Latest news with #Gillett
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
'When Amy was Amy': 20 years on from cycling tragedy
What Warren McDonald saw that day is unimaginable, so over time he has learned to shift his mind's eye back a bit. Then he was the Australian Institute of Sport women's road cycling head coach. McDonald prefers to recall heady days in Italy, overseeing former Olympic rower Amy Gillett as she showcased her formidable "engine". It was July 2005, the year after compatriot Sara Carrigan had won the Athens Olympics road race, and the world was their oyster. Gillett had won bronze at the national time trial championships that year and was a key member of the AIS squad. They were Generation Next for Australian women's road cycling. This is where McDonald will try to settle his mind on Friday - 20 years to the day since a teenage German driver lost control of her car on a country road and everything changed forever. "I look back on the couple of days before the accident, when I was motor-pacing Amy. She was flying," McDonald tells AAP. "She was obviously targeting this race, and just seeing her smile and grimace at the same time. It just hits home that she didn't come home - that really affects her family and friends. "But for me, I try to look at those couple of days before, when Amy was Amy, and training really, really well." Gillett and her AIS teammates - Katie Brown, Lorian Graham, Kate Nichols, Alexis Rhodes and Louise Yaxley - were on a training ride the day before the Thuringen Rundfahrt, a major women's road race. The car drove head-first into their bunch. Gillett died at the scene, Yaxley and Rhodes spent days in induced comas. All of Gillett's teammates suffered serious injuries. McDonald, driving a team support car, was not far behind them. He was the first to be confronted with the trauma of what had happened. This is Australian cycling's 9/11, or the death of Princess Di. Everyone involved in the sport on July 18, 2005 - and a fair few non-cycling people - can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Two decades later, while time has healed some wounds, the grief and the sadness and the "what-if" remain profound. As always, it is complicated and people have dealt with it differently. Gillett's teammates had long recoveries that fundamentally affected their cycling careers, to varying degrees. For example, Rhodes won bronze at the 2008 time trial nationals. Graham narrowly missed selection for the 2008 Olympics. But all their lives pivoted on that day. Compatriot Kate Bates, then 23, was in the midst of a cycling career that featured the Olympics and a world track title. She now is managing director of the Amy Gillett Foundation, formed in the wake of the accident, which advocates for road safety and aims to improve the often-vexed relationship between cyclists and motorists. Bates speaks of the "butterfly effect" of what happened 20 years ago. "It wasn't about us, but there's no denying the life-changing impact it had on all of us," she said of Australian women's road cycling. "On reflection, as you get older, it means more." Bates wants the foundation to reflect what Gillett wanted in her sporting career. "She was very ambitious, very courageous, very bold - that's what the foundation should be ... never give up," Bates said. "It's more important than it ever has been. As of May 31, it was Australia's deadliest 12 months on the road since 2010. "There are some things that have changed, but certainly not enough has changed." Asked about the foundation's purpose, Bates is blunt: zero cyclist deaths on Australian roads. A new online campaign will be launched next week to mark the anniversary and aiming to improve attitudes and behaviours, titled simply "It Starts With Me". A couple of years after the accident, a top rider privately admitted she was quitting the sport before time. She no longer felt safe enough on her bike. It is an age-old maxim in the sport that there are two sorts of cyclists - those who have crashed, and those who are about to. But this was fundamentally different. Two decades later, Australian cycling has celebrated Grace Brown's Olympic gold medal and Sarah Gigante's two stage wins in the Giro d'Italia. But safety remains a massive issue in the sport. McDonald and his wife Sian are the parents of two teenage boys, Fionn and Dash. In the midst of a phone interview that is often fraught, there is a ray of light when McDonald is asked about how the accident changed him. "The life of a uni student - he just got out of bed (in the afternoon). How's that? He goes back to uni next week," McDonald said of Fionn and bursts out laughing. Once Dash has finished school, McDonald and Sian will go to the accident site. It will be his first time there since that terrible day. To know the McDonalds, witness the dignity of Gillett's parents Denis and Mary and her husband Simon, be awed by Rhodes' toughness on a bike and come to know Graham's impish sense of humour, the last 20 years bring an awful reminder. Terrible things sometimes happen to great people. Mary has written a heart-rending letter to her daughter to mark the anniversary, published on the foundation website. "Please keep riding those rainbows - there are many of us looking out for you," Mary says.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
'When Amy was Amy': 20 years on from cycling tragedy
What Warren McDonald saw that day is unimaginable, so over time he has learned to shift his mind's eye back a bit. Then he was the Australian Institute of Sport women's road cycling head coach. McDonald prefers to recall heady days in Italy, overseeing former Olympic rower Amy Gillett as she showcased her formidable "engine". It was July 2005, the year after compatriot Sara Carrigan had won the Athens Olympics road race, and the world was their oyster. Gillett had won bronze at the national time trial championships that year and was a key member of the AIS squad. They were Generation Next for Australian women's road cycling. This is where McDonald will try to settle his mind on Friday - 20 years to the day since a teenage German driver lost control of her car on a country road and everything changed forever. "I look back on the couple of days before the accident, when I was motor-pacing Amy. She was flying," McDonald tells AAP. "She was obviously targeting this race, and just seeing her smile and grimace at the same time. It just hits home that she didn't come home - that really affects her family and friends. "But for me, I try to look at those couple of days before, when Amy was Amy, and training really, really well." Gillett and her AIS teammates - Katie Brown, Lorian Graham, Kate Nichols, Alexis Rhodes and Louise Yaxley - were on a training ride the day before the Thuringen Rundfahrt, a major women's road race. The car drove head-first into their bunch. Gillett died at the scene, Yaxley and Rhodes spent days in induced comas. All of Gillett's teammates suffered serious injuries. McDonald, driving a team support car, was not far behind them. He was the first to be confronted with the trauma of what had happened. This is Australian cycling's 9/11, or the death of Princess Di. Everyone involved in the sport on July 18, 2005 - and a fair few non-cycling people - can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Two decades later, while time has healed some wounds, the grief and the sadness and the "what-if" remain profound. As always, it is complicated and people have dealt with it differently. Gillett's teammates had long recoveries that fundamentally affected their cycling careers, to varying degrees. For example, Rhodes won bronze at the 2008 time trial nationals. Graham narrowly missed selection for the 2008 Olympics. But all their lives pivoted on that day. Compatriot Kate Bates, then 23, was in the midst of a cycling career that featured the Olympics and a world track title. She now is managing director of the Amy Gillett Foundation, formed in the wake of the accident, which advocates for road safety and aims to improve the often-vexed relationship between cyclists and motorists. Bates speaks of the "butterfly effect" of what happened 20 years ago. "It wasn't about us, but there's no denying the life-changing impact it had on all of us," she said of Australian women's road cycling. "On reflection, as you get older, it means more." Bates wants the foundation to reflect what Gillett wanted in her sporting career. "She was very ambitious, very courageous, very bold - that's what the foundation should be ... never give up," Bates said. "It's more important than it ever has been. As of May 31, it was Australia's deadliest 12 months on the road since 2010. "There are some things that have changed, but certainly not enough has changed." Asked about the foundation's purpose, Bates is blunt: zero cyclist deaths on Australian roads. A new online campaign will be launched next week to mark the anniversary and aiming to improve attitudes and behaviours, titled simply "It Starts With Me". A couple of years after the accident, a top rider privately admitted she was quitting the sport before time. She no longer felt safe enough on her bike. It is an age-old maxim in the sport that there are two sorts of cyclists - those who have crashed, and those who are about to. But this was fundamentally different. Two decades later, Australian cycling has celebrated Grace Brown's Olympic gold medal and Sarah Gigante's two stage wins in the Giro d'Italia. But safety remains a massive issue in the sport. McDonald and his wife Sian are the parents of two teenage boys, Fionn and Dash. In the midst of a phone interview that is often fraught, there is a ray of light when McDonald is asked about how the accident changed him. "The life of a uni student - he just got out of bed (in the afternoon). How's that? He goes back to uni next week," McDonald said of Fionn and bursts out laughing. Once Dash has finished school, McDonald and Sian will go to the accident site. It will be his first time there since that terrible day. To know the McDonalds, witness the dignity of Gillett's parents Denis and Mary and her husband Simon, be awed by Rhodes' toughness on a bike and come to know Graham's impish sense of humour, the last 20 years bring an awful reminder. Terrible things sometimes happen to great people. Mary has written a heart-rending letter to her daughter to mark the anniversary, published on the foundation website. "Please keep riding those rainbows - there are many of us looking out for you," Mary says. What Warren McDonald saw that day is unimaginable, so over time he has learned to shift his mind's eye back a bit. Then he was the Australian Institute of Sport women's road cycling head coach. McDonald prefers to recall heady days in Italy, overseeing former Olympic rower Amy Gillett as she showcased her formidable "engine". It was July 2005, the year after compatriot Sara Carrigan had won the Athens Olympics road race, and the world was their oyster. Gillett had won bronze at the national time trial championships that year and was a key member of the AIS squad. They were Generation Next for Australian women's road cycling. This is where McDonald will try to settle his mind on Friday - 20 years to the day since a teenage German driver lost control of her car on a country road and everything changed forever. "I look back on the couple of days before the accident, when I was motor-pacing Amy. She was flying," McDonald tells AAP. "She was obviously targeting this race, and just seeing her smile and grimace at the same time. It just hits home that she didn't come home - that really affects her family and friends. "But for me, I try to look at those couple of days before, when Amy was Amy, and training really, really well." Gillett and her AIS teammates - Katie Brown, Lorian Graham, Kate Nichols, Alexis Rhodes and Louise Yaxley - were on a training ride the day before the Thuringen Rundfahrt, a major women's road race. The car drove head-first into their bunch. Gillett died at the scene, Yaxley and Rhodes spent days in induced comas. All of Gillett's teammates suffered serious injuries. McDonald, driving a team support car, was not far behind them. He was the first to be confronted with the trauma of what had happened. This is Australian cycling's 9/11, or the death of Princess Di. Everyone involved in the sport on July 18, 2005 - and a fair few non-cycling people - can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Two decades later, while time has healed some wounds, the grief and the sadness and the "what-if" remain profound. As always, it is complicated and people have dealt with it differently. Gillett's teammates had long recoveries that fundamentally affected their cycling careers, to varying degrees. For example, Rhodes won bronze at the 2008 time trial nationals. Graham narrowly missed selection for the 2008 Olympics. But all their lives pivoted on that day. Compatriot Kate Bates, then 23, was in the midst of a cycling career that featured the Olympics and a world track title. She now is managing director of the Amy Gillett Foundation, formed in the wake of the accident, which advocates for road safety and aims to improve the often-vexed relationship between cyclists and motorists. Bates speaks of the "butterfly effect" of what happened 20 years ago. "It wasn't about us, but there's no denying the life-changing impact it had on all of us," she said of Australian women's road cycling. "On reflection, as you get older, it means more." Bates wants the foundation to reflect what Gillett wanted in her sporting career. "She was very ambitious, very courageous, very bold - that's what the foundation should be ... never give up," Bates said. "It's more important than it ever has been. As of May 31, it was Australia's deadliest 12 months on the road since 2010. "There are some things that have changed, but certainly not enough has changed." Asked about the foundation's purpose, Bates is blunt: zero cyclist deaths on Australian roads. A new online campaign will be launched next week to mark the anniversary and aiming to improve attitudes and behaviours, titled simply "It Starts With Me". A couple of years after the accident, a top rider privately admitted she was quitting the sport before time. She no longer felt safe enough on her bike. It is an age-old maxim in the sport that there are two sorts of cyclists - those who have crashed, and those who are about to. But this was fundamentally different. Two decades later, Australian cycling has celebrated Grace Brown's Olympic gold medal and Sarah Gigante's two stage wins in the Giro d'Italia. But safety remains a massive issue in the sport. McDonald and his wife Sian are the parents of two teenage boys, Fionn and Dash. In the midst of a phone interview that is often fraught, there is a ray of light when McDonald is asked about how the accident changed him. "The life of a uni student - he just got out of bed (in the afternoon). How's that? He goes back to uni next week," McDonald said of Fionn and bursts out laughing. Once Dash has finished school, McDonald and Sian will go to the accident site. It will be his first time there since that terrible day. To know the McDonalds, witness the dignity of Gillett's parents Denis and Mary and her husband Simon, be awed by Rhodes' toughness on a bike and come to know Graham's impish sense of humour, the last 20 years bring an awful reminder. Terrible things sometimes happen to great people. Mary has written a heart-rending letter to her daughter to mark the anniversary, published on the foundation website. "Please keep riding those rainbows - there are many of us looking out for you," Mary says. What Warren McDonald saw that day is unimaginable, so over time he has learned to shift his mind's eye back a bit. Then he was the Australian Institute of Sport women's road cycling head coach. McDonald prefers to recall heady days in Italy, overseeing former Olympic rower Amy Gillett as she showcased her formidable "engine". It was July 2005, the year after compatriot Sara Carrigan had won the Athens Olympics road race, and the world was their oyster. Gillett had won bronze at the national time trial championships that year and was a key member of the AIS squad. They were Generation Next for Australian women's road cycling. This is where McDonald will try to settle his mind on Friday - 20 years to the day since a teenage German driver lost control of her car on a country road and everything changed forever. "I look back on the couple of days before the accident, when I was motor-pacing Amy. She was flying," McDonald tells AAP. "She was obviously targeting this race, and just seeing her smile and grimace at the same time. It just hits home that she didn't come home - that really affects her family and friends. "But for me, I try to look at those couple of days before, when Amy was Amy, and training really, really well." Gillett and her AIS teammates - Katie Brown, Lorian Graham, Kate Nichols, Alexis Rhodes and Louise Yaxley - were on a training ride the day before the Thuringen Rundfahrt, a major women's road race. The car drove head-first into their bunch. Gillett died at the scene, Yaxley and Rhodes spent days in induced comas. All of Gillett's teammates suffered serious injuries. McDonald, driving a team support car, was not far behind them. He was the first to be confronted with the trauma of what had happened. This is Australian cycling's 9/11, or the death of Princess Di. Everyone involved in the sport on July 18, 2005 - and a fair few non-cycling people - can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Two decades later, while time has healed some wounds, the grief and the sadness and the "what-if" remain profound. As always, it is complicated and people have dealt with it differently. Gillett's teammates had long recoveries that fundamentally affected their cycling careers, to varying degrees. For example, Rhodes won bronze at the 2008 time trial nationals. Graham narrowly missed selection for the 2008 Olympics. But all their lives pivoted on that day. Compatriot Kate Bates, then 23, was in the midst of a cycling career that featured the Olympics and a world track title. She now is managing director of the Amy Gillett Foundation, formed in the wake of the accident, which advocates for road safety and aims to improve the often-vexed relationship between cyclists and motorists. Bates speaks of the "butterfly effect" of what happened 20 years ago. "It wasn't about us, but there's no denying the life-changing impact it had on all of us," she said of Australian women's road cycling. "On reflection, as you get older, it means more." Bates wants the foundation to reflect what Gillett wanted in her sporting career. "She was very ambitious, very courageous, very bold - that's what the foundation should be ... never give up," Bates said. "It's more important than it ever has been. As of May 31, it was Australia's deadliest 12 months on the road since 2010. "There are some things that have changed, but certainly not enough has changed." Asked about the foundation's purpose, Bates is blunt: zero cyclist deaths on Australian roads. A new online campaign will be launched next week to mark the anniversary and aiming to improve attitudes and behaviours, titled simply "It Starts With Me". A couple of years after the accident, a top rider privately admitted she was quitting the sport before time. She no longer felt safe enough on her bike. It is an age-old maxim in the sport that there are two sorts of cyclists - those who have crashed, and those who are about to. But this was fundamentally different. Two decades later, Australian cycling has celebrated Grace Brown's Olympic gold medal and Sarah Gigante's two stage wins in the Giro d'Italia. But safety remains a massive issue in the sport. McDonald and his wife Sian are the parents of two teenage boys, Fionn and Dash. In the midst of a phone interview that is often fraught, there is a ray of light when McDonald is asked about how the accident changed him. "The life of a uni student - he just got out of bed (in the afternoon). How's that? He goes back to uni next week," McDonald said of Fionn and bursts out laughing. Once Dash has finished school, McDonald and Sian will go to the accident site. It will be his first time there since that terrible day. To know the McDonalds, witness the dignity of Gillett's parents Denis and Mary and her husband Simon, be awed by Rhodes' toughness on a bike and come to know Graham's impish sense of humour, the last 20 years bring an awful reminder. Terrible things sometimes happen to great people. Mary has written a heart-rending letter to her daughter to mark the anniversary, published on the foundation website. "Please keep riding those rainbows - there are many of us looking out for you," Mary says.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Chris Gillett, Houston's Top Headshot Photographer, Celebrates 10 Years, Says the Future Belongs to Authenticity
HOUSTON, TX, July 15, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- Professional headshot photographer Chris Gillett, opens new tab is marking a major milestone: 10 years of creating standout portraits, opens new tab for lawyers, executives, and leaders across Texas and beyond. Once a top-rated trial attorney himself, Gillett now spends his days helping his clients present their best selves through expertly crafted headshots that project confidence, opens new tab, professionalism, opens new tab, and humanity, opens new tab. 'The strongest headshots express authenticity, and although AI can imitate, it can't feel. And art without feeling isn't art, it's decoration. People still want to see the real you. That's never going out of style,' Gillett said. Gillett has worked with the elite of Houston's professional community, opens new tab including the past two Presidents of Shell North America Bruce Culpepper and Gretchen Watkins and the incoming president Colette Hirstius. He specializes in a unique blend of expression and confidence coaching during photoshoots, capturing leadership, warmth, and credibility in a single frame. His work is sought after, opens new tab by attorneys and business professionals who understand the impact of a powerful headshot in today's digital-first world. 'I want my clients to look strong, capable, and real. Your headshot is a visual handshake. If it doesn't make people want to work with you, it's not doing its job,' Gillett said. His journey into photography began after a disastrous personal experience with a generic corporate headshot. 'I looked like a deranged night stalker. That photo launched me on a mission to figure out how to do it right and to help others avoid the same fate,' he said Now widely recognized as one of Houston's best legal headshot photographers, Gillett has worked with thousands of professionals across law, business, and medicine, using state-of-the-art equipment and deep knowledge of facial expression coaching to help each client shine. As AI-generated portraits become more common, many photographers fear being replaced. But Gillett doesn't see it that way. "I've had clients tear up because they couldn't believe they could really look that good. AI can never do that. Plus, I'm not a fan of professional catfishing,' he said. There's another reason Gillett feels confident entering his second decade of professional photography. 'AI needs real content to function. It feeds off what humans create. But more importantly, it can't read the room. It doesn't know when a client is nervous, or when to crack a joke to get a genuine smile. It can't coach confidence. Only a human can do that,' Gillett said. He believes the growing presence of AI in photography will actually increase the demand for authentic, human-made headshots, especially in industries that rely on trust and personal connection, like law and business. About Chris Gillett Chris Gillett is a Houston-based headshot photographer and expression coach specializing in professional portraits for attorneys, executives, and leaders. A former trial lawyer and adjunct law professor, Gillett combines legal insight with creative skill to deliver portraits that inspire confidence and credibility. He holds a JD from South Texas College of Law and a BA from Austin College. His work has earned him recognition as one of Texas's most trusted photographers for legal and corporate headshots. For more information, visit opens new tab. Media Contact Amanda Orramanda@ ### SOURCE: Chris Gillett Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Top 3 Reasons Japanese Cars Offer Lower Maintenance Costs
Its no secret: Japanese vehicles have a long-standing reputation for reliability and budget-friendly maintenance, often topping the charts provided by automotive news outlets and magazines in these metrics. Below we discuss the factors behind these rankings and how exactly buying a new Japanese car, SUV or truck can benefit your pocketbook. For You: Read Next: According to a TopSpeed analysis built upon Repair Pal data, Acura and Honda top the list of cars which offer the fewest problems, although Toyota took second place in terms of cheapest car make to maintain. The eight automakers cited as having a reliability rating of at least four out of five included six Japanese entries, with the full list as follows: Acura Honda Kia Hyundai Mazda Lexus Toyota Nissan Discover Next: TopSpeed's Thomas Gillett said after World War II, Japanese manufacturers focused on producing vehicles for the mass market. With only modest financial resources available at the outset, they prioritized cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. Gillett added that over the past eight decades, advancements in producing affordable vehicles — especially from the 1970s through the 2000s — have firmly established their role in the automotive industry, turning large-scale, efficient manufacturing into a refined craft. Writing for import and sales enterprise TokyoDrive, Sohaib Muhammad made a concise case for two different reasons why Japanese autos might take the edge when it comes to reduced operational costs. The first? The fact that Japanese brands were more likely to slowly roll out technological gimmicks and untested advancements, instead relying more heavily on an iterative process which prioritized proven technology. In the end, this creates a more reliable parts ecosystem and ultimately reduces the likelihood of a stiff repair bill. Secondly, speaking of parts: Given the widespread popularity of Japanese vehicles worldwide, replacement parts are often at-hand and provided at a variety of price points. The overall cost of the parts, service technician familiarity with the install and the reduction of downtime associated with repairs are all pluses in the column for those who drive Japanese cars. There's one notable caveat, however, bucking the trend. As The Car Guide indicated, Tesla edged out the competition when it comes to lower maintenance costs, largely due to their electrical vehicle (EV) composition, pegged at an average of $5,867 over 10 years. Toyota wasn't far behind, however, at $5,996, with Lexus ($7,786), Mitsubishi ($7,787), Honda ($7,827), Mazda ($8,035) and Nissan ($8,088) rounding out the pack — all Japanese brands. The most expensive vehicles to maintain came from Stellantis plants. Ram ($16,802), Jeep ($11,476), Chrysler ($11,304) and Dodge ($11,079) all topped the charts in this regard. More From GOBankingRates 3 Luxury SUVs That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Summer 2025 These Cars May Seem Expensive, but They Rarely Need Repairs 6 Big Shakeups Coming to Social Security in 2025 This article originally appeared on Top 3 Reasons Japanese Cars Offer Lower Maintenance Costs
West Australian
26-06-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Kate Emery: Three-week winter break would be a big win for parents
An extra week of winter holidays for WA's public school kids makes sense for a simple two-word reason. Summer. Holidays. That's not why WA Secondary School Executives Association president Melissa Gillett has floated the idea of a three week winter term break. Her rationale for the call — which is not up for any formal consideration — is more about giving 'knackered' students and staff a break. Ms Gillett, clearly, has gazed into the eyes of a teacher this week and, to paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche, seen the abyss staring back at her. There's also the added bonus that tapping out of school a week earlier might help stop the spread of winter coughs and colds that turns every primary school classroom into a petri dish at this time of year. Keen observers of their local classroom this week will have noticed that plenty of kids have started their winter holidays ahead of schedule and their destination is Snot Mountain. Some WA private schools already take three weeks off at this time of year. Cynics might suggest it's so Winifred and Wolfgang can winter on the Italian Riviera but the schools say it's more about giving everyone a proper break — and dodging the worst of flu season. It also gives boarders more time with their families. But none of those perfectly good reasons are why I think a three-week winter break for public schools would be a boon for parents. My reason is that sending kids back to school at the start of the year a week earlier and letting them take that week in June would make summer holidays shorter. It's a little known law of physics that, once you have kids, the summer holidays expand to become eleventy billion years along. No longer do December and January have '31 days' as Big Calendar would have you believe. The summer break now begins just after the big bang and ends as the sun dies. Summer holidays are a joyous time for kids. Sleep-ins, family outings and a dangerously relaxed bathing schedule all represent much-needed down time. Summer holidays can also be a joyous time for parents whose work schedules allow them to spend hours assembling LEGO castles, being told how they're playing Barbies wrong or at least catch an occasional glimpse of their progeny's head between Zoom meetings. But even the most ardent summer holiday enthusiast arrives at the end of January feeling like they've not so much run a marathon as had a marathon run over the top of them. There simply comes a time when there are no more trips to the museum or Scitech or the park to be taken. When you've given up trying to tidy and built a nest from discarded clothes instead. When you've watched every family-friendly film going and the kids are now watching UFC. Lop a week off the summer holidays, add it to the winter break and everyone — kids, teachers and especially parents — might make it through to February in one piece.
