Iron Maidens' team beefs up

Alison Shanks, 2009 World Champion Pursuit cyclist, is the latest edition to the Beef + Lamb New Zealand dream team.

Joining Sarah Walker, Georgina Earl (nee Evers-Swindell), Caroline Meyer (nee Evers-Swindell) and Sarah Ulmer, Shanks becomes the fifth member of the Iron Maidens squad helping to promote beef and lamb.

Alongside four past or present world champs, Shanks is continuing the winning record the Iron Maidens are known for.

Born and bred in Otago, Shanks still lives and trains in Dunedin, adding a deep south element to the Iron Maidens, who are geographically spread across the country.

“I’m really excited to be on board with such a great team and to be promoting products I believe in for good health and my training regime,” says Shanks.

Part of the New Zealand track cycling team for the past four years, Shanks is currently setting her sights on the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year.

“Although I couldn’t repeat last year’s World Champs success, we did come away with a world record in the Teams Pursuit and it’s given me fire to show what I can do in the Individual Pursuit in Delhi,” says Shanks.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Chief Executive Officer, Rod Slater, says adding Shanks to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s stable of sport champions will help reinforce the attributes of vitality, energy, iron and good health which beef and lamb have become synonymous with.

“The Iron Maidens have done a great job at making beef and lamb cool, promoting the nutritional benefits lean beef and lamb provide in a healthy diet.

“Shanks will add another dimension again. She’s another typical Kiwi girl, providing a great role model for New Zealanders, and helping to promote our products as the ‘best in the world’,” says Slater.