USA Collegiate MTB National Championships - NE

Angel Fire, New Mexico, October 20-22, 2006

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Race 1 - Oct 20: Short track

Fort Lewis College takes command at Collegiate MTB National Championships

Backed by a sweep of the top-three spots in the men's short track cross country race and the top-two spots in the men's 4-cross competition, Fort Lewis College dominated the Division I ranks as the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships opened Friday.

Alex Hagman, Eric Ransom and Noah Singer claimed first, second and third place respectively in the morning's short track race to put the Durango, Colo.-based institution on pace to win the overall Division I championship it last captured in 2004. In the afternoon, Thomas Tokarczyk and Chris Heath rode to first and second place in the 4-cross event to further demonstrate Fort Lewis College's reputation as one of the top cycling schools in the nation.

Although the first edition of the overall standings won't be tallied until Saturday, Fort Lewis College is assured the top spot in the Division I ranks after the men's squad looked untouchable. And since collegiate cycling factors both men's and women's points into the overall rankings to determine a champion, Sabrina Kraushaar's third-place effort in the women's 4-cross race gave Fort Lewis College another spark with its sixth top-three finish of the day.

Kicking off with Division I short track

Hosted by Angel Fire Resort in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Northern New Mexico, the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships welcomed 290 athletes from 71 schools. In the day's opening event, the Division I men's short track cross country race, the selective course at 8,600 feet was enough to pare the 77-rider field down to a select group of contenders after just a few laps. Midway through the race, Hagman had clearly identified himself as the strongest rider in the race as Ransom and Singer followed for Fort Lewis ahead of fourth-place finisher Andy Schultz (Montana State University) and fifth-place rider Peter Stetina (Colorado State University).

The Division I women's short track cross country race saw the University of Arizona place two riders in the top three as Chloe Forsman captured the win and teammate Melanie Meyers placed third from the 44-rider field. Heather Holmes (University of Utah) was second while Kathleen Webber (Texas A&M University) and Maureen Kunz (UC-Berkeley) rounded out the podium in fourth and fifth respectively.

Division II action

With three-time defending champion Lees-McRae College racing in the Division I ranks for the first time, the Division II competition was wide open as Western State College and the University of Montana each claimed five podium spots in the day's four events. The Colorado School of Mines put four riders on the podium and Warren Wilson College stayed within striking distance with three.

Western State College's Garrett Brady won the men's short track. Brady put nearly a minute into second-place finisher Braden Kappius (Colorado School of Mines) to take the win as Douglas Shryock (University of Montana) rode to a third-place finish. Patrick Hurley (Warren Wilson College) placed fourth and Phil Grove (University of Montana) placed fifth.

In the Division II women's short track race, Amanda McKay made Union College's only podium finish of the day a significant one with a victory over Kylie Krauss (Warren Wilson College). Amy Drumm (University of Colorado HSC), Kate Chapman (Western State College), and Heidi Caskill (University of Montana) completed the podium.

The 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships continue Saturday with the cross country event. Riders will ascend to over 10,000 feet as they gain 1,400 feet of elevation per nine-mile lap. Two laps are on the schedule for all categories for an 18-mile race.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Tim Hall/www.NashvilleCyclist.com

A Michigan Rider
Riding under the chairlifts
UC Boulder rider crosses the line.
Rider crosses the line.
Two riders sprint for the finish
A Western Washington University rider crosses first.
A Cal State rider
The grinding hill after the start/finish line.
Rider 117
Rider 88
A narrow section of the short track
Lees-McRae rider attacking their first Division I event.
A Harvard rider
Peter Fairbanks of Cumberland University enjoying the sunrise.
Shawn Mullican of Cumberland University mean mugging the start line.
Division II men riders at the start line.
Patrick Hurley of Warren Wilson on his way to 4th place.
Peter Fairbanks of Cumberland chased by David Bishop of Sewanee.
Sprint from the corner
Whitney Stanbrough of Cumberland taking in as much thin air as possible.
The gravel in the last turn sent many sliding out.
Neck and neck
Evan Hyde of Vanderbilt motors through for 7th in Division II men.
David Bishop of Sewanee moving up in the field.
Riders do not wait long past the finish line to bend over their machines!
Contemplative Lees-McRae rider preparing for the Division I women race.
Division I Women start line waiting for the gun
Division I Women start and excitement at the front.
Arizona leading on lap one and looking back for chasers.
A&M Aggie on the heels of Arizona.
A rider accelerates after the corner.

Results

Division I
 
Men 
 
1 Alex Hagman (Fort Lewis College)                       140 pts
2 Eric Ransom (Fort Lewis College)                       130
3 Noah Singer (Fort Lewis College)                       122
4 Andy Schultz (Montana State University)                114
5 Peter Stetina (Colorado State University)              108
6 Collin Becker (CU Cycling)                             102
7 Brent Bookwalter (Lees-McRae College)                   98
8 Bryan Alders (CU Cycling)                               94
9 Scott Stewart (Lees-McRae College)                      90
10 Scot Ferguson (University of Nevada-Reno)              86
11 Brad Cole (Colorado State University)                  82
12 Steve Ladd (Colorado State University)                 78
13 Tim Allen (Northern Arizona University)                74
14 Logan Wetzel (Western Washington University)           70
15 Mcconnell Franklin (Middlebury College)                67
16 Zach Kimsey (UC-Davis)                                 64
17 Danny Marquardt (Lees-McRae College)                   61
18 Kevin Rice (Northern Arizona University)               58
19 Michael Raney (Northern Arizona University)            55
20 Chad Wells (Fort Lewis College)                        52
21 Cody Deane (University of Nevada-Reno)                 49
22 Scott Allen (Northern Arizona University)              46
23 Christopher Parrish (Western Washington University)    44
24 Ben Moore (University of Wisconsin-Madison)            42
25 Blake Harlan (CU Cycling)                              40
26 Alex Kopko (University of Utah)                        38
27 Braden Bingham (CU Cycling)                            36
28 Isaiah Smith (Mesa State)                              34
29 Alex Weissman (UC-Berkeley)                            32
30 Greg Gibson (LIndsey Wilson College)                   30
31 Yuki Saito (Metro State Cycling)                       28
32 Andrew Wiedrich (West Virginia University)             26
33 Geffrey Moy (West Virginia University)                 24
34 Jared Barrilleaux (Cal Poly Wheelman)                  22
35 John Stevens (Lindsey Wilson College)                  20
36 German Bermudez (Lindsey Wilson College)               18
37 Andrew Inglis (Boston University)                      16
38 Chris Stuart (Mesa State)                              14
39 Ben Richardson (Lindsey Wilson College)                12
40 Alex Duggan (University of Massachusetts-Amherst)      11
41 Nick Truitt (Colorado State University)                10
42 Chris Farmer (University of Vermont)                    9
43 Mark Smelser (Kansas State University)                  8
44 Christopher Ziegler (University of Vermont)             7

Women

1 Chloe Forsman (University of Arizona)                   140 pts
2 Heather Holmes (University of Utah)                     130
3 Melanie Meyers (University of Arizona)                  122
4 Kathleen Weber (Texas A&M University)                   114
5 Maureen Kunz (UC-Berkeley)                              108
6 Caitlyn Tuel (CU Cycling)                               102
7 Jamie Dinkins (University of Tennessee)                  98
8 Caroline Jarolimek (CU Cycling)                          94
9 Naticia Slusher (Mesa State)                             90
10 Danae York (CU Cycling)                                 86
11 Sabina Kraushaar (Fort Lewis College)                   82
12 Erin Disterheft (Western Michigan University)           78
13 Teal Stetson-Lee (Fort Lewis College)                   74
14 Catherine Elliot (Colorado State University)            70
15 Kristina Henne (Lees-McRae College)                     67
16 Clara Beard (Lees-McRae College)                        64
17 Stephanie Swan (Fort Lewis College)                     61
18 Ally Stacher (Lees-McRae College)                       58
19 Onawa Pelham (Fort Lewis College)                       55
20 Sarah Levy (CU Cycling)                                 52
21 Caitlin Trahan (North Carolina State University)        49
22 Jamie Olson (Colorado State University)                 46
23 Erin Gibson (Lindsey Wilson College)                    44
24 Rider Mystery (Unknown College)                         42
25 Monique Hein (Lees-McRae College)                       40
26 Brenda Moczygemba (University of Texas-Austin)          38
27 Brianna Hand (UC-Berkeley)                              36
28 Kartina Burleigh (Northern Arizona University)          34
29 Amanda Seigle (UC-Davis)                                32
30 Samantha Hadley (Lindsey Wilson College)                30
31 Kristina Vandyke (Mesa State)                           28
32 Sara Powell (University of Vermont)                     26
33 Carol Boland (Cal Poly Wheelman)                        24
34 Julia Manley (Colorado State University)                22
35 Netana Hotimsky (Mesa State)                            20
36 Christina Moon (Mesa State)                             18
37 Carina Uraiqat (UC-Davis)                               16
38 Jean Schneider (Lindsey Wilson College)                 14
39 Virginia Solomon (University of Southern California)    12
40 Kelsey Bremer (Northern Arizona University)             11
41 Caitlin Ryan (Northern Arizona University)              10
42 Ashley Harkness (Lindsey Wilson College)                 9
43 Krystan Umstattd (Northern Arizona University)           8
44 Amanda Grant (Colorado State University)                 7                  
 
Division II
 
Men  

1 Garrett Brady (Western State College)             140 pts
2 Braden Kappius (Colorado School of Mines)         130
3 Douglas Shryock (University of Montana)           122
4 Patrick Hurley (Warren Wilson College)            114
5 Phil Grove (University of Montana)                108
6 Taylor Shelden (University of Denver)             102
7 Evan Hyde (Vanderbilt University)                  98
8 Matthew Jones (New Mexico State University)        94
9 Matt Googe (Baylor University)                     90
10 Logan Garey (Western State College)               86
11 Ryan Labar (Michigan Tech)                        82
12 David Bishop (Sewanee Cycling)                    78
13 Toby Meierbachtol (University of Montana)         74
14 Justin Koppa (New Mexico State University)        70
15 Richard Visinski (Pueblo Community College)       67
16 Dan Hock (Saint Michaels College)                 64
17 Jonathan Turner (Union College)                   61
18 Peter Fairbanks (Cumberland University)           58
19 Wil Macdonald (Michigan Tech)                     55
20 Brian Vaughan (Johnson State College)             52
21 Sean Noonan (Carleton College)                    49
22 Shawn Mullican (Cumberland University)            46
23 Justin Becker (Union College)                     44
24 Chad Murray (US Air Force Academy)                42
25 Karl Smith (Colorado School of Mines)             40
26 Adam Allen (Stephen F Austin State University)    38
27 Michael Campbell (US Military Academy)            36
28 Benjamin West (Warren Wilson College)             34
29 Garrett Martin (Western State College)            32
30 Christoph Hurley (Colorado School of Mines)       30
31 Shaun Radley (University of Montana)              28
32 Scott Romero (New Mexico State University)        26
33 Brandon Turman (Colorado School of Mines)         24
34 Justin Varaljay (Western State College)           22
35 Adam Carr (Johnson State College)                 20
36 Mark Fraser (US Air Force Academy)                18
37 Steven Pingree (US Military Academy)              16
38 Whitney Stanbrough (Cumberland University)        14
39 Ryan Sickles (Union College)                      12
40 William Bevans (Cumberland University)            11
41 Samuel Clary (Warren Wilson College)              10
42 Zac Moore (Union College)                          9
43 Ian Smith-Overman (Warren Wilson College)          8
44 Christopher Teifke (Vermont Law School)            7

Women

1 Amanda Mckay (Union College)                         140 pts
2 Kylie Krauss (Warren Wilson College)                 130
3 Amy Drumm (University of Colorado HSC)               122
4 Kate Chapman (Western State College)                 114
5 Heidi Caskill (University of Montana)                108
6 Melissa Marts (Colorado School Of Mines)             102
7 Amy Scherm (Western State College)                    98
8 Nylene Wicks (University of Montana)                  94
9 Christina Buerkle (Union College)                     90
10 Kate Scheider (Williams College)                     86
11 Candace Sanders (East Tennessee State University)    82
12 Camille Prevost (Warren Wilson College)              78
13 Margaret Denison (Warren Wilson College)             74
14 Hanna Waldman (Warren Wilson College)                70
15 Lisa Spreitzer (Michigan Tech)                       67
16 Heidi Rentz (University of Montana)                  64
17 Sandra Kern (Sewanee Cycling)                        61
18 Angie Kettinger (Western State College)              58
19 Natasha Cowie (Sewanee Cycling)                      55
20 Amy Russell (Union College)                          52
21 Karen Caldwell (Union College)                       49