ANOTHER BIG WEEKEND OF CROSS RACING FOR NOR-CAL RUN & DONE...
The Central Coast Series at Manzanita Park was some of the very best racing of the season in Northern California so far in 2011. What a tremendous day of racing it turned out to be!
Congratulations to Karen Brems(Rambuski Law) &
Andy Jacques-Maynes(Bissell Pro Team) on their Elite victories at Manzanita Park.
The most amazing race of the day at CCCX #4/Manzanita Park was
the Masters Men 35+ Cat. 1/2/3/4 division.
This group came down to the top four riders on course all being past USA Cycling Cyclocross Masters National Champions!
This only demonstrates the true talent that the CCCX races, and other Nor-Cal events have on the Masters start grid.
National Champions Alan Coats(Cal. Giant Inc.), Justin Robinson(Cal. Giant Inc.), Don Myrah(Ibis/Buy-Cell.com), and Todd Hoefer(Cal. Giant Inc.) separated themselves from the others and put on quite the battle for those lucky enough to witness the racing.
In the end it came down to Myrah being squeezed out by the Cal. Giant duo of Robinson & Coats.
Myrah could only watch as the high flying Coats bunny-hopped a board section at the top of a 15% grade hill and sailed away for the win, while Robinson claimed next best.
These four riders simply up the stakes for other Masters racers in Nor-Cal.
If you want to hit the front in this pack, you better come prepared!
Congratulations to Devon Gory(Rambuski Law) for her strong riding down south at the Los Angeles UCI Cross races. Gory cracked the top 5 and represented on a stellar podium of Elite Women.
Other Elite Women racers from Northern California to make the top 10 in Los Angeles were Sarah Maile(Ventana Mountain Bikes),
Courtney Dimpel(Team Rambuski Law), and Emily Thurston(STEVENS).
Cody Kaiser(Cal. Giant Inc./Specialized) is showing some very strong form this season! The past Junior National Cyclocross Champion is hitting on a cylinders so far in 2011.
At the UCI race in L.A. Kaiser just missed the podium on day 1, settling for a super strong 6th place, only 4 seconds behind Chris Jones(Rapha Focus). Kaiser is sure to gain momentum as the season progresses and build from a ride like this toward even greater results...
Another Nor-Cal sensation in the making has got to be
Tobin Ortenblad(Cal. Giant Inc.).
Ortenblad used the CCCX races the past few weeks to find his groove and the High School student then turned those race sessions into a outstanding ride down South at the UCI race.
Ortenblad was the next best placed rider behind Kaiser in the Men's Elite race with a stellar 14th place finish.
This is a High School student taking on established racers and holding his own! Tobin Ortenblad is now a very serious contender for the Junior National Championships held at the end of the season, if he can stay healthy during the long Cross campaign.
Lastly, one rider who very much seemed on form for 2011 and was
solidifying himself to be back to his best was
past Masters National Champion Kevin Merrigan(Rambuski Law).
Merrigan was victorious at CCCX #1 and posted another strong ride at CCCX #2. However Merrigan's season was derailed by a horrible accident on a training ride.
I hope Kevin Merrigan can make a complete comeback to his winning ways soon!
