Saturday, November 7, 2009

Wicks and Bishop take top spots at OBRA champs


PHOTO: 2009 OBRA Cyclocross tropies polished and waiting.

SALEM – Nature’s color palette turned stark grey as a legitimate Pacific Northwest soaker rolled into the Willamette Valley just in time to drench the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association’s cyclocross championships Saturday in Salem.

Kona’s Barry Wicks won the men’s A championship, a nice warm-up for Sunday’s Cross Crusade and SSCXWW at Portland International Raceway. Serena Bishop (Sunnyside Sports) rode away with the women’s A championship.

The pancake-flat venue at the Oregon State Fairgrounds made use of the maze of buildings and barns to give riders momentary relief from the downpour that waited outside. A sand trap, a live band and a quick rip across a motocross course were all mercifully under cover.

Wicks racked up his third victory in as many attempts after winning both Cross Crusade races Halloween weekend in Astoria, but this time the cast of characters riding at the front with the former Corvallis resident grew to as many as eight before Wicks left little doubt who the day belonged to.

“It was so windy and stormy, there was one section where it was really hard going so nobody wanted to work hard there,” Wicks said. “So it kind of stayed together. I wanted to have hard day of riding so I didn’t really hold back much. I just went for it.”

Joshua Berry (BODE) tried to stick with Wicks when he went. The Idaho rider quickly slipped off the Kona pro’s pace, falling back into a chase group with Taylor Kneuven, 2008 OBRA champ Kevin Hulick (Vanilla) and Ben Thompson (Desalvo Cycles).

Wicks built a comfortable lead and settled into a manageable pace on the front, while Hulick took control of the chase, finishing second on the day. Kneuven crossed the line in third ahead of Berry and Thompson in fourth and fifth.

WOMEN’S A RACE

With many of Oregon’s top women ‘crossers saving their energy for Sunday’s races in Portland, a select group of riders quickly settled into a battle for the OBRA championship podium spots Saturday in Salem.

Gentle Lovers’ Alalia Berry started off the first lap with Serena Bishop (Sunnyside Sports), Sunny Gilbert (Pacific Power/Blue Sky), Anna Vaughan (Hammer Velo) and Veronica Vega (Sunnyside Sports) nipping at her heels.

Berry and Bishop, two riders consistently fighting for podium spots at Cross Crusade, dropped the rest after several laps, with Gilbert chasing third in front of a well-strung out field.

Bishop outlasted Berry over the remaining laps and took the championship. Berry held onto second while Gilbert powered through the mud for third. Vega and Vaughan battled throughout the race and eventually settled on fourth and fifth, respectively.

RESULTS
OBRA Cyclocross Championships
Saturday, Nov. 7
Salem, Oregon


SENIOR MEN A

1. Barry Wicks (Kona)
2. Kevin Hulick (Vanilla Workshop)
3. Taylor Kneuven ()
4. Joshua Berry (BODE)
5. Ben Thompson (Desalvo Cycles)
SENIOR WOMEN A
1. Serena Bishop (Sunnyside Sports)
2. Alalia Berry (Gentle Lovers)
3. Sunny Gilbert (Pacific Power/Blue Sky)
4. Anna Vaughan (Hammer Velo)
5. Veronica Vega (Sunnyside Sports)

OBRA Cylocross Championship results

RESULTS
OBRA Cyclocross Championships
Saturday, Nov. 7
Salem


Junior Women 10-12
1. Haley Wilson
2. Emma Rosenberg
3. Sierra Kelly (Jelly Pirates)
Junior Women 13-14

1. Dana Martel (Pacific Power Blue Sky)
2. Marissa Reid (ZteaM)
3. Samantha Schauer (Specialized/River City)
Junior Women 15-16
1. Tyynismma Taylor
2. Flora Field
Junior Women 17-18
1. Tilly Field
2. Sierra Reid (ZteaM)
3. Liz Cartwright (BBC)
Junior Men 10-12
1. Grant McElroy
2. Erin Carpenter
3. Rubin Field
Junior Men 13-14
1. Naigwan Pelman (Word-RCB)
2. Micthell Stevens (Sunnyside Sports)
3. Day Shaun Lee (Word-RCB)
Junior Men 15-16

1. Timothy Jaynes
2. Keith Suttlemyre
3. Trevor Schauer
Junior Men 17-18
1. Andrew Bennett (Team Redline)
2. Colben Preble (Hammer Velo)
3. Kendal Johnson
Beginner Women
1. Amy Champion
2. Becky Rice (Team Lazy Tarantulas)
3. Christy Bigelow (Hammer Velo)
Master Women 45+

1. Karen Kenlan (Bend Bike n Sport)
2. Julie Jennings
3. Catherine Christensen
Senior Women B
1. Lindsay Kandra (Team S&M)
2. Margi Lifesy (Team S&M)
3. Stephanie Chase (Veloforma)
Master Women A
1. Beth Burns (Veloce/Felt)
2. Sarah Tisdale (Sorella Forte)
3. Joanne Stevens (Sunnyside Sports)
Senior Women A
1. Serena Bishop (Sunnyside Sports)
2. Alalia Berry (Gentle Lovers)
3. Sunny Gilbert (Pacfic Power/Blue Sky)
4. Anna Vaughan (Hammer Velo)
5. Veronica Vega (Sunnyside Sports)
Singlespeed
1. Seth Patla (River City Bicycles)
2. Luke Demoe (HTFU)
3. Jeff Curtes (Vanillla)
Unicycle
1. Sam Rosenberg
2. Ben Schoenberg
3. Mike Albright
Clydesdales
1. Aaron Coker (HP Chiro)
2. Matthew Lasala (Bend Bike n Sport)
3. Kyle Bush (BBC)
Beginner Men
1. Eric Martin
2. Jason Schilling
3. Jonathan Miller
Senior Men C
1. Ricardo Medina (Hammer Velo)
2. Gary Szalay
3. Roger Meier
Master Men C
1. Brian List (Pacific Power/Blue Sky)
2. Matt Martel (Pacific Power/Blue Sky)
3. Jonathan Pearson (Therapeutic Associates Inc.)
Master Men 50+
1. Rich Cramer (Bicycle attorney.com)
2. Steve Yenne
3. John Wilson (Pacific Power/Blue Sky)
Masters Men B
1. Jason Tauakolian (Slocum/Rebound)
2. Jeff Edes (Team S&M)
3. Wade Miller (Sunnyside Sports)
Senior Men B
1. Jake Hansen (Word-RCB)
2. Jeff Ballantine (Portland Velo)
3. Chip Sloan (Grundelbruisers)
Masters Men A

1. Eirik Schulz (Specialized River City)
2. Scott Bradway (Team S&M)
3. Doug Reid (Veloce/Felt)
Senior Men A
1. Barry Wicks (Kona)
2. Kevin Hulick (Vanilla Workshop)
3. Taylor Kneuven ()
4. Joshua Berry (BODE)
5. Ben Thompson (Desalvo Cycles)

Friday, November 6, 2009

OBRA champs, SSCXWC highlight 'cross weekend


PHOTO: The OBRA champs course hits every corner of the fairgrounds and its buildings.

Oregon's seam-busting cyclocross scene fires on all cylinders this weekend as the OBRA 'cross champs invade the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem on Saturday, while the Cross Crusade and it's unruly SSCXWC offspring tear up the turf near Portland International Raceway on Sunday.

Saturday's championships in Salem, also the third and final race of the Willamette Valley Cyclocross Series, promise a festival atmosphere with classic 'cross food, an indoor beer garden that starts after the junior racing, and a live band to keep the rhythm going.

Sunday's events start early with the usual Cross Crusade schedule of categories running from 8:50 a.m. through the 3 p.m. start time for the A men and women. Sometime after the last Crusaders finish up at 4 p.m., the SSCXWC, which has probably been best described as a cross between the performance art of Burning Man and the intensity of bicycle racing, takes over the course for the world champs' final running in Portland.

The SSCXWC promises to draw top talent from the northwest, including national cyclocross champion Ryan Trebon of Bend and his Kona teammate Barry Wicks. Team Giant mountain bike pros Carl Decker and Adam Craig may also be on hand, along with riders from around North America and the rest of the globe.

It's a cyclocross extravaganza in Oregon this weekend. Don't miss out!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

"The Cyclocross Meeting" trailer

Check out this trailer for the new film from Brian Vernor (Pure Sweet Hell, Where Are You Go) about the currently exploding US cyclocross scene and the emerging Japanese cyclocross scene. The movie will premiere in Bend during the national championships.

The Cyclocross Meeting follows Barry Wicks and Adam Mcgrath to top U.S. races in New Jersey and Oregon, and then to Japan, where they compete with seven time Japanese National Champion Keiichi Tsujiura and the up and coming talent Yu Takenouchi. Also featuring 35 year veteran bicycle framebuilder Nakagawa.

Four new Cross Crusade photo galleries uploaded



Galleries from Cross Crusade #4 in Hillsboro on Oct. 25, and races #5 and #6 in Astoria on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, have been upoladed. You can find links to the galleries below.

Cross Crusade #4 on Oct. 25 in Hillsboro is HERE.
(Guest photographer Phil Kindshuh's gallery is HERE).

Cross Crusade #5 on Oct. 31 in Astoria in HERE.

Cross Crusade #6 on Nov. 1 in Astoria is HERE.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Hopworks to host 'cross champs pre-reg party

PORTLAND -- Hopworks Urban Brewery is hosting an OBRA Cyclocross Championships pre-registration party Wednesday evening from 6 to 8.

Riders can get the first peek at the course layout for this Saturday's races, look at pictures, watch some video and check out a giant mapped layout to help plan race strategy -- or at least find the indoor Hopworks beer garden and live band. You can also score a free Championships T-Shirt from Bicycleattorney.com.

Pre-reg is $20 for first race and $5 for the second. Juniors races always $5. New registrants will also be able to pick up their numbers. Register with cash or visa at Hopworks. You can also sign up online and pay with a visa.

Other event highlights:
*Custom made first-place awards for all categories and the coolest custom made kiddie medals ever!
*Bike-N-Hike Nuetral Support
*Willamette Valley Cross Series prizes provided by Bike n Hike Bike-N-Hike
*Bike Expo, additional vendors wanted!
*Indoor warm-up areas and lots of bathrooms.
Hopworks Urban Brewery is at 2944 S.E. Powell Blvd. in Portland.

Check out Buylocalcycling.com for more info.

Monday, November 2, 2009

OBRA cross championships release call-up order for Saturday's races at the state fairgrounds

Organizers of the OBRA Cyclocross Championships this Saturday in Salem released the system that will be used to determine call-ups, which will be based on the following results for each category:
*2008 Champion
*Top 5 Willamette Valley Cyclocross series standings
*Top 5 Cross Crusade series standings
*Top 5 BAR
(The Willamette Valley Cross series top 5 get a call up because the OBRA Championships is also the third race of the WVC Series).

The race will take place at the Oregon State Fairgorunds, with promoters promising an indoor Hopworks beer garden, classic cyclocross food and live music to spice up the festivities

In a slight change from other OBRA cross races, the Women's A group races at 2 p.m. with the cat Bs, beginners and masters 35+. The race is also the fifth event of the seven-race Oregon Junior Cyclocross series, with that event taking place at noon.

OBRA Championships Schedule

10 a.m.Men Beginner/Cat C Men/C 35+ (45min)
11 a.m.Men Masters Cat B 35+/ Masters 50/60+/Clydesdale (45min)
Noon Oregon Junior Cyclocross Series
12:30 Kiddie Cross
Series / OBRA Champs Recognition #1
1 p.m. Cat B Men/SS/Unicycle (45min)
2 p.m. Women Cat A/B/Beginners/Masters 35+ (45min)
3 p.m.Men Cat A/Masters A 35+ (60min)


View Larger Map

Johnson leads NACT after slippery Colorado races

Blue Sky Velo Cup, Saturday
Katie Compton (Planet Bike) and Tim Johnson, Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll of Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com pulled out no tricks but took the top treats at the NACT Blue Sky Velo Cup in Longmont, Colorado on Saturday. After snow blanketed the state early in the week, the sun made a late season cameo appearance for the weekend, and cross fans were treated to mud and a display by some of the best racers in the world.

Compton demonstrated why she is leading the UCI circuit now, and the Elite Women’s race quickly became a contest for second as Compton turned it into a dirt time trial. The Luna Chix duo of Georgia Gould and Alison Dunlap swept up second and third. Meredith Miller (California Giant Berries) put her road skills to the test for fourth. Mountain biker Kelli Emmett (Giant) rounded out the top five.

As Johnson and Powers began to build a lead in the Elite Men’s race, the two were also jockeying for who would take over the NACT leader’s jersey after the Boulder race on Sunday. Johnson dropped his teammates, but with Powers holding on for second and teammate Jamey Driscoll in third, Sunday’s race was set to decide who would pull on the red jersey Sunday afternoon. Adam Craig (Giant), always entertaining, put in a good show to take fourth while Troy Wells (Clif Bar) was fifth.

Boulder Cup, Sunday
As the Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com train departed from the start line in Boulder on Sunday, Tim Johnson was in the new position of both debuting and defending the NACT leader’s jersey. Fortunately, Johnson’s Sunday race ended identical to Saturday’s; with the former national champion standing on the top podium.

Cannondale once again swept the top three spots, with Jeremy Powers in second and Jamey Driscoll in third. Geoff Kabush (Maxxis/Rocky Mountain) and Jeremy Horgan Kobelski (Subaru/Gary Fisher) filled out the top five at Sunday's race. With just one more weekend remaining in the series, Johnson and his teammates look to have the NACT comfortably locked up.

The women’s race also played out similarly to Saturday, with Compton taking off from the start and never looking back. Gould didn't start on Sunday, and her place in second was taken by Amy Dombroski (Richard Sachs-RGM) as Compton finished three minutes ahead. As with Saturday, Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix) was third, Meredith Miller (Cal Giant Berry Farm), fourth, and Kelli Emmett (Giant) took fifth.

The final NACT races are at the Whitmore’s Landscaping Super Cross Event, Nov. 21-22 in Southampton, New York.

For more full standings and information, see http://www.nacyclocross.com. Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NACT

(Submitted by Stephanie Chase for the NACT)

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Wicks doubles in Astoria, Butler wins women's race



ASTORIA – Sue Butler (Monavie/Cannondale) suited up for the costume race at Cross Crusade #6 Sunday in Astoria and rode to her first series win of the season, while “Cougar Bait” Barry Wicks (Kona) doubled up after taking Saturday’s opener in the Halloween weekend of racing.

Mud from Saturday’s intermittent rain got tacky when Sunday turned into an unseasonably warm, clear day on Oregon’s northern coast.

Butler, who has been trying to recover from a cold before she heads to the World Cup race in Nomay, France and then straight back to the states for the upcoming USGP races in New Jersey, told her coach she wasn’t going to race this weekend.

“The coach doesn’t know,” said Butler, who worked the pits for husband Tim at Saturday’s races. “I got a text this morning saying, ‘How you feeling?’”

Butler’s result Sunday gave her the answer after she gained an advantage on the first lap, built a comfortable lead, and then held it to the finish.

“I felt pretty good out there,” Butler said. “I was able to keep it under control. It’s not like chasing Katie Compton around, but there’s still so much competition around here you just never know. I kept seeing the nun coming up behind me.”

The “nun” was series leader Wendy Williams (Hudz-Subaru), who won the first three races before absences and mishaps interrupted her streak. Williams pushed the pace and kept it upright on the slippery, technical course, but she was never able to reel back Butler’s initial advantage.

“The costume was hot,” said Williams, whose outfit may not have been well suited to the unseasonably warm, clear day on the coast. “It was a hard course. The corners and around the barns were really hard. And I was slow on the descents. So I’d just work really hard on the uphills to maintain my position.”

Cross Crusade veteran Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M) and last weekend’s winner Emily Van Meter (Hudz-Subaru) both missed the first day of racing but stormed to third and fourth, respectively, on Sunday. Gentle Lovers’ Alalia Berry rounded out the top five. Saturday’s winner Alice Pennington (Veloforma) had a rough day in triathlon garb, dropping to 10th.

After collecting the win, Butler seemed pretty pleased with her decision to join in.

“It’s kind of fun to be back on Halloween and just feel the scene again and get the crowd support,” she said. “It’s good to be home in front of the home crowd. Even if I didn’t feel good I probably would have raced just to race.”

"Couger Bait" Wicks makes it two in a row



Wicks’ break from the NACT schedule paid off with two wins on his former home turf. On Saturday he stomped away from the soon-to-be-strung-out field during the first lap, but on Sunday the Kona rider took a little more time to lay claim to the race.

“A lot of these guys are going for the series overall, so I don’t want to be too big an influence on that,” said Wicks, who put in several hours of training on the coast before his race started at 3 p.m. “I let them kind of sort things out before I decided to really start riding. Plus, I hadn’t pre-ridden, so I had no idea where we were going for the first lap.”

Wicks and Sean Babcock (Team S&M) opened up a gap on the first lap with Saturday’s runner-up Molly Cameron (Portland Bicycle Studio) and Eric Sheagley (Veloce/Felt). Sheagley came off the lead pace first, followed by Cameron, who dropped a chain and crashed on an uphill section. Babcock crashed next, falling hard as he was descending through a muddy corner on a section of pavement.

That’s when Shannon Skerritt found himself in second place chasing after Wicks, who was riding smooth and steady in the lead.

“I was hoping I could catch Barry,” Skerritt said. “But he was doing just enough to stay away. He’s smart.”

Skerritt was smart, too, riding hard but cautiously on the slippery course.

“You couldn’t go too hot into some of the corners,” he said. “That’s how I got second; from other people making mistakes and I was making fewer. I’m not the fittest guy out there, but I can handle my bike alright and I’m conservative sometimes in the corners.”

Skerritt’s biggest obstacle turned out to be a barrier crossing where an out-of-line spectator sprayed him in the face with beer because he wasn’t wearing a costume.

“It got a little mean-spirited out there,” he said. “It was a little too much, getting’ the beer sprayed in my eyes. I couldn’t really see at one point.”

Wicks, the professional, prepared himself with a costume.

“I heard they were shooting people with paintball guns if they didn’t have costumes on,” Wicks said. “So I made sure to get one.”

Wicks paced himself to a comfortable win over Skerritt, who held onto second in front of Sheagley in third. Babcock finished fourth, with Kevin Hulick (Gentle Lovers) in fifth. Cameron crossed the line in sixth.

“These Cross Crusade races are probably the most excitement and the coolest races I do all year,” Wicks said. “I race all the big series and everything else, but nothing can compare to the Portland scene. There’s such a culture of it and everything else.”

For more photos check out VeloNews.com HERE.

RESULTS
Cross Crusade #6
Astoria, Oregon
Sunday, Nov. 1


Senior Men A
1. Wicks, Barry (Kona)
2. Skerritt, Shannon (Vanilla Workshop)
3. Sheagley, Eric (Veloce/Felt)
4. Babcock, Sean (Team S&M)
5. Hulick, Kevin (Vanilla Workshop)
6. Cameron, Molly (Portland Bicycle Studio)
7. Thompson, Ben (DeSalvo Custom Cycles)
8. Gallagher, Michael (C3 Athletes)
9. Luelling, Brett (Capitol Subaru Cycling)
10. Nichols, Brett (BODE Cycling)
Senior Women A
1. Butler, Sue (Monavie/Cannondale)
2. Williams, Wendy (Hudz-Subaru)
3. Mazza, Rhonda (Team S&M)
4. Van Meter, Emily (Hudz-Subaru)
5. Alalia, Berry (Gentle Lovers)
6. Faris, Megan (River City Bicycles)
7. Bishop, Serena (Sunnyside Sports)
8. Vega, Veronica (Sunnyside Sports)
9. Jenkins, Abby (Super Reflex Concept)
10. Pennington, Alice (Veloforma)