I was starting the transition’.

1998 was an interesting year as Emma rode her first National Championship Pursuit – gaining a bronze medal as well as achieving her first road race win as a senior in the Isle of Man Ladies International.

By 1999 Emma was in the final of the British Pursuit Championship against Yvonne McGregor. ‘I did 3 personal bests in successive rides and that was a big breakthrough for me at that particular time’.
Emma then went on to the European U23 Championship where on the big outdoor track at Dalmine in Italy she was finally placed 5th in the Pursuit. Her second ride time, though, was faster than either the silver or bronze medal rides
‘I also had my first international road win in the Manx Ladies event. It was a tough race for me at that time as I was still building my endurance levels but it was a good win in a famous event’.

The year 2000 saw Emma breakthrough in the pursuit. ‘I went to the |National Championships with a very outside chance of Olympic selection but after 2 personal bests in rounds 1 and 2 I went into the final full of confidence against Yvonne McGregor’

Emma led all the way until the last 2 laps where McGregor managed to pull her back. Emma finished 2nd but the gap was only one tenth of a second and in the final she produced yet another pb of 3:40.1

On the back of this came selection for the Sydney Olympics. ‘It was a true experience for me’ says Emma. ‘I was selected for the points race whilst Yvonne rode the pursuit’. For a first time Olympian she rode an excellent race and came away showing just what a world-class rider she was turning out to be.

By 2001 Emma was starting to enlarge her endurance base with stage races such as the Hewlett Packard 13 stage Challenge. ‘ I had a good tour and on a very hilly stage 9 I finished a really good 4th – we had been in a break nearly all day and eventually it was down to 4 of us at the finish. I remember that day as John Herety (GB Manager) just kept instructions coming to me in the ear piece and I think that contributed greatly to such a great ride’.

Earlier in the year Emma had broken the 3:40 barrier for the first time in the Columbia round of the World Cup – in fact she did it twice and got silver.

2001 also saw her first National Pursuit title against Yvonne McGregor and then she concluded the season with a 5th in the World Championship.

During the whole of this time Emma was studying at the University of Manchester for her BA(Hons) in

(Emma and Nicole Cooke.)

Sports Studies with Business Management and IT. She finally got her degree awarded in 2005.

Always a good time trialist Emma took 2nd place in the National Championship 10 mile where the previous year she had been 3rd!

Not only has Emma placed well in the National 10 Time Trial Championship she has, usually as part of a training programme competed in the British Time Trial Championship with the following results:

1997 4th / 2000 3rd / 2001 3rd / 2002 2nd / 2004 3rd

‘I enjoy time trialling but up until this last year 2005 it was usually as part of a training programme in preparation for a pursuit championship. However this past year I have ridden several time trials as part of stage races and I have always managed to be right up there – so in the future I may do even more!’

2002 was a mixed but also a good year for Emma. Once again she was British Pursuit Champion and she had a superb World Championship – being 4th in the pursuit. Missing out on a medal to old rival Kate Bates of Australia. The Commonwealth Games too produced a 4th place.
Emma also had a really good road season in 2002 which culminated at the World Championship at Zolder.

2003 was the year Emma became a double National Champion – adding to her Pursuit title by also becoming Points Race Champion.

‘What a race the points final was – Vicky (Pendleton) was on good form and the event was being used as part of the selection process for the 2004 Olympic Team. As always when you have a world class sprinter in a points race it is the job of the endurance rider to make life tough for them and hopefully take the edge off their sprint. Also trying to gain a lap on the sprinter is a good tactic but you have to be strong. Fortunately I accomplished both tasks and rode probably my best points race ever up to that moment in time’

Just to show that Emma can sprint too - taking points from Vicky Pendleton!

On the road Emma competed in her first National Road Race Championship and although missing the vital move for the medals she finished a ‘gritty’ 4th. ‘It was the first time the event had been held at Celtic Manor and it was a tough old course and with a very good field by British standards – it was a really hot day too but it was a very creditable ride as far as I was concerned although I was not too happy on missing out on a medal.

2004 was Olympic year and everything was focussed towards Athens. Things started well and Emma finished 2nd in the Manchester round of the World Cup to Kate Bates in the pursuit. ‘I also rode the scratch race where the plan was for me to lead out from and long way and then for Vicky to go for the win. Unfortunately it didn’t quite come off but as the picture shows it was not for the want of trying!

(Above Left) - Emma leading the bunch (followed by Nicole Cooke) in the National Road Race 2003.	(Above Right) - Scratch Race Final, Manchester World Cup 2000