Q & A: Corrine Hall (Paralympic Champion Rio 2016)

Q & A with Corrine Hall (Estrella Bikes ambassador) who won Gold and Bronze medals at the 2016 Rio Paralympics

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Q & A: Corrine Hall (Paralympic Champion Rio 2016)

1. How did you get into cycle racing?
Corrine: As a 12 year old, I went along to a local triathlon exhibition and British Cycling were there talent spotting. From there I worked my way through the BC system. In 2013, I was invited to give tandem riding ago piloting a visually impaired rider and haven’t looked back since.

2. What’s your favourite discipline in cycle racing?
Corrine: It definitely has to be the track, I just love the whole aspect of it.

3. What was the highlight of 2016 for you and why?
Corrine: For me, my highlight definitely has to be winning Paralympic gold in the pursuit out in Rio. Going into the Games, the New Zealand tandem were dominate since London 2012 and been unbeatable for four years. We knew we were capable of medaling in the pursuit but neither of us quite believed it would be Gold.

4. What was your favourite/most fun race of 2016
Corrine: My favourite race of 2016 has to be the London Nocturne. The atmosphere is always incredibly and I loved the new course!

5. What was the toughest race of 2016 for you and why?
Corrine: The Paralympic Tandem road race that’s for sure. It was such a brutal course, three climbs per lap and throw the heat into the mix made for a tough day on the bike.

6. If there was one thing you learned most in 2016 to help you go faster/better, what was that?
Corrine: My biggest thing I learnt in 2016 was that it doesn’t matter what race you do, at the end of the day it’s just another bike race. The Paralympic Games was the biggest competition of my cycling career to date, however I treated it as just another bike race and as a result I was able to stay relaxed and focus on what I needed to do rather that get worked up about the enormity of the event.

7. As an ambassdor for Estrella, tell us what bikes you have from them to race on?
Corrine: I’m really happy to be partnering with Estrella bikes. This year I’m riding an Estrella Caminoliso road bike and an Estrella Fugaz time trial bike.

8. What groupset have you chosen for the Estrella Caminoliso?
Corrine: My Estrella Caminoliso road bike has been kitted out with Shimano Ultegra Di2 and Cero wheels

9. What for you, is the best thing about the Estrella bikes…
Corrine: For me it was really easy to sign with Estrella bikes. I have known Darren Kenny for a while now, I really respect him as a rider and I just know that whatever bikes he launches, they will be word class. His attention to detail is amazing and I’m a big fan of bright colours. I’m very excited about 2017 with them.

10. What is your warm up routine for races – rollers or turbo? Music or no music?
Corrine: It depends on what type of race it is. For races against the clock, I have a specific turbo warm up and listen to my racing play list to get me ready for racing.

11. Finally, what are the goals for 2017?
Corrine: I have just been selected for the Paracycling Track Worlds taking place in LA next month to ride with Sophie Thornhill so all the focus is on that at the moment. Then I plan to get stuck into a solid block of racing on my solo, with the likes of the road nationals, Tour Series and some national series races on my schedule before hopefully the Para Road Worlds in September.

Thank you Corrine and good luck in Los Angeles!

Career Highlights to Date

2016
UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, Montichiari (Italy)
Bronze, Pursuit (with Lora Turnham)

UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, Ostend (Belgium)
Silver, Road race
Silver, time trial

Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Gold, pursuit
Bronze, time-trial

2015

UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, Pietermaritzburg (South Africa)
Gold, women’s B time trial (with Lora Turnham)
Gold, women’s B road race (with Lora Turnham)

UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, Yverdon-les-Bains (Switzerland)
Gold, women’s B time trial (with Lora Turnham)

2014

UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, Greenville (USA)
Gold, road race
Bronze, time trial

UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, Segovia (Spain)
Gold, road race (with Lora Turnham)
Gold, time-trial (with Lora Turnham)

UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, Castiglione Della Pescaia (Italy)
Gold, road race (with Lora Turnham)
Gold, time trial (with Lora Turnham)

2013

UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, Baie-Comeau (Canada)
Gold, time-trial (with Lora Turnham)
Silver, road race (with Lora Turnham)

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