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Storm the Beach (SCPS #3)- NE
Oceanside, California, October 19, 2008
Prenzlow plows through sand and surf
By David Sheek and Dot Wong
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The 2008-09 SoCalCross Prestige Series rolled on and so did the surf on the shorelines of Camp Pendleton Marine Base in Oceanside, CA, home to Storm the Beach hosted by Celo Pacific cycling club of San Diego. While the weather was perfect, the high tide conditions and sandy course felt more like a 3k run than a cyclo-cross race. The early morning racers were definitely dealt a better hand as the low tide left plenty of room for riding on the hard packed shoreline sand, but as the day rolled on riders were running out of real estate and delving deeper into the surf.
Master's Women's Series Leader and winner on the day Robin MacDonald-Foley (Trek) had these comments about her race, "Wow, that was a kick a-- race! Carol and I were duking it out the entire time, but I finally did a last lap surge to take her on the beach front half way toward the first run-up. Dino has been great and I am happy to see her make podium. I have been giving her advice, and of course her husband Dave is great support. She thinks 40 is too old to start but look at the ages out there...we never retire... .can't! She has made huge progress. Also, the 3rd place 3/4 woman finisher came up to me after the race and said she is going to try and stay on our wheels off the start and learn as much as she can. It is wonderful to help mentor the up and comers."
In the second "wave" of racing, the elite women took to the course with the tide still holding back, though not without an occasional swell bringing up the foamy surf to take the ladies off course. The field kept it close through most of the first lap until Redline Bicycles' Coryn Rivera launched the first attack with Carolyn Popovic of Team CICLE the only one able to follow the sprightly Rivera.
The two held the race close in the end, but it was Rivera taking her second straight win of the Prestige Series as she chases down the Voler Points Leaders Jersey currently held by Dot Wong (CICLE) who finished 3rd on the day. MTB Expert champion Lisa Crow battled it out with her CICLE team mate and Junior. National Criterium Champion Kendall Ryan on the final uphill sprint to the line with Lisa surging past Kendall, rounding out the women's podium.
The elite men's race hit the course luckily about the same time as high tide was subsiding allowing most riders the ability to pedal through the long 200-yard Fluid shoreline. The start was fast. Spectators sat on the bluffs above the Clif Bar hill climb waiting to see who was going to be leading the field. It turned out to be SoCalCross Prestige Series leader Brent Prenzlow of Celo Pacific/Alan Bikes leading the pack on the first lap.
When the riders reached the top of the climb, Prenzlow opened up a small gap with the chase being led by Jason Lowetz of Team Bearclaw. The racers dove full speed down into the Kool N' Fit sand pit (basically the beach sand below) and Prenzlow was able to make the biggest difference in his racing on the day pedaling through most of the deep sand each lap. From here Prenzlow did not let up as he pounded out each lap opening up his gap on the competition.
In second it was Lowetz who formed his gap from the chasers during the grueling race. A close race formed with Fritz Bottger (PAA/Vitamix/Sixtufit) and Michael Easter (Action Sports) battling it out for the next two spots. Bottger seemed to strategically plan a last attack on the Clif Bar hillclimb on the final lap to gap himself from the powerful Easter. Easter did not let up as he put in a full sprint through the last stretch of deep sand, but it was too late as Bottger had enough of a gap to take third with Easter fourth on the day.
The highlight of the day was the Bikini and Board shorts fun race! Men and women of 'cross took to the line in their brief outfits. As they rode to the finish in a four person sprint Bobby Langin Jr and Heidi Kanayan surged ahead at the line. Victory went to Mr. Langin also for the wackiest beach attire! Clif Bar awarded t-shirts and hats and clothed the victors on the podium. Dot shared her winning Stone Brewing 22oz beverage from Adams Avenue CX race the day before in a final toast to a fine weekend of 'cross racing!
It was another great day for the Prestige Series, epic conditions making it memorable for all. Thank you to Celo Pacific for the great race and venue, the spectators, riders, sponsors, and all others who volunteered to make this event a success.
For more info on the Southern California Prestige Series go to www.SoCalCross.org
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by SCPS
- Sand, surf and sunshine face competitors at Storm the Beach
Results
Elite Men 1/2/3 1 Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/ALAN) 2 Frederick Bottger (PAA/Vitamix/Sixtufit.com) 3 Michael Easter (Action Sports) 4 Michael Lee (Trek/VW) 5 Jason Lowetz (Team Bearclaw) 6 Gary Douville (Team Platinum Performance) 7 Anton Petrov (Team Prolong) 8 Ted Willard (Bike Religion) 9 Donny Carroll (DeWalt Racing) 10 John Bailey (Bailey Bikes) 11 Bobby Langin Jr (Platinum Performance Cycling Team) 12 Greg Bourque (Rock N Road) 13 Scott Hammack (Acqua al 2/SDBC) 14 Mike Tettleton (Team Bearclaw) 15 Kevin Ryan (Acme Racing) 16 Damon Roberson (Unattached) 17 Griffith Vertican (Celo Pacific) 18 Derek Hermon (Team CICLE/Bear Valley Bikes) 19 Matt Freeman (Team Redlands) 20 Everett Hauser (G S Adams Avenue Bicycles) Masters Men 35+ 1/2/3 1 Mike McMahon (Team Velocity) 2 John Bailey (Bailey Bikes) 3 Ben Jones (Celo Pacific) 4 Jeff Prinz (Bike Religion) 5 Garnet Vertican (ODI) 6 Alex Ter-Vrugt (Celo Pacific) 7 Phillip Gray (Celo Pacific) 8 Matt Brayer (Team Possabilities) 9 Jeff Herring (Team C.I.C.L.E. Presented by Voler) Elite Women 1/2/3 1 Coryn Rivera (Team Redline) 2 Carolyn Popovic (Team CICLE Presented by Voler) 3 Dorothy WONG (Team CICLE Presented by Voler) 4 Kendall Ryan (Team CICLE Presented by Voler) 5 Lisa Crowe (Team CICLE Presented by Voler) 6 Sarah Kaufmann (Roaring Mouse Cycles) 7 Vanessa Humic (Backbone) 8 Alexis Ryan (Team CICLE Presented by Voler) 9 Heidi Kanayan (Team CICLE Presented by Voler) 10 Marian Hunting (Velo Bella-Kona) Women 3/4 1 Susan Thompson (Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)) 2 Genna McMahon (Team Velocity) 3 Hanh Nguyen (Banning's Bikes) 4 Rebecca Siegel (Team CICLE) 5 Kelley Brunson (Bear Valley Bikes) Masters Women 35+ 1 Robin MacDonald (Judgement Velo/Trek Bikes of Ventura) 2 Carol Ruckle (Team Possabilities) 3 Dinorah Lawson (Celo Pacific) 4 Maria Fahie (Switchback) 5 Annette Padilla (Celo Pacific) Junior Boys 10-14 1 Zane Torre (Sho-air/Sonance) 2 Jordan Herschman (Sho-air/Sonance) 3 Duncan Reid (Backontrack) 4 Joshua Said (Velo Allegro) 5 Nathan Rico (Sho-air/Sonance) 6 Mathew Weir (Celo Pacific) 7 Drew Campaigne (Celo Pacific) Junior Girls 10-14 1 Hannah Eckvahl (Velo Bella) 2 Emelia Tanner (Sho-air/Sonance) Junior Girls 15-18 1 April Lembi (Team CICLE) Men 3/4 1 Scott Hammack (SDBC) 2 Geoff McFetridge (Mudfoot) 3 Roger Wotton (Cynergy Cycles Race Team) 4 Eric Christensen (OutsideAll Day.com) 5 David Sheek (Rock N Road/OutsideAllDay) 6 Seth Bradley (Unattached) 7 Alex Hall (South Bay Wheelmen) 8 Erik Turner (Bike Religion) 9 Eric Colton (Team CICLE) 10 Erik DeKold (FToP) 11 Brant Hatton (Kenda/Backbone) 12 Andrea Martinelli (Bike Religion) 13 Max Foorman (Liquid Fitness So Cal 4/5 Team) 14 Kerry Need (Bike Religion) 15 Dan Nielsen (Team CICLE/Bear Valley Bikes) 16 Troy Perkins (Bike Religion) 17 Paul Springer (Acqua al2/SDBC) 18 Jesus Ortega (Celo Pacific) 19 Tomas Petricko (Mafia Racing/PBR) Masters Men 35+ 3/4 1 Timothy Sparks (Sho-air/Sonance) 2 Robert KMETZ (Rock N Road) 3 Theodore POSCH JR (Team Velocity) 4 Jamie Stathas (Team MBS) 5 Newman Bellis (Coates/Freedom 2 Doit/Felt) 6 Daniel Fahie (Switchback Cyclery) 7 David Lawson (Celo Pacific) 8 Aaron Jones (Unattached) 9 Tom McDonald (Unattached) 10 Tak Tsubota (Team CICLE) Masters Men 45+ 1 Charles Morris (Bike Religion) 2 Joe Gallal (Team Velocity) 3 Alan Braff (Nonstop Ciclismo) 4 Larry Price (Ladera Cyclery) 5 Vernon Smith (Palos Verdes Groupo Ciclismo) 6 Gregory Page (Lightning Velo) 7 Wes Barton (NOW-MS Society) 8 Robert deFerrante (Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)) 9 Michael Marckx (Palos Verdes Groupo Ciclismo) 10 John Lembi (TBL) 11 David Lawrence (Team Shimano) 12 John Langton (Las Vegas Velo) 13 Keith Greene 14 Charlie Stone (Southern California Velo) 15 Roberto Jourdain (Black Mountain Bikes/Celo Pacific) 16 Frank Said (Velo Allegro) 17 Brad House (PenCC/BackonTrack) 18 Steve Bertrand (Platinum Performance) 19 Grant Chu (Celo Pacific) 20 Chris Hipwell (Cynergy Cycles Race Team) 21 Jay Cormier (Unattached) 22 Bryan Butler (Friends) 23 Rich Fersch (Race Haus) Masters Men 55+ 1 Jon Miller (Rock N Road) 2 John Rubcic (UC Cyclery/JW Flooring) 3 Jonathan Livesay (Team MBS) 4 Stan Appel (Fog Racing) 5 Howard Miller (Paramount Racing) 6 R. Willmore (Celo Pacific) 7 John Donaldson (Unattached) Singlespeed 1/2/3 1 Noah Holcomb (Cannondale Factory Team) 2 Geoff Albert (HUP United) 3 Chuck Morris (Bike Religion) 4 Tom McDonald (Unattached) 5 Miguel Sutter (Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)) 6 Mark Hoover (Celo Pacific) 7 David Sheek (Rock N Road/OutsideAllDay) 8 R. Willmore (Celo Pacific) Singlespeed 4 1 Andrew Anderson (Bike Religion) 2 Barry Walshe (The Path) 3 David Lawson (Celo Pacific) 4 Frank Sison (Sho-air/Sonance) 5 Rudy Melendez (Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)) 6 Steve Berg (Team Redlands) Men 4 1 Fritz White (Two Wheels One Planet) 2 Wendel Woodford (Unattached) 3 Jon Mason (Team CICLE) 4 Jerry Sanders (Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)) 5 David Turner (Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)) 6 Robert Shaw (Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)) 7 John Lembi (TBL) 8 Allen Lin (Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)) 9 Chris Baldewin (Team Velocity) 10 Sean Fenner (Team Velocity) 11 Colby Weber (Metal Mtn) 12 Paul Ruggiero (Triathletix) 13 Matthew Speer (VCRC Factory Racing) 14 Matthew Panzarella (ScottGrimshaw.net/Maxpowercycling.com) 15 Joseph Hernandez (Backbone/Kenda) 16 Franklin Johnson 17 Chris Blanton (Sho-air/Sonance) 18 Goro Kataoka 19 Tim Lewis (Velo Allegro) 20 Steve Marshall (Team CICLE/Bear Valley Bikes) 21 Mike Dalbratt (DeWalt)
