Katheryn will join U23 riders Maura Kinsella and Jazzy Hurikino in 2012

2008 Geelong UCI World Cup Winner, 2010 tour De l’Aude Stage Winner and 2005 USA Cycling National Champion Katheryn Curi Mattis is set to join Berkeley, California based Vanderkitten-Focus. One of the most experienced and accomplished US athletes in Women’s Cycling, Katheryn- who ended her professional racing career with Webcor will take on multiple roles at the upstart Vanderkitten-Focus squad.

According to Vanderkitten-Focus director Jono Coulter, Katheryn will act as Co-Director, as well as a training and racing mentor to the squad, which will include 5 athletes under 23 years of age in 2012. As she did at the 2011 Cascade Classic, Katheryn may race the occasional NRC event providing hands on tactical advice to the team whilst bolstering the squads firepower on some of the tougher race days.

“The single most important thing that our young athletes ask for time and time again, is to be guided more closely in races so that they can learn to instinctively react to things in the correct manner. With Katheryn, we have someone who knows the in’s and out’s of the Women’s professional peloton, who has gained the respect of all the top athletes and who still has the fitness to be able to show our riders what to do in a race situation. With her knowledge and strength, and the raw ability of some of our younger riders, we couldn’t be happier with how the squad is looking for 2012″.

Katheryn will continue her role on the Executive Committee with the Webcor/ Alto-Velo Cycling Team where she is a lifetime member after close to a decade riding for the Webcor Women’s Team. Webcor/ Alto Velo is committed to helping spread Bike Safety and Advocacy awareness, also a primary aim of the Vanderkitten Athletics program.

Kate Chilcott at UCI NZCT

New Zealand speedster Kate Chilcott is set to make her debut in the colors of her 2012 Californian based squad, Vanderkitten-Focus at this weekend’s SKODA NSW International GP in Australia. Chilcott first caught the attention of International teams when she represented New Zealand in this February’s UCI NZ Ladies Tour and finished 10th on GC and 2nd to Emily Collins in the U23 classement.
The determined youngster raced the Northern hemisphere summer in the USA with FCS Women’s Cycling Team, where she won a stage of the Fayettevelle Stage race, was 2nd at Tour de Grove Stage 3 and 2nd Under23 at Joe Martin NRC Stage Race. Kate backed up these results with a 12th place finish at the UCI 1.1 Liberty Classic in Philadelphia, 3rd on a stage of Tour of America’s Dairyland and 8th at the NRC Sunny King Criterium.

Kate Chilcott in a TIBCO sandwich on the podium of Tour de Grove in Missouri. Photo courtesy of FCS Women's Cycling

“Kate really impressed me in her first stint in the USA this year. Something about these young Kiwi’s that come over here with a never say die attitude”. says Vanderkitten-Focus Director Jono Coulter “Combine that with some of the natural speed that Kate has, and the fact that she is a fun personality, i think Vanderkitten-Focus has a new treasure of Women’s Cycling. We signed Emily Collins last year after the NSW GP, we figured we had to acquire her teammate BEFORE the GP this year before someone else found her!”.

Kate Chilcott hails from Auckland, NZ and will join fellow Aucklander Emily Collins who had a breakout 2011 with Vanderkitten-Focus this year.

Ruth Winder (R) has been logging early pre season miles in Vanderkitten-Focus colors, ready for a breakout 2012. Teammie Maura Kinsella says "Hellz Yeah!!"

Vanderkitten-FOCUS women’s cycling has a new recruit in 2012. Except it’s not her first time around! At 18 years of age, Ruth Winder is one of the most promising youngsters in the USA. She has won National Junior titles on the road and track, and been a member of the USA Cycling National Champion Team Pursuit squad.

Multiple Stars and Stripes Jerseys for Ruth! Pictured here with Exergy Twenty12 Manager Nicola Cramer Picture by Diana Jensen

Even better, Ruth spent an early part of her young cycling career wearing the original Vanderkitten colours in 2008, whilst she was a 15 year old. Yes, this adorable, yet feisty young rider was topping podium’s wearing the Ophelia Vanderkitten jersey before being recruited by the PROMAN and Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 squads for a couple of seasons on the strongest team in the USA. Ruth spent 2011 on the HDR-Lombardi squad and guest rode with Danbury Audi at select NRC events.

RELOADED! Ruth Winder wins the Junior 15-16 at SugarCRM Memorial Day Criterium in 2008. Photo by Kurt Harvey

In 2012, her addition to the Vanderkitten-Focus roster is a symbol of the Vanderkitten Athletics program maturing into a top shelf squad, according to Vanderkitten Founder, Dave Verrecchia. “It means a lot to have someone who we saw come up through the ranks as a youngster, who embodied many of the Vanderkitten qualities of being feminine, yet athletically awesome, a young lady on a mission. For her to go on and then win National Championships, represent the USA and race on arguably the biggest squad in America, and then come back to be one of the leaders on our team- that is a great story for us to be a part of. It’s definitely fulfilling for us just to have Ruth front up in the Vanderkitten jersey. The thing about her though is that we know she will perform at the top level”.

Director Jono Coulter adds “Ruth is the kind of athlete we want to have on Vanderkitten-Focus. She has considerable talent and speed, and an undeniable work ethic. She is the perfect level of contradictaries- she is adorable yet has unstoppable will power. She is a friendly yet focused youngster and will be a great addition to our squad as we target some of the top races in the USA”

Ruth will add some finishing speed to the young Vanderkitten-Focus squad, with her first NRC appointment being Redlands Classic next March. We cannot wait to see how the season will unfold with her in our ranks.

Ruth Winder (L) will join Vanderkitten-Focus alongside Emily Collins (R) in 2012. Photo by www.podiuminsight.com