November 13/10 9:47 am - Cross on the Rock # 6 - Lumber Cross at MacLeans Creek Mill

Posted by Editoress on 11/13/10
 

Cross on the Rock # 6 - Lumber Cross at MacLeans Creek Mill on November 11th in Port Alberni

Race Director: Lee Blais
Course Designer:  Eric Bruvall and Lee Blais
Organizing Club: Alberni Valley Riders
Special thanks to: Ozzies Cycles and MacLeans Creek Mill National Historic Site

Photos  by Regan Pringle  (mini gallery)


Venue
Wow!  Super cool venue at McLean Creek Mill National Historic Site.  All sorts of cool equipment that we twisted through.  Ponds.  Creeks.  The intestine.  When the rain broke and the sky opened up for just a bit the views were amazing.  PLUS some great soup from the Café.

Mud
Finally.  It was not like Children of the Corn cross....but it was great never the less!

Carnage
By the time the Expert race came along the course was getting quite a bit muddier and rocks, roots and pave were getting exposed on the course.  That, combined with the fatigue and effort, and almost everyone in the Expert race had something go wrong.  Higher tire pressure, good lines and smooth riding was rewarded.  A lot of places changed on the last two laps and if you kept your head in it....even if you had a mechanical or something go wrong....series points and prizes were your reward.

Drew MacKenzie: Clean race.  He ran more tire pressure than normal and had done some good re-con on the course.

Dylan Tremblay: Clean

Normon Thibault: Broken Left Shoe.  Had to have a shoe brought to the pits.

Peter Stevenson: Clean

Wendy Simms: Broken (New) Chain (not the master link)

Steve Bachop: Flat

Jeff Drew: Flat

Russell Anderson: Broke rear wheel

Andre Sutton: Flat

Justin Mark: Flat

Dan Scott: Lost his testicle and missed his mommy.  He also tripped on the barrier.  Smashed his knee and needed 6 stiches.

Roland Rabein: Bent Brake lever

James Cameron: Flat. Not having a spare wheel, changing a tube and almost finishing on the lead lap.

In other Categories there were quite a few flats.  Also of note: Halldor running half lap and getting back in. Also Regan Pringle demolished his rear derailleur during pre-race recon.

Bryan Anderson
It was great to see Bryan Anderson, the Rocky Mountain representative, out at the event helping out and giving us shelter from the rain with three big tents.  Three years ago Bryan worked for Sugoi and approved the one-off Canadian Champion-Frontrunners skin suits.  I only got the chance to wear the skin suit in the fall of 2008 for two races before I lost it at Edmonton.  This was the first time I was able to wear the skin suit since.  Thanks Sugoi and thanks Bryan. Wendy and I still think he should have got his bike and kit dirty and jumped in!

Andre Sutton
We were surprised by the appearance of the illusive cyclocross recluse at our Port Alberni race.  Andre Sutton is a bit of an Alberta legend, but we have only seen him race west of the Rockies on one other occasion, when he battled with Norm Thibault at the 2006 National CX Championships in Nanaimo.  From there Andre went to race a bit in Europe and then a full Elite season in Europe in 2008-2009.  Wendy Simms lived with Andre and said that his training regime was "unusual", and he existed on Coke and Pizza as almost his entire diet.  The fans over there loved him though.  Andre was having a great race on Sunday in the top-three after making his way through a back row call up....until a flat ended his day with a couple of laps to go.  With Andre's parents now living in the Comox Valley we hope to see him out at more events on the island.

The Winners!!

Beginner Men: James Grant, Comox Valley Cycling Club

Beginner Women: Julie Lance

Intermediate Men: Regan Pringle, Pro City Racing

Masters Men: Guy Ridler

Open Women: Mical Dyck, Trek Canada

Expert: Drew MacKenzie, IRC

Mini-Reports

• Heard at the post race hose:  Drew to Andrew......."Dude your starts are at 10....you need to scale it back to 9 and then your race at the end will be a lot better."
• Heard at the finish line:  K-Mag.  "If that section is the intestine the bumpy part is the peristalsis"  (Successive muscular contractions along the wall of a hollow muscular structure such as the movement of food through the intestine and colon)
• Apparently the "City People" popped out to check the race out and were taking about bringing a special steam train next year....SWEET!
• 7th through 10th in the women 37 seconds apart.  Some good racing there.
• Regan Pringle rode a mini clown bike for the intermediate race....and still won!
• Roland Rabien recorded his first DNF in 25 starts.
• Belgium Knee Warmers = Embrocated legs.....smells nice.
• Pink Crocs are NOT a substitute for good footwear at a cross race!

Special thanks to Tycho Support Crew Member: Kristenn Magnusson for singing Tycho to sleep and not beating up on Van Invader Regan P.

TRAILER FUND now at $840

Results are posted on the site since  www.crossontherock.com and the series points are updated as well.

Next Event:   The next race and the LAST RACE of the C.O.T.R. series for 2010 is Shawnigan Lake on November 21st.  Be ready and DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!