Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross, presented by Spy Optic
SCPS 17: Santa Cross Weekend

Photos: Kenneth Hill

Griffith Park hosted the 2-day cross-centric-bicycle festival the Southern California Prestige Series, (SCPS) called Santa Cross. With many years of Santa Cross events nothing came close to this two-day weekend of fantastic racing, advocacy, family (pets included), fun, and friends.

The course was a challenging bringing the longest climb the series has ever seen. It was a one-minute plus pulse pounding grind from the road of the start finish to the top of the park where racers made a long sweeping left back down through the winding grass/dirt sections of the park. And, along this path racers twisted back up punchy climbs that included multiple small six-inch barriers, risky twisting woodchip sections, and the man made Spy Optic, SPY Pit.

Day 1, Saturday, brought early morning rains but it dried out for some perfect cross racing. The grass seemed to have some slick sections that challenged riders but the Hero Dirt was so gripping riders were carving turns like super bike racers, or maybe that was just the Bostrom brothers. The competitors’ battles were exciting all day but, especially the Fixed Gear Championship of SoCal, with the expected winner tattoo on the line. This was a special race brought by Orange 20 and Team Cadence who came out in force to help set up a fun course full of obstacles.

Fixed Gear Championships:Brian Comer (Acua AL2/SDBC) could have raced the some super master’s event but instead brought out his fixed machine to brave the hilly Griffith Park course, showing the crowds and competitors that we are never too old to have fun. While Comer was off the start first with his senior head start discount, it was Austin Horse (Redbull/Oakley) and Hernan Montenegro (Mash) who crushed the first climb ahead of the field to descend into the park.

There was a lot of fantastic riding going on from all competitors whether they decided to ride with or without brakes and actual cross tires or other forms of fixed specialties. Regardless, the skids on course were enough to make people cheer, along with the spring loaded pedal dismounts.

By the second lap Horse had shown who was going to win as he rode himself away from the competition. In second it was Montenegro who controlled the course without brakes and third was Peter Brandenburg.

Elite Women:Turner, Turner Turner! Christine Probert-Turner (The Team SoCalCross) crushed the race from the start showing her form as she continues to get stronger this season. The chase was the Cynergy Bicycles women Julia LaFranchise and Jenna Jammer Kowalski. The two worked hard and separated themselves with Turner away from the field but by the end of lap two it was obvious Turner was going to ride away with the win.

LaFranchise and Jammer went back and forth but towards the end some mistakes allowed LaFranchise to ride in for 2nd. Jammer was a solid 3rd, with Nicole Brandt (LA Velocity) 4th, and Kate Wilson (Connie Cycling) to grab the final podium spot.

Elite Men:The men shot up the hill with Ted Willard (SGD/Felt p.b. iRT) taking the holeshot and leading into the descent. Three turns in Willard crashed in the slick grass where his teammate Jason Siegle took the lead for the remainder of the descent and into the small barrier section. There Siegle bobbled hopping the barriers and riders instantly shot ahead. Gary Douville SGD/Felt p.b. iRT) and Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/Focus) came around Siegle to take the lead. Douville was quick to snap around the corner and continued the teams control through lap one.

Siegle had to work his way back to the front group with Gareth Feldstein (Ritte Racing) and others in the chase. The pace was hard and riders were falling apart quickly with the crushing climb. On the third lap Douville went down on the slick grass descent and Prenzlow was away solo with a small gap back to the chase. He was ridding strong and the chase was changing riders as they were getting closer to the leader.

Then with three to go Ben Bostrom (Sho-Air) started to close the gap leaving the chase group and continuing to gain on Prenzlow. Douville and teammate Anton Petrov were close to Bostrom and rode themselves away from others, also looking for the leader.

With two laps to go Bostrom was on Prenzlow’s wheel and still riding hard. Douville and Petrov were back about 15 seconds then the leaders attacked the climbs again to open more ground. After the Spy Pit Prenzlow lead into the mulchy woodchip section but then Bostrom came around with his two wheel handling skills sneaking by to lead into the final lap.

The last lap the Prenzlow and Bostrom punished eachother up the climb and through the lap and it was Bostrom who rode to his first win of the season. 3rd was Douville, with Petrov 4th, and the winners brother Eric Bostrom (Sho-Air) who continued to move up in the group all day for 5th.

Day 2, Sunday, brought more overnight showers and then the skies took a break to present nothing but sun. It was another perfectly cool SoCal winter race with more epic course conditions. The fixed gear championships were done which left the team gift relay race, K9 costume extravaganza, along with a lot more fantastic Santa Cross racing, thanks to the help of Universal Cycles.

Elite women:The women flew up the start and were eying each other for position as the previous days top winner was not in the field. And, leading down the descent it was the birthday girl Hannah Rae Finchamp (The Team SoCalCross) with Amanda Schaper (Ritte Racing) and the rest of the chase in tow.

Finchamp looked strong was excited about her lead because the girl was not slowing down. Schaper worked hard but the junior having her sweet sixteen was dancing up the hills away from the women. As Schaper and Nicole Brandt (The Team SoCalCross) could not close the gap Finchamp continued to open they faded back. Then Dorothy Wong (The Team SoCalCross) moved her way up in the group to eventually take control of the chase.

Finchamp in the end rolled in for her best birthday ever and first elite win. Her teammates Wong and Brandt were 2nd and 3rd, with Schaper just behind in 4th. And, 5th it was Mandy Melcher who took the final podium spot.

Elite men:The men finally hit the course for the last race of the weekend. The fresh legs of the Gritter’s brothers Brandon and Kyle (Rock N’ Road) took a commanding lead around the top of the course and into lap one. Quickly, the brothers and Jason Siegle gapped themselves off the chase leading into lap two.

It was John Bailey (Bailey Bikes) and Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/Focus) who controlled the chase. On lap two the brothers lead through the descent and a small mistake by Brandon Gritters allowed Siegle to sneak up to second wheel. Then by the time the riders hit the small barriers Siegle pulled the move used on him the day before and he attacked hopping past Kyle Gritters to take the lead. Coming through the start finish and into the climb of lap three he held a eight-second gap on the brothers.

The whole field was chasing hard and it seemed like a matter of time until things would reform and settle in for different tactics later in the race. However, Siegle was holding his gap and in some sections of the course continuing to gain room. Halfway through it was the same, the brothers charging hard after Siegle and Bailey leading the chase of Prenzlow and now Anton Petrov (SDG/Felt p.b. iRT) as others had faded back from the pace.

With one to go Siegle was still off the front with a gap that was between 15-20 seconds most of the lap as he happily took his second win of the season and an early gift from Santa. 2nd was Brandon Gritters with his work horse Kyle Gritters 3rd. Prenzlow and Petrov eventually came around Bailey to take 4th and 5th and finishing another strong day of racing.

It was a fun weekend for rounds 17 and 18 of the SoCal Prestige Series with lots of action and shenanigans. The series takes a break with the approaching holidays and will resume December 31, New Years Eve for round 19 in Irvine, California.

For more information go to: www.socalcross.org

“Miller TIme and Two Win Tim”

See full reports we sent out here:
www.cxmagazine.com/miller-win-day-1-cxla

www.cyclingdirt.org/article/9371-CXLA-Weekend-Day-One-Miller-Johnson-Take-Ws

Day 2 is going to be wild!

Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross presented by SPY Optic
SCPS #13: Turkey Trot- SCNCA District Championships

All Photos Credit: Kenneth Hill
Glendale, CA- The Southern California Prestige Series presented by Spy Optic held its annual Turkey Trot event. The race brought its usual fantastic course, one that racers’ were claiming as the best this season, and it hosted the Southern California Nevada Cycling Association’ss (SCNCA) District Championships for the second year in a row. This event was also a Shimano Gold Crown event giving ranking points for not only National Championships, but the Nor Cal So Cal Showdown coming to Bakersfield at the end of the CX season January 21-22nd 2012.

The holiday weekend did not make much of difference with attendance as SoCal cross has continued to grow, the championship event brought a record number of cross racers and made for some awesome competition as riders came ready to take home their Voler California bear championship jerseys.

The fantastic Turkey Trot course had its usual mixture of terrain and challenges like the Turkey Tot Sand Trap, and tough power grass straights, and added some fun features like the stair steps of Spy Hill, burmmed mulchy turns that built up as the day went on, and more off camber fun than usual through the twisting forest turns.

The races all day long brought out some of the best racing this season. There were exciting sprint finishes and maximum efforts by many racers, who impressed the crowds, from the juniors to the masters age groups. Some really notable battles were between legends Johnny O’mara (Sho-Air) and two-time National CX Champ, Mark Noble (Metal Mtn) in the 40+ and 45+ events.

Elite Women:Allison Mann (Rock N Road) was looking strong taking the holeshot as Christina Probert-Turner (The TEAM SoCalCross), and U23 Hungarian Nat’l CX Champ, Barbra Benko (Focus-MIG), Junior National CX Champ, Alexis Ryan (The TEAM SoCalCross), and Jenna Jammer Kowalski (Cynergy Cycles) hung on for the first one and one-half laps. Mann attacked, Turner chased and the two broke away from Benko which split the front group.

Benko was chasing hard with others trying to counter her effort but Ryan and Jammer, got to the backside of the course on the mulchy right hand u-turn, Jammer went straight into the inside post, hooked the tape and it slang her across the course. Jammer unwound her bars, hopped on, and then dropped a chain. The mishaps left her in the dust as the riders rode away. Then Jammer’s teammate Julia LaFranchise came through and passed, as she flailed to get back on her bike but looking to move up to Lafranchise so the two could work together.

Amanda Schaper (Ritte Racing) was riding up through the group and chased Jammer around for the next half lap and eventually made her move passing over the barriers ahead of Jammer. Schaper continued to ride hard and started to battle back and forth with LaFranchise for a couple laps. The battle came to the last lap when LaFranchise got a gap to take 5th. Ryan stayed strong holding her spot to finish 4th and Benko was 3rd. Alexis Ryan took the U23 district title as a licensed SCNCA rider. The front-runners stayed the same with Turner finishing 2nd and Mann taking her second district championship title in a row.

Elite Men:It was a tactical race from the start. Defending champion Brian Lopes (Oakley/Ibis) took the hole shot followed by Brandon Gritters (Rock N’ Road) and Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/Focus). The rest of the field was trying to sort out and line up behind through the first lap. Gritters went to the front followed by Chris Jackson (Rambuski Law) but the two kept the pace gradual through the lap and front began to look like a line of twelve riders.

Jason Siegle (SDG/Felt p.b. iRT) came through on lap two, pushing the pace that really broke the field apart, and held it through the third lap. The group that held on was waiting for the next move and Prenzlow decided to make things harder. With five laps to go he started making attacks. Nothing was sticking, people were falling off the group but then coming back as the pace slowed again.

With three laps to go, Ryan Cleveland (Fort Lewis College) made an impressive move and attacked the lead group. Lopes and Prenzlow hung on and as the paced slowed again Gritters and John Bailey (Bailey Bikes), who had already won the 35+ championship early, rode themselves back to the front group. The next lap Prenzlow attacked again on Spy Hill and got a gap up the steps. He drilled it thinking it was his moment to get free and he stayed away the rest of the lap but as he came to the finish Lopes soloed back up to Prenzlow.

With one lap to go now it was Prenzlow and Lopes with Bailey and Cleveland chasing. Prenzlow continued to lead and used the steps again to shake Lopes but he stayed glued to Prenzlow. The two passed the pits one last time which only left a few grassy turns left Prenzlow started his sprint. Together they came into the second to last straight away and Lopes beat Prenzlow to take the inside line on the left hand turn. Then quickly again into the next right hander giving him just enough of a lead to set up the final sprint and take his second district championship much similar to his battle with Prenzlow in 2010.

Ryan Cleveland continued to ride hard to out sprint Bailey for 3rd. Morgan Ryan (The TEAM SoCalCross was the best regional U23 rider and took the title. Bailey was 4th on the day but the bronze medalist CX1/2. Brandon Gritters came in to round out the top five.

It was another great sunny warm SoCal weekend and Turkey Trot event with exciting racing as 21 district champions were crowned from juniors to masters and elites. And the season is not over as next week will bring the second round of California Gold Cup events sponsored by Shimano. This UCI event weekend will bring more of North Americas top competitors to the Los Angeles historic park event for some great SoCal action.

For more info go to: www.socalcross.org
Disrict Champions
Men
Elite: Brian Lopes (Oakley/Ibis)
U23: Morgan Ryan (The TEAM SoCalCross)
Cat3: Gareth Feldstein (Ritte Racing)
Cat4: Luis Garcia (Mudfoot)
35-39: John Bailey (Bailey Bikes)
40-44: Sam Ames (Action Sports)
45-49: Mark Noble (Metal Mtn)
50-54: Johnny O’mara (Sho-Air)
55-59: Jonathan Livesay (Montrose Bike Shop)
60-64 : Jon Miller (Platinum Performance)
65+: Robert Llamas (Montrose Bike Shop)
Women
Elite: Allison Mann (Rock N’ Road)
U23: Alexis Ryan (The TEAM SoCalCross)
Cat3: Nancy James-Klinger (The TEAM SoCalCross)
Cat4: Shannon Castle (PAA)
40-44: Laurie Winter (team Redlands)
45-49: Christina Probert Turner (The TEAM SoCalCross)
50+: Carol Ruckle (Team Redlands)
Single Speed
A: Eric Bosrom (Sho-Air)
B: Ricardo Mejia (Golden Saddle Cyclery)
Women: Christina Probert Turner (The TEAM SoCalCross)
Junior Boys
10-12: Nathan Hickey (Pablove)
13-14: Sean McElroy (The Block)
15-16: Doug Hall (The TEAM SoCalCross)
17-18: Tyler Schwartz (Surf City Cyclery)

Junior Girls
10-12: Cheyenne Comer (Acqua AB2/SDBC
13-14: Hannah Eckval (The TEAM SoCalCross)
15-16: Amelia Tanner (JET Cycling)
17-18: Hannah Rae Finchamp (The TEAM SoCalCross)

Youth:
Under 10: Colin Ames (Action Sports)

Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross presented by SPY Optic
SCPS #12: Cambria Cross – West Coast Collegiate Racing

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 San Luis Obispo (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.

Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross presented by SPY Optic…
SCPS #11: Velocity Cross… a Shimano CACX Rankings Race for Championship Showdown in Bakersfield 1.21-22.2012!

November is California Cyclocross Championships (CACX) rankings month presented by Shimano. Each region, Southern and Northern California, will bring rankings points for starting positions to the Nor Cal-So Cal Showdown and end of season finale in January 21 and 22, 2012 in Bakersfield. Southern California has bragging rights after last year’s event and committed So Cal Crossers lined up this weekend in Chino to earn their SoCal rankings at Velocity Cross. Nor Cal’s Stafford Lake CX race last week earned rankings and each region’s District Championship race along with last year’s winners will bring the best from each region North and South to the $10,000 showdown in Bakersifeld, CA 1/21-22/2012.

The Velocity Cycling Club worked hard with series promoters to bring another fantastic course to the series at Prado Regional Park in Chino, CA less than 40 miles from Downtown LA for the second year in a row. It was predominantly a grass course, with some loose dirt sections through the baseball infields, and road start/finish stretch. The course had a fun mixture of off camber turns, uphill sections including the Spy Stairs, and Shimano Barrier sections. The biggest challenge were the numerous sloggy grass sections aways from Saturday’s rain that did not allow for much rest and proved best for the strongest riders each race.

Elite Women:
Tri-athlete Heather Jackson (K-Swiss) got a little cross bug after a weekend of racing in San Diego two weeks ago and came out to Chino this week motivated and riding strong. Jackson weaved her way to the front to set the pace which split the field immediately and it looked like Christina Probert-Turner (The TEAM SoCalCross-Turner) was the only rider able to challenge as the two got a gap half-way through the first lap.

The chase, just seconds behind, was led by Junior Hannah Finchcamp (The TEAM SoCalCross) returning after a could weeks rest from winning the X-Terra World Championships, but as they came to Spy hill the second wheel, Julie LaFranchise (Cynergy) went down. Amanda Schaper (Ritte Racing) and others moved quickly around to join Finchamp again in the chase. Then on the last part of the first lap there were more crashes as the group snaked through the trees, taking the front of the chase group including Schaper and Anna Fortner out of the race. Jenna Jammer Kowalski (Cynergy) snuck through the carnage and to lead the chase.

The second lap made the race and things began to calm down. Jackson kept charging hard on the front and put in the fastest women’s lap of the day, riding away from all others to eventually solo in for the win. Turner stayed away from the chase group as well to take 2nd. And after some back and forth action the emergent junior Finchcamp rode away from Jammer for 3rd. 4th was Jammer and 5th went to birthday girl and super promoter Dorothy Wong (The Team SoCal Cross).

Elite Men:
Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pcific/Focus) lead down the starting stretch of pavement, but was passed by Brandon Gritters (Rock N Road) as racers entered the grass. Then a couple minutes into the lap Gritters messed up a turn and Prenzlow lead the rest of lap one. The front group was pretty large coming through lap one as riders where waiting for a big attack.

After a few laps it started to shake down. John Behrens (Bailey Bikes) got to the front, Kyle Gritters (Rock N Road), B. Gritters, Gary Douville (SDG/Felt p.b. Irt), and Prenzlow were off to make up the front group. Douville began to let up a bit and Prenzlow had to go around to stay in the front. This lead four established themselves for the next few laps.
After Behrens pulled for a couple laps, K. Gritters took over working for brother B. Gritters. John Bailey (Bailey Bikes) was chasing solo with Jason Siegle (SDG/Felt p.b.Irt) just behind him. The leaders stayed together and with three laps to go Bailey was fading back and Seigle moved up to within fifteen seconds of the front group. With two laps to go K. Gritters lead until his chain dropped. Behrens took over the front, followed by B.Gritters and Prenzlow. Siegle was very close behind alone, but couldn’t get on.

On the final lap, Behrens who was riding impressively strong lead, Prenzlow was watching closely. 1/2 lap to go and B. Gritters passed on the right before the Spy steps and Prenzlow then countered to pass on the left. They quickly remounted and on the off camber Prenzlow went low with more speed and passed Gritters. Prenzlow come out of an off camber 180 degree corner and sprinted, he took the next 2 corners max, and attacked again to get a gap. He applied one more little sprint past the pits and nailed the S-turn through the trees. It was just enough to hold a six second lead to the finish straight. B. Gritters held off Behrens for 2nd. Siegle was alone in 4th, and Kyle recovered to take 5th.

It was some exciting action again in Chino as many groups in the series continue to see different winners each week. A sign that shows the competition is growing and the training riders are putting in this year. With riders now halfway through their season, now is the time to get focused. The Southern California (SCNCA) District Championships take place Sunday November 27 in Glendale – Turkey Trot Cross! Next week the series heads back to the central coast, Cambria, for the last of the central coast events this year and the first West Coast Collegiate Cycling race since Irvine in 2008.

Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross presented by SPY Optic
SCPS #10: LIVE! Long Beach CYCLO-FEST

This week was the 10th event of the Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross: LIVE! Long Beach, CYCLO-FEST, an idea of promoter Dorothy Wong, advocating a healthy lifestyle and promoting the benefits of the bicycle within each community the Series visits. This is the fourth time El Dorado Park has hosted a cross race, but never has it been like it was this past Sunday. The usually sunny Southern California weekends turned into dark cloudy and cold (40’s) as SoCalCross saw its first forms of Fall this first week of November in addition to falling back with the time change, the stormy weather blew through the City of Long Beach presenting some real cross conditions.

The course was a mixture of about 70% grass, 20% paved, and 10% sand/dirt. The grass, while absorbing most of the rain did have a bit of mud and a lot of heavy pedaling sections. The paved became an area of strategy for racers to recover and the deep left curving Shimano sand pit was the one of the biggest challenges as riders continuously struggled trying to ride the pit. The biggest challenge of all really just came down to muddy turns and the SPY staircase.

Elite Women:
Jenna Jammer Kowalski (Cynergy Cycles) was hot off the start, grabbing the hole shot and pushing the pace through the first half of lap one. The rest of the women lined up after the first turn to chase down Jammer. Series leader Allison Mann (Rock N’ Road) was a few wheels back and Christina Probert-Turner (The Team SoCal Cross) made the first move in the chase coming out of the sand and making her move to past Jammer to take the lead. The rest of the field responded to new pace Turner was pushing as she blew things apart on the second lap taking only a few select riders with her up front.

After Turner it was Mann who continued to work her way up and set the fastest lap of the day, on lap three, as she took control of the race. The entire race remained close as Mann would open some space Turner would close it down. The rest of the women worked hard in the battle for third as these two gained 5-10 seconds on the field each lap. Eventually, Mann took the win holding off Turner as the two put together some amazing racing.

Amanda Schaper (Ritte Raceing) made her move around Jammer early was close with the leaders for a couple laps but settled in for third just ahead of Jammer in fourth. Fifth was Nicole Brandt (LA Velocity) who had a great start and was consistent all race to hold off the experience of Series leader, Dorothy Wong (The Team SoCal Cross).

Elite Men:
It was another exciting, tactical and fast paced aggressive race for SoCalCross’ elite men with challenging course conditions. Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/Focus) took the hole shot followed by Brandon Gritters (Rock N’ Road) Garry Douville (SDG/Felt p.b. Irt), Kyle Gritters (Rock N’ Road) and Chris Jackson (Rambuski Law). The rest of the field filled in but the front instantly pushed the pace.

The first few laps from front to back were aggressive, blocking, bumping and fighting for positions. Douville attacked at the end of lap one before the log jump so that he could get a clean bunny-hop over it, but B. Gritters blocked and K. Gritters took the outside line attacking