Monday, November 30, 2009

District Champions Crowned At Golden Gate Park -Barbara Howe & Christopher Jones Win Elite Titles

NCNCA District Champions emerged from the Cyclocross spectacle of B.A.S.P. Golden Gate Park this past Sunday. Nor-Cal Cyclocross racing continues to grow by leaps and bounds year after year, and the riders who stepped up and claimed race wins in each and every division at B.A.S.P. GGP are all outright champions in their own right. However, NCNCA Champions were only awarded for the Juniors, Elites, Master Men 35+, 45+ and 55+, and Women 35+ and 45+. I would like to personally congratulate Junior-Maxime Schimmel(Bike Trip/SCJCC), Junior- Ryan Grant(Team Roaring Mouse), Junior- Johnny Mullane(Davis Bike Club), 55+- John Elgart(Webcor/Alto Velo), 45+- Linda Elgart(Webcor/Alto Velo), 35+- Ann Fitzsimmons(Fox Racing), 45+- Rich Maile(Sacramento CX), 35+- Don Myrah(Ibis/Buy-cell.com), Single Speed- Tim Cannard(Buy-cell.com), Elite- Christopher Jones(Champion System), and Elite- Barbara Howe(Vanderkitten) on being the best of the best and now- 2009 NCNCA District Cyclocross Champions in their respected divisions. Please read on...

Cody Kaiser(Cal Giant Inc.) is a Cyclocross star and is one of the most outstanding Junior Cross racers in America. Kaiser claimed the 4th position on the podium in the Elite Men's division at Golden Gate Park....
Elite Men's District Champion Christopher Jones is for real. This talented rider backed up last years Golden Gate Park Elite win with another win in 2009. Jones was far and away the best rider at GGP winning the Elite race by 75 seconds.....
Aaron Bradford(OnSite Ultrasound) demonstrates that skills lead to success in Cyclocross. Bradford again proved himself as one of the best Cross riders in Nor-Cal taking the bronze medal in the Men's Elite division....
Justin Robinson(Cal Giant Inc.) was the 2008 Elite Men's District Cyclocross champion. At Golden Gate Park Robinson displayed huge amounts of power on the soft, loose traction, climbs the course had to offer. Robinson could ride most of the difficult uphill sections where basically every other rider needed to get off and run. Robinson claimed the silver medal on the day in the Men's Elite division.....
Barb Howe used huge support from the crowd, tremendous physical strength and world class riding skill to claim the Gold medal for the NCNCA District Championship in the Elite Women's division....
Ultimate fighter Kerry Barnholt(Scott/Ritchey) on her way to 4th in the Elite Women's race....
Sacramento's Sarah Maile(Ventana MTB) worked her way on to the podium at Golden Gate Park grabbing the final spot on offer, 5th place in the Elite Women's category. Maile has demonstrated over the past few years that Cyclocross is one of her best disciplines on the bicycle as well as MTB racing and Road racing.....
Karen Brems(Webcor Builders) used her bronze medal ride in the Elite Women's race at GGP to take over the B.A.S.P. lead going into the final race of the series next weekend at Coyote Point. Brems has had possibly the most consistent Cyclocross season of all Nor-Cal Elite Women racers...
Janel Lodge(Blackmarket Racing) was involved in one of the most epic races for a District Championship on the day in the Women's 45+ division. Lodge thrilled the crowd with full on fight and just missed getting the gold medal....
It was Linda Elgart who topped the hard charging Lodge to claim the NCNCA District Championship in the Women's 45+ division. Elgart is a legend of Nor-Cal bicycle racing and she added another title to her already very full resume of race wins. Elgart beat Lodge by only 3 seconds to own the NCNCA District Championship for 2009.....
Studs!! John Elgart and Frank Cuaresma(Cal Giant Inc.) finished 1-2 in the Men's 55+ Championship race. Elgart was the winner on the day.....
Ann Fitzsimmons(Fox Racing) is one of Nor-Cal's most gifted all-around cyclists. Fitzsimmons used her talent and fitness to ride to the Women's 35+ NCNCA District Championship win at GGP....
Don Myrah was the deserving winner of the super competitive Master Men's 35+ division. Myrah was the most marked rider in the 35+ field at the start line, he even sported the B.A.S.P. series leaders jersey. He backed up his reputation with a race win and a NCNCA District Championship to add to his stellar 2009 Cross season....
Cesar Chavez(Buy-Cell.com) running to the race day win of the Single Speed division.....
Men's Master 45+ podium- race winner Rich Maile, Brett Lambert(HRS Rock Lobster), Tim Watson(HRS Rock Lobster), Mark Howland(Blackmarket/Family Cycling Center), & Rob Meighan(Cal Giant Inc.).....
Junior Women's podium- race winner Maxime Schimmel, Madeleine Myall(Cal Giant Inc.) & Eliana Stefani....


All results, photos, and some great videos of the chaos and race action can be found here.... http://wordpress.ncncaracing.com/

Photo Credit-

Seth Goddard

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

First Look At B.A.R. Rankings- NCNCA District Championships This Sunday At Golden Gate Park

The first release of the 2009-10 Best All-round Rider(BAR) rankings are ready for review. Final totals will be complete at the last race of the season as there is still a lot of Cross racing left to be contested on the calendar. Link- http://sites.google.com/site/barncnca2009/current-results. Taleo Racing rider Joe Miller and myself have been hard pressed to deliver the most complete BAR rankings in the history of the NCNCA. Each division is being honored in the rankings and over 1300 Nor-Cal Cyclocross racers have received ranking points so far this season. The 2009 NCNCA District Cyclocross Championships will take place this coming Sunday at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The Bay Area Super Prestige crew is sure to host an epic District Championship competition at one of the City of San Francisco's most pristine and beautiful parks. This event will also serve as race #4 of the B.A.S.P. Series. Personally, I look for many of the riders who have established a high BAR ranking so far this season to play a major role in the races on Sunday. BAR rankings truly show which riders have had the biggest influences on the proceedings in Nor-Cal Cyclocross. The District Championships will most likely mirror the BAR rankings in one way or another. Good luck to everyone who races at Golden Gate Park! Quick notes on the BAR Rankings- One of the most dominate riders of their division so far is Junior Female racer Madeline Myall(California Giant/Specialized) who has won every race she has entered this season except one leading into the District race. I applaud Madeline on her great riding and I applaud Maxime Schimmel(Bicycle Trip) of Santa Cruz for being the one rider to top Myall. In the BAR rankings for the Elite Women's division, Karen Brems(Webcor), Kerry Barnholt(Scott/Ritchey), and Stella Carey(HRS Rock Lobster) have established themselves as the top 3 going into the District Championship. The Elite Men's division was always going to be a battle between HRS Rock Lobster & Cal Giant Inc. for the 2009 BAR ranking season. Surely this fierce rivalry will come to a head at the District Championship race. As of now HRS Rock Lobster is controlling the BAR rankings, holding the top 4 placings and putting 7 riders in the top 15. Cal Giant Inc. is led by Justin Robinson, with "Young Guns" Cody Kaiser and Jeremy Ferguson also able to rip off strong rides at any notice. Please read on as here is a little more info on the BAR rankings heading into the NCNCA District Championships at Golden Gate Park...


HRS Rock Lobster sponsored Josh Snead is holding down the #1 BAR ranking in the Men's Elite division so far this season....Brett Lambert(HRS Rock Lobster) is locked in a serious BAR points battle in the Men's 45+ "A" division....
Michelle Monroe(Joselyn's) is running away with BAR rank in the "B" Women's division.....
Cal Giant Inc. rider Gannon Myall is putting together a outstanding Nor-Cal Cross season and his BAR ranking reflects this effort in the Master Men's 35+ "A" division.....
Robert Meighan(Cal Giant Inc.) is holding down the #1 spot in the Men's 45+ "A" division for BAR 2009. However, Brett Lambert and a host of other 45+ fast men are keeping pressure on the sharp shooting Meighan.....
Don Myrah(IBIS/Buy-Cell.com) could be the Men's MVP for all of Nor-Cal Cyclocross this season. Myrah has racked up more combined points in BAR then any other Male rider. This in the two most competitive divisions of all- the Elite Men's & Master 35+ "A" Men's divisions....
Matthew Valencia(Above Category Racing) is holding down the #1 Junior Men's BAR ranking.....
Cesar Chavez(Buy-Cell.com) sits atop the Single Speed Bar rankings....
Kathleen Bortolussi(HRS Rock Lobster) is leading the BAR rankings for the Masters 35+ Women's division......

Monday, November 23, 2009

Photos Of The Week

This past weekend saw races all around Northern California take place. Photos are sometimes the best way to describe the action that went down. Luckily, Northern California Cyclocross racers have some of the very best photographers capturing the highlights of the competitions. The following photos are from Steve Anderson, Jeff Namba, and Veronika Lenzi, three of Nor-Cal's best artists with the camera...

Steve Anderson always snaps off outstanding photographs of the races when ever he steps behind the lens. Here is a link to his collection from the Central Coast Cyclocross race this past Sunday at Manzanita Park- http://www.flickr.com/photos/youngsloat/sets/72157622857417026/




















Jeff Namba has been getting some excellent shots of the Sacramento Cyclocross Series. Jeff Namba's photos of the races appear to be getting better and better each race. Here is a link to his selection from this past weekend's Cross In The Capitol event- http://www.flickr.com/photos/7170718@N07/collections/72157622737027783/
















Veronika Lenzi captured some great action shots from the Cow Palace Cross race. Veronika Lenzi is one of the most skilled photographers for the sport of cycling. Here is the link to her collection from this event- http://www.veronikalenzi.com/CrossPalace112109/SmallImages.php?page=1