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SoCal Cross Series #4
Celo Pacific CX - Vista, CA, October 16, 2005
So Cal Cross Series brings in some new faces!
By Dorothy Wong
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The SoCal 'Cross Series charged on full steam ahead Sunday with its fourth week of record-breaking attendance and brought with it some new faces. The growing cross fever in So Cal sparked the interest of UCI elite Team Sea Silver rider, Adam Livingston, and newly crowned national Marathon mountain bike champion, Monique Sawicki (Team Mata).
Under cloudy skies the Celo Pacific CX racing began on the super fast championship course, with the Masters 40+ race won by Celo Pacific's own, Charles Morris. And with his fourth straight win, Jonathan Livesay of PAA/Merrill Lynch - also the course designer for next week's Verdugo CX race - continued to destroy the 50+ field.
Finishing up the first wave of racing were the Juniors. In the Junior women's under 18 event, National MTB champ Brittney VanVleet (KHS/Swamis) powered her way down the long straightaways to take the win, while Didier Jourdain (Karl Strauss/SDBC) on his brand new Redline Conquest, took the victory in the Junior under 18 men's race.
Minutes before the next wave of racing began, the rain blew in, but in So Cal, it meant dampening the sandy course for the 30+ Men, won this time by Mike McMahon of Team Velocity. Next up was the largest B Men's field of the series-to-date and was won by up and coming crosser, Jason Perkins of Encore Cycling, taking the log garden section with ease.
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Completing the wave was the A Women's field which drew the interest of National MTB Marathon Champion, Monique Sawicki of Team Mata. Monique and defending SoCalCross champ, Dorothy Wong (Kelly Bike Co.) duked it out, with Wong winning the battle of the barriers, and Sawicki using her mountain bike skills twisted through the off-cambre tree section to upset Wong, taking the victory in the end.
The finale of the day was the A Men's event which has grown over the past two years into a highly competitive field. Adam Livingston of UCI team Sea Silver paid a visit in his first cross race. Amgen's elite squad, led by 40+ National champ Mark Noble (Amgen) and Celo Pacific's elite team, in full force and led by cross icon Brent Prenzlow, quickly turned the field of 24 into a break of seven riders. As the 2.2 mile course played out, the group was whittled down to three, with Prenzlow, Noble and Noble's son, Chance becoming the top three for the day, with Mark taking the victory in the last 300 metres of the course.
Series Sponsor, Kelly Bike Company hosted Bike Demo Day. Showing off new for 05' their new and greatly improved Knobby X. Keeping the basic overall geometry and virtual sizing, Kelly went back to the original straight or "euro" chain stay design, a semi-compact cut and an 1 1/8" head tube. Knobby on! SoCalCross also welcomes Control Tech to our series sponsors!
The SoCalCross Series continues next weekend with race #5: Verdugo CX in Glendale . A favorite of the 2004 season, this classic course twists its way around a tree filled park setting. And sure to spice things up this year are two special categories, a free Kids race and also a Public Safety category.
Check out: www.socalcyclocross.org for all the details.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mitch Clinton/www.clintonphoto.com
- Chris Gallup (Celo Pacific).
- Jonathan Livesay (PAA/Merrill Lynch) takes a deep breath at the top of a short drop.
- Race winner Monique Sawicki (Team Mata) clears the Cliff Bar obstacle.
- Dorothy Wong (Kelly Bike Company) drives on as the rain starts to fall.
- Mandy Eakins (Velosport) appears to be happy to see the rain.
- Chris Gallup (Celo Pacific) clears the Cliff Bar obstacle in the rain.
- Brittney VanVleet (KHS/Swamis) is very relieved to see the finish line.
- Monique Sawicki (Team Mata) crosses the line to finish the woman's A race.
- Gary Hanson (Amgen) powers through the woods.
- Mark Noble (Amgen) prepares for a drop.
- The big 3 of the day (front to back) Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific), Mark Noble (Amgen) and Mark's son, Chance Noble (Amgen).
Results
Men A 1 Mark Noble (Amgen) 2 Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific) 3 Chance Noble (Amgen) 4 Leonardo Sandoval (Bicycle John's) 5 John Behrens (Celo Pacific) Women A 1 Monique Sawicki (Team Mata) 2 Dorothy Wong (Kelly Bike Company) 3 Carolyn Popovic 4 Mandy Eakins (Velosport) 5 Brittney VanVleet (KHS/Swamis)
