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Cyclocross in Southern California is alive!  With only 5 weeks to go in the Prestige Series season (2010), a record number of new racers came to Long Beach to ‘try cross’ – and Round 10 hosted by Long Beach’s own cycling club Velo Allegro treated racers to an all around course complete with fallen tree, sand pit, stairs, barriers and built in asphalt whoops!

The City of Long Beach supports cycling in a big way as they strive to become America’s number one ranked city for cycling.  Mobility Director Charlie Gandy even particpated in his first ‘cross race.  Beginners’ were offered a free clinic at the start of the day and demo-rental bikes were available at a nominal fee from SoCalCross.

LINK TO SOME COOL PICS FROM SLO!

Then Sunday Nov 14th SLO Cross brought its flavor to the Series to Cambria!  The course was nicely laid out in the Union High baseball fields and nearby dirt road.  The course included a triple barrier and double barrier forced run up.  It was a well-laid-out course with flat acceleration sections, and a tricky hukilau section in the gravel to slow riders down and then head into a drag strip sprint into another hairpin allowing smooth skils and pure power even out the competition.  Exciting races unfolded in the 35+ 1/2/3 and the elite 1/2/3 men’s races.  Close battles to the end.  In the 35+ Sam Ames (ActionSports) beat out local favorite Ben Lerner (TEAM SoCalCross).  In the 1/2/3 men’s race Gary Douville (Platinum) and John Behrens (Bailey Bikes) stayed together for the entire race with Gary taking John in a ‘photo finish’ by a tire.  In the elite women’s race.  Trina Baumsteiger (Rambuski Law) used her solid CX skills and fitness to pull away from her competitors including Dot Wong (TEAM SoCalCross) and Jenna Jammer Kowalski (NOW MS) riding in for a solid 3rd place.

Race organizer – Dave Morrow’s report:

It was the best of times, it was not really, even hardly, the worst of times.  It was a time of sun and light breezes, it was a time of sketchy eucalyptus leaves.  It was clean air for racing, and it was lung busting still.  It was Cambria cyclocross in all its glory.
Coast Union High School hosted a challenging course that included lots of bike handling challenges, power accelerations on sports fields, and quick transitions between dirt, cement, and grass.  The race venue had a chill vibe with good views of 80% of the racing area from the start finish.  Aaron Linn, who had a very talented racing career in the US before leaving for Europe, now owns a restaurant in Cambria.  Linns restaurant provided a wide variety of delicious breakfast and lunch treats throughout the day, all for a free love offering.  The music was chill, the sun was warm, and the kids race was the most fun as a small horde of riders (or horde of small riders) overtook the Tall Bike Posse leader early and busted out some fast times.  Everyone who attended this inaugural race said they hope we make a weekend of it next year, with both Saturday and Sunday events.  Cambria is such a great place for the family, who can argue with that logic?

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