Coal Cross- Cumberland Kick-off to Cross on the Rock series

[Lister Farrar]

Big TS turnout today, on a hot beautiful day. Not exactly classic 'cross conditions, but made for a fun weekend with two swims at Comox Lake and sleeping under the stars at Mt Washington.

Beginner women: Libby, Una
Beginner men: Duncan and David
Intermediate men: Gavin, Josh, Evan, Liam
Intermediate women: Jenn, Brenna, Alex, Glen, Andrea
Masters men: Brad, me
Expert: Roland
(u17/Juniors: Liam, Alex, Brenna, David, Duncan, Una, and Evan)

Beginner men saw Duncan get 9th against a bunch of 30 year olds. Una (13) was 4th beginner woman out of 7, despite a heat headache, not too far behind Libby, and 2:46 behind Western Canada Games team rider Gillian Elsay.

The series has introduced an intermediate women's category for the first time, so mortals don't have to compete against the likes of Mykal Dyke. Great field of 10; so mid-packers, don't hesitate to come ride. Jenn walked away with intermediate women. Alex had a great start, staying with second wheel, but lost a little in the technical stuff (both Brenna and Alex had 1 or 2 minor falls) to finish 5th and 6th, after a back and forth battle with Brenna. Brenna hesitated on the start, but worked her way back up, and has got her dismounts and running remounts back.

Gavin won intermediate men by a mile, earning unfair sandbagger status from an announcer not knowing about his frustrating recovery from his accident. Liam worked his way through about 4 or 5 in front to get 2nd, tail-whipping and pumping the bmx track like a dude in baggy clothes and a full face helmet (After checking bikes, I have to say he's smooth; not a mm of wobble in his wheels.). Evan crashed twice before the start, once without gloves, and wondered out loud about cyclocross for a minute or two after the finish .

David bounced back from two flats the night before riding downhill trails at Mt Washington , then one before the start, then the first spare wheel popped a bead, then another rear flat, but finished the intermediate race after as change (he had to ride that after the flat at the start of the beginner race caused him to miss it. (For other beginners, David found the intermediate not that bad in terms of traffic. He'll probably do beginner next time, but intermediate is not a bad place for newbies to be.)

Yours truly had a good start in masters but not quite good enough to join the leaders. Had a good race though, picking people off for most of the last half. Finished 10th out of 30, 2nd over 50, so happy with my dismounts and remounts, and enjoying the sideways action on dusty grass, gravel and sand. Brad was pretty close behind for most of the race, but I think the heat and lack of road miles preparing for track provincials got to him.

Results: http://www.crossontherock.com/php/race- ... ?raceid=30
Photos: http://www.crossontherock.com/photos/

[Lister Farrar]

Thank yous
to Normon Thibault, series organizer and race director. The guy's amazing; he organizes a whole series, sets up the courses with local helpers, directs the race (including e.g. gently reminding errant riders to enter the right class, ahem, like certain masters who tried to ride intermediate to get done earlier, politely and gently reminded to ride masters ), advocates for the intermediate women's class, runs a used equipment table on the side, does the results, which are posted within hours, then RACES competitively in elite. Then walks over and gives me about 6 pairs of tires, new or gently used, and a sti shifter, for our juniors. Oh yeah, and his wife had a baby a week ago.

To Geoff W. for the use of his family's ski chalet at Mt Washington.

To Nancy Fletcher and Catharine and Keith Grant driving up to the Comox valley so riders could race.

To all for providing amazing meals. Dinner was fresh sockeye, courtesy Nancy and Catharine, Brenna did mixed spring greens, goat cheese, candied pecans, and peaches, David potato and pasta salad, Evan fresh fruit for dessert, and Nancy and Alex, fresh ciabata bread, cold cuts and fruit for lunch.

To donors of equipment the riders rode:

• to Jeremy for the cranks for Evan's bike
  to Barry for Evan's shoes
  the Vic Fire Dept friends who provided wheels, tires, pedals to Evan
  to Melanie McQuaid for Evan's seat post, and half the gear on Alex's bike
  to someone I've forgotten who gave me the front derailleur for Evan
  to Rob Mick. for the spare wheels which we needed after a flurry of flats (they're ok Rob!)
  to Roland for Duncan's shifters, a front derailleur, 4 brand new tires (which we used on the weekend), for Evan's brakes, I think a stem or two as well.
  To Simon Whitfield for a pair of wheels and a tire for Duncan's bike
  To Fort Street cycle for derailleurs from their spare parts bin that got straightened with cave-man techniques, but seemed to work ok on Duncan's bike, and gave me a couple of spares for road trips.
  To Fairfield Bicycles for tolerating about 7 visits last week as those Frankenbike missing bits were sought. For eg, they gave me several small bolts to make a front derailleur with a stripped cable anchor, and missing cage bolt, work. They also installed two headsets for a ridiculously low price.
  to several sympathetic Craigslist vendors who cut prices and threw in various parts for the juniors. For eg, Evan's Kona frame was $100, the fork $75.

[DavidB]

What Lister said, but also with a huge thank-you to Lister. He puts an incredible amount of work into this team, and it's really starting to show, with some awesome results and a boatload of fun! So thanks Lister.

[DuncanGrant]

Yes, a Huge thanks to everyone that helped us out. I can speak for all of us when I say we are extremely grateful for all the kind things you have done for us Juniors. And Lister we all owe you a huge debt for all the hard work you've done for us, you've turned building frankenbikes into a work of art, and you've done it so well, there not really very frankenish. So thanks a bunch to all of you, and I look foward to more cross riding!

[Barry McKee]

Congrats to all you racers and to the many, many who support the racers. Heh Lister, you really need to consider the Masters road race series in 2012. It will prepare you well for the cross season. This goes to Brad, Kevin, etc., etc., etc......

[Lister Farrar]

Thank yous
to Normon Thibault, series organizer and race director. The guy's amazing; he organizes a whole series, sets up the courses with local helpers, directs the race (including e.g. gently reminding errant riders to enter the right class, ahem, like certain masters who tried to ride intermediate to get done earlier, politely and gently reminded to ride masters ), advocates for the intermediate women's class, runs a used equipment table on the side, does the results, which are posted within hours, then RACES competitively in elite. Then walks over and gives me about 6 pairs of tires, new or gently used, and a sti shifter, for our juniors. Oh yeah, and his wife had a baby a week ago.

To Geoff W. for the use of his family's ski chalet at Mt Washington.

To Nancy Fletcher and Catharine and Keith Grant driving up to the Comox valley so riders could race.

To all for providing amazing meals. Dinner was fresh sockeye, courtesy Nancy and Catharine, Brenna did mixed spring greens, goat cheese, candied pecans, and peaches, David potato and pasta salad, Evan fresh fruit for dessert, and Nancy and Alex, fresh ciabata bread, cold cuts and fruit for lunch.

To donors of equipment the riders rode:

• to Jeremy for the cranks for Evan's bike
  to Barry for Evan's shoes
  the Vic Fire Dept friends who provided wheels, tires, pedals to Evan
  to Melanie McQuaid for Evan's seat post, and half the gear on Alex's bike
  to someone I've forgotten who gave me the front derailleur for Evan
  to Rob Mick. for the spare wheels which we needed after a flurry of flats (they're ok Rob!)
  to Roland for Duncan's shifters, a front derailleur, 4 brand new tires (which we used on the weekend), for Evan's brakes, I think a stem or two as well.
  To Simon Whitfield for a pair of wheels and a tire for Duncan's bike
  To Fort Street cycle for derailleurs from their spare parts bin that got straightened with cave-man techniques, but seemed to work ok on Duncan's bike, and gave me a couple of spares for road trips.
  To Fairfield Bicycles for tolerating about 7 visits last week as those Frankenbike missing bits were sought. For eg, they gave me several small bolts to make a front derailleur with a stripped cable anchor, and missing cage bolt, work. They also installed two headsets for a ridiculously low price.
  to several sympathetic Craigslist vendors who cut prices and threw in various parts for the juniors. For eg, Evan's Kona frame was $100, the fork $75.

I must add that TS'rs Roland and Katie had a large part in the results, creating a system that allowed the results to be posted online within a very short time of the finish. Thank you. Because of those, I didn't have to rely on my faulty memory in my race report!

[Lister Farrar]

Congrats to all you racers and to the many, many who support the racers. Heh Lister, you really need to consider the Masters road race series in 2012. It will prepare you well for the cross season. This goes to Brad, Kevin, etc., etc., etc......

I'd love to Barry, but the only racing I can justify is where there is junior stuff as well. The masters series works because its the same each week (time, fee, start order, etc.), cheap, and the organizers can rely on the masters to (usually) comply with their process. Juniors take a bit more managing, and want to hang out with their peers. Don't know if we'll see junior/u17 races at masters events for those reasons. But if there was a decent u17 field at each masters race, and then I could do my race, I'd be in in a flash.