Katie Zaferes Not Feeling The Pressure Ahead Of Super League Title Defence

Katie Zaferes insists she isn’t feeling the pressure ahead of the defence of her Super League title.

The American star comes into the first event of the four week back-to-back Championship Series as the one to beat given her incredible Super League pedigree which has seen her twice take the crown.

Off the back of winning two medals at the Olympics, Zaferes can’t wait to get going on the streets of London this weekend.

She said: “I’m really excited to be back at Super League and racing this format and with the whole Super League gang as well.

“I am feeling maybe not as fresh as I would like to but we never really do coming into Super League so it’s a feeling I’m used to.

Katie Zaferes Womens Pro Race Eliminator Superleague Mallorca 199

“I’m excited to have the Teams format because being on a team brings so much more meaning behind it and also adds an element of being a lot of fun and cohesive between us. It’s something that has always existed in Super League without the Teams format so I think it’s just going to increase that vibe.

“I don’t think I ever feel under pressure because having such high competition makes it feel less pressure because I know there’s so many fierce competitors on the start line.

“I really just try to do the best that I can and have specific goals for myself for the race. Outcome wise I know if I complete all my goals then it will be a success even if it doesn’t look like it on the results page.”

Zaferes has been racing regularly since the Olympics, with three weekends of action across the WTCS Series and the Collins Cup, but insists she isn’t feeling the pace.

“I feel pretty good,” she said. “It will be seven weeks of racing in a row for me once Super League has finished.

“When I was first talking to my coach about that I was wondering whether it was a good idea but he said that it would be easier to race than train at this point and that is spot on for me.

“I feel excited to race and getting in the longer training sessions would be really challenging for me right now so I have been using the races as my main sessions of the week and just trying to recover and get ready for the next one. It makes it mentally easier for me than doing longer or harder sessions right now.”