Name: Anissa D Lamare
Popularly Known As: SURI
Date of Birth: 31.01.1997
Hometown: Shillong
Started Mountain Biking: DECEMBER 2015
Riding Style: Downhill
What got you interested in MTB?
I have always liked the sport at a very young age. Moreover, most of my friends from the locality were all into cycling. This definitely influenced me in choosing this sport over all the other sports.
And after you pursued your passion what are the happiest achievements and probably the worst slams until now?
I can’t think of the happiest or worst moments . All the races were all intense in their own way. The fact that I’m allowed to participate in all the downhill races till now is already a privilege. As long as I get to race I’m happy.
Who was your inspiration? Is he/she still your favourite Rider?
I have many sources of inspiration. It changes from time to time. Sometimes I get that inspiration from myself, but if I have to name one right now it would be Cecile Ravanel current EWS Champion.
Can you tell us about your current Bike set-up?
I’m currently riding a Nukeproof Mega Enduro/All mountain bike. The size of the frame is 15.6” which is size Small. I’m running a Rockshox Lyrik 160mm up front and Fox Float Rp2 150mm in the rear. I’m still on 26” size tyres and always will be. My favourite part of the bike are the Hope Pro II Hubs which creates music to my ears when I ride. I also named the bike Muse which means “a personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.”
How supportive has your family been towards this passion?
My family has never tried to stop me from riding despite all the injuries I have had. They remain supportive and will always be.
Do you dream to pursue mountain biking as a career?
Yes, however it is almost an impossible task to do that in India considering how the sport is still at a young stage and also because there are no women riders in this category. This makes it harder to pursue it as a career because with no riders there cannot be a competition and with no competition, career would be a virtual dream.
Tell us a little about your journey with Inspire Crew.
My journey with Inspire Crew started last year towards the end of November when I first met Kopal, who came to Shillong to shoot for the project. We went to the trails for about a week to shoot and ride. We had a lot of fun despite the cold weather that we faced. The time we had was too short, but it was a productive week. I am yet to meet the entire crew, but I’m sure it would be one of the greatest moments to share with such strong women in India.
What kind of support do you and your buddies lack, in order to continue to pursue this sport?
The sport cannot be pursued without the help of an organisation or sponsors, especially if you don’t come from a wealthy background. It is a very expensive sport and we have mostly been at the back because of lack of proper finance. I started riding since 2016 and it was only this year that I got a proper all mountain bike required for the sport.
Lastly, any word of advice for your fellow riders?
If it is the sport that you love or if you just like riding for freedom, don’t ever stop. Only you and your bike will know how beautiful the relationship is. Ride to compete, or ride to live. Either way don’t stop.
All images ©Inspire Crew