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SLO Cross #2 - Cambria... sunshine and good times!
The SLO-Nexus cycling club hosted the final race in the northern region of the Southern California PRESTIGE SERIES of Cyclocross presented by Spy Optic  The day was superb with cool crisp yet sunny conditions. The race in Cambria was also known as SLO Cross #2. Race #1 was held at El Chorro Regional Park in SLO. It also hosted a West Coast Collegiate CX race not seen since Irvine a few years ago. Hope to see more WCCC CX races in the future!
Also regarded as the Central Coast region, San Luis Obispo grew into the Prestige Series as USA Cycling’s local Association (SCNCA) region covers San Diego to San Luis Obispo to Nevada. Next Sunday’s Prestige Series race in Glendale will also be the SCNCA District CX Championships hosted by PAA Pasadena Athletic Association, Montrose Bike Shop and The TEAM SoCalCross. A great opportunity to get all in the region together for bragging rights to wear the Bear!
This weekend was supposed to be another double header but with the loss of Convert Cross this weekend it became for many a choice between racing, relaxing, heading up to SFO for Single Speed Worlds and.or all of the above for some. Coast Union High School in Cambria made for a good choice for a cross race with large baseball fields allowing for tricky turns and power grass straights then the route took riders off the field for dirt track that tested riders skills bunny hops, steep climbs, tight turns and a steep run up back to the grass meandering riders back to the start for another loop. The baseball diamond making racers and spectators ‘cross-eyed’ as it looked like racers were literally riding in circles.  Good times and great vibes from the morning until sunset including a catered BBQ lunch. All were treated to a great day of racing in Cambria!
The highlights of the day was certainly the Men’s B race with young Junior, Sean McElroy (Team Block) breaking up the men’s field on the first lap and never looking back for a solid win and his second race of the day in which he won the Junior race commandingly.
The elite Women’s race was led out by Trina Baumsteiger (Rambuski Law) setting the pace and stringing out the field from the start. Coming back from a gnarly crash the weekend before – powerful rider Ellen Sherrill (Bike Aptos) took a spill at the barriers allowing for riders to get past. Dot Wong (The TEAM SoCalCross) and Mary Ellen Ash (Bike 101 HRS Rock Lobster) stayed together for the entire race with Wong powering away on the last lap to take 2nd and Ash 3rd.
In the elite Men’s race, the group strung out but a solid front group of 6 stayed together for most of the race. The short course kept the top elite men out there for 12 laps=12xover the barriers, 12xup the run up and a great opportunity to practice CX skills. Finally the race broke apart with Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific-Focus), Jason Siegle (SDG/Felt p.b. iRT Wheels), John Behrens and John Bailey (Bailey Bikes) staying together. On the last lap Brent put his power down and drove ahead to gap Siegle and Behrens who finished 2nd and 3rd on the day. John Bailey held on for 4th and it was an exciting sprint finish for the last podium spot between Chris Jackson (Rambuski Law) and Gary Douville (SDG/Felt p.b. iRT Wheels) with Chris Jackson taking the photo finish sprint.