California State Championships

This climb was steeper than it looks.

The NICA California State Championships took place at the Los Olivos Dirt Ranch and was an exciting way to wrap up another high school racing series.  The course had a mix of short but steep climbs that required a lot of power, fast rolling terrain, and a handful of descents that required a little bit off skill to keep it fast.  I was pleased with the course and the tricky climbs and fast downhills fit my riding style more than other courses on the high school circuit.

Varsity train.

I was given a nineteen place call up out of the sixty-five varsity boys who competed at Los Olivos.  This was a good starting position but unfortunately I was passed by quite a few racers in the all out fireroad start that then turned into a demoralizing steep climb that left a few riders running their bikes.  I was able to make up time on the downhill sections but always felt a little slow on the climbs.  By my third lap I started to feel better on the climbs and was also able to pass a few riders in the blown out rutted corners.  After four grueling laps experiencing everything form heat and sun to a light sprinkling of rain I finished 29th out of the sixty-five fastest junior racers in California.

Rad savages!

The Nevada Union Miners smashed it at states and the entire season.  Thanks so much to parents, athletes, and coaches that keep our team the raddest savages around!  I can't wait for the next NICA season as well as the many races I have lined up for this summer.

The downhill sections were fast and fun.

Boggs NorCal Championships

Varsity start.

The NorCal League Championships usually take place at Boggs Mountain and always proves to be the most enjoyable race of the season with camping, awesome trails, and fun times.  After racing here last year I have been looking forward to coming back as the trails are the most technically challenging and fun of the high school season.  They are very similar to what me and the rest of the Nevada Union MTB Team race and train on the rest of the year.  During practice the trails had a layer of dust on top of the hardpack tread and with some rain the night before the race conditions were all time.

Boggs is butter!

 Coming into the race 4th overall I was looking forward to what the day would bring.  At the end of a long, hard, but fun day of racing I finished 9th in Varsity which was consistent with my previous results of the season and landed me in 7th place overall a result I am completely happy with.  The Nu Miners also finished 4th as a team in D1 which is a very solid result.

  The high school racing season is coming to a close and it has been great to race against so many fast and inspiring students athletes this year, I can not wait for California State Championships at Los Olivos as well as the Nevada City Dirt Classic and the kickoff to the California Enduro Series, Battleborn on Peavine mountain which all take place in the next couple of weeks.

Start line.

The Varsity boys line up.

NorCal Race #4 Petaluma

Photo cred Robert Lowe.

The fourth stop of the NICA NorCal League race series took place in Petaluma, California at a new venue on a private ranch.  The course was a wide machine made trail with a handful of completely blown out off camber corners on the descents, and I would have to say it was my least favorite course I have raced on yet.

The course was not lacking in physical beauty.

Despite the course not fitting with my riding style I felt good on race day and managed to finish 7th in the very competitive Varsity boys category.

Varsity train.

I was staged in the second row and was able to hammer behind some fast guys for most of the race and I am very happy with my result which put me in 4th place overall going into NorCal Championships at Boggs Mountain.  Even though I was not super excited about the race course I would like to thank the property owners and the NorCal League for putting on this event and all of the other races that open up new opportunities to hundreds of youths.

Sprint to the finish!

NorCal Race #3 Laguna Seca

The third NICA NorCal League race took place at the Laguna Seca raceway near Monterey, and featured some of the same trails as the Sea Otter Classic cross-country race.  After racing State Championships here last year as well as several years of racing the Sea Otter Classic I can say that Laguna Seca is my least favorite place to race cross-country MTB ever.

  That being said it is not all bad, the course featured one fun, fast, but very tame downhill and then a painful climb back out, that includes the aptly named "Hurl Hill" after that a long fire road climb takes you to the finish that can become a nightmare if the wind picks up.


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Wind can be brutal on the fire road climb.

Even though I was placed in the very first row of racers in the start I had a bad start and was dropped by quite a few racers up the first road climb out of the start and the rest of my first and second laps I worked on picking my way through the Varsity pack with some success. 

For the rest of the race I kept up with a few other racers in my category and tryed to keep up a solid pace while battling the hot temperatures and complete lack of shade, over the five painful laps.  I ended up finishing 13th and only 8 seconds behind the top ten which was disappointing but still a good result in such a competitive category.

The only trees on course.

I am currently 7th in overall points and I am looking forward to the fourth NorCal Race in two weeks at Petaluma.  Thanks to all volunteers, coaches, athletes, and everyone else who makes these races such awesome events.  Photo credit: Doug Bedient, Rhianna Grady-Roush, and Larry Sussman.



 

NorCal Race #2 Granite Bay

The start.

For the second NICA NorCal League mountain bike race, athletes competed on the slightly rocky and sandy trails of Granite Bay.  I have the most experience racing on this course and had been training on the course prior to the race so I felt prepared for what I knew would be a hard day of racing.

The most challenging part of racing in Granite Bay is the sand, racers start on a sandy beach, then have to fight through a few loose corners, and then navigate the gigantic sand pit which sent many racers off their bike and running across to solid ground.

Sand pit!

My race started well and I was placed in the second row of racers since I was sixth overall.  Unfortunately on my second lap I was plagued by the worst back pain I have ever experienced, and by the time I finished the race I could barely get off my bike.  Coupled with the heat I feel I did not perform as well as I could have, but I still had a solid finish in 10th place at the Varsity level and held on to my 6th place overall standing.



More cowbell!

Even though my race did not go as I would have liked it to go I still had a great time at Granite Bay, hanging out with friends and getting rowdy for all the racers out on course.  It is always a cool experience to see how many people are involved in the awesome sport of High School mountain bike racing.  The next race will be held at the Laguna Seca raceway near Monterey in two weeks.

 

 

 

Photo credit: Mike Meskee.

NorCal Race #1 East Garrison

Fast rolling trails.

The first NICA NorCal MTB League race was held near Monterey, California at East Garrison in Fort Ord.  The course was rolling with short punchy climbs, breaking bump filled descents, sandy corners, and lots of poison oak.

This was my first race competing at the Varsity level and the competition was extremely strong, including some of the top junior racers in the nation.  Even though I was staged in 19th place I was able to pick through the pack and hang on to a few fast racers over the five brutal laps and finished 6th place in the very fast paced 25 mile race.

As a whole the team I race for, the Nevada Union Miners did very well with several athletes on the podium and placed 5th in NorCal D1 as a team.

A bunch of rad savages.

It's awesome to race with such a large team of student athletes with a passion for mountain biking, and the raddest coaches around!  The Nevada Union Miners should be a very strong team this season.  Looking forward to the next NorCal race in two weeks in Granite Bay, California.

The NU pit at East Garrison.

2015 Season Kickoff at Granite Bay

 

 

I kicked off my 2015 race season this weekend at the Total Body Fitness MTB Challenge in Granite Bay, and it was a great way to jump back into the race scene before the first NICA NorCal League race of the season next weekend at Fort Ord near Monterey, California.

 

 

Start line.

Today's race was challenging for everyone who participated especially for Expert and Pro riders who raced 32 miles.  I had a good start and was able to establish a spot in the lead group, that I maintained for most of the race.  I felt very strong until lap three when I started to bonk, despite this set back I was still able to keep up a solid pace.

 

 

By the final lap some racers started putting down the hammer in order to try and secure the top spot, and I tried hard not to get dropped by the top three riders. 

 

 

Unfortunately with only about 3 miles to the finish line I suffered a hard crash that slammed me head first into the ground twisting my stem/handlebars and seat post to an unrideable state, as well as breaking off my Garmin GPS which I did not notice until I finished.  After readjusting my cockpit I tried to hammer back into the finish and was able to finish 5th place in the competitive  High School Expert category.

 

Finish Line!

Despite the crash I am very happy with my result and had a lot of fun racing out there today.  Looking forward to next weekend's NorCal League race where I compete at the varsity level!

 

Getting checked up on at the EMT tent.

Saturday's pre-ride.

 Photos courtesy of Mike Meeske and TBF Facebook page.