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By Platinum Performance's Bob Nisbet
In Southern California you can easily race 40-plus weekends a year, and even in July the year can be wearing long on the 24-7 Norba racer. That was made even the more evident by the fact that only eight Platinum Performance riders made it to the sixth race of the series, held at Rim Nordic. It's sad too, as the Running Springs circuit is one of the best in Southern California. It was a very fun race too...
If you consider falling down three times and generally getting beat up by the mix of steep, tightly switchbacked singletrack climbs; fast and loose, ultra-technical descending singletrack, as being fun! Rim Nordic is a fantastic course, and what a real mountain bike race course should be like. The 8.3 mile loop is 70% singletrack and 30% fire road. The race begins with lots of steep, grinding singletrack climbing. Just when you think the legs can't take it any longer, you hit the top, which gives plenty of recovery on a rolling ridge. Then it's time to hold on, as riders shoot down a very technical singletrack that requires lots of nerve and exceptional bike handling skill to negotiate. Like I said earlier, I know this firsthand!
Beginners did one lap, sports did two, and experts rode three. With 1463 feet of climbing per lap, it meant a longer than average race. A top result was very important for several Platinum riders as Shigy Suzuki, Bud Donatoni and John Biron each locked up their titles for the State Series. Bud and John with first place finishes and Shigy with a 4th. That's all Shigy RMZ Suzuki needed to do the dead, and maybe most importantly, it's the pace he felt necessary to keep the tires down throughout the race. I wish I could have been as lucky!
For those who raced Rim Nordic for the first time, that experience taught them a very valuable lesson. When you hear riders praise Rim Nordic, it's for good reason. The riding there really is some of the best that this state has to offer.
Platinum Performance riders who did not make it into MBA's Top 10 List include: Bob Nisbet, 4th 40-44 Expert; Shigy RMZ Suzuki, 4th 45-49 Beginner; Andy Osburn, 6th 40-44 Expert; John Reveles, 8th 40-44 Sport; and Semipro Jamie Goldstein and 40-44 Expert Doug Urbach, who both DNF'd.
SoCal State XC Championship racers have two months off before the final event at Big Bear's Snow Summit on September 9. For many it means time to take a little rest and then get back into some base training to gear up for the end of the season!
TOP TEN 3 LAP RIDERS
1. Cameron Brenneman...Pro...Sho-Air/Rock N' Road...2:15:50
2. Mike Hileman...Exp 40-44...Nuvision-Sport Op's...2:16:33
3. Ely Woody...Exp 25-29...Victorville Cycles...2:16:46
4. Scott Mckelvey...Semi...Palm Springs Cyclery...2:16:54
5. Nigel Hill...Semi...Trek-vw...2:17:31
6. Hal Helbock...Pro...Cytomax-KHS...2:18:25
7. Eric Neat...Pro...Schampa Racing...2:18:49
8. Doug Andrews...Semi...Geoladders...2:20:41
9. Romolo Forcino...Semi...Bear Valley Bikes...2:21:17
10. Nate Whitman...Semi...Hammer Nutrition...2:21:50
CLASS WINNERS
17. Bobby Langin...Exp 45-49...Amgen...2:27:02
19. Ty O'Brien...Exp 35-39...2:30:38
21. Alex Boone...Exp 19-24...Helen's Subaru-GF...2:32:01
25. Brant Hatton...Exp 30-34...Backbone-Kenda...2:34:36
55 Zach Patterson...Exp 18-...Jenson USA...3:01:17
PRO WOMEN
1. Chrissy Bono...Intense...2:48:02
2. Mandy Eakins...Pass Physical...2:50:04
3. Jennifer Sica...Schampa Racing...3:00:26
4. Ankie Trollegard...Helen's Subaru-GF...3:03:48
5. Heather Ranoa...Intense...3:13:41
TOP TEN 2 LAP RIDERS
1. Brad Stephenson...Exp Sng Spd...Sho-Air/Rock N' Road...1:32:38
2. Todd Stephenson...Exp Sng Spd...Sho-Air/Rock N' Road...1:35:11
3. George Munoz...Spt Sng Spd...Sho-Air/Rock N' Road...1:38:02
4. Michael Hines...Exp 50-54...Team Rancho...1:38:28
5. Mark Scheetz...Exp Sng Spd...Coates Cyclery...1:40:08
6. Randy Liechty...Exp 50-54...Bike Empire...1:40:41
7. Bud Donatoni...Spt 40-44...Platinum...1:42:07
8. Tony Gonzalez...Spt 40-44...Team C.E.S...1:42:16
9. Jeff Healey...Spt 40-44...1:42:17
10. Mark Mumea...Spt 30-34...Jenson USA...1:42:53
CLASS WINNERS
11. James Walsh...Spt 25-29...B & L...1:43:00
18. Jon Miller...Exp 55+...Amgen...1:47:51
27. Jon Davis...Spt 35-39...Amgen...1:50:19
29. David Tarrant...Spt 18-...Incycle...1:50:38
32. Van Geslani...Spt 19-24...Team Possabilities...1:50:45
33. John Biron...Spt 45-49...Platinum...1:50:47
37. Dee Folse...Spt 50-54...AFP-Velo Sport...1:51:40
82. Andrew Hart...spt Clyd...3 Amigos...2:02:16
110. Scott Sampson...Spt 55-59...Da Hui Race...2:12:02
115. Robert Koch...Spt 60+...Cycopath...2:19:06
WOMEN
78. Lisa Crowe...Spt 19-29...Don's Bikes...2:00:44
88. Heidi Volpe...Exp 40+...Backbone-Niner...2:04:10
106. Angela Wimberly...Exp 30-39...Wheels On Wheels...2:08:35
111. Meredith Ford...Spt 30-34...AFP-Velo Sport...2:14:03
114. Caroline Goulard...Exp 40+...AFP-Velo Sport...2:16:05
125. Kim Hermon...Exp 30-39...Bear Valley Bikes...2:30:42
130. Karena Gibbs...Spt 30-34...2:37:46
133. Barbara Furlong...Spt 40+...AFP-velo Sport...2:43:58
139. Deidre York...Exp 19-29...Velo Bum...3:08:02
140. Vanessa Humic...Exp 19-29...Backbone...3:24:38
TOP TEN 1 LAP RIDERS
1. Chris Mckee...30-34...0:53:36
2. Sergio Vazquez...35-39...0:53:57
3. Ryan Harper...30-34...0:54:17
4. Scott Tedro...40-44...Sho-Air/Rock N' Road...0:54:21
5. Mark Pueschel...50-54...Slime...0:57:21
6. Harry Friedman...40-44...0:58:21
7. Paul Donohoe...35-39...Chicken Ranch...0:58:31
8. Joe Buffalino...35-39...0:58:37
9. Vicki Chernoff...Wmn 40+...AF-/velo Sport...0:58:48
10. Ben Blank...35-39...AFP-velo Sport...0:59:17
CLASS WINNERS
11. Connor Mccutcheon...15-16...Bear Valley Bikes...0:59:42
14. Adam Poytress...25-29...Chicken Ranch...1:00:31
19. Nicholas Tarrant...13-14...Incycle...1:02:44
22. Robin Brown...45-49...Team C.E.S...1:04:40
25. Cameron Williams...11-12...Bear Valley Bikes...1:05:03
27. Michael Cruz...19-24...1:05:31
32. Emanuel Hernandez...17-18...Bear Valley Bikes...1:06:16
47. Richard Teachout...55+...1:13:21
53. Bruce Kane...Clyd...1:17:29
61. John/Jarrett Furlong...Tndm...AFP-Velo Sport...1:24:15
67. Evan Williams...10-...Bear Valley Bikes...1:26:47
NEXT 9 FASTEST WOMEN
2. Lisa Garr...40+...Amgen...1:05:45
3. Debra Sortino...40+...Block...1:13:48
4. Ronda Warden...40+...Bear Valley Bikes...1:17:31
5. Leslie Whitehead...40+...Team C.E.S...1:18:58
6. Johanna Stevenson...19-29...SC Velo...1:25:08
7. Jeanne Scheetz...40+...Coates Cyclery...1:25:13
8. Kim Finch...40+...1:28:11
9. Hilary Maitland...35-39...1:30:00
10. Tiana Row...14-...1:33:35
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