Fluid handups were more critical than ever this year.

MAY 11, 2013, Pearblossom, Calif. Words and images by Phil Beckman/PB Creative — Even on the best of days, there are few road races more appropriately titled than Devil’s Punchbowl. For decades this high desert event situated among the foothills on the north side of the San Gabriel Mountains has been a true demon. This traditional 16-mile circuit with 1500 feet of climbing per lap is always a road to perdition.

This year it turned into pure h-e-doublehockeysticks with the curse of an infernal SoCal heatwave. The last classes of the merciless day were damned to temperatures reaching triple digits and humidity at about the -5 percent mark.

Of course this wasn’t the only bicycle race in the region to be affected. These incandescent conditions took a toll on the almighty Tour of California just a couple of hours south as well. But the Devil’s Punchbowl is the People’s Race. A local legend. It’s an equal-opportunity leap into the abyss.

This year it was like hopping into a convection oven lined with cactus and sagebrush. It didn’t take long — generally one trip up “the staircase” — to smear the field into a long line of tongue-draggers. After a lap or two it seemed that riders were seeing mirages, crawling along and rasping for water just like in the cowboy movies that used to be filmed around these parts. The only shade available on the entire course was under a few spectators’ awnings, usually stocked with coolers full of icy redemption. Many could not resist the temptation.

But as always a few well-hydrated ectomorphs made a race of it.

In the Men’s Pro-1-2 division, Dion Smith (Full Circle Cycling powered by Pure Gear) powered away from a small group late in his five-lap, 80-mile pilgrimage to win by over a minute. French teammate Aurelien Passeron made it a Full Circle sweep with second place ahead of Eder Frayre Moctezuma (Cali Mex) of Mexico.

The three-lap Women’s 1-2-3 sufferfest was also taken out in a solo move, this one coming from Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (SPY Giant Ride). She too had a teammate backing her up as Tracy Tilton crossed the line in second. Julie Cuts of Michelob Ultra – La Grange +21 grabbed bronze.

[Show as slideshow]

For full results, visit the USA Cycling website.

This race was presented by Santa Clarita Velo and sponsored by Road Bike Action, Mechanix Wear, Performance Cyclery, Specialized, Primal, City of Santa Clarita, Cannondale, Ferraz, Friends of the Santa Clara River, Vita Nova Mosaics, Rydell Chevrolet, Jersey Mike’s and TomsRecovery.com.

This piece was earlier published at SoCalCycling.com.

Cow Pie Classic, Los Olivos, CA
By Phil Beckman, PB Creative

Contact: Matt Gunnell,matt@socaldirt.org,
(818) 415-1133,www.socaldirt.org

Full Results
Photo gallery with captions

Complete photo gallery is posted at pbcreative.smugmug.com.

Los Olivos, Calif. — According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a Gale Warning is issued when surface winds from 39 to 54 mph are sustained for a period of one minute or more. If the NOAA folks had been monitoring conditions at the Cow Pie Classic, they would have asked, “Do we have anything stronger?”

This final event of the 2013 SoCal High School Cycling League Series, held at the usually serene Dirt Club in the Santa Ynez Valley near Los Olivos, will forever be remembered for its Wind (with a capital W). We made a big deal out of the breeze at the prior round in Keyesville. That was a mere zephyr compared to the climate at the Cow Pie Classic.

The race marked the conclusion of the fifth season of the SoCal League. Among those who have been a part of it all, the consensus was this had been the most turbulent day ever. As if championship pressure wasn’t enough, the 302 student-athletes representing 26 teams had to deal with a high, exposed ridgeline trail where the wind was doing its best to either stop them in their tracks or toss them into the savannah, depending on which direction the trail was pointing.

As always, Matt Gunnell, the Executive Director of the SoCal High School Cycling League, was at the center of the tempest. “It’s hard to articulate how dramatically the weather shifted from Saturday to Sunday. What started as a hot weekend with blazing sun turned into cool weather with probably the windiest conditions ever to greet high school racers. But the SoCal crew responded, as I heard story after story of riders pushing through the punishing wind.”

Teams

The only aspect of this event that was more dramatic than the weather was the Division 1 teams competition. Multi-time and defending champion Hemet High posted a decisive victory at the Dirt Club, while the points leader coming into the final event, Yucaipa High, suffered a number of critical mechanical malfunctions. When the calculators stopped whirring, sparking and ultimately smoking, Yucaipa had emerged with the season title by just two points: 19405 to 19403. Let that sink in for a sec.

It was a nail-biting day for Yucaipa Head Coach Mike Bagg. “We had an 88-point lead when we got here,” he explained, “but then our top Varsity and JV boys had flats, a broken chain and a brake failure. I am humbled by how quick you can lose a decent spread. We had talked about those possibilities. It was like God was telling us, ‘Don’t get too cocky.’ I am so proud of this team.”

Pete Kirkham, Hemet’s Head Coach, was as sporting as ever. “Sunday morning I told the team we have nothing to lose and everything to gain, so go race like champs, have fun and kick some butt. Hey, I think we gave YHS a real scare and hopefully earned some admiration for not giving up and fighting to the end. What a great season.”

Rounding out the top three in Division 1 was Murrieta Valley for the day and Woodcrest Christian for the season.

In Division 2 (for teams with 11 or fewer riders), Crescenta Valley completed an impressive season with the day’s win and the crown. Head Coach Jim Rowton commented, “The kids totally invested in the program and they believed in themselves. Our goal wasn’t so much to win the championship but to have a special team. I couldn’t be happier about the way it turned out and to see all their hard work rewarded.”

Redlands Composite (Public) had a great day for second in D2, followed by El Toro High. South Orange County Composite and El Toro finished second and third for 2013, respectively.

Varsity Boys

Jarred Jordan (Murrieta Valley) put a final stamp of authority on this class, capturing his second consecutive victory as well as the Varsity Boys championship. Jordan, Sammy Bello (Independent) and Lucas Rowton (Crescenta Valley) had escaped the 21-rider field early and by the end of the first lap had together built a minute’s lead. Jordan made a bold move on a downhill on lap three of four and then soloed in to win by more than two minutes. Bello recorded his best finish yet in this class for a comfortable second place. Garrett Gaither (Ramona) overtook Rowton on the last lap for third.

This was the third SoCal League title for Jordan, as he had previously earned Freshman and JV championships. “This race came down to a lot of tactics due to the wind,” he said. “On the top singletrack we were riding about five feet wide because of how hard the wind was pushing. This was my best high school season by far because everything went right. Next up is the State Championship. I’d like to win; we’ll see what my training and hard work can do.”

Bello was very pleased to secure runner-up on the day and for the season. “I didn’t expect this. I’m super happy with it,” he stated. “This race was the toughest in the series. The climbs were harder and the wind was just horrible. I tried my best to keep second in the standings and I did. Thank you to my coach, Alex Estrada, my friends and my family.”

Alex Bagg (Yucaipa) had a mechanical but, due to consistency, ended up third overall for the season. Gaither wound up with third on the day and fourth in the final Varsity Boys standings. Sean Bird (St. Francis) finished sixth on the day and fifth overall.

Varsity Girls

The Varsity Girls race was wide open due to the absence of Hannah Rae Finchamp (Maranatha), who was competing at a triathlon in Virginia. That guaranteed a first-time winner for the season. The distinction went to Emma Klingaman (Hemet). She reeled in and then passed fast-starter Maddie Melcher (Redlands) on the second of three laps and crossed the line with more than a minute’s cushion. Morgan Zurborg (Woodcrest) captured a hard fought third place ahead of a phalanx of Rim of the World High School chargers.

Klingaman has been involved with the SoCal League for four seasons, and following the State Championships in Northern California May 19 will be moving on to collegiate cycling at Lees-McRae. It was an emotional day for her and her family. As she put it, “It was in my head the whole race that it would be my last with SoCal. I really wanted it; I had to make it count. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without this League. I think it hit me today how everything has to come together to make an event like this happen.”

Melcher has been dealing with an injury for much of the season and was thrilled with second place at Los Olivos. “I’m definitely feeling better but it wasn’t easy. I went through the finish line and almost cried. These past two weeks I’ve been working so hard in practice and putting in so many miles and it just made me feel so good.”

Finchamp claimed the season championship (a competitor’s best four out of five scores count), while Klingaman and Zurborg completed the top three in the final standings.

JV Girls

Ema Suarez (Independent) completed a season sweep at the Dirt Club, leaving no doubt about the JV Girls title. Her first lap of two was the fastest of the day among all the gals — a 29:11 — despite her feeling less than 100 percent. She stated, “Today was fun, but there was a lot of wind ¬— headwind, crosswind. It was so strong it almost pushed me off my bike. This whole week I’ve been sick, and I’m kind of sick today still. I thank my coach Alex Estrada, my family and friends, and to the League for making this happen.”

Arcelia Mercado (Hemet) had her best finish of the year in second place, with teammate Hayleigh Kirkham in third. In the final point standings, Suarez topped Kirkham and Alexis Marques (Hemet).

JV Boys Division 1

Imeh Nsek (Independent) put the wraps on JV D1 with a convincing performance in front of Micah Swinhart (Woodcrest) and Randy Graham (Murrieta). “It was hard,” Nsek emphasized. “We were literally getting blown off the trail. I attacked on the switchback climb on the last lap and got a gap but Micah caught back up. We worked together for a while and then I attacked again just before the big downhill and got away.”

The series closed with Nsek ahead of Graham and Michael Lansing (Woodcrest) in points.

JV Boys Division 2

El Toro’s Sean Bell made it two in a row, once again mixing it up with Daniel Johnson (South Orange County) and James Pflughaupt (Corona del Mar), who went 2-3 at the end of their three laps. Bell reported that, “On the last climb about a mile from the finish I just kind of powered it as fast as I could and got a gap that I managed to hold to the finish. It was really fun. It was one of the best courses but the wind made it super tough.”

Three straight early season wins and top-three finishes the rest of the way earned Pflughaupt the class championship just ahead of Bell and Johnson.

Sophomore Girls

Christina Mann packed a broom for Los Olivos and then swept the series. It was another dominant ride for Mann, and the Yucaipa team in general — the top four positions went to the Thunderbirds. Second place fell to Lauren Small, Tia Moore grabbed third and Samantha Meader fourth.

Mann echoed most of discussion at this race: “Today was rather windy. As I was going up one of the hills I had to get off my bike and as I was struggling to walk up, my bike was horizontal to the side, trying to fly away. But I feel really good. I couldn’t have done it without my coaches, my team, my family, all the support.”

Following Mann in final points is Kaitlin Washburn (Eastlake) and Moore.

Sophomore Boys Division 1

Dillon Gamache (Yucaipa) had been consistently quick all season in Soph Boys D1, so steady that he had found himself in the Leader Jersey without winning any of the previous four events. He made a statement at Los Olivos, however, by tracking down Geoffrey Bartz (Independent) on the last lap and then outsprinting him through the finishing chute. It was the closest race of the day.

As Gamache explained, “I was catching him and thinking, ‘this is for the team,’ and was able to push it just that little bit extra. This team is such an inspiration. It feels great, like I finally earned the jersey.”

Rolling home alone in third was Hayden Ramsay (Yucaipa).

Gamache collared a compelling championship, with Bartz wearing silver and Ramsay bronze.

Sophomore Boys Division 2

There was no such theatre in D2, as Alexander Deroche (Crescenta) rode away with his fourth victory in five tries. Nico Neuville (El Toro) enjoyed his best finish of the season in second, trailed closely by Michael Sanchez (San Gabriel Valley).

“Today went well,” stated Deroche. “It was a really windy day, just like the last race. It was such a problem that many people were walking. As usual it was a tough course, but it’s something we need to get through to finish. That’s what mountain biking is about — getting through these conditions. I’d like to say that I respect everyone else who was out there racing today. We all know what It takes to do well…dedication, sweat, support. I am blessed with the support of my coaches, my parents and Montrose Bike Shop.”

The final standings show Deroche on top of Caden Gruber (Corona del Mar) and Parker Maccianti (Santa Ynez).

Freshman Girls

Hannah Eckvahl (San Gabriel Valley) notched another wire-to-wire win with two lap times that once again would have put her well up in the other Girls class results. Following the theme: “It was really windy — bad. I got forced off my bike once. But yeah, I’m pretty happy,” said the quiet teen.

Karina Fuentes (Redlands) and Brenna Pratt (Crescenta) rounded out the top three. The final podium for this class has Eckvahl at the top, Pratt in second and Rebecca Israel (Yucaipa) finishing the season in third.

We’ll wrap this up by noting that every single one of the girls competing at the SoCal Finals — 60 total — was able to finish. That’s tenacity, and bodes well for 2014 and beyond.

Freshman Boys Division 1

After dropping his water bottle on the first climb, early leader Patrick Liddy put in one of the more impressive comeback performances of the day. At the end of lap one he had clawed his way into second place, but was still 33 seconds off the lead. A strong second lap put him on top of the podium for the third time in a row. Birthday boys Kyle and Jake Legge (Newbury Park) finished second and third.

“I knew it was going to be a tough race because some of the girls on our team came in from their races and said it was just absurdly windy,” Liddy recalled. “On the top of the ridge we were going about one mile an hour. Trying to push through on the second lap I ended up opening a pretty big gap. This is an awesome venue; I really like it. Thanks to my sponsors, MBS, parents and coach.”

Liddy captured the championship, trailed by Jacob Jordan (Murrieta) and Kyle Legge.

Freshman Boys Division 2

Despite competing in the state road criterium championships the day before, Jack Tucker (Corona del Mar) was still tough enough to complete a SoCal Series sweep at the Dirt Club. “The legs weren’t that fresh today,” he admitted, “so I just stayed with the group till the last little rise on the last lap. I got blown off my bike once and then the chain got locked up. I was able to put it right back on though.”

Evander Hughes (Great Oak) kept Tucker honest for second place by only nine seconds, with Evan Williams (Big Bear) rolling in just six seconds later.

In final points, Tucker wears the crown over Hughes and Williams.

Last up for high school mountain bike racing in California is the State Championship at Stafford Lake Park, Marin County May 19. It’s a NorCal vs. SoCal shootout!

2013 SoCal High School Mountain 

Cruise the Keys, Lake Isabella, CA

By Phil Beckman, PB Creative

Contact: Matt Gunnell, matt@socaldirt.org

(818) 415-1133, www.socaldirt.org

Full Results

Photo gallery with captions

Lake Isabella, Calif. — To say the fourth round of the 2013 SoCal High School Cycling League season was a little windy would be like saying a Great White is a little fishy. Flags were whipping straight out. Tents rolled around like tumbleweeds. Awnings, pets and small children needed to be bolted to the ground. Plus it was drier than week-old popcorn. By the end of the day most of the volunteers, supporters, coaches and staff had less skin moisture than King Tutankhamun.

But this is mountain biking, folks, and dealing with adverse weather is what mountain bike folks do best. A bit of horizontal air velocity was not going to keep 330 tenacious student athletes from 26 teams away from the exhilarating terrain on offer at the highly shredable Keyesville Special Recreation Area.

“Keyesville always turns into an epic weather race for us,” Matt Gunnell, the Executive Director of the SoCal High School Cycling League, reminded us. “Last year it was freezing rain and this year it was howling wind. But conditions like these just turns the dial to 11 in terms of memorable racing in one of the most scenic venues in all of high school mountain biking. The course combined with the wind really stretched the riders. Everyone who finished knew they had been to battle and come out victorious. That’s how memories are made and stories become legends.”

Gunnell was pleasantly surprised by the way the idyllic meadow used for this race had filled up, “Due to the distance of Keyesville from most of our League riders I was expecting a large drop off in ridership at this event. But that was not the case at all. It’s been clear from the first race we held in Keyesville in 2011 that people really love the course and the camping festival vibe. I heard from many families that they look forward to the race every year and make it an extended weekend. Judging from the number of new motorhomes and trailers that filled our venue, many of which I’m told were purchased just for high school mountain biking, I think I should have gone into the RV sales business!”

Teams

Yucaipa High School found itself at the top of the Division 1 team charts for the third time in four events this year, narrowly edging the previous round winner and defending champion, Hemet High. Woodcrest Christian rounded out the top three.

Yucaipa Head Coach Mike Bagg gave special recognition to Jacob Dechellis, Zandon Smith and Rebecca Israel for their scoring contributions, but pointed out that the team only had one win for the day, from Christina Mann. “Overall, when you have a big, deep team that trains hard, you can still pull it off. We had a good day and we’re very thankful. It’s fun,” stated Bagg.

Crescenta Valley High School likewise captured its third win of the season among the smaller Division 2 teams, in similar fashion as Yucaipa. “My Varsity and JV riders had a tough day, and they usually put up the most points for our team,” said Head Coach Jim Rowton. “But we’re deep enough and strong enough that our other riders were able to take up the slack. We have riders who continue to achieve their best rides ever, and that’s a beautiful thing.”

Ramona High School and El Toro High School finished second and third at “Cruise the Keys,” respectively.

For the season, with only one event remaining, the Division 1 database shows Yucaipa on top of Hemet and Woodcrest. In Division 2, Crescenta Valley leads South Orange County Composite and Corona del Mar High School. In team competition, all five races of the series are scored for the year’s championships.

Varsity Boys

Jarred Jordan (Murrieta) made a loud and clear statement that he deserves to wear the Leader Jersey in this class. Following a four-lap, 24-mile battle with Wyatt Myers (Victor Valley) and early leader Sammy Bello (Independent), Jordan had just enough power left to slip away in the final moments and seize his first Varsity triumph by ten seconds. Myers and Bello went 2-3.

According to Jordan,  “It was a rough race, dealing with the wind. It was a whole different thing to think about tactically. Other than that, the race went pretty good. I put in a hard effort right before the finish; it was now or never. I’m pretty excited about my first Varsity win, which extends my points lead a little more. It was good competition today.”

Bello now moves into second in the point standings, followed by Alex Bagg (Yucaipa), Sean Bird (St. Francis) and Garrett Gaither (Ramona). For individual competitors, the best four out of five races count for final season laurels.

Varsity Girls

As expected, defending champion Hannah Rae Finchamp (Maranatha) led this class from start to finish to record her ninth Varsity Girls win in a row. Not even a hot, windy XTERRA West Championship in Las Vegas the day before — where she won her age group with a time that would have put her in sixth place in the pro women’s field — could keep her off the top step.

“On Sunday morning I was feeling pretty tired but with a lot of prayer and positive thinking I was still able to have a good race,” Finchamp reported. “It basically came down to the fact that I love mountain biking and no matter how the race goes I am just blessed to be out riding my bike.”

Emma Klingaman (Hemet) snared second place about two minutes behind, having overcome a strong challenge from Dalma Felenyi (Rim of the World). As Klingaman described it, “Dalma was ahead of me for awhile and had a pretty good gap. It took me awhile to catch up. I was able to make the pass on the second lap, just before one of the singletracks. It was a good race overall.”

Finchamp holds a commanding lead in the standings ahead of Klingaman, Morgan Zurborg (Woodcrest), Megan Bradley (Rim of the World) and Dalma Felenyi, who held on for her best Varsity finish yet for third at Keyesville.

JV Boys Division 1

Despite repeated attempts to break away from this highly competitive class, Imeh Nsek (Independent) had to wait for just the right moment to make it stick. “The wind was a huge factor in the race,” he told us. “It made the race a sufferfest if you were out there alone. It was part of the reason that the first lap was slow; it made it a very tactical race in which nobody wanted to lead. On the last lap, Micah Swinhart [Woodcrest] was leading, with me right on his wheel. He made a mistake on a narrow, off-camber hill and I capitalized on it and made it around him. From then on I was alone.”

Randy Graham (Murrieta) and Zandon Smith (Yucaipa) finished second and third. In the standings, it’s now Nsek ahead of Michael Lansing (Woodcrest) and Graham.

JV Boys Division 2

The streak had to come to end some time. James Pflughaupt (Corona del Mar) had racked up an impressive string of victories dating back to the previous season, but the streak was snapped at Keyesville when Sean Bell (El Toro), who had been lurking at every round, broke through for his first high school mountain bike win.

“I was always right there in the other races, never too far behind, but today I just felt really good and went for it,” Bell beamed. “Daniel Johnson and James Pflughaupt and I were together for most of the race, as we usually are. On the last lap I attacked on the final climb and got about a ten-second gap that I was able to hold to the finish. It’s awesome. I couldn’t be happier right now.”

Pflughaupt and Johnson (South Orange County) were separated by only four seconds at the line to round out the top three. The series’ Leader Jersey remains on Pflughaupt’s shoulders in one of the most compelling stories of the season, with Bell and Johnson keeping it close.

JV Girls

Going four-for-four in this class for 2013 is Ema Suarez (Independent), enjoying another decisive victory at Keyesville. She assumed a comfortable lead shortly after the start but may have regretted it. “The wind in the first lap was decent but in the second lap it was much stronger and I had to fight it alone, with no help. I would love to thank my coaches, Deyaniro Guerrero and Alex Estrada for always helping me and trying to get the best out of me; my family and friends that always support me with everything they can; and for SoCal High School Cycling League for permitting me to race and making this happen.”

Alexis Marques earned second this weekend ahead of Hemet teammates Arcelia Mercado and Hayleigh Kirkham. In points, Suarez is pulling away from Marques, Kirkham and Mercado, in that order.

Sophomore Boys Division 1

“I owe my win to him,” said Geoffrey Bartz (Independent) of consistently close competitor Dillon Gamache (Yucaipa). “We worked together the whole race. My thanks to Dillon; he made it a good race.” It was the second consecutive win for Bartz, who hails from nearby Bakersfield.

Bartz claimed that the wind wasn’t an issue. “I’ve been riding in these conditions for the past three weeks so I wasn’t too fazed. It’s definitely a home course advantage for me here.”

Gamache finished second to remain in the points lead but Bartz is closing in. Hayden Ramsay (Yucaipa) had a tough day and finished sixth, but holds a close third in the standings. The final event for the SoCal Series will be a shootout between these three.

Jacob Dechellis (Yucaipa) was third at Keyesville, after a race-long duel with Bailey Eckles (Independent); they were separated by only two seconds at the line in what would be season-best finishes for both.

Sophomore Boys Division 2

Alexander Deroche (Crescenta) continues to impress. This thoughtful young man scooped up his third win of the season with room to spare. Caden Gruber (Corona del Mar) finished alone in second while Tobias Iven (Crescenta) rolled in for an unchallenged third.

“It went well,” understated Deroche. “I think I played the right moves in the beginning and got myself to the front at the climb, then built a lead. I tried to imagine that there was someone right behind me. It’s not good to ease up when you’re winning. The wind was a problem. There were lots of people walking these hills, and one actually blew into me. I want to make a callout to Montrose Bike Shop. They are really generous sponsors and get our bikes prepared to win.”

Deroche extended his points lead ahead of Gruber and Parker Maccianti (Santa Ynez), who was tenth at Keyesville but will have home court advantage at the series finale.

Sophomore Girls

Score four for Christina Mann (Yucaipa). Unbeaten in this class all year, she pulled another disappearing act to win by well over eight minutes. Hello, Varsity class…

For Mann, this was a bit of redemption. “This is definitely a tough course, so I was a little nervous at the beginning. I was worried because last year I got lost and it ended up being my worst race of the series,” she related.

Runner-up once again was Kaitlin Washburn (Eastlake). Tia Moore (Yucaipa) had to dig deep for third, barely outpacing teammate Lauren Small to the finish line.

Mann’s victory solidified her points lead over Washburn and Small.

Freshman Boys Division 1

It was another nail-biter in this large class. After a leading group of five was reduced to two on the second and final six-mile lap, Patrick Liddy (Independent) was able to outsprint Kyle Legge (Newbury Park) for his second win in a row. Jake Legge (Newbury Park) grabbed third.

As Liddy remarked, “I attacked on the last corner down there. I got about a five second gap on Kyle and pulled off the win. It was really close and we were both super-tired. The wind was terrible. At one point I was blown about three feet off the trail. It was ridiculous, but the course was awesome, my favorite so far.”

Liddy moved to the top of the standings ahead of Jacob Jordan (Murrieta), who was recovering from a fall suffered two weeks prior and finished fourth at Keyesville. Third is occupied by Kyle Legge.

Freshman Boys Division 2

Talk about rubbing it in. Jack Tucker (Corona del Mar) powered to his fourth straight win in this class, and then reported, “I’m pretty sick, so I got lucky. It’s a bad cold. I felt like I had no power at all. The first climb started and I thought, ‘Oh, this is going to hurt,’ but I put in a little effort — not really an attack — and just broke away. It split up and I held it from there. It felt good to win when sick.”

Evan Williams (Big Bear) put in a capable ride to trail Tucker by only 18 seconds; Evander Hughes (Great Oak) was a solo third.

The top three in the point standings did not change after Keyesville: Tucker leads Hughes and Mikael Rodgers (South Orange County), who was seventh here.

Freshman Girls

Remember this name: Hannah Eckvahl (San Gabriel Valley) notched her third win of the season, in the process turning in one of the fastest of laps of all the gals racing at Keyesville (a 27:44). The soft-spoken Eckvahl admitted that she was using the classes that started in front of her as motivation, but insisted that she was not trying to make a statement. “I just like to win,” she said. “I’m just very competitive.”

Brenna Pratt (Crescenta) finished second by about a minute and a half, but had an identical second lap time as Eckvahl. Rebecca Israel (Yucaipa) rode alone in third out of a field of 20.

Eckvahl leads the standings handily, with Pratt in second and Israel third.

Felt Bicycles Essay Contest

A special podium presentation took place during the awards ceremony recognizing the winners of the Felt Essay Contest. The topic of this essay was, “Why should my little brother or sister (or cousin, or niece, or nephew, etc.) join a high school mountain bike team?” A total of 35 essays were submitted and judged by Felt and SoCal League staff.

The winner was Ty Dawkins (Redlands Composite) who scored a new Felt mountain bike. Second place went to Ellis Cobb (Crescenta Valley) and she earned free race entries for the entire 2014 SoCal League race season. Four third place award winners received tires and jerseys; they were Amanda Blau (Dos Pueblos), Chris Perez (St. Francis), Elizabeth Jackson (Rim of the World) and Thomas Omori (South OC Composite). Write on!

Upcoming series events:

May 5: Cow Pie Classic, SG Dirt Club, Los Olivos

May 19: State Championships, Stafford Lake Park, Marin County

The second annual Belgian Waffle Ride started and mercifully finished at SPY headquarters in Carlsbad. In between it traversed 130 miles of northern San Diego County’s most entertaining and soul-crushing terrain upon which bike tread hath ever tread. It racked up more than 10,000 feet of elevation gain along the way. Outrageous.

So of course it’s quickly gained a cult-like status among serious riders as well as world-level professionals. This year the entry limit was capped at 350 (up from 150 in 2012) and it sold out weeks in advance. The peloton was started in two groups according to skill level and aspiration. Rolling into the staging area for the “fast” group were cycling luminaries such as Jonathan Page, 53-years-young Olympian Thurlow Rogers, local cyclcross legend Brent Prenzlow, and co-defending champions Ryan Trebon and Neil Shirley.

A portion of this ambitious field was made up of riders representing the Challenged Athlete’s Foundation. This is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with physical challenges engage in sports. The BWR is pumped to support this cause.

Don’t be fooled by this event’s warm, fuzzy title or all the smiley handshakes in the expo area/parking lot/party central during breakfast. Saying this is a “ride” is like saying a tornado is a bit breezy. Whenever a promoter is handing out numbers and safety pins and dangling colorful custom jerseys that will recognize talent in climbing, sprinting, and the overall best time (based on Strava data), shit gets real.

There’s even a purple “Freddy Freeloader” jersey. You don’t want this one. A unique aspect of the BWR is how it calls out riders who don’t put in time at the front, sharing the work in the wind. Sucking wheels, which BWR organizers say is “so often plaguing group rides and races everywhere,” can earn a rider a dreaded purple card. Accumulate too many and you’ll be hanging your head while adorned in a hideous shade of periwinkle (and not be invited back). The BWR’s motto is “Eddy don’t want no Freddys.”

Somehow this ride/race/whatever takes place on open roads. No closures whatsoever. It’s held with the blessing of the local authorities and is legal in every sense of the word. There are even Highway Patrol escorts along the early miles. But holy Bartoli, the CHP must have gotten whiplash from looking the other way. Let’s just say the rules of the road were bent at about a 90-degree angle.

And some of those “open roads” were not where one would normally find a road bike. Part of the quirky charm of the BWR is that the route includes half a dozen or so dirt sections — just like several of the European Spring Classics. (Ironically, this year’s BWR took place the same day as one of the most famous of the on-/off-road monuments: Paris-Roubaix.) Covering the loose, sometimes rocky tundra in the lowest combined time puts the rare King of the Dirt jersey on your shoulders.

So who were stars of the BWR on this mostly cloudy day? Who had the most luck, the best strategy, the most intestinal fortitude and quads so hard they could cut glass? Results as follows, as well as some photos and captions (complete photo gallery is available here):

[Show as slideshow]

Yellow (Overall)

Men:

1. Neil Shirley

2. Thurlow Rogers

3. Karl Bordine

4. Daniel Cobley

5. Evan Stade

6. Brian Zink

7. Will White

8. Logan Fiedler

9. Ryan Dahl

10. Michael Marckx

Overall Women:

1. Jessica Cerra

2. Athena Countouritis

3. Rhonda Quick

4. Amanda Aulwitz

5. Charissa Warnick

6. Amanda Nauman

7. Julia Geischen

8. Nicole Duke

9. Amanda Puente

10. Lisa Conrad

First Amateur:

Dan Cobley

Blue (Hardman Award)

Men:

1. Dan Cobley

2. Ryan Dahl

3. John Abate

Hardwoman:

Athena Countouritis

White/Red Waffle Dots (King of the Mountain)

Men:

1. Neil Shirley

2. Thurlow Rogers

3. Evan Stade

Queen of the Mountain:

Athena Countouritis

Green (Sprint Award)

Men:

1. Karl Bordine

2. John Abate

3. Dan Cobley

Women:

Rhonda Quick

Brown (King of the Dirt) Men:

1. Brent Prenzlow

2. Neil Shirley

3. Brian Zink

Queen of the Dirt:

Jessica Cerra

Purple (Freddy Freeloader):

He who must not be named

By Phil Beckman, PB Creative

Contact: Matt Gunnell, matt@socaldirt.org, (818) 415-1133, www.socaldirt.org

Full Results
Photo gallery

Perris, Calif. — The third round of the 2013 SoCal High School Cycling League season was like a fairy tail: Beauty and the Beast. The setting was Lake Perris State Recreation Area, an 8,800-acre high desert playground created with the 1973 construction of the southernmost reservoir in the 701-mile California State Water Project.

The nerve center for this “Beach to Boulders” event was a lovely, comfortable, scenic park on the lake’s northern tip. The 344 registered student-athletes, 36 teams, their supporters, volunteers and staff on hand were spoiled by the agreeability of this venue. Pleasant weather just added to the affable atmosphere. It was a beauty.

On the other hand, the racecourse was a maximum heart rate test that started on the sandy beach and then charged up a long stretch of thick, spongy sod, swung onto a paved climb that went up and up and up into the surrounding hills. And then onto a dirt climb and up some more before turning onto a long, fast, singletrack trail that whooshed competitors back down to the shoreline and around the beach to another demanding slog up a grassy slope to the finish. It was a beast.

It was like nothing SoCal League participants had ever experienced. Matt Gunnell, the Executive Director of the SoCal High School Cycling League, explained afterward, “Racing at Lake Perris provided a unique opportunity for the SoCal League to try something a little bit different and incorporate some unique elements into high school mountain biking. We had our race start in sand on the beach and the riders had the opportunity to traverse the beach at least two times per lap. I gave the coaches the heads up a few weeks back to ‘train on riding in sand’ and it appears many teams took the advice. This course favored powerful riders and was not very technical. This may have played into the results but, because mountain biking takes place on a variety of terrain in varied conditions, this race will help define the best overall riders at the end of the season.”

Teams

Three-time and defending Division 1 team champion Hemet High School scored its first victory of the season at Lake Perris. Moments later, Head Coach Pete Kirkham was forced to jump in the lake. “I told the team this week that if they could refocus and step up to win again, I’d go for a swim,” he said. “They responded very well and did a really good job today. Our result today is a product of what they did after we missed the podium for the first time ever at the last race. We couldn’t be happier.”

It was a tight fight, as Woodcrest Christian High School and Yucaipa High School finished second and third overall in D1 by the slimmest of margins. In the season standings, Yucaipa still leads the way with Hemet moving to second and Woodcrest third.

Crescenta Valley High School maintained its position at the top of the Division 2 standings (for teams with 11 or fewer riders) by claiming its second win of the year. Head Coach Jim Rowton was a little choked up when he said quietly: “There’s no secret to it. You go out and work hard and hope the kids can perform up to their ability. I try to keep them focused on how much work it takes to be a good team and how everybody is a critical and integral part of that.”

South Orange County Composite placed second on the day. A new squad for 2013 — El Toro High School — enjoyed its first SoCal League podium in third. In series points after three of five events (all count in team competition), Crescenta leads South OC and Corona del Mar High School.

Carving Canyons, Riverside, CA
By Phil Beckman, PB Creative

Contact: Matt Gunnell, matt@socaldirt.org, (818) 415-1133, www.socaldirt.org

Full Results
Race report photo gallery with captions

Complete photo gallery from all races

Riverside, Calif. — The second round of the 2013 SoCal High School Cycling League season saw more slicing and dicing than Benihana’s on a Saturday night. “Carving Canyons” took place for the first time at Sycamore Canyon Park, where the nature of the course and perfect weather inspired some of the closest and fastest mountain bike racing ever witnessed at this level. Lap times were quick and the depth of the competition was unparalleled.

A new SoCal League rider attendance record was set for the second event in a row. A total of 355 student-athletes representing 36 teams took to the flowing, scenic trails at Sycamore, which were dust free and tacky thanks to a rainstorm just days before. With snow on the nearby mountaintops and springtime flowers blooming, the atmosphere was both electrified and idyllic.

“Feedback on the venue has been very positive and with panoramic views like that how could it not be,” stated Matt Gunnell, the Executive Director of the SoCal League.

“The level and depth of competition up and down every field this year is really incredible,” continued Gunnell. “There is no such thing as a ‘slow’ or ‘weak’ rider in the League. Regardless of where a rider finishes in their field it’s crystal clear that all teams have been working hard and that dedication and great coaching is paying off. These kids are all really strong!

“One thing I’ve started hearing more frequently from parents is that they have participated in other sports with their children and that high school mountain biking is the best experience they’ve had. I can’t say that is a universal feeling but there is something about mountain biking blended with the culture established many years ago in the NorCal League (which our program is based on) that just works. Our aim is to keep that culture alive and continue to build on it so that an ever increasing number of future high schoolers and their families will be able to tap into that magic,” Gunnell concluded.

By Phil Beckman, PB Creative

Contact: Matt Gunnell, matt@socaldirt.org, (818) 415-1133, www.socaldirt.org

Full Results
Photo gallery

Temecula, Calif. — The 2013 SoCal High School Cycling League season opener was like a copy of Michael Jackson’s best selling album thrown under an 18-wheeler: It was a thriller; it was record breaking.

High school mountain bike racing continues to register phenomenal growth throughout the country. On this last Sunday of February in California alone there were more than 900 student-athletes competing in three National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) sanctioned events. Two took place in the original NorCal League, which has been split into two conferences this season due to its phenomenal participation numbers. In addition, leagues in Colorado, Texas, Washington, Minnesota and Utah now have active race schedules, while New York, Tennessee and Arizona enthusiasts will be getting their opportunity to hit the track very soon as well.

Closer to home, the SoCal High School Cycling League began its fifth season with a record-breaking 349 riders, up from 279 registered at last year’s opener. A total of 36 teams were represented, ten more than in 2012. And this comes despite a significant number of riders leaving the program at the end of last season due to graduation. A total of 140 brand new student-athletes made the Vail Lake Challenge their first high school mountain bike racing experience.

Not only are the attendance numbers up, so is the level of competition. It was plainly visible not only on Vail Lake’s dry, rolling, 5-mile-long course, but in the statistics as well. Following the day’s action, the Executive Director of the SoCal League, Matt Gunnell, stated, “There is going to be some incredible racing going on this season. In six of 11 fields there was less than a minute between the top three finishers. One of the most exciting categories — in terms of both performance and the future of the sport — was Freshman Girls. The top five were all within 56 seconds of each other. It’s very exciting to note that six of the top ten Varsity Girls and seven of the top ten Varsity Boys are only juniors in high school, meaning they still have a lot of time left in the league.”

Teams

A good example of the parity and competitiveness being witnessed in the SoCal League this season came in the Division 1 team results. Yucaipa High School ended up on top of an extremely tight points fight to claim its first overall team victory after four years of trying.

What made the difference? According to Head Coach Mike Bagg, “We weren’t training properly. This past off-season we studied some data, put some numbers to paper, read a lot and looked at what other successful teams were doing. You know, imitation is the greatest form of flattery. We’ve adapted, and we’re really proud and happy that our hard work has paid off.”

Second and third on the day in D1 were Murrieta Valley High School and multi-time and defending champion Hemet High School, respectively.

This story was eerily similar to the Division 2 contest, where Crescenta Valley also claimed its first team win. Head Coach Jim Rowton, himself a former national-level MTB racer, told us, “I’ve been trying to change the culture of our program for a couple of years. We started out with a club mentality, but now we’re asking for more of a competitive commitment. Now we’ve finally established a winning attitude; this phenomenal group of kids has bought into that mentality. If we work hard and do our best, the results will be there. We had eight kids on the podium today. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

South Orange County Composite and defending champion Redlands Composite went 2-3 in D2 at Vail Lake.

Varsity Boys

The front of this four-lap race could have been mistaken for a Pro National, such was the torrid pace being set. A group of five broke clear of the 26-rider field on the first lap, consisting of early leader Jarred Jordan (Murrieta), Kyle Skeen (Ramona), Lucas Rowton (Crescenta), Sammy Bello (Independent) and international competitor Shane Skelton (Independent). Just after the halfway point, Skelton put in a hard effort that resulted in the fastest lap of the day — a searing 18:38. Only Jordan was able to hang on, but not for long. Skelton was by himself for the fourth and final lap, crossing the finish line with a half-minute lead. Jordan fought off leg cramps for a secure second, followed by Skeen, Rowton and a tenacious Alex Bagg (Yucaipa).

“We were just playing cat-and-mouse the first two laps,” explained Skelton, “then I figured I might as well attack and get the race started. Everyone was riding good, but that was it.”

Skelton then revealed that he had ridden the entire 20-mile race with a partially collapsed front fork. “It happened during warmup and I only had about 70mm of travel. It was hard trying to go fast down the hills. I had to run it the way it was, but no worries.” The rest of the class may be relieved to hear that Skelton will be missing several SoCal League events due to overseas racing commitments.

Are you listening, Jarred Jordan? “I stayed with Shane as long as I could and that made a gap between the two of us and third place,” he said. “I knew at that point I had first or second locked. Then halfway through the last lap both my calves and one of my hamstrings totally cramped. No idea why, but we’ll get it figured out.”

Varsity Girls

A serious pileup at the start of the deepest Varsity Girls race in SoCal League history put a damper on several contenders’ days. Luckily everyone walked (or rode) away, but this incident could have a lasting impact on the season. Emerging safely from the melee was Maddie Melcher (Redlands) with a massive holeshot, but she had spent the previous evening at an urgent care center with flu-like symptoms and would soon be passed by reigning series champion Hannah Rae Finchamp (Maranatha).

Fresh off a cyclocross season in which she captured two titles, Finchamp was once again in a world of her own, winning by more than five minutes. “I was fortunate enough to have a very smooth race,” she said. “I am convinced that every MTB race I do, my passion for the sport only grows and I am so thankful that God has given me so many opportunities. It was a fantastic high school race as always and it was so fun to see everyone again.”

Finchamp had won a triathlon the day before and will be focusing on that sport for much of the upcoming year. She may miss one or two SoCal events, but says she will make it to the State Championships this year.

Finishing runner-up at Vail Lake was Hemet’s Emma Klingaman, who enjoyed a good battle with Morgan Zurborg (Woodcrest) for much of their three laps. Klingaman eventually moved ahead of Zurborg, as did last year’s runaway Sophomore Girls champion Megan Bradley (Rim of the World). Bradley’s teammate Nicole Jewell rounded out the top five, while early leader Melcher persevered for sixth.

Klingaman revealed that she was recovering from a broken right hand. “I’ve only been back on the bike for about two weeks,” she stated. “I wasn’t expecting that good of a finish. There are a lot of girls moving up this year and the competition just keeps getting stronger and stronger.”

JV Boys Division 1

Imeh Nsek (Independent) grabbed his first win in his first try at this level, working in the wind with Michael Lansing (Woodcrest) to build a comfortable gap. As Nsek explained, “I got away from Michael on the last hill on the second lap. After I broke away he was trying to keep up but in the feed zone someone cut him off and he went down. I looked back and saw him on the floor and was like, ‘aw, man.’ I’m glad he kept his second place. I’m very happy.”

Lansing had to sprint against Woodcrest teammate Brian Messner to secure the position by just three seconds.

JV Boys Division 2

James Pflughaupt (Corona del Mar) was undefeated in the Freshman D2 class last season, and he kept his win streak alive in his first JV event. It did not come without plenty of drama, however. He chased back from a first-lap fall and then withstood considerable pressure from Sean Bell (El Toro) to secure the win by only two seconds.

“In my mind — and I’m sure Sean was thinking the same thing — whoever went first into the singletrack on the last lap was going to win the race,” recalled Pflughaupt. “Luckily I got there first and ended up with the win, with Sean breathing down my neck. Overall I had a fantastic day and am looking forward to the next race.”

Daniel Johnson (South Orange County) was able to watch most of this action from a fairly close third place in the largest class of the day with 61 starters.

JV Girls

In her first high school mountain bike race, Independent rider Ema Suarez surprised many with a convincing JV Girls victory. “I’ve been doing road cycling,” she said. “This is my first year racing mountain bikes. I like it a lot, and here I am. It was hard but fun. The scene here is exciting and all well organized and safe. I am planning on doing the whole series; we’ll see how it goes. Thank you to my parents and coach and the league for making all this happen.”

It was a Hemet High train chugging down the track behind Suarez, with Haleigh Kirkham claiming second place, Alexis Marques third and Arcelia Mercado fourth.

Sophomore Boys Division 1

Hayden Ramsey and Dillon Gamache contributed a lot of points to Yucaipa’s effort by going 1-2 in a very competitive Sophomore Boys D1 rumble. As Ramsey, a cross-country runner, put it, “After we got to the top of the first fireroad I saw how everyone was riding and I knew that I could do it. I took off ahead and that kind of worried my coaches because it was still early, but I was able to hold everyone off. The coaches are really pushing us this year in training, and it’s all paying off.”

Rounding out the top three, just two seconds adrift of Gamache, was Evan-Christenson-Meyer (Independent).

Sophomore Boys Division 2

Crescenta Valley’s Alexander DeRoche admitted that he was more nervous about being interviewed after the race than he was during the race itself. He handled both extremely well. “I had a second row start but sprinted at the beginning so I could get ahead,” he said after his first league win. “I was able to just clear my mind of everything and became focused; I was in the zone. I’ve gotten very committed to the sport and the coaches have been very committed to us, helping all of us do well. That commitment is paying off. It’s glorious to be able to go out and race, to sweat and have fun.”

Parker Maccianti (Santa Ynez) and Ethan Shuler (Corona) finished second and third at Vail Lake.

Sophomore Girls

Christina Mann (Yucaipa) recorded two astoundingly quick laps to win Sophomore Girls by almost five minutes ahead of Kaitlin Washburn (Eastlake) and Dee-Anna Lopez (Crescenta Valley).

How did she do it? “I’m training a lot harder than I did last year, paying more attention to nutrition and definitely taking it more seriously. I felt like I was flying right from the start.” Mann was evidently not rattled by the fact that her chain and rear derailleur had to be replaced only moments before her two-lap race.

Freshman Boys Division 1

Brother to Varsity Boys runner-up Jarred Jordan, first-time high school racer Jacob Jordan (Murrieta) led this race from start to finish. Patrick Liddy (Independent) crossed the line in second place, with Kyle Legge (Newbury Park) right on his heels. According to Jordan, “I had a third-row start but took off to the front right away. On the second lap a group of three guys were gaining but I pulled away through Tunnel of Love. It all just worked out pretty good. Good job to the other kids — second and third — because there were having a good race too.”

Freshman Boys Division 2

Jack Tucker (Corona del Mar) had a similar story, dominating the front of his field from beginning to end to triumph by almost two minutes. “I got the holeshot from the start and just kept it going,” he reported. I’m a little sore but it went well; no problems.”

Nicolas Padilla (South Orange County) and Chris Taylor (Foothill) stood on the remaining podium steps.

Freshman Girls

Developing cyclocrosser Hannah Eckvahl (San Gabriel Valley) nabbed Freshman Girls with two strong laps on a new bike, crossing the finish line ahead of Rebecca Israel (Yucaipa) and Brenna Pratt (Crescenta Valley).

“I started about fourth but managed to get to the singletrack first and led the rest of the way,” she stated. “Cyclocross helps with being able to go faster for short periods of time. I felt really good and this bike felt really fast.”

Tobin Ortenblad (Cal Giant/Specialized) got away from Aaron Bradford (Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster) in the waning moments of Men’s Elite.

In terms of genuine Rivalries (with a capital R), this wasn’t exactly Hatfields and McCoys. Coke and Pepsi. Cats and dogs. Leno and Letterman. As much as race promoter Sam Ames would like to stir things up, the 3^rd Annual Nor Cal vs. So Cal State Cyclocross Championship was more like Bert and Ernie. Homer Simpson and Ned Flanders. Warm and fuzzy and perhaps talking a little funny after a couple of trips to the beer tent. It’s rivalry with a lower case r.

Maybe some hostility will germinate now that the So Cal corps has gotten its collective nose bloodied. That’s right, we lost.

This time around the riders from “up state” seemed to be taking the event more seriously than of those from “down south.” There had been quite a bit of friendly social media smack talk going on between the two groups leading into the event, and it was no secret that some campaigning was being done to get more northern riders to make the long drive to Hart Memorial Park in Bakersfield. A change in the championship points structure added to Nor Cal’s chances. Add in the fact that many top So Cal riders had pulled the plug on their CX seasons a week or two earlier, and change was in the air.

After three years it’s So Cal 2, Nor Cal 1.

Read it and weep. The final score had the North with more points — 310 to 233 —and more than twice as many individual class championships: 11 to 5. The running tally board was close for much of the event, but strong North representation in the later Cat 3 and Cat 4 Men’s classes tipped the scale toward that end of the Golden State.

The final Elite Men’s race sealed the deal, as Santa Cruz natives Tobin Ortenblad (Cal Giant/Specialized) and Aaron Bradford (Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster) were unstoppable on a long, fast course punctuated by several hideous run-ups.

Local hero Gareth Feldstein (Ritte CX Team) grabbed the early lead but jammed his chain on the third lap and had to change bikes. By this time Ortenblad and Bradford had separated themselves from the 16-rider field, with only Eric Bostrom (Sho-Air/Cannondale), representing for So Cal, able to hang.

These three worked together for the next three laps and built a mammoth gap back to Justin Robinson (Cal Giant/Specialized), the ageless Don Myrah (Ibis) and Anton Petrov (SDG/Felt/IRT).

With three to go it was down to two, primarily because Bradford and Ortenblad were bunnyhopping a critical barrier leading into a brutally steep run-up, while Bostrom — a former motorcycle road racing champion but relatively new bicycle racer — could not. After being yo-yoed half a dozen times, Bostrom was cooked.

Ortenblad made his move on the last climb on the last lap, a jump that Bradford could not counter on the final long, paved, slightly downhill stretch back to the finish. Ortenblad punched the banner as he crossed underneath several seconds ahead of a freewheeling Bradford.

“I waited and thought maybe I’d try something with two to go, but I wasn’t confident enough,” stated the 18-year-old Ortenblad. “Aaron has come back from injury and is riding strong. I knew he wouldn’t be easy to beat. So I waited till one to go and then let Aaron pass me at the bottom of the run-up so I could be on his wheel the rest of the lap. I went by on that hill and kept the pressure on and it worked out. It was good training for the World Championships in Kentucky in a couple of weeks.”

The 28-year-old Bradford, just back from Nationals with a Single Speed silver medal, was philosophical. “It’s not the first time I’ve gotten second to Tobin and it probably won’t be the last,” he said. “It’s really hard to outride that kid, but it’s always fun, clean racing with him. We popped out on the road and he got a little bit of a gap and that’s all he needed.”

Bostrom rolled in alone for third, Petrov completed his usual come-from-behind charge in fourth, while Feldstein benefited from a 30-second penalty to Robinson to round out the podium. Robinson, who had earlier won a compelling battle with David McNeal (SPY/Giant) for the 35+ title, finished his day at the first aid tent with a chainring gash in his ankle.

The Elite Women’s race was far less dramatic, but it would turn out to be one of the bright spots for So Cal supporters. In only her third cyclocross race, 23-year-old road triathlete Amanda Nauman (Felt) moved past early leaders Elicia Hildebrand (Team Rambuski Law) and Katie Melena (Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster) to win by over a minute.

“I’m not gonna lie — it’s pretty awesome,” she beamed. “It was a lot of fun. I’ve been doing a lot more practicing in the dirt and I think that’s paying off. Plus I was riding a bike we built yesterday that actually fits. My first two ‘cross races, I was on a borrowed bike. I love this sport. It’s such a different, family atmosphere and people are so supportive. I’m totally psyched about it. I totally plan on killing it next season.”

She will have a chance to defend her title, since promoter Sam Ames has already committed to a 4^th Annual Nor Cal vs. So Cal State Cyclocross Championship at this same venue a year from now. “Absolutely,” he confirmed. “This event and cyclocross in general are so near and dear to my heart. We’re going to keep it going even if we have to go in the hole. I think it was a fantastic race today and that it will become a great end-of-season finale for California cyclocrossers in the years to come.

2013 California State CX Champions

* = So Cal riders

Elite Men: Tobin Ortenblad (Cal Giant/Specialized)

Men Cat 3: Quinten Kirby (The TEAM SoCalCross)*

Men Cat 4: Justin Russo (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo)

Men 35+: Justin Robinson (Cal Giant Cycling)

Men 45+: Gannon Myall (Cal Giant Cycling)

Men 55+: Henry Kramer (Cal Giant Cycling)

Single Speed Men: Ryan Rinn

Elite Women: Amanda Nauman (Felt)*

Women Cat 4: Carolina Gomez Villafane

Master Women 35+, 45+, 55+: Lindsey Collins

Single Speed Women: Ellen Sherrill (Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster)

Youth: Jenner Hutson

Junior Girls 10-14: Cheyenne Comer (The TEAM SoCalCross)*

Junior Boys 10-14: Parker Rous (Bolthouse Farms/AIAGE Cycling)

Junior Girls 15-18: Courtney Comer (The TEAM SoCalCross)*

Junior Boys 15-18: Quinten Kirby (The TEAM SoCalCross)*

[Show as slideshow]

For a gallery of photos from all classes at this event, click here.

Pierce College in Woodland Hills, a decade-long fixture on the SoCal cyclocross scene, served up a corker of a course for the 18^th and final round of the 2012-13 Prestige Series. Straight, flat terrain was nearly nonexistent. The Finale was the hilliest, most technical layout of the season. Even though it was mercifully dry for the majority of the day, virtually every competitor in attendance tagged it as the toughest they’d experienced all year — maybe ever.

In other words, it was perfect for a race of this import. The Series Finale offered bonus points and called for mandatory participation in order to collect series prizes. Anyone with championship aspirations had to toe the starting line here, equipped every weapon in their arsenal.

Individual performances on the day did indeed shake up the point standings in a number of classes. Perhaps most significant was the way the Series Finale affected the elite Women’s A division.

At the end of November it appeared that Carolin Schiff (SDG/Felt/IRT/SPY) had locked up the title with nine straight victories (a rider’s nine best events are scored for final points). But Hannah Rae Finchamp (Cynergy Cycles) went on a winning streak of her own after Schiff returned to her native Germany due to visa limitations. Finchamp then leveraged the Finale’s bonus points to end up winning the title by just 1.5 points: 190.5 for Finchamp to Schiff’s 189.

Finchamp, a high school junior and rising star triathlete, locked up the Under 23 Women’s and Junior Women’s 15-18 classes at Pierce College as well. As this unpretentious young athlete described her trifecta, “I’m a climber, so this course really played to my strengths. I was just having fun out there. It’s been a great season so I had a lot of motivation to finish strong and be ready for Nationals in Wisconsin next weekend. I feel like God has really blessed me this year.”

Unlike Finchamp, Chris Jackson has had a year he’d like to forget. But his last two races have certainly erased some bad memories of freak mechanicals, untimely crashes and a highly publicized finish line faux pas. The Castex/Felt-backed rider dominated the Series Finale for his second elite Men’s A victory in a row.

Jackson attacked fellow breakaway partners Brandon Gritters (Rock n’ Road) and Eric Bostrom (Sho-Air/Cannondale) on the sixth of nine laps, and no one could respond. Jackson was gone. Bostrom dropped a physically deflated Gritters a lap and a half later to claim second place, over half a minute behind Jackson. Gritters rolled in alone for third, while Anton Petrov (SDG/Felt/IRT) and Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/Focus) both moved up a position late in the last lap after Gareth Feldstein (Ritte CX Team) rolled a tire while running fourth.

According to Jackson, “Brandon did the majority of the work and then Eric pulled for a couple of laps. I decided to put in a feeler dig on a climb, got a little gap and then throttled it on and kept it building. I just stayed smooth and relaxed and drilled it when I needed to. I’ve been in shape all season, but I think now I’m more confident and comfortable with a lot more races under my belt. This is where I should be on the last week of the season — peaking for Nationals and hoping to carry it into this coming weekend.”

Former motorcycle road racing champion Bostrom was pleased with his best SoCalCross result to date. “This course had a lot of S curves and really challenged your bike handling,” he stated. “I wasn’t as fast as I needed to be in the corners, and Chris was doing it best by far. He was on fire. I’m really happy with second. We got our bikes late this year so unfortunately I missed most of the ‘cross season. I’m looking forward to getting an earlier start next year and trying to win one of these things.”

Finishing in third place — and ahead of Prenzlow — was more than enough for Gritters to clinch the Men’s A season championship. It was a goal he had vocalized at Round 1 in late September. “It all worked out. It was a good year; by far my best cyclocross season,” he confirmed, then added, “but I’m tired, and today was the hardest race of the series. I was just hanging on for this last race. There was no faking it on this course today.”

For full results, final standings and more, visit the SoCalCross Prestige Series website.

Proceeds from this event are helping to send a number of Junior and Under 23 class riders to the USA Cycling Cyclocross Nationals in Madison, Wisconsin, this week. This support for the future of the sport is much appreciated.

A special thanks for making the Series Finale a reality goes out to host club The TEAM SoCalCross; key series sponsors Shimano, SPY Optic and Voler; event sponsors Art of Cross, H20 Overdrive, IRT Wheels: Inertia Racing Technology, Kool ‘N Fit Sport, Planet Bike, Pump Cold Brewed Coffee; event partners Aids Life Cycle and American Bicycle Racing; and bike shops Jenson USA and Montrose Bike Shop.

One more CX event remains on the calendar for SoCal riders, that being the 3^rd Annual NorCal vs. SoCal State Cyclocross Championship. This will go off at Hart Park in Bakersfield on Sunday, January 20^th. For more info, visit the SCNCA website.

Story and photos by Phil Beckman/PB Creative

Additional event coverage can be found at Cyclocross Magazine and SoCalCycling.

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Round 17 of the 2012-13 SoCalCross Prestige Series took place at a new venue, the Baja Beach Club at the eastern end of Irvine Lake. The location had a lot to offer in terms of course layout, and designer Jeff Herring made full use of it all. Add in a couple of days of rain showers leading up to “Cross Into 2013” and this, the penultimate race of the season, was declared by most to be the toughest of the year.

One feature in particular proved to be decisive: a long, wheel-sucking, soul-crushing climb on a surface that could best be described as creamed spinach. It was slicker than deer guts on a doorknob from the first moment tire prints were made. Just walking on this gorilla snot was like taking a sobriety test.

And then the rains came.

An unexpected, cold thunderstorm rolled in from the north early in the afternoon, just as the elite Women’s A class completed their first lap. The already insolent 2.5km circuit, with its off-camber turns, numerous deep sand sections and that gruesome hill, got progressively nastier to man and machine from that point on.

Hannah Rae Finchamp (Cynergy Cycles) was able to keep her white kit relatively clean by jetting out to a quick lead in Women’s A. Amanda Schaper (Ritte CX Team) tried to hold Finchamp’s wheel but cartwheeled in the fast beach volleyball court turned sand pit and that was all Finchamp needed, other than to stay on two wheels.

Finchamp’s closest competitor was the surprising Amanda Nauman (Felt), riding in her first cyclocross race. Nauman is a 23-year-old triathlete who competed for Team USA at an ITU World Championship event in New Zealand this past October. She ended Cross Into 2013 as second-best female to fellow triathlete Finchamp, while riding in the B class. “I just came here today to watch, but decided to slam the seat down on one of Dave Sheek’s extra bikes and was like, ‘I’ll try it, whatever.’ It was fun,” said Nauman.

Finchamp was suitably impressed with the unfamiliar rider: “She was solid. She definitely gave me a run for my money. I kept looking over my shoulder the whole race. It was good fun. It got a little slippery towards the end, but I think that’s the art of ‘cross, being able to just go with the elements.”

Schaper picked herself up for second in Women’s A, followed by sisters Maddie and McKenzie Melcher (The TEAM SoCalCross).

A dramatic clap of thunder signaled the call to staging for the remaining races — the Single Speeds and Men’s A — all lumped into one due to the rapidly deteriorating conditions.

Brandon Gritters (Rock n’ Road) grabbed the Men’s A holeshot and a few seconds’ gap on lap one, but it wasn’t long before Ryan Trebon (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) — visiting SoCal from his native Oregon for some “fair weather” training — bridged up. Then Gritters went down and Trebon rolled by, never to be seen again by the rest of the 16-rider field.

As the liquid sunshine intensified, Gritters regrouped and spent the majority of the remaining six laps in the company of John Bailey (Bailey Bikes) and Canadian Aroussen Laflamme (Xprezo-Borsao). After a bike change, “Big Red” drilled it on the climb with two to go to secure second place ahead of Laflamme, who had likewise gotten away from Bailey in the closing moments. Dave Sheek (SDG/Felt/IRT) enjoyed his best Men’s A race of the season to secure fifth place on the podium.

Trebon had made it look easy, as you would expect from a competitor of his stature. “It was cold, a little bit wet, but I felt good, riding around having fun. You’ve got to like days like these if you want to race ‘cross. The course was pretty hard with that uphill slog and it was getting greasy in some sections. It was challenging enough to let me practice my skills a little bit before Nationals in two weeks and then Worlds,” he concluded.

For full results and more, visit the SoCalCross Prestige Series website.

A special thanks for helping make Cross Into 2013 possible goes out to host club The TEAM SoCalCross; key sponsors Shimano, SPY Optic and Voler; event partner Big Red Coaching; and bike shop Rock n’ Road Cyclery.

It seems hard to believe, but only one event remains in this season’s SoCalCross Prestige Series: The Finale. Bonus points and many class championships will be on the line at Pierce College on Sunday, January 6. It will be the perfect way to cap off the season or do a final tuneup for the following weekend’s National Championships in Madison, Wisconsin. It’s a must-do!

Story and photos by Phil Beckman/PB Creative

Additional event coverage can be found at Cyclocross Magazine and SoCalCycling.com.

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