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 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!

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.

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)


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OBRA CX champs a little more than a week away

SALEM -- The OBRA Cyclocross Championships are just over a week away, and the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem is gearing up for the event.

Scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, the promoters plan a Belgian style cyclocross championships that will make the most of the fairgrounds complex. The championships will be part of the third and final race of the Willamette Valley Cyclocross Series.

There will be four buildings to ride through, along with an indoor Hopworks beer garden adjacent to the course and possibly a live band. There will also be waffles and Belgian style fries for fuel.

OBRA awarded the cross championships to the Salem event for this year and next. This two-year commitment brings the Oregon championships back to the state capitol after an absence of more than a decade. The last championships in Salem were held at Wallace Marine Park more than 10 years ago.

“Salem is the perfect location to hold the championships in Oregon," said Kenji Sugahara, Executive Director of OBRA. "It has a central location and a rapidly growing base of cyclocross enthusiasts. Oregon has a reputation as having the best cyclocross community in the world, and I am excited to bring that to the Cherry City.”

The 2009 championships are expected to attract approximately 800 competitors with an additional 300-400 visitors including staff, spectators and families.

“We at the Oregon State Fairgrounds are thrilled to have a part in the OBRA Cyclocross State Championships,” said Lydia Blackburn, the Sports and Recreation Coordinator for the Oregon State Fair. “This opportunity is a perfect fit in our objectives to open the State Fairgrounds to our bicycle community, and of course it will be a lot of fun.”

Jeff McNamee of Buy Local Cycling and Chad Cherefko of Bicycle Attorney Cycling -- promoters who directed last year’s Heiser Farms cyclocross race -- will serve as race directors for the championships.

“We are thrilled to be working with the Oregon State Fair for the championship" McNamee said. "Our Mountain Bike Short Track series in August was a success thanks in large part to the Oregon State Fair."

The championship event will also mark the fifth race of the seven-race Oregon Junior Cyclocross Series.