Race Report
By Greg Fisher

Full Results (link here)

Granite Bay, CA--There are no easy races, just new ways to push your body and fitness to hitherto untold heights. That the trails around Lake Folsom favor some gentler grades through the lower Sierra foothills rather than lungbuster, all-day, breakfast-evacuating climbs, means little in terms of raw exertion. These rolling hills demand unceasing pedaling and present non-stop opportunity to gain a few feet here, and a few seconds there. No part of the six-mile course or its 1200 feet of climbing, allows for rest or relief. Here, at the foot of the Sierras, watching racers navigate the hillsides beneath a cloudless blue sky, one is left with a single dominating thought:

It’s fast. So stinking fast.

And big. This is the opening race of the thirteenth season of the NorCal League and, for the first time, the League has split into two regional conferences. As racers circled the lake here in Granite Bay, another whole group of the NorCal League teams was simultaneously racing the ridgelines at a separate season opener at Fort Ord. While it’s may sound odd to refer to “North NorCal” and “South NorCal,” learn to love it. It’s a sign that high school mountain biking is growing under the feet of the next generation.

Varsity Girls
1. Kate Courtney (Branson)
2. Josie Nordrum (Redwood)
3. Sarah Ogden (Redwood)
4. Annie Brow (San Rafael)
5. Isabella Breen (San Rafael)

The Varsity Girls shot out from the lake shore like cannon fire and they didn’t let up for any of their three laps. Kate Courtney (Branson) rolled across the line after squirrelling away her lead throughout the entire course. “I took the lead after the long stretch in the wind and, after some of the technical climbs, I realized I was starting to get a gap, and so I decided to keep my pace and I started getting a bigger gap, so I went for it. It was really fun. It was a good course to get in a rhythm.“

Josie Nordrum (Redwood), the picture of finish-line composure, followed a play-it-cool, don’t-worry-about-me strategy, came in second by just doing “my own thing and some people fell off. I was right behind Kate, but I lost her in the technical section and never saw anyone again.” She adds grinning, “I just love my bike.”

Varsity Boys
1. Neilson Powless (Independent)
2. Lucas Newcomb (Sir Francis Drake)
3. Taylor Smith (Marin Catholic)
4. Ben Spurr (Marin Catholic)
5. Aleck Crofoot (Trojans)

It is to be seen to be believed: the Varsity Boys certainly left their mark on the sands of Lake Folsom. There is serious speed at play here and that’s written with only the tiniest, healthiest amount of envy. Neilson Powless (Independent) blistered across the line “I definitely improved a lot since last year. This race was so fun, my best NorCal race ever. I had a good start and seemed to be able to keep it, so I tried to see if I could hold a gap. I guess it worked.” He kept a two and a half minute gap on second place, a spot earned by Lucas Newcomb (Sir Francis Drake), who himself kept off third by over a minute and a half. The rest of the field came in fast and furious, hot on the heels of each other. All in all, it was a tight race that kept the crowd cheering until the last racer crossed the line.

NorCal race starts are fast!
Photo by Nancy Puckett

Junior Varsity Boys D2
1. Nathan Barnett (Clear Lake)
2. Ronny Swanger (Spartans)
3. Patrick Murphy (San Marin)
4. Jasper Guyer-Stevens (Annadel)
5. Otto Salmi (Branson)

In what was an ongoing theme, the winner of the Division 2 Junior Varsity Boys started way in the back and had to fight his way to the front. In Nate Barnett's (Clear Lake) case that meant navigating "the pileup at the start, then blowing through the middle of the sand pit while everyone else had to walk. Once I got up front, I just didn't look back. It was the perfect race." Couldn't have said it better, my yellow-jerseyed friend.

Sophomore Girls
1. Anna-Sofie Whalen (Tam High)
2. Elizabeth Elliot (Sir Francis Drake)
3. Alexandria Amador (Woodcreek)
4. Danielle Howard (Tamalpais)
5. Emma Birdsall (Maria Carillo)

A woman apparently of few words. Anna-Sofie Whalen (Tamalpais) said she “fell once, but it was okay. It wasn’t that big of a deal,” before adding definitely “I’m very, very, very tired.” Pretty much sums it up for everyone who put all their best effort into their race today. Nice work, Ms. Whalen.

Sophomore Boys D1
1. Sterling Guy (Sir Francis Drake)
2. Austin Wolfe (Woodcreek)
3. Drake Murphy (Redwood)
4. Trevor Johnson (Woodcreek)
5. Jake Becker (San Rafael)

As the day wore on, spectators accrued fine granite sand between their teeth as they couldn't stop smiling and cheering, while racers accrued faster and faster lap times. Sterling Guy (Sir Francis Drake) was a noonday example of the rising tide of lower times when he took first in Division One, Sophmore Boys. “I got a good position in the front, but still passed, like, 15 people in the sand pit, then I went fast for another mile or so.” He was a bit disappointed that “the field only had 26 guys in it.” Let’s ramp up the pressure on the young man next time, shall we?

Sophomore Boys D2
1. Garrett Parker (Vacaville)
2. Logan Hollmer (Placer Foothills)
3. Cameron Stewart (Ponderosa)
4. Max Coonley (Spartans)
5. Ethan Auch (El Molino)

Much like their Division 1 counterparts, the Division 2 Sophomore Boys duked it out admirably under the high sun. Garrett Parker (Vacaville) battled the sandy trenches against Logan Hollmer (Placer Foothills) and Cameron Stewart (Ponderosa). Garrett was eventually able to open up a sizeable lead, coming in over three minutes ahead of his earnest competition. Logan and Cameron kept it tight, finishing within view of each other in a relative photo finish.

Freshman Girls
1. Samantha Olson (Ponderosa)
2. Kelsey Urban (Redwood)
3. Eleanor Waterhouse (Sir Francis Drake)
4. Madison Lescohier (Sir Francis Drake)
5. Anna Fidler (Independent)

For the Freshman Girls, the race may have been decided before leaving the start line, due to solid training and good rest. Sam Olson (Ponderosa) had “a good race, good conditions, the weather is perfect. I was well-rested and I’ve been doing a lot of hill work lately. I was able to slam on the hills here. I really think that training was the advantage here.” Looks like, come race day, an ounce of prevention is the cure.

Freshman Boys D1
1. Kristofer Lewis (Trojans)
2. Clayton Puckett (Tam High)
3. Dean Lyons (Sir Francis Drake)
4. Connor Ellison (Folsom)
5. Elliot Grant (Tam High)


Scholar-athlete, Griffin Wigert, balancing homework and sports like a pro

When you’re turning in 26 minute laps, expect to see your name nearer the top of this field. Kristofer Lewis (Trojans) did some high quality shredding out on course, putting him in contention with many of the Varsity Boys. "I started way in the back, but I worked with my teammates to get up to third in the first lap, then second in the second lap. Once I had first, I just tried my best to keep it." When asked to comment about those scorcher lap times, he simply said, "I dunno. It's my first year racing..."

Freshman Boys D2
1. Nathan Barton (Placer Foothills)
2. Ezra Ackler (El Molino)
3. Wyat Overson (Marin Academy)
4. Alex Smith (Granite Bay)
5. Nelson Bedient (Incline)

Nathan (Placer Foothills) pulled himself out of the bottom of the start to cross the line first, notching passed racers on his top tube like a WWII bomber. “I passed something like 30 riders.” Really? “Yeah, after I got a stick stuck in my spokes. And I crashed twice. And I blew the first turn.” This folks, is why you stick it out.

And with that, we’ve turned the page on the first chapter of the 2013 NorCal League’s racing season. Much more drama stands to unfold as all these racers get smarter, faster, and more driven to excel in the best sport this side of Greco-Roman shuffleboard. Our thanks to the racers, the coaches, the parents, the volunteers, the sponsors and everyone else who makes events like this the stuff of memories. We couldn't do it without you!

2013 NorCal Race Schedule

Race 2 (North) March 10, 2013 Folsom
Race 2 (South) March 10, 2013 East Garrison
Race 3 (Combined) March 24, 2013 Granite Bay
Race 4 (Combined) April 7, 2013 Laguna Seca
Race 5 (Combined) April 28, 2013 Boggs
State Champs May 19, 2013 Stafford Lake

Contact: Vanessa Hauswald, vanessa@norcalmtb.org, www.norcalmtb.org