2008 CCCX XC Series Winners

Looks like a quite weekend of MTB racing in Northern California. This will only build the anticipation of all the thrills and spills coming up the following weekend at the epic Downieville Classic. Here is a report from Dusty Downs covering this past weekends series final of the CCCX XC races near Monterey.

The nine race Central Coast XC Series finished this past weekend, with all division winners receiving a Hot Shoppe custom winners jersey and some tasty Cal Giant Inc. strawberries signifying their series win. Many fine race stories developed throughout the series of races and here are a few notes and info.

Congratulations to CCCX XC Division Champions for 2008!
PRO/SEMI-PRO: Larry Hibbard (Family Cycling Center / Santa Cruz)
PRO/EXPERT WOMEN: Jamie Stamps (Another Bike Shop / Santa Cruz)

EXPERT 18 & under: Davis Bentley (Team Specialized / Mill Valley)
EXPERT 19-34: Scott Chapin (Harbor High Pirates / Soquel)
EXPERT 35-44: Keith DeFiebre (Scott/Ritchey / Prunedale)
EXPERT 45-54: Billy Hall (VOS Racing /Monterey)
EXPERT 55+: Richard Latorraca (Santa Cruz Bicycles / Capitola)
PRO/EXPERT SINGLE SPEED: Mark Howland (Black Market Racing / Santa Cruz)
EXPERT WOMEN 30+: Michelle Monroe (Joselyn's / Salinas)

SPORT 18 & under: Nico Cerna (Cowboy Racing / Salinas)
SPORT 19-34: Chris Sallen (Hup United / Belmont)
SPORT 35-44: Tim Keller (Patullo Racing / Salinas)
SPORT 45-54: Russell G Carmick (Roaring Mouse / So. San Francisco)
SPORT 55+: Michael Simons (Monterey)
SPORT SINGLE SPEED: Colin Daw (Wheel Away Cycle Center / Saratoga)
SPORT WOMEN 19-34: Felicia Reis (MTBR.com / San Jose)
SPORT WOMEN 35-44: Caryn Kralovansky (Castro Valley)
SPORT WOMEN 45+: Daphne Hodgson (Velo Bella/Kona / Monterey)

CLYDESDALE: Scott Harper (Atascadero)

BEGINNER 19-34: Luis Saldana (Salinas)
BEGINNER 35-44: Anthony Silva (Monterey Bay Builders / Marina)
BEGINNER 45-54: William Clevenqer (Cupertino Bike Shop / Salinas)
BEGINNING MEN 55+: Jim Zahraoka (AHS Cougars / Pt. Richmond)
BEGINNING WOMEN: Lesley Galloway (Code 3 Racing / Menlo Park)

JUNIOR MEN 14-18: Bryan Duke (Salinas)
JUNIOR MEN 13 & under: Samuel Cerruti (Cal Giant Inc. / Watsonville)
JUNIOR WOMEN 18 & under: Gabriela Crowley (Cowboy Racing / Salinas)

The Pro/Semi Pro division had Larry Hibbard riding to his third straight CCCX XC series win. Hibbard is super fit for his age and he had to battle riders far younger then him to claim the Pro/Semi Pro title for the third straight year. One of the riders who made a strong impression for the 2008 race series was Eric Ebberoth who rides for Team Joselyn's. Ebberoth, a strong single-speed rider as well, posted 3 solid wins during the CCCX series and proved himself to be a force on two wheels.

Scott Chapin saved one of his best rides of the year for the series final. Chapin claimed a strong win in the final and this result propelled him to series champion status as well. Chapin is also the coach of the Harbor High MTB Team of the Nor-Cal High School league and a excellent coach for his young squad. Chapin edged out Greg Heinz of salinas for the series win. Heinz gave all he could at the series final having suffered some road rash the previous weekend, and having to race with a large bandage on his upper arm at the series final event.

Keith DeFiebre was the Expert 35+ division winner. DeFiebre posted five race wins during the series and became a two time division champion having won the 35+ Expert crown back in 2003. DeFiebre also has claimed the CCCX Cycloross series Masters division in 2004 and won four divisions of the CCCX DH series this season.

Richard Latorraca completely dominated the 55+ Expert division. Latorraca rode to six wins during the season aboard his tricked out Santa Cruz bicycle.

Mark Howland backed up his 2007 CCCX Cyclocross series Masters division win by riding to the Pro/Expert single-speed division win. Howland had to out last Cesar Chavez and Nick Hanni to stand on top of the winners podium in the end in what turned out to be the closest points battle of all the divisions for the 2008 series.

Another Bike Shop of Santa Cruz proved to have two of the fastest female racers on the central coast. Sarah Kerlin and Jamie Stamps both posted multiple wins on the year with Stamps stamping out the series win with a final race victory.

Belmont's Chris Sallen started off the season by ripping off four race wins to open up his account of series points for 2008. Sallen then sealed the deal with a series ending race win to claim top honors for the highly competitive Sport 19-34 division.

Team Roaring Mouse's Russell G Carmick had one of his finest CCCX race series to date. Carmick blasted his way to five race wins on the year which lead to his twenty point advantage over second placed Daniel Crowley of Salinas. Crowley was amazingly consistant during the year finishing second place in five out of nine races.

The Sport Single Speed division was fully dominated by Collin Daw of Saratoga. Daw has a unique Single Speed set up and it was highly effective as the Saratoga based rider posted a perfect record of seven wins on the season.

Check the scales for Scott Harper who was this years Clydesdale division winner. Harper looks extremely fit for a big man and his fitness and strength led the way to five wins on the year and the series crown.

Felicia Reis was quite possibly the most improved CCCX racer for the season. Reis finished the year off riding very strong and fighting it out with many of the men riders out on the trails. Reis posted five wins on her way to winning the Sport Women 19-34 division.

Velo Bella/Kona's Daphne Hodgson always seemed to be riding with a smile out on the trails. Hodgson plays a strong roll in bringing the Tour of California to the city of Seaside each year, and is a local fixture on the trails of Ft Ord and the Monterey peninsula. Hodgson was the Sport Women 45+ division winner for 2008.

Bryan Duke of Salinas was the Junior Men 14-18 series champion. Duke's MTB skills have progressed at a rapid rate during the 2008 CCCX XC series. Duke will now set his sights on competing amongst the highly talented fields at the Nor-Cal High School league races.

Anthony Silva embarked on his first season of MTB racing and came away series champion of the Beg. 35-44 division. Silva was a true rookie when the first races of the year were contested. After winning the Beg. division Silva will now be testing out the Sport division in future races on the dirt.

Samuel Cerruti of Watsonville was the Junior 13 & Under division winner. Cerruti also is quite strong on the Cyclocross bike and his dedication to riding will surely lead to many fine performances in future races for this young talent.

Lesley Galloway had five race wins on her way to the CCCX Beg. Women's division win. Galloway is possibly the fastest starter of all the CCCX racers. She will charge full steam right from the start whistle putting all other riders under extreme pressure within the first 1/2 mile. Galloway will be moving up to the Sport division in future races and will use her hole shot tactics there.

Gabriela Crowley and Katy Kintz are two very fast Junior Female riders who have a very bright future in MTB racing. Both riders rode strong in many CCCX races during the 2008 series. Kintz finished the series off winning the final three races. While Crowley used consistant finishes to tally up enough series points to claim the Junior Women 18 & Under division title. Look for Crowley and Kintz to show strong at future Nor-Cal High School league events representing Salinas High race team and calvary Chappel race team respectively.