Graduated Zwift Academy? So what's next?

The much-anticipated Zwift Academy Semi-finalists names were announced late this past Friday from Zwift HQ. It was the inaugural year for the men and Team Dimension Data, but the second for Canyon/Sram, for the women’s competition. With this first round of the talent identification program complete, the top 10 Men and top 10 Women now advance to the semi-finals, each of whom won smart trainers for the next phase of their training, where they complete workouts in and out of game to prove themselves worthy of advancing to the top three.

On the women’s side, nearly 5 times as many graduated from this year's program than in 2016. One explanation might be that this year's graduating requirements differed from the previous year, with fewer numbers of workouts (27 to 8) and fewer group rides (13 to 5), but with the addition of a racing requirement. Another might be the timing and duration of the program (a 6 week program starting in September, rather than a 12 week start June), but the fact remains- there is now an even larger community of engaged riders using Zwift to train, race and socialize.

As we collectively cheer on the top 10 semifinalists, the "rest of us" graduates (many hundreds) are primed and ready for more or maybe even “the next big thing”- something to fill our primal pack desires and perhaps a "void" in our training calendar. Don't worry, you don't have to look too far, because the one thing that you can count on, is the power of the community of Zwifters to self-organize.

Smartly anticipating the desire for ongoing focused training, TeamODZ announced its Women’s Endurance Lab almost immediately (the same day Zwift Academy Qualifying round closed). This is a 4-week group coaching program that begins this week, with customized workouts, focusing on improving power, endurance and VO2, and including weekly educational presentations.* This program has 35 participants.

And that's not the only group coaching program gearing up this month. Next week riders who registered for the second installment of The Zwift Fitness TT Challenge (designed by Direct Power Coaching) will be organized into teams during 6 weeks of structured training which includes a mix of VO2max, SST and endurance work. This program has more than 100 participants.

And now enter Team Fearless, that sprung up nearly overnight.

This all women’s team went from zero to 113 members in less than 24hours. And it started with a question posed on Facebook by Zwift Academy graduate (and now Team Fearless’ Fearless Leader) Amy Levang. Her question “Is there an all women’s racing team?…If I started Team Fearless anyone want to join?” She explains:

“Team Fearless came about kinda of suddenly really. I had been looking at Zwift teams for a couple of months….In my searching I didn't see an all women's team, they were all co-ed with only a handful of active female racers. Then one night, I got the idea for Team Fearless with Rosie the Riveter as a role model. I got the name Fearless from ZAW's motto "Strong our own, Fearless together." We are Fearless! We have worked so hard through ZA, many joining their first ever race! My goal is just to give women a strong presence in the Zwift racing community. That we are strong competitors too! That some of us are actually strong enough to beat the boys!

I put this in the group: BE FEARLESS!! Push harder than you think you can, join the co-ed races and smash them, and bring the level of ladies racing up!" The response has floored me! It hasn't even been 12hrs since I first posed a question, in the ZA FB group, if anyone would be interested and we have nearly 100 ladies in our own Team Fearless FB group! One gal already designed us a logo, another is hoping to get a race calendar going for us!"

The formation of the new team is aptly timed, as Zwift announced two new crew Crit series, one in North America and one in Europe. So be on the look out for them Team Fearless in these races. They will be hard to miss in their cheerfully colored kit.

Team Fearless is open to all levels of riders. Women interested in joining should visit the team's Facebook Page.

*Training begins this week and registration for this program is currently closed, but expect another round of the Lab on 11/28.