RACE REPORT: 2006 Bigfoot Classic (Day 2 XC)

Got up in the early morning fog of Eureka to grab a cup of coffee and make my way up the mountain for the Bigfoot Classic XC race. The conditions at the top of the mountain near the race site were perfect and it looked like a huge amount of people turned out. Someone later told me that we had 165 racers (about twice past years). Whatever the final count, we had a large field and a crowded pit: lots of pro riders, sports and a few beginners.


The course was one of the better ones that I have ridden: some long climbs, swooping downhills, technical singletrack and even a few hike-a-bikes. It measured out to 14 miles and about 2700 feet of climbing per lap. The pros did two laps, sport one and a half and beginners one. I didn't remember to turn on my GPS unit at the start, but here is most of the course:

Here's the elevation profile:
My race turned out pretty well. I climbed well during the first set of climbs, got a little bogged down during the hike-a-bikes then made up the time during the flat at the mid-point of the race. Unfortunately, no race of mine would be complete without an epic crash. And I certainly didn't disappoint. Just after the 1/2 way point on the divided singletrack, I pulled endo'd in some mud at about 25 miles per hour (it looks pretty cool on the GPS readout). At first, I thought I had broken a rib as the bike had pummelled me in the chest during my crash, but after I pulled my bike out of the nearby tree (!) I was back racing. I pulled it together to finish with a respectable time and won my category.


I didn't get a chance to stick around for the awards ceremony, but the unofficial pro results were:

• Tim Olson (2:14:05)
• Aren Timmel (2:15:37)
• Michael Lee (2:16:40)
• Nigel Hill (2:23:08)
  

Overall, the race was a great experience. My hat off to Vic (in the picture above posting results) and the rest of Team Bigfoot. It was well worth the six hour drive for the race. I posted some more photos from the race over on this thread at MTBR.

RACE REPORT: 2006 Bigfoot Classic (Day 1)

As I shared earlier, I made the drive up to Arcata, CA to race the 2006 Bigfoot Classic today. The actual XC race isn't until tomorrow, but I wanted to come up and watch the Super D race this afternoon.

Unfortunately, it's a six hour drive up to Arcata from the Sierra foothills so I only made it there for the very tail end of the race. However, judging from the crowd it appeared that about 25 racers participated. The course is set waaaayyyy out in the wilderness and most people that I spoke with said the course was excellent. I'll see if I can't scare up the result sometime tomorrow morning for posting.

The XC course looks pretty promising and the race officials said about 125 racers are registered. I'll try to get some more action photos for that tomorrow.
As I said, it's a little hard to find the site. Here are GPS coordinates and maps for the both the highway turnoff [ MAP ] and actual race site [ MAP ]. Hope to see people up here.

Norcal Racing This Weekend: Jun 30 - Jul 2, 2006

It's another full (holiday) weekend of racing :

Tonight (Friday) the Bigfoot Classic starts up north near Arcata, CA [ MAP ]. The classic is a three day event encompassing SuperD (tonight), Short Track, cross country (XC on Saturday) and downhill (DH on Sunday). It's even a US MTB Nationals qualifier. It also looks like they extended registration. Pack up the car and head north if you haven't qualified for Infineion.

Sunday brings another Billy Cross Racing event. This time we're back to XC at Lake Sonoma.

Sunday also is the final CCCX (race #7) race of the season (really). If you're South Bay Area based, you really owe it to yourself to get out to Monterey and experience the cowbell madness.

I am packing the car up now to head north for the Bigfoot Classic, so expect some onsite reports. If you don't get a chance to check back, have a happy Independence Day.

RACE REPORT: PCRS #12

Last night was the final Spring PCRS race (#12), held under sunny skies and mild temperatures. Being the last race of the series, many people attended in costume (?) and hung around after the race for BBQ and cereal malt beverages. Prizes were given out and a general good time was had by all. Oh, and we had a race.
The course was one of my favorites: north from the parking lot, down into the valley, around the motocross track winding back up the hill to a nice dropoff then home. They say the course clocked in at 3.1 miles and 305' of climbing per lap, but my GPS showed only 2.9 miles. Either way, it was a really fast and flowy (?) track with the largest jump / dropoff (probably 24") of the series.
I had a decent race. My first lap was pretty fast with the leaders, although I started to slip during the second lap. I regrouped a bit for the last lap and if I hadn't run off course during the final downhill section (damn photographer :>) I would have had descending lap times. Probably finished towards the middle of pack. Photos and results should be posted sometime later tonight.

While this finishes the Spring PCRS series, the Fall PCRS series starts up in August. Also there is the Series Raffle and Awards BBQ on July 12th, 2006.

NorCal Racing This Week: June 28 - 19, 2006

It's weeknight racing time again:

Tonight (WEDNESDAY) marks the final Prairie City Race (PCRS#12). Riders do a varying amount of 4 mile laps (course varies weekly) depending on category. Registration starts at 4:15 PM and costs $25 (subsequent races cost $10). With the cool down, it should be a nice night.

Also on Wednesday is the fourth Howarth Park Dirt Crits in Santa Rosa, CA. Short (1 mile) course races for timed durations that are fun for the entire family. Racing starts at 5:30 PM and costs $9 for adults ($4 juniors).

Tomorrow (THURSDAY) the racing shifts to Northern Nevada and the Twilight MTB Series (TMTB#8). This week's edition of the race series is moving back to Keystone Twilight. Registration and racing begins at 6:30 PM. Registration costs $5 at the race.

2006 Bigfoot Classic Registration Closes Tonight

Online registration for the 2006 Bigfoot Classic (Cal State Championship) closes at midnight tonight. I am not sure if there is onsite registration or not, so you might want to head over to active.com to register if you are heading north this weekend.

2006 JEEP King of the Mountain Schedule

The JEEP King of the Mountain mountain biking world championships has announced their 2006 schedule:

San Luis Obispo, CA (7.08.06)
Elkhart Lake, WI (8.12.06)
Beaver Creek, CO (9.03.06)

The JEEP KOM pits world class riders like Brian Lopes, Jill Kitner and Wade Bootes in a hybrid dual slalom event. While the race is limited to invited participants, the event also features fun rides and a sports expo. CBS Sports will televise this event on August 13th, 2006.

More information about this event is also available at Mountain Bike Action.

2006 US MTB Nationals Course Update

Team Motionbased has posted a update on the 2006 US MTB Nationals site progress, focusing in the cross country (XC) race. From the sounds of it, they are using almost the exact same course as last year's Cougar Mountain Classic, which means hardpack hills in the heat and wind. Of course, being Motionbased, they have the elevation profile and GPS map. The most interesting part of the post is the Super D course description:

The Super D will probably be the rolling fire road section towards the end of the XC course into a descent with “obstacles” such as bridges and logs. It will be about 3 miles in length, tending to favor the stronger XC riders.

I don't think they ran Super D last year, so this will be all new. It looks like the mountain cross (MTX) and downhill (DH) will be held on similar courses as last year.

Friends of Tamarancho XC Announced

So I haven't seen any real details on this race yet, but the 2nd Annual Fairfax Fat Tire Festival is holding a NORBA sanctioned XC race on Sunday, July 23rd, 2006. From the press announcement:

On Sunday, the NORBA sanctioned Friends of Tamarancho Invitational Mountain Bike Race will take place at Tamarancho Boy Scout Camp, located in Fairfax [ MAP ]. The Junior Race (18 and under), begins at 10:00 AM; the Senior Race (over 18) at noon. Categories will be grouped on race day according to attendance. Cash and merchandise prizes will be awarded. No parking is available due to emergency road closure; course access by bike is mandatory.

Although I don't see any more details, the website for this festival is Fairfax Fat Tire Festival.com. I'll post more as I get the details.

UPDATE (07/03/06): The race costs $25 plus NORBA and Tamarancho pass fees ($5/each if you don't have one). Register at their website.

UPDATE 2 (07/21/06): There are some course details and maps over at this MTBR thread. Looks like 4.5 mile laps.

NorCal Racing This Weekend: June 24 - 25, 2006

A very diverse weekend of racing:

Saturday will host the reconfigured Magic Mushroom Speedway MTX up north in Hopa, CA (near Aracta, CA). While the race is now a mountain cross extravaganza, you'll still get your chance to ride the downhill course after dark under the christmas tree lights.

A little further south in Oakland on Saturday and you'll get a chance at urban adventure racing with the Oakland Scrape Alleycat. Show up around noon in Lakeside Park to find out the first checkpoint and then proceed around the East Bay for "about 20 to 25 miles." But don't worry, it's all for a good cause (benefits Cycles of Change charity).

Sunday brings another Billy Cross Racing event. This time its another 8 Hour Team affair at Lake Sonoma. Grab up to 5 people for this lap switching fest.

Bigfoot Classic DH Course Preview

In preparation for next week's Bigfoot Classic, Pirate DH has posted a video (in Windows Media Player) and some pictures from the DH course in 2003 and 2004. Worth a look.

RACE REPORT: PCRS #11

It was the hottest race night so far this year, finally hitting the 100F mark needed for double series points. A pretty standard course layout (3.5 miles and 320' climbing per laps) with good turnout.

As for myself, I think I can sum up my race in four words: I rode like sh*te. You can kinda tell from the photo below: it's hard to get action shots when you finish last. In fact, I was so bad that I was really just riding to finish by the end of the first lap. It's sad when you have a DFL sowed up 3 miles into the race. I'll see if I can put it back on the rails for the final race in the series next Wednesday.

Photos and results should be posted sometime later tonight.

Norcal Racing This Week: June 21 - June 22, 2006

It's weeknight racing time again:

Tonight (WEDNESDAY) marks the penultimate Prairie City Race (PCRS#11). Riders do a varying amount of 4 mile laps (course varies weekly) depending on category. Registration starts at 4:15 PM and costs $25 (subsequent races cost $10). I think that there is a good chance that it will be double points night tonight . . .

Also on Wednesday is the third Howarth Park Dirt Crits in Santa Rosa, CA. Short (1 mile) course races for timed durations that are fun for the entire family. Racing starts at 5:30 PM and costs $9 for adults ($4 juniors).

Tomorrow (THURSDAY) the racing shifts to Northern Nevada and the Twilight MTB Series (TMTB#8). This week's edition of the race series is moving back to Peavine Hillclimb [ MAP ]. Registration and racing begins at 6:30 PM. Registration costs $5 at the race.

Magic Mushroom Race Change

Due to safety concerns, the Trinity River Pirates have modified the Magic Mushroom Speedway DH event:

In case you are unaware, TRP has reformatted this race to be a daytime 2X mountain cross event rather than a timed night race. We will still be hosting a sick night ride at the same time as previously posted, lit up with all sorts of weird and cool lighting. We have come to this decision as a matter of safety.

The MTX race will be a head to head, single elimination bracket with no entry fee or NORBA license required. Racing begins at 6 PM. The night riding (non-timed) will begin at 9 PM or whenever it get dark enough.

RACE REPORT: Sand Hill Dad's Day

P&R Sports have posted the results for last weekend's Sand HIll Father's Day Dual Slalom event.

Congratulations to George Stephenson III (El Dorado Hills, CA / Northern Lights) for his win over Chris Flores (Durham / Mongoose Tribe Intense Tires) in the Pro/Semi-Pro division.