On July 19, Candace Chin Fatt, PM’s regional manager of Site Investigation Services, was triumphant at the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation National Mountain Bike Championship race. 

​She completed the 3-lap course in 1:07:08, and raced her way to a dominating win among the elite women.

It was Chin Fatt’s first race in her native country, and she could not have been happier with the result.

“It’s always a great feeling when you win,” she said. “This win was a little more exciting though as it was my first race on my home soil in front of my friends and family. They all know that I ride and race competitively, but I don’t think that they really understood the magnitude until I was able to race and win in front of them as well as be named the National Mountain Bike Champion for Trinidad and Tobago.”

The Championships were an official qualifier for the first ever National Mountain Bike team. The team will represent Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean Mountain Bike Championships in Puerto Rico at the end of September. 

“I did not have much time to actively prepare for this race,” she said. “I really only had two months of serious training, but I do ride every weekend or whenever I can. I always try to stay active and cycling is my form of exercise.” 

Chin Fatt started riding mountain bikes nearly seven years ago as a way to take better care of herself. 

“I had always loved riding my bicycle and met someone who mountain biked and knew more than I did. So, I tried it out, bought my first ‘real’ mountain bike and eventually fell in love with the sport,” she said

She quickly became competitive at local races with the urging of several local cyclists. 

“I just kept getting better and I would meet more and more people on the trails who would suggest I race,” she said. “I went to some of the local races and the next thing you know, I was competing!” 

Chin Fatt relies heavily upon self-motivation to train and accomplish her goals. 

“Mountain biking really helps me center myself, and forget about the hustle and bustle of everyday,” she said. “When I compete, it helps me focus and reminds me that we have to put in the hard work to get the best results. I also try to apply that to the work and job that I have here at PM.”