Former soldier is the first woman to win $10k mountain biking scholarship

"Mountain biking feels like freedom."

That's the feeling of Robin Goomes, a former soldier, who is the first woman to win the $10,000 Mark Dunlop Memorial Scholarship.

The award was established to help local mountain biking athletes take their goals to the global stage.

"I'm chasing my dreams," Goomes said.

"I'd say I'm determined."

Her determination is what led 24-year-old Goomes to change careers.

Until September last year, she was serving as a lance corporal in the New Zealand Army's engineer corps.

"I joined the army because it sounded like a pretty sweet opportunity.

"I love hands-on jobs and being outdoors, and it was also a cool way to get some experience and travel," Goomes told the Rotorua Daily Post.

She saw those same opportunities in the career of a professional mountain biker.

The Dunlop family present Robin Goomes with the $10k award. Photo / Supplied by Darren Stanley Photography

"What I love [about the sport] is the people you meet, and the places you can go with it."

For the Chatham Islands native, it was a choice between two dreams.

"I realised it's hard to be a good soldier and a professional athlete at the same time.

"I was doing okay at both. But I wanted to go farther."

In 2020, Goomes decided to make the jump.

After five years in the army, she moved to Rotorua to give professional mountain biking her all.

At the recent Giant 2W Gravity Enduro, Goomes' determination paid off.

The event, regarded as the largest of its kind in the world, saw 600 riders race from the hub at Te Pūtake o Tawa for prizes, pride, and fun.

At the podium, the Dunlop family handed Goomes her award.

Robin Goomes between races at the Giant 2W Gravity Enduro. Photo / Supplied by Darren Stanley Photography

Goomes will use the $10,000 to get a running start in the international race.

"At the moment the big dream is to get to the Red Bull Formation in Utah.

"I think I can make that happen."

Already, she has plans to race in Austria, Italy, and France later this year.

They will be Goomes' first overseas races.

Asked about how she powers through her training, Goomes laughed.

"Pain is progression," she said.

Goomes doesn't talk about nerves. For her, it's more about having a thrilling time.

"Riding is super fun. Racing is fun. When you get a good result it just shows you're doing the right things."

Robin Goomes approaches her sport with determination and focus. Photo / Supplied

Goomes thought personal qualities she grew as a soldier are transferrable to her new journey.

"To be good at either one you need to be motivated, motivated to work hard and focus."

Rotorua Mountain Bike Club president Clair Coker described Goomes as someone "to look up to."

"She's fantastic. She's so inspiring and humble and super kind, and she wants to have fun.

"She's working really hard and she knows you've got to get out there and make opportunities for yourself."

Goomes said "it's cool" to stretch the boundaries of what is possible.

"Hopefully I can pave the way for more girls to do mountain biking professionally.

"If they can look at me and think, 'She's doing this.' Then hopefully they will feel like they can too."