SF Cyclocross Crisis Note

Message from Tom Simpsom regarding training for cx in these parks.

We're not flying under the radar anymore.

Folks, if you love 'cross racing in San Francisco, please heed the following request - because every future event (possibly even 2007) in SF Parks depends upon your cooperation.

The SF Park/Rec. Dept. has had a number of calls from residents near McLaren Park as well as Golden Gate Park. What's their beef? Riders have been practicing on the Crocker-Amazon run-up and playfields and GG Park has seen significant trail use near the Polo Fields course.

Park/Rec grants permits only for course set-up day and the event itself - they figure their parks can absorb that much impact just once a year. But the continuous training activities in the last month have really caught their attention - and that means we have a very serious potential to lose legitimate access to all SF Parks for races.
What can we do? * Stop all training in these 2 parks * If you know of trail markings or course directional materials, please remove them from McLaren and Crocker-Amazon playfields and GG Park Polo Field areas.

We are guests in these parks. We used to be able to stay under the radar when 'cross was less visable and less popular - that's no longer the case. The sport has grown to the point where we can't take over public facilies ad hoc - we risk losing the permitted race courses that have been very tough to obtain - and we'll get chased out by Park Rangers.

Sincerely,

Tom Simpson - Pilarcitos Cyclesports
Alec Simpson - Pilarcitos Cyclesports
Paule Bates - Roaring Mouse

CX Products at the Shows

Random notes on 'cross products from the fall shows:
EuroBike - Velonews
InterBike - cyclingnews
... if you got more, drop 'em in the comments section.

CCCX Opener

all pics stol'd from that kickass photograbber, RickRass

CCCX Opener

It's news of local flair and heart warming shenanigans. As ya'll might have read before, i'm a huge fan of the CCCX series. It's the kind of gig that brings out the best in Cross ... fun-loving, relaxed vibe with fierce competition, and loads of us regular joes & josey's out there kickin' it for nothing more than the pure pleasures of pedaling.

though it does burn me a bit to see boys looking this fabulous ~ i mean, come'on Grey ... don't rub my face in it.


The junior turnout was exceptional on Sunday ~ with what? almost 30 kids racing it up? That's boss. I especially like the young hucker crowd that finds their way to the shows. I mean, you know them bikes weigh in at a couple twelve-packs ... but, they zing and zoom their way around the course and light it up any chance they get come descent or dirt jumper-time.
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The Women's race saw the return of world famous Barbarella to our local scene. We all know that the starlet has fought illness and fatigue these past couple years and many, many rejoice in seeing her fire rekindled for the bike.

The start for the Elite femmes race was in-control and gauged, as the smaller field made a blitzkrieg first minute of racing and fighting for position unnecessary, and likely detrimental. The paved climb that shoots up the start/finish section of Manzanita is a soul-crushing brute - it's low-grade early slopes taunt you into putting power down, but as you continue climbing ... the steeper gradients hook anchors to shoulders and soon you find your body hunching more and more over your bars, teeth bared and eyes crossed with the effort to just make it up that fukkall hill.

it's glorious.

Lap 2 saw Barb unleash a bit of gas and only fellow Bella, Ann Fitsimmons, risked the hootxpah to go with her acceleration. Ann has decided this year to just ride at the front of the race until her gasket blows ... nothing else as a tactic. Respect.

CrossLobster Stella Carey, on the other hand, was returning from throwing out her back last Saturday and hadn't even touched her bike in a week ... so, she waved a stoic bye-bye to the two as they pulled away on the climb. As the race progressed, Carey's experience and long road season of fitness building would kick in and she would pass the RomanCandle Fitsimmons and eventually close to within a minute of winner Howe.

In other Women's results, Nicole Bumbaca (the coolest last name of any racer, btw) won the B's in a tightly contested battle with Megan Cordes. Beth Welliver took the C's in a strong showing and her first ever cross race, I believe. But, the best battle of the series might be shaping up in the women's 35+ ... ever-ready Kathleen Barolussi was able to distance herself from Janel Lodge and Julie Bates on the grueling up/down course. Hello ~ is that Janel riding uber-fast again? Awesome.

With Bev Chaney and a number of other 35+ riders yet to make their presence known ... i think this could be one helluva series in the 35+ category. Bartolussi is probably the best pure athlete of the group, but Janel is tough, tough, tough. And, the two Roaring Mouse riders go very well with each other and could work some magic on the field later in the year.

In the Elite Men's race ... how you gonna compete against that big bad Berry, Justin Robo-son.

i mean, he's the man.

But, a ridiculously sexy looking Lobster crew showed up and gave him the fight. DJ Snead and the Wolf did their best to knock Robinson down, but he's the giant, the mountain, the steady rain that wears you down ... eventually.

To beat Justin, you've got to unleash a torrent of speed so intense and chaotic that you are able to blow out his storm, destroy that unyielding rhythm of his by forcing him to follow the most random and barbaric of efforts. And then you just hope.
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More later, but i gotta skoot from the boot.
~m

Attn Gannon Myall - Natz Registration Opens Friday Night!

Say what you want about the Cyclocross Nationals registration and staging process, but if you're taking Nationals seriously and you're not getting a call-up, you'd better get your butt online tomorrow night and make sure you don't start in the back of the pack.

From the KCCX Web site:

Online registration will open on September 15th , 2007 at Midnight CST. Online Registration will close on December 8th , 2007 at midnight CST. All athletes will be staged based on when they registered for the event. Each registrant will receive an e-mail (please be sure and allow emails to be received from support@sportsbaseonline.com) confirmation stating the time and date they registered. Each athlete will also be able to view their start position as soon as they register for each race. Updating your profile on Sports Base Online will allow for correct and current information being provided to Officials and Media.

SportsBaseOnline lists 1:00AM EDT as the start time, which is 10pm FRIDAY NIGHT for those of us on the West Coast.

Couple of tips:

• Get your Sports Base Online profile updated before registration opens.
• Have all your personal/race information close at hand.
• Perhaps even run thru a test registration for another race on SportsBase...
• Have the registration page loaded before it 10pm, and click refresh until the relevant link or info pops up.
  

Good luck, represent NorCal/Nevada at Natz!

Lion of Fairfax Opens New CX Series

What is this Cup you talk of?

"The NCNCA Cup presented by Sycip Cycles"

Yeah baby ... it's on.

The Lion of Fairfax CX race opens up this new series for us Nor-Crossers. Apparently, Sycip has donated a CrossDresser frame to the series and a couple of powdercoat paintjobs as well.

right on ... details on how those will be distributed will be up soon.

Lowdown on The Series? At this point, DirtyDaveCarr and the DarkOneMaile have come up with the following:

Categories:

A/Elite Men
A/Elite Women
B Men
B Women
Master 35 A Men
Master 35 A Women
Master 45 A Men
Junior Men
Junior Women
Singlespeeds

For points tracking, it's the best 4 out of 5 including the finals at Golden Gate Park. There will be T-shirts and socks for sale. All proceeds will be funneled into the prize purse for the season.

The end of series prizes including cash and schwag ~ handed out at the finals at GGP, also including a raffle for all participants in the series.

*Just a comment on categories. As noted there will be twelve cats for points tracking, however EVERY category at the event is open for racing at all the CUP races. Even though we aren't tracking points for every cat, everyone is invited to come out and race and there will be a great turnout in every event at the CUP races. Bring your best game and come have some fun.
~DaCarr

Why, that just sounds like a barrel of fun.

The rest of the series events can be seen on the Calendar
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So, back to Fairfax.

Last year the RockLobsters dominated the Elite Men with DJ Snead, Simon the Vicker, AKrakulak, and Hooptie sweeping the top-4. This year might see a bunch of the big hitters down swinging in SinCity for CrossVegas. Poor suckers. But, maybe they can jet back home to fight for some real glory - local style.

Those who stick in Vegas for the weekend will be missing out on the $6K in loot the organizers of this year's Lion of Fairfax have put together. Brian Bucker of Big Swinging Cycles has teamed up with the Dolce Vita crew to put together a kickin' prize list as well as a sweet kid's race to give us some serious cuteoverload photo opportunities.

and all this fun helps send proceeds to assist White Hill Middle School.

that rocks.
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In '06 it was Rachel LaLaLloyd and Shelley gOlds rocking White Hill. They went 1-2 for the PROMAN squad ahead of VeloBella's mighty Kassoy.

This year? It really depends on who makes the trek down to Vegas and gets lost for the weekend. Personally, I see the RockLobster'ettes (yeah, i'm biased) Carey and Kerlin taking over the top spots, since I know Olds is going down to Vegas with el Patron, Anthony G of Cal Giant Starberries, and after that will be focusing 100% on Track Nationals in early October. But, maybe a $K booty bag will entice her to put in one more cross race before Track Natz.

Or, who knows ... maybe Barbarella or MissMetzger will make a showing and run wild over Marin. The Fairfax course might be a dry fast one ... made for someone already pushing some speed this early in the season. Or maybe, just maybe P'Nut Vardaros will peep in and show off her new Vanderkitten colors.

Can't wait to see how that rumbles out.
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Anyway, with all the categories in the hunt for series glory ... I can't wait to scribble down a bunch of exaggerations and smacktalk about the racings and results. And you know i'll be snapping a few pics of it, too.

see you there!
~mhernandez (otherwise known as vanderpoop)

LARPD Schedule change

OK have just gotten the word on the schedule changes for the next few races in the LARPD Cross series races.

Men C, Single Speed (B,C), Junior (B,C) 9:00 - 30 Minutes
Women (A,B, JUnior, Master 35+) 9:40 - 40 Min
Women C 9:50 - 30 Min
Men B, Master B ( 35+, 45+, 55+) 10:30 - 45 Min
Men A, Master A ( 35+, 45+) 11:30 - 60 Min
Single Speed A, Junior A 11:30 - 60 Min
KIds 10 and under 12:45 - 15 Min

Depending on field sizes and how things work out this schedule should be good until the Championships on Dec 8th.

LARPD Cross #1

Well the Cross season got started with hot temperatures and a lot of dust. Not exactly the typical Cross conditions but then what else could you expect on Sept 1st. A total of 93 riders showed up for the first running of this series. The largest field of the day was the combined Women and Men's C groups with 37 total riders. Since we got off to a late start and there was a time limit on clearing the course both the women and men did 30 minutes.

The A race ( with elite men, Juniors and single speed divisions) had the next highest turnout with 30 riders. The Master A race had 17 riders and the B race had 10 riders. Sorry I don't have and results but they will hopefully be posted soon at http://www.livermorebmx.com/ The laps were nice and long with the race leaders in each wave turning laps in the 7 minute range. Made for an easy day for the officials since few riders were getting lapped and everyone was nice and spread out after the end of the first lap. Hopefully more riders will make it out to the next race in the series.

Note for following weeks the Men C's speed B,C, women C and Junior B,C will start as a totally separate wave at 8:30. The women A's will get a separate race starting a little after 9am and the start times for the other groups will probably be pushed back a little bit since on following weeks there will not be a need to clear the course like there was with this first week. Watch http://www.livermorebmx.com/ for details on the new schedule.