Our final event of the 2006 Orange County Championship Series, the Sho-Air/Rock N' Road Fall Mountain Bike Classic, was probably the best race of the series. It was great to see so many first time competitors and so many riders under 14 years old. Our courses have a reputation for being tough with hard climbing and lots of elevation gain per lap. One lap of the course has as much elevation gain as most events have in the complete race.
Many of the first time racers commented on how challenging the course was and how much fun they had. We received several emails after the event from several first time competitors. This race alone had inspired them to compete in the 2007 Mountain Bike Pow Wow (Vision Quest/Counting Coup).
And isn't that
what it's all about? The riding at the Flying B Ranch is inspiring people to dream and accomplish what they consider impossible at one time.
As far as our young racers, we were amazed at their competitive spirit and the smiles on their faces at their accomplishments. What a gift for our staff! We were impressed with how thankful these kids were towards us and for our hard work putting on this event. These are great kids.
What also amazed us is the ability and quality of competitors the event attracted. We had some amazing performances that inspired us all. For example, in the Female Expert 31 to 45 Class, Kym Slingerland finished her 3 lap race in 1:52:09; just 1 minute and 5 seconds behind Anthony Sinyard, the winner of the Male Expert 17 to 30 class. Kym was riding a single speed!
Warrior's Society Club member and Sho-Air Team member Mario Correa had the 3rd fastest finishing time of 1:45:42 (all experts did 3 laps) and came in first place in the Male Expert 31 to 45 Class.
Brad Stephenson of Team Sho-Air won the Expert Single Speed Open Class and had the fastest finishing time of 1:40:41. In the Male Expert 46 and up Class, Randy Profeta, a consistent finisher at the toughest event we promote (the Vision Quest), won first place finishing his race in 2:19:50.
ORANGE COUNTRY MTB SERIES CHAMPIONS
The Orange County Male and Female Champions were crowned and it was not a surprise that two top endurance athletes ended up on top. The Orange County top Champions were chosen on a point system based on their overall performance in the series (with bonus points awarded for their finishes in the 6 Hour and 24 Hour events). Team Sho-Air member Bernice Pierson won the Expert 31 to 45 Class Championship and the Female Orange County Championship Crown. Bernice's fellow Sho-Air team mate Manual Prado won the Expert Male 17 to 30 Class Championship and the Male Orange County Championship Crown. Congratulations to them both on their wins!
Steve Ellis won
the Class Championship in the Expert Male 46-and-up Class. Team Sho-Air member Brad Stephenson won the Expert Single Speed Open Class
Championship.
Warrior's Society club members had some great finishes with Eron Boyer winning the Intermediate Male 31 to 45 Class Championship, Matt Nourmohamadian winning the Intermediate Male 17 to 30 Class Championship, Robert Rust winning the Expert Male 31 to 45 Class Championship, and Camron Pattaja wining the Male 16 and under Novice Class Championship. Other notable finishes were Mark Belgen, the Novice Male 17 to 30 Class Champion, who raced for the first time in this series, and Douglas Kubler (our oldest competitor at 62) who won the Novice Male 46 and up Class Championship riding a single speed.
We are also thankful for the sponsors who helped us pull off the first Orange County Mountain Bike Series: Shimano, Manitou, Sho-Air International, Clif Bar, Cytomax, Felt Bikes, Switchback Cyclery, JAX Bicycle Centers and Rock 'N Road Bikes. We have many more sponsors who have supported us from the very beginning. The complete list of the companies that go out of there way to make sure we have a place to ride in Orange County can be found on www.warriorssociety.org.
Our next event will be the 11th annual 2007 Mountain Bike Pow Wow on Saturday, March 3rd. The Mountain Bike Pow Wow consists of the 56.5 mile Vision Quest (with 11,000 feet of total elevation gain and 2 miles of hike-a-bike) and the 44.5 mile Counting Coup (with 8,000 feet of total elevation gain). These events sell out every year so if you're serious about competing in these events sign up now. For more information hit up www.warriorssociety.org.
RIDING PARK PLANS
Other than the Mountain Bike Pow Wow the plan so far is to promote at least two events at the Flying B in 2007. The Warrior's Society, along with our 2007 Major Sponsor Sho-Air International, will be negotiating with one of the property owners to build an additional 3 miles of singletrack. Scott Tedro (the CEO of Sho-Air International) and Chris Vargas (the Trail Work and Advocacy Executive Director of the Warrior's Society) laid out a preliminary course after the Fall Classic ended. If the negotiations work out we plan to have a much improved, fun and challenging course at the Flying B Ranch. Stay tuned.
FALL MOUNTAIN BIKE CLASSIC RESULTS
One lap around the course measured 5.6 miles with 1253 feet of elevation
gain.
TOP TEN 3 LAP RIDERS
1. Brad Stephenson...Sng Spd...1:40:01...10.1 mph av
2. Eric Bierman...Sng Spd...1:45:04
3. Mario Correa...31-45...1:45:42
4. Josh Smith...31-45...1:47:34
5. Craig Hopps...31-45...1:49:00
6. Anthony Sinyard...17-30...1:51:05
7. Joel Baty...17-30...1:51:53
8. Robert Rust...31-45...1:53:02
9. David Lamon...31-45...1:56:19
10. Manuel Prado...17-30...1:56:54
Top 46+: Randy Profeta...2:19:50
WOMEN
1. Kym Slingerland...31-45...1:52:09...9.0 mph av
2. Ankie Trollegard...31-45...2:02:10
3. Bernice Pearson...31-45...2:10:21
4. Mary Huth...31-45...2:12:19
TOP TEN 2 LAP RIDERS
1. Matthew Moxley...17-30...1:18:03...8.6 mph av
2. David Reid...31-45...1:11:00
3. Craig Ames...31-45...1:12:50
4. Ty O'Brien...31-45...1:14:58
5. Michael Heindel...31-45...1:17:12
6. Matthew Nourmohamadian...17-30...1:20:01
7. Garret Garcia...17-30...1:20:57
8. Kent Pusser...31-45...1:21:36
9. Robert Walker...31-45...1:22:19
10. Oscar Contreras...31-45...1:22:56
Top 46-: Armando DeArmas...1:24:30
WOMEN
1. Irmina Dumaplin...31-45...1:32:03...7.3 mph av
2. Linh Tran...31-45...1:49:12
TOP TEN 1 LAP RIDERS
1. Adam Burndum...17-30...0:39:56...8.6 mph av
2. Stephen Legate...31-45...0:40:49
3. Jantzen Oshier...16-...0:42:15
4. Geoffrey Sanberg...46+...0:42:21
5. Ian Nickel...16-...0:42:36
6. David Bourne...31-45...0:42:51
7. Terry Otis...46+... 0:43:20
8. Mike Dahlberg...46+...0:44:47
9. Mike Clark...31-45...0:45:44
10. Andrew Schaff...17-30...0:45:59
OPEN WOMEN
1. Carrie Harden...0:54:45...6.1 mph av
2. Vern Sir...0:57:06
3
. Brenda Wendt...1:00:28
4. Hilary Maitland...1:23:19
5. M. Matias...1:34:21
ORANGE COUNTY XC CHAMPION WALL OF FAME
EXP 17-30: Manuel Prado...EXP 31-45: Robert Rust...EXP Wmn 31-45:
Bernice Pierson...EXP 46+: Steve Ellis...EXP SNG SPD: Brad
Stephenson...INT 17-30: Matt Nourmohamadian...INT 31-45: Eron
Boyer...INT WMN 31-45: Irmina Dumaplin...INT 46+: Armando DeArmas...NOV
16-: Camron Panttaja...NOV 17-30: Mark Belgen...NOV 31-45: Craig
Ames...NOV 46+: Douglas Kubler...NOV WMN OPN: Vern Sir