Sea Otter Dual Slalom Round 2 Results

The beginner (Cat. 3) and sport (Cat. 2) dual slalom races were held at Sea Otter today. There were no Cat. 2 women, but the Cat. 3s raced. Yeah!

1. Ashley Hernandez
2. Kelsey Anderson

Sea Otter Dual Slalom Round 1 Results

The expert women's dual slalom races were held today at Sea Otter. Sandra Ross took the win over Essence Barton. Congrats, ladies!

Cat. 1
1. Sandra Ross
2. Essence Barton
3. Chantel Shoemaker
4. Nancy Harris

Sea Otter Super D Results

Yes, I know. The Sea Otter Super D is the least Super D-ish of all Super Ds. But without posting the results here, I wouldn't be able to revisit a post I wrote last year. (Click here to do the revisiting).

See, the Super D start has gotten more out of hand than even I could have anticipated. In CyclingNew.com's coverage of the race, they state: "Racers started kneeling, facing away from their bikes with their heads to the ground. Upon the official start, they turned around, ran for their up-side-down bikes and righted them before taking off."

I dearly hope that we will be graced with photos of this start soon. I mean, after months of training and likely no less than a $60 entry fee, you find yourself on the start line on your knees with your head in the dirt? Do race organizers really hate athletes that much? Considering the Sea Otter race involves no singletrack, is it really necessary to devise ridiculous ways to reduce startline congestion?

I know, I wasn't even in the state of California when the race took place. Who am I to comment? Maybe it was the awesomest start ever. Clearly, in the Pro Women's race, the winner was determined by atheticism and smart racing tactics, and the fastest riders emerged on top. But would it have been so different with normal, dignified start? The world will never know.

Pro Women
1. Kelli Emmet
2. Mary-Ellen Ash
3. Rachel Lloyd
4. Wendy Simms
5. Maureen Kunz
6. Jamie Stamps
7. Anina Aaron
8. Shannon Holden
9. Rebecca Rusch
10. Philicia Marion
11. Rachel Throop

18 & Under Women
1. Cayley Brooks
2. Kjersten Lone
3. Christine Weir
4. Nicole Rehder
5. Kristin Brooks

19-29 Women
1. Karla Kingsley
2. Lisa Crowe
3. Vanessa Humic
4. Sarah Land
5. Jennifer Jordan

30+ Women
1. Sharon Hill
2. Kathleen Bortolussi
3. Megan Cordes
4. Shannon Mathis
5. Laura Knight
6. Cindy McFarland
7. Monica Zorrila
8. Dede Cowden
9. Lise McCarthy
10. Cheryl Ekstrom

We found our results on CyclingNews.com and SeaOtterClassic.com.

Edit: Sabine Dukes pointed me to this video clip on WomensCyclingMagazine.com. Eek! :

Yes! There Is a Pro Gravity Tour!

When the US MTB Cup was announced last fall, gravity riders across the country groaned at the fact that the MTB Cup is a cross-country-only tour. After much lobbying and organizing by gravity activists like Jeremiah Dylan Dean, USA Cycling has announced a Pro Gravity MTB Tour for 2009. The Pro GRT features 5 stops, three of which are in August, and two of which are in New York. Hey, it's a start!

2009 USA Cycling Pro Gravity MTB Tour:
May 1-3: Fluidride Cup, Port Angeles, WA (DH)
May 23-25: Chile Challenge, Angel Fire, NM (DH and MTX, UCI category 2)
August 8-9: Blast the Mass, Snowmass, CO (DH and MTX, UCI category 2)
August 15-16: Yankee Clipper at Windham Mountain, Windham, NY (DH and MTX, UCI category 1)
August 29: Whiteface 5K, Wilmington, NY (DH)

2009 Sea Otter Road Trip!

Allie and I are always looking for ways to get to more races and save money while doing it. We figure that there are more people out there like us. So, we're putting together a 2009 Sea Otter Road Trip.

Save money by traveling with a fun group of riders! Save time by letting us work out the travel and lodging details! Rooms are already filling up, so we'll guarantee you're not sleeping in the dirt. Tell your friends. Boys and cross country or road racers are welcome too!

• You'll get a ride to the race from Park City, or various points along I-80, 5 nights of lodging at Holiday Inn Express, rides to and from the race venue every day, and a ride back home.
• 12 spaces are available.
• The fee includes gas and full insurance coverage on the rental van and drivers.
• The van will leave early in the morning on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 from Park City, UT and arrive that evening in Monterey, CA.
• The van will leave early in the morning on Monday, April 20, 2009 from Monterey, CA and arrive that evening in Park City, UT.
• If you live outside of Park City or Salt Lake, you can travel there and then hop in the van!
• Each rider may bring a maximum of 2 bikes.
• The $385 rate is valid through Dec. 31. On January 1, 2009, the fee will increase to $475 to account for increased room rates.


• Compare the $385 to camping at the venue for $70/night ($280 for 4 nights), $319 to fly from SLC to Monterey (travelocity.com), or putting more than 1,800 miles on your own vehicle.

Click here to find out more and/or to reserve your spot!

Chalk Creek Stampede Results

The first Mountain States Cup gravity races took place in Nathrop, CO this weekend. The racing was limited to the gated variety and counts for MSC series points as well as the USA Cycling National Gravity Calendar series points. Joanna Petterson won both the Pro/Expert women's Mountaincross and Dual Slalom races. She battled Lisa Myklak, who's just returning from an injury she suffered at the Holla for Ya Dolla Jam, for the win in slalom. Joanna took on mountaincross specialists Bobbi Watt and Neven Steinmetz in for the win in mountaincross. The Chalk Creek Stampede is the second race on National Gravity Calendar, and the next gravity races for both series will take place over Memorial Day at the Angel Fire Chile Challenge.

Mountaincross
Pro/Expert Women
1. Joanna Pettersen
2. Bobbi Watt
3. Neven Steinmetz
4. Jessica Vogt
5. Soraya Khalje
6. Rachel Bauer
7. Stephanie Hatalsky

Sport/Beginner Women
1. Janna Renfro
2. Michelle Robertson
3. Jennifer Johnson
4. Brittany Engleking
5. Danika Gillespie
6. Erin Serra

Dual Slalom
Pro/Expert Women
1. Joanna Petterson
2. Lisa Myklak
3. Neven Steinmetz
4. Jessica Vogt
5. Rachel Bauer
6. Sarah Elworthy
7. Monique Hein
8. Soraya Khalje

Sport/Beginner Women
1. Michelle Robertson
2. Danika Gillespie
3. Erin Serra

We found our results on www.racemsc.com.

NMBS Finals to Relocate

According to a post on Cyclingnews.com today, the National Mountain Bike Series finale, which was slated to be held at Tamarack Resort, ID on August 30-31, will be relocated. Jeff Frost of Bluewolf Events, the NMBS promoter, has not finalized a new venue for the event, and there is the possibility of a date change as well. I was unable to find any further information on the Bluewolf Events site (www.bluewolfevents.com) or the USA Cycling site (www.usacycling.org).
To read the news blurb from Cycling News, click here.