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local Monday 1 august 2022

Zetsia Piña: Mountain biking is the best way to free yourself from all stress

Teacher, wife and mother was born. “I didn’t know union of the female riders is
– but in the sports commu- that I would like mountain- so beautiful. I love it!”
nity, particularly cycling, biking so much”, Zetsia told
Zetsia Piña is known as our reporter. “It gave me The group became so big
an exceptional athlete, a inspiration to do something that it’s now divided in
mountainbiker like no other for other women.” some days. For example,
in Aruba, and now she’s the those who are just starting
motor behind Mimosas, a Everon didn’t continue with gather on Monday. But to
group of women who prac- mountain biking, but Zetsia help everyone, Zetsia de-
tice recreational mountain felt the need to pay it for- cided to start giving train-
biking. wards, thus to make sure ing also, and this is on Tues-
that just like Zaida was an days. “And on the day of
Zetsia grew up in the world inspiration for her, she could training, everyone is more
of sport. Her parents signed also inspire other women to than welcome. What I’m
her and her siblings up, get on a mountainbike and searching for is a circuit that
from a young age to vari- ride into a different world. in the end everyone meets
ous sports activities. Her everyone, so that each
mother, also a teacher, Piña decided to partici- person rides and trains ac-
and her father, a musician pate in competitions in Aru- cording to their level.”
and swimming instructor, ba and also abroad. She
were determined to have was a person who became The men’s club who ride
their children be active in legendary among cyclists, around on their mountain-
sport. because she would win bike always cap off their
most of the races. “I was rides with beer. And Zetsia,
“We were never at home. always competitive, since thinking about what could
There was always some- a young age”, she said. be the drink that women
thing to do, every time And for many years, it was really appreciate came up
there was a project. And Zetsia and maybe two or with the name Mimosa, the
my sister and I were always three female runners who mix of champagne and or-
active from one project dominated the area of cy- ange juice. “After a ride,
to the next.” And this way cling in Aruba, particularly we were looking for some-
she decided to create the mountain biking. thing to drink and so it be-
group Mimosas, which is a came Mimosa. After a few
group of women from ev- But after ten years, she felt it rides we would always go
ery athletic level and age, had been enough and she find mimosas to drink, but
to simply mountain bike to- really didn’t want to be in by now it’s already a rule, more cyclists on the road, my time to relax is riding a
gether. “My father, my hus- races by herself anymore. that we prepare the rides and they also have a right bike.”
band and mi children sup- She decided to change to finish up with a mimosa. to use the infrastructure.
port me.” her focus. And so the name stuck.” “From primary school ev- According to Zetsia, what’s
eryone knows that cyclists also beautiful is that the
Cycling Mimosas Active in mountainbiking are part of traffic, but they world of cycling in Aruba
It was her father who It was during the pandemic What mountainbiking does don’t always act like it, and is like a family. They’re all
bought her first bicycle that she realized that peo- is inspire, because you must I find it regrettable.” open with each other and
to ride on the street back ple do spend a lot of time go in the mondi. It’s an ac- Consequently, riding help each other, and this
when Zetsia was nine years alone. She would also ride tivity that requires a lot of mountainbike in the mondi is obvious when they com-
old. It was her husband, alone most of the time, physical effort that a person is still safer, because the ar- pete together abroad.
who started riding moun- and she felt the need to wants to give. Even though eas with many cars can be “They are my family. You
tain bikes fifteen years ago, organize something for it’s not always easy, it’s an avoided. “I ride my road have people of all ages –
who gifted her with a moun- other women who also ride opportunity to find mental bike, but I must admit that parents sing their kids up in
tain bike. Afterwards it was alone. “You cannot image peach and enjoy nature at sometimes it’s scary, so I the sport and they run with
Zaida Everon, who has won the joy in my heart when I the same time, aside from prefer my mountain bike.” everyone. We raise kids
many cycling competitions saw so many women rid- the physical activity. “There with the perspective that
in Aruba, who invited Zetsia ing bikes together – without are times when I ride on the Sportspeople sacrifice their they can always ride their
to ride with her. And so the judging each other, without road also, those times I go free time in order to win. bikes.”
passion to get lost in the measuring each other – just alone. It’s a way to relieve But what’s elemental is to
mondi – Aruba’s wilderness people coming together to stress. For me, the way to appreciate the training, Finally, Zetsia Piña advic-
– in search for adventure do something positive. The relieve stress is for me to and even during competi- es everyone who wants
ride my bike alone. This is tion, feel like it’s a pleasure to start riding a bike to
my way to be alone for a ride, to enjoy the moment. make sure to find one that
while. It’s nice.” It was this mentality that fits their size, and to ad-
helps anyone be a lot more just the seat to the height
Cyclists are also part of successful in their training, that matches the body, to
traffic competition and finally avoid problems later. “And
On top of it, a bicycle is daily life. Because bike rid- train a lot. Train at least
accessible for everyone, ing doesn’t become an- 15km each time, and plan
it’s relatively easy. “The other chore then, rather a your races, and be consis-
only problem that we moment to leave routine as tent to keep using the bike.
have is the traffic. Motor- a primary school teacher, This way you avoid that in
ists still don’t cooperate.” wife, and mother behind. the long run the bike be-
Piña cannot understand “Train hard so that when comes just something from
why people don’t realize you run a race, it’s like a which to hang clothes”,
that there are more and pleasure ride. But really, she commented.q