Collegiate National Championship Results

I said it last year and I'll say it again. I love collegiate cycling. It's how I got my start, and it's such a great way for riders to start and continue their careers while improving their usefulness to society. I can't wait until I go back for my PhD when I'm 50 and get schooled by a bunch of whippersnappers on the racetrack.

Enough about me. What went down last weekend at Northstar, CA was that Sage Wilderman won the Women's Division I Omnium by winning the Division I downhill race, taking 3rd in short track, 9th in 4X, and 5th in cross country. Johanne Tuttle won the Division II Women's Omnium by winning the Division II 4X, taking 2nd in downhill, 5th in cross country, and 6th in short track. That's a lot of racing for a weekend. Christen Boyer finally got the downhill win she's been looking for in the Division II downhil race, and Emma Millar won the Division I 4X.

For more information about collegiate racing, visit USACycling.org.

Division I Women's Omnium
1. Sage Wilderman (Fort Lewis College)

2. Lizzy English (University of Nevada-Reno)

3. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae College)

4. Jill Behlen (University of Wyoming)

5. Deidre York (University of Colorado)

Division I Women’s Downhill
1. Sage Wilderman
2. Emma Millar (FLC)
3. Elizabeth English
4. Deidre York
5. Heather McFadden (CSU-Chico)
6. Sabina Kraushaar (FLC)
7. Neven Steinmetz (CU-Boulder)
8. Nicole Tunnell (CSU-Chico)
9. Jenna Kowalski (Cal Poly-SLO)
10. Chloe Jackson (Lees-McRae)
11. Hannah Trimble (Lees-McRae)
12. Jill Behlen
13. Chantel Coleman (FLC)
14. Rose Long (U of VT)
15. Andrea Kelchlin (Northeastern)
16. Erica Zaveta (Lees-McRae)
17. Jena Greaser (UConn)
18. Carla Swart
19. Catherine Cresalia (Cal Poly-SLO)
20. Sara Lukas (Lindsey Wilson)
21. Sally Hermansen (Cal Poly-SLO)
22. Brittany Engleking (CU-Boulder)
23. Sara Hanson (SDSU)
24. Jessica Baker (Lindsey Wilson)
25. Madison Pitts (Lindsey Wilson)
26. Kristin Jo Markham (Lees-McRae)

Division I Women's 4X
1. Emma Millar
2. Neven Steinmetz
3. Madison Pitts
4. Allie Dragoo (Lindsey Wilson)
5. Chantel Coleman
6. Jill Behlen
7. Jessica Baker
8. Nicole Tunnell
9. Sage Wilderman
10. Deidre York
11. Chloe Jackson
12. Hannah Trimble
13. Sabina Kraushaar
14. Heather McFadden
15. Jenna Kowalski
16. Sarah Lukas

Division I Team Omnium (guys and girls)

1. Fort Lewis College – 671 points

2. University of Colorado – 589

3. Lees-McRae College – 555

4. California Polytechnic – 446

5. Lindsey Wilson College – 409

Division II Women's Omnium

1. Johanne Tuttle (Brevard College)

2. Julia Tellman (Brevard College)

3. Rachel Millsop (Union College of Kentucky)

4. Courtney Steen (Colorado School of Mines)

5. Christen Boyer (Colorado School of Mines)

Division II Women's Downhill
1. Christen Boyer
2. Johanne Tuttle
3. Courtney Steen
4. Becca Parish (Warren Wilson)
5. Rachel Millsop
6. Julia Tellman
7. Ileana Anderson (Warren Wilson)
8. Nina Otter (Warren Wilson)
9. Elisa Otter (Warren Wilson)
10. Sarah Duncan (Brevard)
11. Caroline Decosimo (Brevard)
12. Tallulah Winquist (Warren Wilson)
13. Aubrey DeLone (Warren Wilson)
14. Maria Esswein (Union College)

Division II Women's 4X
1. Johanne Tuttle
2. Courtney Steen
3. Ileana Anderson
4. Christen Boyer
5. Julia Tellman
6. Becca Parish
7. Nina Otter
8. Rachel Millsop
9. Tallulah Winquist
10. Sarah Duncan
11. Elisa Otter
12. Caroline Decosimo
13. Aubrey DeLone

Division II Team Omnium (guys and girls)

1. Brevard College – 663 points

2. Union College of Kentucky – 533

3. Warren Wilson college – 501

4. Colorado School of Mines – 401

5.Montana State University - 284

The Inside Scoop: Neven's Collegiate Nationals

It's always interesting to discover what "really" happens at races. Without actually attending the race, watching a Freecaster broadcast, or getting a complete report from a racer, it's easy to take a list of results at face value. Yet you know that every rider out there has a story about how they crashed, narrowly avoided crashing, or had the most amazing and glorious race runs of their lives.

Collegiate racing tends to bring out even more of these stories because it's just so much fun. This year's National Championships took place in Banner Elk, NC. Neven Steinmetz trekked across the country with the University of Colorado cycling team and her sights set on a Dual Slalom Collegiate National Champion's jersey, and perhaps one in downhill too.

On paper, Neven should have been a ringer for the dual slalom title, and was a strong contender for a downhill win too. However, an untimely bailout at the crux of the downhill course during pre-race practice on Saturday ended her chances for downhill domination.

Says Neven, "It was just super muddy and slick. I knew I was going to crash, so it was either endo into some rocks or try and bail over the berm--as it turns out, also into rocks! I thought it might just be sprained and tried to ride down, but I had to put my foot out moto-style at one point because it was so muddy. When I felt the bones move, I knew I wasn't going to be racing the DH an hour later!"

Still, the dual slalom was more than 24 hours away. Being the focused athlete that she is, Neven decided to take her chances and attempt to snag her dual slalom win. We don't want to suggest that it's a good idea to race bikes when you know you're broken. Not only is it easier to cause more damage to the already broken parts, but it's pretty easy to throw yourself on the ground again and end up with more than one broken limb. Neven knew she was taking a chance that might send her into the operating room, but she was willing to deal with the possible consequences for the sake of another University of Colorado win.

In the true spirit of collegiate cycling, her CU teammates borrowed a wagon and pulled Neven up the hill to her heats. She made it through the rounds and finished 4th. More impressive was the fact that she managed to minimize the harm done to her heavily wrapped and air-casted kankle by running one clipless pedal and one flat pedal. She gimped her way back to Boulder to receive the good news that no surgery would be required--just 6 weeks of crutches plus some rehab.

So kids, the morals of the story here are: Stay in School!; Don't Try This at Home!; and When in Doubt, Have Your Friends Pull You Up the Hill in a Wagon!

2008 Collegiate National Mountain Bike Championships

The 2008 USA Cycling Collegiate National Mountain Bike Championships were held this weekend in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Hosted by Lees-McRae College, the Nationals consisted of dual slalom, short track, cross country, and downhill races for Division 1 and Division 2 schools. Fort Lewis dominated the Division 1 podiums. Emma Millar took home National Championship title in Division 1 Downhill, while Chloe Jackson from Lees-McRae won the Division 1 Dual Slalom. Robyn Embrey won the Division 2 Downhill, and Johanna Tuttle won the National Championship title in Division 2 Dual Slalom.

We found these results on CyclingNews.com and USACycling.org.

Downhill
Division 1
1. Emma Millar (Fort Lewis College)
2. Sage Wilderman (Fort Lewis College)
3. Alisha Gibson (Fort Lewis College)
4. Hannah Trimble (Lees-McRae College)
5. Soraya Khalje (University of Colorado-Boulder)
6. Eszter Horanyi (University of Colorado-Boulder)
7. Sabina Kraushaar (Fourt Lewis College)
8. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae College)
9. Chloe Jackson (Lees-McRae College)
10. Andrea Kelchlin (Northeastern University)
11. Heather McFadden (Chico State)
12. Jamie Dinkins (University of Tennessee)
13. Ally Stacher (Lees-McRae College)
14. Kristi Henne (Lees-McRae College)
15. Olivia Maurey (Lees-McRae College)
16. Abigail Caroll (University of Colorado-Boulder)
17. Brittany Engleking (University of Colorado-Boulder)
18. Margaret Sullivan (Northeastern University)
19. Sarah Lukas (Lindsey Wilson College)
20. Sara Hanson (Virginia Polytechnic)
21. Emily Benson (Lindsey Wilson College)

Division 2
1. Robyn Embrey (Sierra Nevada College)
2. Johanna Tuttle (Brevard College)
3. Christen Boyer (Colorado School of Mines)
4. Jamie Bourgo (Michigan Technological University)
5. Rebecca Tomszewski (Appalachian State University)
6. Naticia Slusher (Mesa State College)
7. Courtney Steen (Colorado School of Mines)
8. Lauren Parker (Warren Wilson College)
9. Sarah Sietz (Union College)
10. Julia Tellman (Brevard College)
11. Tallulah Winquist (Warren Wilson College)
12. Melissa Marts (Colorado School of Mines)
13. Hanna Waldman (Warren Wilson College)
14. Nina Otter (Warren Wilson College)
15. Ileana Anderson (Warren Wilson College)
16. Amanda Gilbert (Appalachian State University)
17. Amy Russell (Union College)
18. Rachel Millsop (Union College)
19. Sarah Roberts (Colorado School of Mines)

Dual Slalom
Division 1
1. Chloe Jackson (Lees-McRae College)
2. Emma Millar (Fort Lewis College)
3. Sage Wilderman (Fort Lewis College)
4. Neven Steinmetz (University of Colorado-Boulder)
5. Alisha Gibson (Fort Lewis College)
6. Hannah Trimble (Lees-McRae College)
7. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae College)
8. Ashley Grubb (Fort Lewis College)
9. Oliva Maurey (Lees-McRae College)
10. Sarah Lukas (Lindsey Wilson College)
11. Eszter Horanyi (University of Colorado-Boulder)
12. Sabina Kraushaar (Fort Lewis College)
13. Kristi Henne (Lees-McRae College)
14. Jamie Dinkins (University of Tennessee-Chattanooga)
15. Heather McFadden (Chico State)
16. Ally Stacher (Lees-McRae College)
17. Brittany Engleking (University of Colorado-Boulder)
18. Soraya Khalje (University of Colorado-Boulder)
19. Andrea Kelchlin (Northeastern University)
20. Emily Benon (Lindsey Wilson College)
21. Margaret Sullivan (Northeastern University)
22. Abigail Carroll (University of Colorado-Boulder)

Division 2
1. Johanna Tuttle (Brevard College)
2. Robyn Embrey
3. Jamie Bourgo (Michigan Technological University)
4. Christen Boyer (Colorado School of Mines)
5. Rachel Millsop (Union College)
6. Hanna Waldman (Warren Wilson College)
7. Rebecca Tomaszewski (Appalachian State University)
8. Courtney Steen (Colorado School of Mines)
9. Julia Tellman (Brevard College)
10. Vanessa Emery (Warren Wilson College)
11. Lauren Parker (Warren Wilson College)
12. Nina Otter (Warren Wilson College)
13. Melissa Marts (Colorado School of Mines)
14. Ileana Anderson (Warren Wilson College)
15. Sarah Seitz (Union College)
16.Naticia Slusher (Mesa Sate College)
17. Tallulah Winquist (Warren Wilson College)
18. Amy Russell (Union College)
19. Sarah Roberts (Colorado School of Mines)
20. Amanda Gilbert (Appalachian State University)

Oredigger Challenge Results

Collegiate cycling is awesome. It's gotten even more sweet over the years as disciplines like downhill and dual slalom have become more common. Back when I was racing collegiate, downhill races were rare--but then, the bicycle had only recently been invented. The rad thing about the Colorado School of Mines Oredigger Challenge, which was held last weekend, was not only that they held the downhill at Sol Vista, CO (a real resort!), but that they also included Collegiate and Open categories of competition. Several students raced both races. Meanwhile, in the spirit of team points, several downhillers made impressive cross country showings too. Sage Wilderman won the Collegiate A downhill race, and then took second in the Collegiate A cross country.

Collegiate Downhill
A Women
1. Sage Wilderman
2. Soraya Khalje
3. Emma Millar
4. Eszter Horanyi
5. Naticia Slusher
6. Abigail Carroll
7. Sarah Altschuler
8. Melissa Marts

B Women
1. Kylie Kroneberger
2. Brittany Engleking
3. Sarah Robers
4. Courtney Steen

Women's Open
1. Jessica Vogt
2. Soraya Khalje
3. Kristin Buell
4. Sarah Roberts
5. Courtney Steen

To view the full results and to see who rides for which school, visit CSM Cyling.