NCNCA CYCLOCROSS PHOTO PAGE - BASP RESULTS

Bay Area Super Prestige Series Results Have Been Posted Here.

Congratulations to all the division winners.  The Elite Men's winner was Scott Chapin(Bay 101/HRS/Rock Lobster)-pictured below- who was huge on Saturday night. Chapin matched Alex Candelario(World Bicycle Relief) pedal stroke for pedal stroke until the two were separated by a rolled tire.  Chapin proceeded forward to claim victory, adding another fine chapter to his stellar 2010 Cross season.

 A special high five goes out to Kerry Barnholt(Scott/Ritchey) for her spectacular victory in the Women's Elite division.  This was Barnholt's second year in a row claiming victory at the BASP night race, and she is now crowned "Queen of Brisbane" for the BASP Series.

This weeks edition of the NCNCA CYCLOCROSS PHOTO PAGE features work from Jon Suzuki.

Jon Suzuki(Missing Link/Third Rail) has been taking part and supporting the Nor-Cal Cross scene for years, and his photos come from the heart filled with passion and inspiration.

Suzuki is one of a small group of dedicate photographers who specializes in Cyclocross photos.  Select images from their work can be viewed at the NCNCA CYCLOCROSS PHOTO PAGE.

One rider who deserves a quality mention is Cal Giant Inc./Specialized's Gannon Myall- pictured below.  Myall has ripped off a solid winning streak over the past few weekends, and has proved himself possibly the most on form "A" level racer in Nor-Cal.  Myall has to be one of the favored racers in his age group heading toward the NCNCA District Championships this Saturday in Reno.  Congratulations Gannon on your outstanding back to back to back victories!

IMAGES & RESULTS

Each weekend this time of the Cross season is huge in action and full of high drama.  It will continue to be that way leading up to the USA National Championships.

Sunday's Surf City Results Have Been Posted.

Congratulations to Devon Haskell(Bike Station Aptos) & Alex Candelario(World Bicycle Relief) on their strong Elite victories.

A few weeks ago I posted that Nor-Cal needs to witness Andy & Ben Jacques-Maynes, plus Alex Candelario square up for a Cyclocross challenge, and face off against each other and the rest of the Nor-Cal fast men.  It went down Sunday in Watsonville and super star Candelario came out on top with AJM & BJM next across the line.  These three riders, with some Pro Tour miles in their legs, simply elevate the Nor-Cal Cross game.  Hopefully there will be a re-match very soon. 

Surf City Photos On This Page From Tim Westmore.

Saturday's BASP Night race was a Cyclocross extravaganza, held under bright lights and run literally right next to the beautiful San Francisco Bay.  Brisbane was the city host, and I can only imagine the racing was contested at an extremely high level. At the time of the post no "official" BASP results have been posted online. 

Bay Area Super Prestige Series Photos On This Page From Tim Westmore.

NCNCA Racing has a huge assortment of BASP #3 Photos Here.

RACES

The Bay Area Super Prestige Series night race at Sierra Point in Brisbane kicks off the weekend racing action on Saturday, followed by the Surf City Series held at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds on Sunday.

The Sierra Point night race is a huge party mixed with outstanding Cyclocross racing.  Night racing in Nor-Cal always brings out extra energy for fans and racers and the BASP Series, Tom & Alec Simpson, and staff, will work magic to make this event very special.

The Surf City Series will be hosting race #2 of their 2010-11 program in Watsonville at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.  Jeff Clark, Mike Evans, David Gill, and the rest of the crew will not disappoint in delivering a excellent race route and a splendid time for spectators and competitors alike.

Ride Safe & Have Fun!

Please be aware of proper race start times for both events.  The night race, naturally, is on a different schedule for starts then a regular day BASP event. 

 The Surf City Series now has the final race of the day featuring the female athletes, so start times are adjusted slightly then in previous years for this series.

CLASSIC CROSS

Bicycle historian, and cycling author Jim Langley has a very long standing & personal history with Northern California Cyclocross.  Langley is a former Bicycling Magazine technical editor, who has a passion for riding bicycles as well as a passion for writing about bicycles.

Langley recently put together a superior review of classic Santa Cruz Cyclocross.  Plus some detailed history from the early exploits and perils of the

 "old school"

racers who paved the way for the success and popularity Nor-Cal Cross sustains today.

I highly recommend taking a moment to read Jim Langley's excellent page on "Classic Cross" from  the early days of Santa Cruz Cyclocross Racing.

VIDEO FEATURE

First video is Sven Nys taking the Cyclocross Super Trophy Ronse 2010.

I like the way this course is laid out, and the way some of the sections of race route have huge width between the fencing.  While other sections are very technical with steep drops and side hill off camber portions that test bike handling to the highest degree.  On this day the track is brutal!  Any time you see the best riders in the world slogging along through grassy fields, with mud and rain completing the main dish, you know it is demanding.  Any average rider would have tremendous difficulty to just get around this track I guarantee.

Watch as Niels Albert slowly cracks to the steady pressure eventual winner Sven Nys applies with 2 laps to go.  This video has some very good slow motion action and highlight clips that very much show the anguish and suffering the racers face from the technicality of the track and the harsh weather conditions on the day.  Check out Niels Albert crash on the super slick, slimy, and steep downward section of track after a long run up, and slide down the hill like he was on a mud slide.  Cool to  see the fans send his bike down toward him after he gets back to his feet!

Second video is a very good show from the 2009 BASP #1 event at Mclaren park in San Francisco.  This video tracks the quest for victory of Nor-Cal Cross stalwart Josh Snead on the hard layout ran at Mclaren park.

This video has some very cool shots of the famous run up section at Mclaren.  And I like the way the video is all Josh Snead all the time.  View Snead making one amazing save from a front end get off, just as he was making contact to the lead duo in the final laps of the race.  Snead showed stellar bike handling to pull out of a sure wipe out and continue to ride on.

Don Myrah ends up being the star of the show as he chases down a extremely hard uphill surge from Chris McGovern, and those two riders end up fighting out the win.  McGovern does his best to distance Myrah on the last lap.  I was there that day, and I remember clearly Myrah sneaking through lapped rider traffic during the final portions of the last lap near the finish.  This gave Myrah just enough room to get a gap on McGovern and hold it all the way to the finish line.  The announcer/voice over for the video loved Snead, but gave due credit to Myrah who celebrated his win in fine style with a emphatic two arm victory salute.

Third video goes back to 2008 under the lights at Sierra Point- BASP Series.  The nigth race classic from the BASP Series is this coming Saturday, so I had to throw in some video action from this special Nor-Cal event.  I like this video, which was created by Cyclofiend, as it shows the Men's B division from 2008.  Many riders make an appearance in the video clip, as the Men's B division is always loaded with dedicated Cross enthusiasts.  This video should start getting the juices flowing for a fun night at the races coming this Saturday at Sierra Point in Brisbane for BASP #3.

Above photo- Check out the crowds from the Koppenbergcross held in

      Melden - Oudenaarde, Belgium.  In the center of the crowd is                reigning World Champion Zedneck Stybar navigating a tricky downhill section.

Cross is #1 in Belgium, but in 2013 Cross will be the "big show" in the USA as the UCI Elite World Championships come to America for the first time ever!  Certainly it will be standing room only for the main events at  Cross World's 2013- USA.

RESULTS

The Bay Area Super Prestige Results

From Race #2 Have Been Posted...

Congratulations to all the race day division winners at BASP #2

Cat A Women- Kerry Barnholt- Scott/Ritchey

Cat A Men- David Wyandt- Bay 101/HRS/Rock Lobster

Cat A 35+ Men- Don Myrah- Ibis/BuyCell.com

Cat A 45+ Men- Gannon Myall- Cal Giant/Specialized

Men 55+- Norm Kreiss- Cal Giant/Specialized

Cat A Single Speed- Rainer Schaefer- Freewheel/Hunter

Cat A 35+ Women- Amy Goldstein- Bicycle Trip/Symantec

Cat B Women- Amy Shreve- Specialized

Cat B Men- Scott Penzarella- Studio Velo

Cat B 45+ Men- John Walter- El Cerrito

Cat B 35+ Men- Shawn O'Meara- Velo Reno

Cat C 35+ Men- Michael Lodoen- Murray-Renaissance

Cat C Men- Jonathon Kreirtran- San Jose Bicycle Club

Cat C Women- Annie Yates- Golden Gate Velo

Junior 15-18- Tobin Ortenblad- Spokesman Bicycle

Junior Women- Madeline Myall- Cal Giant

Junior 10-14- Jovanni Stefani- Sprocket Rocket

Cow Palace Cross Results Have Been Posted...

Nor-Cal racers earned strong results down south at the UCI Dam Cross events.

Both Saturday and Sunday riders from the NCNCA region showed fine form against strong competition from So-Cal and abroad.

Leading the way on the Men's side was Scott Chapin(Bay 101/HRS/Rock Lobster).  Chapin cracked the top 10 on both days, displaying super riding skills and strength in Los Angeles.  On Sunday Jeremy Ferguson(Cal Giant/Specialized) battled into the top 10, to join Chapin as the only Nor-Cal men to fight & claw their way into a top 10 finish position during the weekend races.

The Nor-Cal Women again proved themselves as warriors of the Cross bicycle, and positioned themselves as true contenders in any Elite race in America when the start gun sounds. 

Saturday it was Devon Haskell(Bike Station Aptos) and Barbara Howe(Ibis And The Danger Twins) who both contended for victory, while eventually finishing 4th & 5th respectively, only 44 and 52 seconds away from the 1st place rider- Susan Butler (Hudz-Subaru).  Also in to top 10 on Saturday were 3 other Nor-Cal women racers, Beverly Chaney(Team Roaring Mouse), Courtney Dimpel(Bike Station Aptos), and Katrina Baumsteiger(Team Rambuski Law).

On Sunday Howe & Haskell each moved up a placing and traded positions on the podium with Haskell in 4th and Howe in 3rd.  Howe was on her game during Sunday's race, rallying across the grass sections and posting tremendous average speeds on the pavement portions.  In the end Howe was a mere 22 seconds away from victory at the UCI C2 status event.

Dimple, Chaney and Baumsteiger again made top 10 on Sunday.

Photo Credit- Jeff Namba- Sac. Town Cyclocross- Lembi Park.

The Cyclocross Meeting Screening At The Bicycle Film Festival

I highly recommend a viewing of Brian Vernor's The Cyclocross Meeting.

Sneak Peak Here...

The Cyclocross Meeting will be screening at The Bicycle Film Festival
Sunday November 14th, 7pm, at the Victoria Theatre (16th & Mission)Ticket Info Here...

The Cyclocross Meeting will be accompanied by a live performance by soundtrack
contributors Roots of Orchis. Rare footage from Vernor's super 8 archive will be
projected while the band plays.

The Cyclocross Meeting is a documentary meditation on the sport of
Cyclocross and the human connections it inspires around the world. The film
follows pro Barry Wicks and rising star Adam McGrath to Japan where they
compete with seven time Japanese National Champion Keiichi Tsujiura and
the up and coming talent Yu Takenouchi.

A lushly textured paean to the hardships and joys of the excruciating sport of Cyclocross, the
film explores the challenges and personal narrative behind the pursuit of the
"perfect ride." Also featured is a rare interview and visit to the shop of 35
year veteran frame builder, Shigeru Nakagawa.
Richly photographed and married with an evocative soundtrack featuring
Talkdemonic, Roots of Orchis and Blktop Project, The Cyclocross Meeting is a
celebratory exploration of the sport and its beauty as seen by its most
dedicated riders from two sides of the ocean.

RACING

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS...

BASP #2 - Coyote Point

Epic Cycolcross conditions reach Northern California in perfect fashion to create a very memorable BASP Series event.

No "official" results were available online at time of this post.

BASP Photo credit- Jon Suzuki

Saturday's Sacramento Series Race #3 results can be found here...

Hat's off to one of the best courses of the season at Sacramento Series - Lembi Park in Folsom.

No "official" Palace Cross results were available at time of this post.