Race Report(s) - CCCX Fall DH #4 by Rafael Ruis

Toro Park - My second (and third) downhill race. Based on the course from the previous race (primarily the DH portion of the XC course at Toro), I decided to enter the single speed category in addition to the regular race. I finished 2nd in my first DH race a month earlier, and was considering moving up to sport for this one, but was convinced at check in to stay in beginners for the rest of the series (this and one more race). After all its just a time trial, and not any different between cats.

First practice run was on the SS, and first impression was "whoa, this is a bit
different than the previous course". Several steep drop-ins and small kickers, a table top, and a good size gap jump/step up at the bottom of the course. Not exactly the course for my xc/weight weenie SS. Seemed like I was on the brakes the whole run down, and only hit the little jumps and very slowly rode all the drop ins. Oh well, I already registered for the SS. Next was the practice run on the Reign. I took most of the turns and drop-ins a bit faster, but still a bit slow. In hindsight, I should have been using this run to test my limits a bit more. I guess I'm learning how this DH thing works.

For the race run, I went a bit faster, but scrubbed way too much speed in about 3 or 4 corners that kinda bothered me. Hit all the jumps except for the gap/step up at the end (there were about 50 spectators that I didn't feel like hearing a bunch of oooohs from). Finished the run at 3:46, feeling like I could have easily done at least 5-10 seconds faster. After all the others in my category finished, I was still in first! Sweet, first win of the year! (1st / )

For the SS category, there was only one other competitor. He did his SS run first, and we were chatting before our second runs. He crashed, and finished at 4:10. So with this, I knew all I needed was a clean run. Well off I went, and I was feeling good. Surprisingly, I wasn't scrubbing as much speed in the upper switchbacks, and felt like I was moving at a similar pace to my regular run. Then I got to the tight, steep left handed turn/drop in. My front wheel got stuck in a rut that had gotten bigger since the first run, and I did a 3/4 endo. The bike bounced off the trail and I had to scramble a bit to retrieve it. Eventually got back on the bike, and took the rest of the run easy as I was a bit shaken up. Oh well, got a second place DFL (2nd / 2).

After the final and series results were posted, I found I am in third place for the overall category (despite only doing 2 of the 4 races), and in 4th for the SS category. So, hopefully I can make some moves up in the overalls on January 31st.

Also, congrats to Jeff Hecox for a podium in his first ever DH race also!

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Surf City CX #5 (Finals) report by Scott Schlachter

The last Surf City CX race was yesterday at Aptos High. They ran a version of what I think the typical course is "in reverse", which was kinda fun. Weather: perfect. Crowd: big. Times: good. Kids race: always a hoot. Coffee from the coffee stand, and burritos and tamales from the mexican food stand: AWESOME...

My race: I was in 4th place for the points series, and this got me into the
call-ups, which was cool. Keirin (in 3rd place) and I both sprint horribly
though, and I'd guess 3/4 of the field blew by us in the first hill. As typical
for me, I have a slow/painful first lap, do great in the middle laps, and
struggle in the last couple. I had a pretty non-eventful race, which was good,
and ended up in 10th. I think the long-@ss ride we did after the Hub meeting
only hurt me a little in the long-run - but I don't think it would have made any
difference for my placing. Keirin, the guy who was in 3rd in the points had a
good enough lead on me that I don't think I had much of a shot at all to beat
him in the final race, and I think a similar situation was between me and the
guys behind me. For the race, as typical, they only had podiums for 1st-3rd,
but for the larger classes for the series, they extended podiums and prizes down
to 5th. This boded well for me, as I got a few nice nick-nacks and a picture of
me on the podium in my TWW T-shirt (I had left my jersey back in the van, which
was too far away by the time I thought about it).

When the first posted the prelim results, they had missed me and the 9th place
guy in the 4th lap, so they had us down by a lap. So we were place wrong - but
they were quick to fix it and re-post the results which was very cool. Overall
these guys run a very organized race, very smooth with registration and results,
great coffee and food boothes, very cool free kids race, great music (there was
a DJ at this one). It was organized with a combo of the Vela Bellas and the
SCCC, who run the "Peak Season CX Races". Those races are still coming up, and
I plan to attend - highly recommended... First one is Jan 24 in Watsonville.
-Scott

Surf City series (photos, results, etc): http://www.cyclo-x.com/
Peak Season series: http://www.cyclocross.cx/

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