Announcing the 2007 Cyclocrazed Series dates!
We are back with another great set of courses in the line-up. These will be all new courses, although equally rippin', and again all races will be on Saturday.
Another special addition for this year -- we will be fundraising for a new junior racing organization in our area called Whatcom Youth Cycling. Details will follow:
September 8 "542 'Cross"
In conjunction with the Mt. Baker Hill Climb, Norka Recreation will be hosting a cyclocross race at
Silver Lake State Park. This promises to be an excellent early kick-off to a great new 'cross season!
October 27 "Muerto 'Cross"
As close to Halloween as we're going to get! You can bet there will be major bonus points for costumes. Start sewing!
November 17 "Tractor 'Cross"
This aims to be a course setting you will not soon forget! Crazy fast, and wicked close for Canadians, too.
Full course images, descriptions, and directions will be posted as soon as they are finalized.
Categories, costs, rules, and points will all be very similar to last year.
Hopefully, prizes will be better!
Cyclocross World Championships in Hooglede-Gits, Belgium: Congratulations to Jonathan Page, Katie Compton, and Danny Summerhill from Team U.S.A. for each taking the silver in the Elite Men's, Women's, and Junior class races (respectively) over the weekend!
This is by far the strongest performance our country has delivered on the world stage, signifying that our place in the sport is established and the future is bright! We will continue to deliver high caliber courses here in Bellingham to hopefully inspire another champion to join in the fun.
Belly Cross News: We pulled a white rabbit out of the hat on Saturday morning to surprise the racers in our series finale. About 4 inches of snow localized at the Lake Padden Park in Bellingham to challenge the 75 hardy participants.
Race Results are posted with series overall winners announced! While they didn't earn extra points, here are a few displays of bravery and prowess worthy of special mention:
Logan Owen (Junior B) - for racing without gloves!
Chris Green (Mens C) - for falling a full lap down with a broken chain, changing it in less than six minutes and then fighting back for 3rd!
Dan Peterson (Singlespeed) - for starting 30 seconds back with Masters B and passing the entire Men's B field on his moustache handlebars!
Cyclocross Man and Sprocket Girl (Huffy Cross) - for gearing up and racing their tandem as the only entrants in their race. Actually, I had to promise them call-ups for all next season. Here's a pic:
A couple of recent appearances of local 'cross in the newspapers:
Cascadia Weekly: Nov. 22nd issue, p. 14 (pdf) by Bellingham racer Mike McQuaide
Bellingham Herald feature on the guy behind the new races.
New York Times story on the super-muddy and super-fun USGP final in Portland on Nov. 18.
Viking Cross Photos:
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Here's a few action shots courtesy of Mark Malijan at the Western Front. Visit his photo site here : |
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Category A men line-up for an hour of intensely fast racing. European pro and former Bellingham resident Tyler Ferrar appears front row wearing his Team Cofidis uniform 2nd from right. |
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Category B men hit the grueling grass run-up for the first of seven times. |
These images are courtesy of Steve Barnett: |
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Youth category winner, Derek Smith, flying through the Rock Ring sculpture at Western. |
| An agile racer in the Mens C race shows how to seriously clear the barriers! |  |
Halloween News: We made the last stop on the Seattle series before a few weeks of hiatus, down at Valley View Middle School in Snohomish. What an epic, muddy, slippery slip-fest! Those with the greatest sidehill tread and highest mud tolerance on their bikes fared the best. Ryan raced his heart out for second place in the costume contest of the Men's 3 race looking like a Mardi Gras clown:
October News: We visited the B.C. Cup folks up at Vanier Park in Vancouver last weekend to check out their racing and spread the word about the new Bellingham series. It was only an hour away and a beautiful scene.
They certainly have a respectable series of their own with a strong turn-out, but they seem glad to have some good racing leading up to their Nationals weekend. We'd love to see a show-down of sorts between the two big metros on the neutral playing field of Bellingham, with the underdog locals thrown in the mix. Bring it.
~ Hey, we got props on VeloNews. Of course, any 'cross series deserves proper recognition for bringing this awesome sport to the masses. Portland's been running for 14 years now, so here's hoping we make it that half that long!
~ Have a fantastically crazy Halloween -- we'll see you after. Feel free to bring your costume for one more wacky public appearance, and you'll earn some bonus points in our series!
Methow Cross News: The 'cross race at the Methow Valley Fall Bike Festival was epically hard as well as memorably sunny & warm! Six (count 'em, six, folks) barrier sets tried to block the uphill progress of riders at this loop on Sun Mountain, and a dusty, tricky descent tried to prevent them from recovering. Nevertheless, local hardcore and Kona employee Dale Plant single-handedly dominated the A field in 1 hour, 7 minutes, 41 seconds, a full minute up from the nearest challenger. Look out for Dale when he is unleashed on his home turf!
Joe Brown of Methow Cycle & Sport in conjunction with the Methow Valley Ski Trail Association will be laying out some fantastic 'cross just over the mountains!
Registration and other details will be handled on the MVSTA website here. However, we will be awarding bonus points in the Cyclocrazed Series to try and help keep a good thing going on the east side.
This date was the unveiling of our premier course, the Western Washington University south campus. Click the image below for a legal (8.5"x14") size, 2 Mb .pdf of the course (Adobe Reader 6.0 or higher required):
Both parts of this course have been used in our Wednesday night practices over the past three years, but never have they been combined into one super-course like this!
Of course, there are standard features such as a gravel, grass, trails, and run-ups. But have you ever raced in a tunnel? How about a trip through an original sculpture? Once you race 'cross like this, it will be hard to go back to those "mountain-bikey" courses (unless that's what you're good at).
Additional categories were offered for collegiate-specific racing. Major proceeds from this event benefited the WWU Cycling team, specifically sending their top cyclocross riders to CX Nationals in Rhode Island in December. Visit the their website to learn more about this dedicated group of young cyclists.
Also, this weekend was Western's Really BIG Weekend alumni event, so if you attended Western or have an interest, there are lots of other happenings on Friday and Saturday.
To print just the information below, highlight it with your cursor. Then choose "File->Print..." and check the option to print "Selection"
Directions: Take I-5 to the Samish Way/WWU exit, #252. From the south-bound offramp, turn right then left at the next light - Bill McDonald Parkway. From the north-bound offramp, turn left on Samish Way, left again at the light, cross over the freeway, through one light, and left on Bill McDonald Parkway.
Proceed up the hill, observing the speed limit change to 25mph and crosswalks near campus. Turn right on S. College Dr. when you see a flagger for the lower parking. Upper parking & registration will be just beyond the next light along 21st St.
Parking: There will be abundant parking, either by registration on both sides of 21st street, or on the middle section of the course along S. College Drive. As the course actually runs through parts of all the parking lots shown above, we would prefer to have cyclocross racers parking nearest the course, if only because you respect and understand some of the simple safety considerations. We will try to have as many signs out as possible, but please review the .pdf map linked above to get an idea where these areas are beforehand. Thanks!
Registration: You can download, print, and fill-out your event liability waiver right now! Beyond that, see the Entry Fees page for info on costs, race numbers, etc.
Race Times: See the Start Times page.
Results: Go to the Series Points page!
Restrooms: SSC secretly sponsored us with one oversized porta-potty, which mysteriously appeared in the center of our course near registration. Also, there are public restrooms in every open building on campus. However, it is Sunday, so don't expect them all to be open (such as Student Services). The Student Recreation Center will be open at 10 a.m. Fairhaven College has a facility and will probably be open. The Communications Building has one and will very likely be open. Please expand the map above for tips on these locations.
Dogs: This race is within city limits, and Bellingham does have a leash law. Futhermore, campus policy states: "Dogs and/or other service animals are not permitted on university property unless under immediate control of their handler." We don't want them loose on the course either, so you know how this works. Bring them if you are willing to keep a handle on them at all times!
Thanksiving Weekend calls for some thigh-burning racing (drumsticks, that is), so stuff your tummies into a skinsuit (or costume) and come out to Lake Padden Park!
We had another totally unique course design laid out in the Lake Padden softball fields. Click the image below to expand a large (4.2Mb) Adobe .pdf of the course lay-out:
This is where our local practice was run for many years before the move to WWU. From open fields to wide gravel paths to smooth paved sections, this course once again has fast written all over it. It also features staircase run-up, and several yo-yos up a side-sloping grass hill that will challenge your balance and tax your power.
Many thanks to Mark Peterson and the Whatcom Independent Mountain Pedalers (WHIMPs) for their years of hard trail work that helped us earn the privelege to use the Padden fields for a cyclocross race. Visit their website to learn more about what they have done to make Bellingham one of the best places to ride your bike! Proceeds from the race will benefit their constant trail-building efforts.
This event featured a benefit for the HUB Community Bike Cooperative in Bellingham. HUB founder Kyle Morris has conceived a unique category to challenge riders to race on heavy department store bikes - the spawn of Huffy Cross!
Racers were encouraged to build up their special steeds at the HUB, with a great discount and support and from the shop crew. $35 gets you a Huffy (or similar), an entry into the Huffy Cross, and a t-shirt! You can enter your own bicycle in the event, but there is a weight minimum of 35 lbs. Kyle reserves the right to weigh your bike at registration and weld additional weight onto your frame at his discretion.
Visit their website to learn more about their unique service to the cycling community. Additional proceeds from all racing categories will be donated to the HUB, so feel free to enter a standard category on a weenie bicycle.
To print just the information below, highlight it with your cursor. Then choose "File->Print..." and check the option to print "Selection"
Directions: South-bound drivers should use the same exit #252 off Interstate 5 as above for WWU, except head the other direction (left off south-bound). Cross the freeway, turn right on Samish Way, drive about 2 miles uphill until you start downhill again and see signs for Lake Padden park. Then keep going! You need to drive past the first entrance, along the full length of the lake, to the second entrance on the southeast end. Turn right at the second entrance.
North-bound drivers coming from the south can take a short-cut via the N. Lake Samish exit, #246. Turn left off the off-ramp and head northwest on Samish Way. You will go over a gradual hill and descend down to Lake Padden. Look for the park entrance on your left immediately after the intersection with Yew Street. Or you can drive all the way into Bellingham for some coffee & breakfast, then proceed as described in the previous paragraph.
After turning off Samish Way into the park (from either direction), continue past the secondary entrance for the golf course (i.e. stay right), proceed through the tall, dark trees and into the softball fields area.
Parking: Park wherever there is space after the golf course turn-off. If the parking lot is full, go back to the first entrance described above (in Directions) and ride the trail to the south end of the lake. That would be a good warm-up.
Registration: See the Entry Fees page for info on costs, race numbers, etc.
Race Times: See the Start Times page.
Warm-ups: The wide, gravel trail we will be racing on continues all around the lake (2.5 miles). This is an excellent, fast surface, but also quite popular in this active town. Please be courteous to people jogging, walking their dogs and children, by slowing down and saying "on your left!". There are also great mountain bike & horse trails that head up into the hills where you could ride more freely, though if ride you too far you may run into some technical sections. Again, as for WWU, ask a local.
Food: We are going to try and set-up a refreshment stand with hot coffee, cocoa, and maybe even some chili dogs to help you stay warm and amped up for the day's activities. Bring along a few extra dollars and maybe your own mug to reduce waste, please.
Restrooms: There are two sets of public restrooms, one on each end of the course. Last we checked, they are well-lit, heated, have warm hand dryers, but the water is cold. There is also room enough inside to change clothes.
Dogs: Lake Padden was voted Bellingham's "Best Place to Take Your Dog" in the Oct. 4th issue of Cascadia Weekly . That means you should bring them! There is a large, enclosed off-leash area for letting your canine run free and socialize with their own species. The rest of the park is fun, too, though leashes are an expectation. Lots of doggie doo-doo stations, too, so please use them. Naturally, keep them off the course.