November 26/08 10:44 am - Cross on the Rock 2008 #6

Posted by Editoress on 11/26/08
 

Cross on the Rock 2008 #6 - The Island Championships November 22nd, Beban Park, Nanaimo, BC.
Race report by Normon Thibault & Wendy Simms

Organized by Oak Bay Bikes-Nanaimo, Frontrunners Nanaimo and VICC
Brought to you by Multi-Sport Promotions: www.island-multi-sports.com

Conditions: 10ºC. Sweet sweet sun

The Beban Park race course is a Nanaimo classic. Vintage: 6 years. It was the site of the first "official" CX race on the Island, the last race of the first ever B.C. Cup series and the site of the National CX Championships in 2006. Located on the Vancouver Island Exhibition grounds and the Nanaimo BMX track, this course has something for everyone. Paved start, gravel turns snaking through the VIEX barns, ubdergrowth (what the Euro's call really rough scrubby grasslands), a tiny bit of singletrack, BMX whoops, berms and doubles, a steep run up, the Morrrocan passage, stairs, and since Dave Shishkoff announced himself to be the " UCI Whirl Whirl World Champion" so we decided to humour him and throw one of those in too....on Sand (It ended up being one of the tougher sections of the course). Beban was the 6th and final race of the Cross on the Rock series and was the Island Championships so double points were up for grabs this weekend. With Crank Brothers pedals on the line for the series win people wanted the points.

There was a torrential downpour while setting up the course on Friday so thanks to the OBB crew, Rollin, Marty, Dawes Senior and John Hannah and his broken rib for toughing it out and showing up to do some soggy manual labour. Sunday morning clear skies and sun and even a light dusting of snow on Mt Benson were a welcome site for those finishing course set up.

Beginner Men's and Women's (3 Laps)
A solid field of Beginners started the day of racing off with 8 women and 7 men on the line. The racers were not cut any slack and had to do the entire loop, no shortcuts as in year's past....we have seen the beginners can handle it. A few cursed at the steep run-up that had been omitted for the Beginners race in previous years. If 10 year old Brodie Hay can do it, better put your head down and suffer in silence.

In the Beginner Men's category, Nanaimo rookie Tim Watson found a groove early on and kept it rolling the entire race. He lead the race from start to finish, picking up time each lap. Although Watson could not stop to smell the roses as the Beginner Women's leader, 14 year old Amanda Wakeling (Eat More Sprouts), was frothing at the mouth trying to chase him down. Better eat more sprouts Tim. Behind these 2 leaders it was a similar story as Dave Lantaigne was running scared from his wife Michelle, who had started 30 seconds behind him with the Beginner Women's wave. The fear of being "chicked" by his wife must have given him the extra juice on the last lap to overtake Darren Katila (Hub City Triathlon) and nab second place. After the race, Michelle Lantaigne asked me to check the times to see if she had in fact beaten her husband's time. He had 30sec of breathing room...better eat more sprouts Dave.

1st Lap Lighthouse Brewery Prime: Tim Watson

In the Beginner Women's race it was (now) 14 year old Amanda Wakeling (Eat More Sprouts) who continued her winning streak to take the win and the first lap prime (her mom was pretty happy). As mentioned above, Wakeling gave the Beginner Men some shame as she chewed them up and spat them out, save one. Second place Michelle Lantaigne was hunting down her husband racing 30secs ahead in the Beginner Men category and added a few "double chicked" casualties to the list in the process. Maybe we should increase the womens start to 1min after the men, what do you think boys? Third place went to Wendy Simms, uhm, I mean Charlene Hay (Healthy Habits), who had purchased a bright orange KONA a mere moments before the race.

1st Lap Lighthouse Brewery Prime: Amanda Wakeling

Intermediate Men
At one point just before the start of the Intermediate Men's race we thought we were back in Belgium as the smell of cigarette smoke permeated the morning air. Nope it was not a spectator but Oak Bay Bikes employee, Jamie Steel who was racing in the internal shop challenge between Matt Dawes, Taylor Smith and himself. With race kit on and a cigarette.....well for me it was just like the start of the masters world champs in Belgium....unfortunately for Jamie he does not have as much euro-heritage and was not able to butt out and go for the wholeshot like the Euro's....but it was great to see him out!

Call up for the rest of the races was based on series standing. Everyone pretended that they didn't care about the series overall but a few keeners had done the math and knew the call up order. You know who you are. Double points were on the line and 20 guys showed up to fight for them. However, it was young Matt Dawes (OBB) who brought his "A" game for the Championships sporting a Rabobank skinsuit, appreciated by the young Thibault/Tarver girls in the crowd. Have we mentioned Dawes can do a double back flip? Do his back flip buddies know he wears skinsuits? But Dawes backed it up leading the race from start to finish and demolishing the Intermediate field. Second place Michael Harvey (Simons Cycles) chased all day in second but could not close the gap to the flaming Dawes. He did however manage to keep the series overall. Jamie Emery (Action Motorcycles) rode consistently in third all race but notably his shouts of glee could be heard all the way from the BMX track.

Yes. Yes. The top VEGAN was once again Dave Shishkoff.....from....you guessed it; OrganicAthlete!

1st Lap Lighthouse Brewery Prime: Matt Dawes

Converse Chuck Taylor most aggressive rider: David Huntley

Master Men
If Sean Lunny (Oak Bay Bikes-Nanaimo) won Beban Park or beat Steve Bachop he would win the series. If Steve Bachop (IRC) won Beban Park or beat Sean Lunny he would win the series. That is what it came down to.

The biggest, most competitive and tightest categories in the series was even more dramatic with series bragging rights up as well. Before the gun there was already controversy as a clerical and handwriting error cost Stefan Jakobsen (Frontrunners) his much anticipated front-row start position. As was the case with Intermediate.... everyone knew pretty much where they should be called up.

Lunny's plan was simple. Go out as hard as he could. Try to break Bachop early and then hold on to the finish. The first part worked to plan as he lead through the first lap collecting the Lighthouse beer prime (which he always claims is for his wife). Hot on his rear wheel was not Bachop who trailed in 3rd but Sean Cruickshank (Aviawest).

Cruickshank was shed on lap 2 and the battle was on. Lunny leading the lap and forcing Bachop to chase and try to hold his wheel. This was a good strategy as Bachop pushed too hard in the Whirly-Whirl and went down. Lunny knew it was now or never and gave it full gas.....which in his case meant another 8:29 lap after his previous 8:29 lap.

On the 4th lap the pace did not quicken but rather it slowed up by 16 seconds. This time Bachop came through the lap leading with Lunny close behind. No surges. No jumps....just a couple more steady laps and Bachop claimed victory and Lunny was just unable to hold the pace.

Of note was Pete Stevenson (Experience Cycling Club) the 2006 Masters 40+ Canadian Champion sporting a great tan from a great performance at La Ruta. Pete made his first appearance at this year's series to place 4th.

1st Lap Lighthouse Brewery Prime: Sean Lunny

Converse Chuck Taylor most aggressive rider: Stefan Jakobsen

Women
Twelve gals were on the line for the Open Womens' race. It was to be started 30sec behind the Master Men, however Sue Handel (Frontrunners) figured she would get an early start and left with the men. She was pretty impressed with her start until she realized what had happened and sheepishly came back for the women's race. Lisa Ludwig (OBB) blazed out to an early lead and handily took the Lighthouse Brewery first lap prime. After going into the BMX doubles a weeeee bit hot and launching a few feet into the air, Dawn Anderson (OBB) had an adrenaline surge that helped her bridge up to Ludwig mid race. However, when the adrenaline cleared, Ludwig easily discarded her OBB teammate with a flick. It should be noted that Superfan Rollin Thibault was extremely confused about which lovely lady to cheer for during this time..... Jamie McGowan (OBB) had a great race and finished a close third. One of these days McGowan is going to pull out the ride of her life and smack her buddies with a first place finish. Charlene Hay (Healthy Habits) won the most aggressive rider award for doubling up for the day on her new KONA steed to race both the Beginner and Open Womens category,. Keener.

1st Lap Lighthouse Brewery Prime: Lisa Ludwig

Converse Chuck Taylor most aggressive rider: Charlene Hay

Expert Men
With Provincial Championships in Vancouver the following day, the Expert category seemed a bit sparse as many likely chose to save their legs. But that did not make the racing any less aggressive. The selection came early with series leader Russell Anderson (OBB) pushing the pace and taking John Fokkema (Aviawest), Norm Thibault (Frontrunners), Dan Scott (OBB) and Dan MacDonald (Kona-Adobe) with him. The shrapnel left behind would never recover. But eventually the two Dans would be shed. MacDonald went down in front of the crowd and broke his shifter ending in a 1 lap DNF for the Penticton boy. And Scott had obviously forgotten to eat his wheaties that morning as the backfiring half way through the race could be heard from miles around. A similar but louder sound.....like howitzer practice by the Canadian army could be heard on the second last lap as Thibault blew up more spectacular than the fireworks at our wedding. Red. Blue. Pink. Gold. He made it seem more impressive after he declared himself the Chuck Taylor Most Aggressive Rider for the race. Conflict of Interest? We polled the crowd and they votes in favour for him as well. "Chitty Chat Fokkema" should have saved his breath as he could just not respond after Anderson dropped the hammer and rode away for the win, and the series overall.

Stefan Jackobsen won the betting pool that Thibault would be 3rd. The betting pool is run by his continually scheming nieces soon to be Lords of CX Betting Pools around the world..

1st Lap Lighthouse Brewery Prime: Russell Anderson

Converse Chuck Taylor most aggressive rider: Norm Thibault

Lots of RACE NOTES

• For those stats and note takers out there and to see how you stack up here are the spits for the race leaders from each of the races (sorry we don't have the women's only because they are mixed in with the Masters and we take the split for the first across the line only until the finish). First Lap is slightly different from following laps. This is for the leaders lap....so if the lead changes then the lap time is even faster than what is posted.
- Beginner: Tim Watson for all laps: 10:35. 11:49. 11:59
- Intermediate: Matt Dawes for all the splits: 8:50. 8:53. 9:04. 9:00. 8:52.
- Masters: 8:35 (Lunny). 8:29 (Lunny). 8:29 (Lunny). 8:45 (Bachop). 8:47 (Bachop). 8:47 (Bachop)
- Expert: 8:25 (Anderson). 8:20 (Anderson). 8:19 (Thibault). 8:19 (Fokkema). 8:24 (Thibault). 8:20 (Anderson). 8:19 (Anderson). 8:17 (Anderson)

• There is a secret contest brewing at each event for the best dressed. Jamie Emery has won a few times this year but at Beban Park John Fokkema stepped it up with a full Canadian Team Olympic skinsuit from Beijing complete with matching coloured helmet and shoes. A close second was Matt Dawes in his Dutch National Team skinsuit.....Jamie came 3rd unfortunately. Next year we will have to come up with a prize for this secret contest.
• On the flip side the worst dressed rider award easily goes to Aaron Desseault who forgot his jersey so he raced in a white undershirt....at times with some great drool hanging off his face for effect as well....at least he had his number pinned on the right way!
• Sometimes we make mistakes with results....too tired....a bit of a CX or party hangover.....so with sincere apologies to Niki Licht for posting her originally as a DNF when she in fact came 7th in the women's category. Niki fired me an e-mail today....apologizing for caring about the results....BELIEVE me Niki....we ALL care about the results....from 1st to last....it is a RACE....not a ride! We are with you in caring!!
• Reading the score sheets is like reading a foreign language....and then you add someone else's handwriting and a 277 looks like a 271....and then a mistake happens....SORRY. We think that everyone should have to do one race as both a score keeper and then a results tabulator.....if we did that then NO ONE would put their number on the wrong way any more....upside down. Too low....too high...wrong side....folded....we have seen it all!
• From: Super Husband Russel Anderson" Oh and I don't know if you knew but I totally "fudged" up and forgot to bring all Dawns cycling gear to the race with me. My Dad the super Dad, drove it up to us. He reads your reports, "loves them" If you can thank him for me on the report that would be super cool. Russell. (Dawn had to borrow a pair of shoes from Wendy....lucky they fit her.)
• Still to come: Series wrap up. Participant Survey. AND we still have a few lost and found items. Some women's shorts, a Triathlon BC warm up jacket. A wheel.....check your stuff.. I will fire out a more detailed list with our series swap up.
• The race wrapped up with our traditional HUGE draw prize extravaganza table where everyone gets something usually...we went through every racer's name. We also had some extra special grand draw prizes from Aviawest, Orange Sport Supply, FSA, Crankbrothers and Frontrunners which went to very lucky racers.

Photos

• From Rolland Rabien: Pro Quality Photos from Fletcher's Farm:

Katie's Mom has great photos from Fletcher's Farm of the Intermediate, Masters/Womens, and Expert Races. She can print large, up to 2 feet wide. A huge print would perfect for your office or bike store wall.

She isn't as tech savvy as I am, so her photos aren't online. If you'd like to see proofs, email her at robinduncan@telus.net and let her know what you were wearing and what race you were in.

• Rolland Rabien's photosfrom Beban park

• Dave Shishkoff's Beban Park photos


THANKS!!!

From all the individuals, clubs, sponsors and volunteers as well as the racers that come out. A huge and sincere thanks for making the 3rd year of the Cross on the Rock series a great success.

Thanks to our volunteers and crews and specifically my Dad, Rollin, who comes over to help out when ever he can and helps us out.

2008 Series Sponsors

Converse All Star
Lighthouse Brewery
OakBay Bikes in Nanaimo and Victoria
Cycles Lambert (Gore Clothing, Race Face. Lenze (Pumps), Evo (Pumps))
Crankbrothers
Kona
Full Speed Ahead
Frontrunners Nanaimo
Aviawest
Howard Johnson Harbourside Hotel
eNVy Chainrings and Chainring Protectors
Special Thanks to: Nanaimo Parks and Recreation. Nanaimo BMX. VIEX. Nanaimo Equestrian Society

Next race on Vancouver Island: Next September (2009) Season #4 of Cross on the Rock will kick off.

Results