Heather Jackson won the women's category in the Unbound Gravel XL race on her Canyon Grail gravel bike, setting a new fastest time and finishing 8th overall. Jackson rode the 350-mile course in 20:57:57 hours to beat competitors including Lael Wilcox and Serena Gordon.
Two of Jackson’s key equipment choices, she said, were her IRC Boken Doublecross tyres and Wahoo Elemnt Roam 3 computer.
“I know some people were running with slicks in the middle, because it would clear mud easier,” said Jackson.
“But when you have the chunky treads, it protects against flats a lot more because you have all that extra rubber. I think there were a couple times I definitely would have flatted, like I just nailed some rocks, but I never flatted.”
Jackson was also impressed with the battery life on her Wahoo computer through the course of the day-long race.
“It's their new Elemnt Roam,” Jackson said. “The Roam 3. Some of the other computers have died on me mid-race so I've had to carry a spare. This one still has 30 per cent of battery left.”
