Race #4 & #5 Victoria Double Header: A Cyclocross Hangover

I feel like I have been on a university weekend bender….and the Monday that follows it. The reality is that I only had about 1.5 beers at the Cross Party on Saturday night….everything else is from 2 hard days of racing and a lot of organizing and helping on the weekend. GREAT STUFF!

Well we had the mid point of the series and beyond with our two races this past weekend and a tonne of action.
RESULTS: The results team have had the race results posted on the site since about 3 minutes after the last-not-lapped finisher in the Expert Race (Justin Mark)….so check them out if you have not yet.

Getting to the reports…..

Race #4 of the C.O.T.R. Series 2010: Cameron Cross, Esquimalt, Gorge Park
October 30, 2010

Race Director: Paul Brend
Course designer: Drew Mackenzie
Organizing Club: IRC/ Cameron Law
Event sponsors: Cameron Law, Straight Up Cycles, BBPhysio, Saanich Peninsula Co-op,
Special thanks to: Township of Esquimalt, Ron Heal from the Co-op, all the excellent Volunteers, Special thanks to Joele and Gerry for donating some great prizes to the race, Jamie Emery and Action Motorcycles for the pie, Salt Spring Coffee ,Norm Thibault, Marty & Tycho and all the participants.
Supporting bike shop: Straight Up Cycles

Another great turn out of racers for this event. Breaking records in the following categories: Highest number of racers at a Greater Victoria event. Highest number of racers on a Saturday Race. Highest number of racers at a race in a double header….and not quite a record turn out with 131 racers….but pretty high regardless!

Race #5 of the C.O.T.R. Series 2010:Layritz Park, Saanich
Race Director: Drew Mackenzie
Course designer: Drew Mackenzie
Organizing Club: Island Racing Club
Event and title sponsors: OBB Westshore
Special thanks to: Results wizards Roland + Katie from Triple Shot/OBB, Joele + Gerry @ Straight Up Cycles, Peter Wellsman+Troy Woodburn+Bill Fry from ProCity Racing, all the volunteers for course set up, timing, and reg throughout the day (including my mom!)

Things to report on.

Flat Tire Guy
During the beginner race on Saturday Mike Murtie from Victoria got a rear flat on a MTB on lap 2 of 5. He proceeded to ride that flat for the next 3 complete laps to finish the race…..receiving cheers of “go flat tire guy” from everyone along the way. Sunday he did not have a flat tire….but he was still “Flat Tire Guy”.

The Legends
Even though this event is called the Cameron Cross we had yet to have the namesake….Bob Cameron race the event….until Saturday! Although he showed up with slick tires on we were still able to set him up with some nobs….YES BOB you REALLY NEED THEM. His finish in 26th place in the Masters Men’s category made 25 men VERY happy…..Bob does not usually finish off the podium in a masters bike race…..so it was a real treat for some. Thanks Bob!

Equally so having Olympian Erinne Willock (Webcor) out for her first C.O.T.R. race since 2008 was pretty cool….even more cool was her dressed as a hockey player for the race…must have been pretty hot….NOT hot though was Tony Zarsadias dressed as Erinne….in her Webcor kit….ouch!

Check it out.
Avia West Sponsor made a pretty cool video using his i phone on Saturday….not the same quality as Dave Holden (who is reportedly working on his new creation to be released soon) but still pretty good at showing some of the action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoDdnVNpndk

Old School
James Holtz rocked the down tube shifters for a third place finish on Saturday. Road bike with basically 28mm tires with small knobs. Impressive! I think he was inspired by the 1950’s cx u-tube video that is going around.

Need tickets to Toronto….for this week….at rock bottom prices….and Friday off work.
Dawn Anderson and Steve Bachop…..both rocking right now and should be trying to find last minute deals to the big smoke!

The Young Guns
It is always good to see some younger racers out….”the future” and some of them are showing no respect for the older “Experienced” crowd. Hilary Wille 17 from Victoria….killing all the beginners male and female at the Gorge. Then Alexandra Grant, 15 from Oak Bay High beating all the beginner women on Sunday….Fishy Logan Simonson, 14, from the Aviawest team also winning the beginners. Nigel Elsay, 16, one of the Trail Bikes-Eatmore Sprouts team members from Courtenay showing that their training groups are paying off by winning the Intermediate men’s on Sunday. Followed in 4th by another Courtenay Athlete, Jordan Duncan 15 (Kona Grassroots). 15 year old Amanda Wakling ALSO from Courtenay….also on the Trail Bikes-Eatmore Sprouts team finishing 7th in the biggest ever open women’s race…..This is good stuff here!!

Beer Guy
It is always nice when the sponsors come out to play. Matt Phillips (Phillips Brewery) came out to give cross a try on Saturday. He was having a great battle with Hilary Wille (NTC) before his huge hockey legs busted his chain going up the climb with one lap to go. Bummer! Come on back Matt….we will give you a freebie!

Do you think you are Cross Tough?
Well you could prove it by racing on a Saturday….then running the Shawnigan Half Marathon on Sunday morning. Then heading back to Victoria for the second race of a double header. That is what Dave Huntley did (Everti). OR You can rock it like Russell Anderson and race the whole Expert Race….take the hole shot and kill it out there….all on a HEAVY early 90’s MTB commuter with aero bars. He even came across the line fully tucked.

Tough Guy Russell

Katie in Costume

Mini-Reports

• Well I found out where Carter Hovey is after calling him out…..his back it torched from a summer of MTB races and the wed. night cross series…..can’t race this season. I do understand he is working with his old sponsor Bianchi to develop a full suspension cross bike…..just need to get it past the UCI
• We gained $600 towards the equipment trailer on the weekend….or about 25% of what we need. IF you would like to donate and were not there last weekend we will have the donation center set up at race number 6 and 7 or you if you use pay pal you can send money that way….or if you use on-line banking you can usually use the interact transfer for funds as well. Lets make the trailer happen….it will make the series a heck of a lot less work for us.
• Your race….your number….We are getting there…..numbers were a LOT better placed which makes it a lot easier for the timers. Since it is your series…take it upon yourself to help out your fellow racers if you see them with their numbers
• Call outs for this week: Eric Matheson. Michael Harvey and the Farrars…..WHERE ARE YOU GUYS??!!
• Short sleeve racing on the last day in October…..lucked out!
• Bill MacMillan finally bought a cross bike…..but the glitches are not quite worked out yet so he did not have his best weekend of racing. Don’t give up Bill!
• The bidding process for care of Tycho was complicated and close but in the end Susan Emery’s bid was the strongest….and a great support crew. THANKS to the EMERY’s!
• Best costumer was Katie Rabien…..try breathing through a beak for 45 minutes.

Bill Mac Millan’s new Ride

Tycho’s Support Crew

PLEASE HELP US KEEP THE SERIES GOING
These races do NOT happen without the support of the local authorities….and they need to be thanked by us the users…..OR we will never be able to use these places again…..so lets say 20 of the 150 or so individuals that raced on the weekend fire a quick note of appreciation off to the following people…..PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO THIS:

For Saturday’s race at Gorge Park: The head of Parks: Andy Katschor [andy.katschor@esquimalt.ca]
And the Booking person who was a huge help: Francis Mathieson [francis.mathieson@esquimalt.ca]

For Sunday’s race at Layritz Park
Andrew Giles
Manager – Parks Construction and Maintenance

Saanich Parks and Recreation
1040 McKenzie Ave
Victoria, BC V8P 2L4

tel: 250-475-5538
fax: 250-475-5525
email: gilesa@saanich.ca
web: www.saanich.ca

NEXT EVENT: A cross race on a Thursday on the island….what could be better! A Holiday for most people. A new course….a new group of organizers. Lee Blais from Ozzie’c cycles says there are exactly 8 people in the Alberni Valley that race cross…..hopefully they will all be pumped to have a race there and with a bit of exposure and press we can make a few more new fans. November 11th. Race information out next Monday night. Series points and lots of prizes up for grabs.

Brought to you by the Council of Cross. Www.23.235.211.7/~thehol19/crossontherock/

Series Sponsors: KONA, Oak Bay Bikes, Avia West, Howard Johnson, Saltspring Coffee, OAKLEY, Lambert-Lezyne-Pedros, Frontrunners, Action Motorcycles, The North Face, Pro Bar, Phillips BEER

Series is Organized by the Cross Council:
With the following cycling clubs: VICC, Experience Cycling Club, UROC, Arrowsmith MTB Club and IRC

Supported by:
OBB Victoria, Westshore and Nanaimo
Trail Bikes in Courtenay
Experience cycles in Duncan
Frontrunners in Nanaimo
Straight Up Cycles in Victoria
Dodge City Cycles in Cumberland

Sanctioned by:
Cycling BC