This year's edition of the National Ultra Endurance Series included 100 mile events the Cohutta, Ducktown, TN; Mohican, Loudonville, OH; Lumberjack, Manistee, MI; Breckenridge, CO; Wilderness 101, Coburn, PA; Foolʼs Gold, Dahlonega, GA; Shenandoah, Harrisonburg, VA; and Tahoe-Sierra, French Meadows, CA.
The Tahoe-Sierra finish is an event that is unlikely to happen again. Solo riders went out for a one-lap 100-mile epic, while team racers competed on a shortened multi-lap course. Trek’s Jeremiah Bishop and Chris Eatough split time working together to dispatch stiff competition from solo challengers and later, trying to drop one another. When the two Trek-VW teammates came together within two miles of the finish a truce was formed, and the two rode across the line together for a shared win.
Trek’s top female soloist Cheryl Sorenson spent the entire race hoping for third place after losing contact with the leaders early on. The surprise ending? Sorenson was ahead the entire time, as the leaders went off course and never were a factor.
The race was staged primarily on doubletrack—some sections rather primitive—and was punctuated with spectacular crashes as the dry weather created deep “moon dust” that obscured visibility and hid large stones which took their toll on many competitors. Peruse the results and take note of the single speed times—you will be impressed.
TAHOE-SIERRA 100 RESULTS
1. Jeremiah Bishop & Chris Eatough...7.02.58
3. Evan Plews...ScottUSA-CSC...+10.44
4. Harlan Price...IF Racing...14.47
5. Mark Santubane...32.59
6. Garth Prosser...49.30
7. Rich Oneil...1.02.21
8. Todd Richardson...1.13.33
9. Angus Nesbitt...1.14.08
10. Matt Woodruff...1.19.12
WOMEN
1. Cheryl Sorenson..Trek .9.09.48
2. Erika Tiesen...+54.56
3. Carrie Edwards...1.32.44
4. Amanda Riley Carey...1.35.11
5. Louise Kobin...Sho-Air...1.35.13
6. Rhonda Figone...1.38.40
7. Genenvieve Evans...2.14.56
8. Pam DeBruin...3.37.41
9. Timari Pruis...4.11.14
10. Cricket Butler...4.20.12
CLASS WINNERS
SNG SPD: John Mylne...Sho-Air/Niner...7.45.54
SNG SPD WMN: Linda Eckhart...9.46.00
MST 45+: Tedd Russo...8.20.14
MST 50+: David Grauer...9.45.05
MST WMN 50+: Patricia Struve...13.29.24
3 MAN TEAM: Mountain Karma 24 (Tim Fraguglia, Mike McCullough, Jason Duggett)...8.49.00
3 Coed TEAM: Cyclepaths-Wild Cherries Racing (Allie Donovan, Nate Freed, Nick Schaffner)...8.44.00
2008 NUE FINAL STANDINGS
1. Jeff Schalk...Trek-VW East
2. Chris Eatough...Trek -VW
3. Evan Plews...Scott/ Capitol Subaru
4. Harlan Price...IF Racing
WOMEN
1. Cheryl Sornson...Trek-VW East