SoCalCross Prestige Series # 3 - Storm the Beach Cycloross
Racing the tide in Oceanside, California - Cyclocross Southern California Style

By: David Sheek,  &  Dot Wong

SoCalCross Prestige Series rolled on and so did the surf on the shorelines of Camp Pendleton Marine Base in Oceanside, CA home to Storm the Beach hosted by Celo Pacific cycling club of San Diego. While the weather was perfect, the high tide conditions and sandy course felt more like a 3k run than a cyclocross race. The early morning racers were definitely dealt a better hand as the low tide left plenty of room for riding on the hard packed shoreline sand, but as the day rolled on riders were running out of real estate and deeper into the surf.

Over the barriers in the deep sand. Photos courtesy David Sheek

Here is a recount from Master’s Women’s Series Leader and winner on the day, Robin MacDonald-Foley (Trek): “Wow...that was a kick a-- race! Carol & I were duking it out the entire time, but I finally did a surge last lap to take her on the beach front half way toward the first run-up. Dino has been great and I am happy to see her make podium. I have been giving her advice, and of course her hub Dave is great support. She thinks 40 is too old to start but look at the ages out there...we never retire....can't!! :)) She has made huge progress. Also, the 3rd place 3/4 woman finisher came up to me after the race and said she is going to try and stay on our wheels off the start and learn as much as she can. It is wonderful to help mentor the up and comers.”

Rolling across the beach road. Photos courtesy David Sheek

In the second “wave” of racing, the elite women took to the course with the tide still holding back, though not without an occasional swell bringing up the foamy surf to take the ladies off course. The field kept it close through most of the first lap. Until, Redline Bicycles, Coryn Rivera launched the first attack with Carolyn Popovic of Team CICLE the only one able to follow the sprightly Rivera. The two held the race close in the end, but it was Rivera taking her second straight win of the Prestige Series as she chases down the Voler Points Leaders Jersey currently held by Dot Wong (CICLE) who finished 3rd on the day. MTB Expert champ, Lisa Crow battled it out with her CICLE team mate and Jr. National Crit Champ, Kendall Ryan on the final uphill sprint to the line with Lisa surging past Kendall, rounding out the women’s podium.

High Tide and the Elite Men
The elite men’s race hit the course luckily about the same time as high tide was subsiding allowing most riders ability to pedal through the long 200-yard Fluid shoreline returning riders back to start another lap and riders still needing to avoid the tide on occasion with the “fluid” flow of the waves managing to douse racers each lap. The start was fast.

Spectators sat on the bluffs above the Clif Bar hill climb waiting to see who was going to be leading the field. It was SoCalCross Prestige Series leader Brent Prenzlow of Celo Pacific/Alan Bikes leading the pack on the first lap. When the riders reached the top of the climb, Prenzlow opened up a small gap with his chasers led by Jason Lowetz of Team Bearclaw. The racers dove full speed down into the Kool N’ Fit sand pit (basically the beach sand below) and Prenzlow able to make the biggest difference in his racing on the day pedaling through most of the deep sand each lap.

From here Prenzlow did not let up as he pounded out each lap opening up his gap on the competitors. In second it was Lowetz who formed his gap from the chasers during the grueling race. A close race formed with Fritz Bottger (PAA/Vitamix/Sixtufit) and Michael Easter (Action Sports) battling it out for the next two spots. Bottger seemed to strategically plan a last attack on the Clif Bar hillclimb on the final lap to gap himself from the powerful Easter. Easter did not let up as he put in a full sprint through the last stretch of deep sand, but it was too late as Bottger had enough of a gap to take third with Easter fourth on the day.

Bikinis & Boards Race
The highlight of the day was the Bikini and Board shorts fun race! Men and women of ‘cross took to the line in their brief outfits. As they rode to the finish in a four person sprint – Bobby Langin Jr and Heidi Kanayan surged ahead at the line. Victory went to Mr. Langin also for the wackiest beach attire! Clif Bar awarded

t-shirts and hats and clothed the victors on the podium. Dot shared her winning Stone Brewing 22oz beverage from Adams Avenue CX race the day before in a final toast on the fine weekend of ‘cross racing!

It was another great day for the Prestige Series, epic conditions making it memorable for all. Thank you to Celo Pacific for the great race and venue, the spectators, riders, sponsors, and all others who volunteered to make this event a success.

The Prestige Series only gets better as next Saturday 10/25, will be Southern California’s first ever cyclocross night race with SCPS #4, Spooky Cross in Irvine hosted by Bike Religion. The best part of the evening is going to be the Spooky Costume Race taking place at 7:30pm with superheroes like Spiderman looking for the win. Until next week, go find a friend and continue the growth of cross even if you’re a cross dresser on a beach cruiser.

More info on the SOCALCROSS PRESTIGE SERIES go to: www.SoCalCross.org

Results
Elite Men
1 778 Brent PRENZLOW Celo Pacific/ALAN
2 773 Frederick Bottger PAA/Vitamix/Sixtufit.com
3 790 Michael Easter Action Sports
4 792 Michael Lee Trek/VW
5 786 Jason Lowetz Team Bearclaw
6 781 Gary Douville Team Platinum Performance
7 791 Anton Petrov Team Prolong
8 780 Ted Willard Bike Religion
9 774 Donny Carroll DeWalt Racing
10 770 John Bailey Bailey Bikes
11 783 Bobby Langin Jr Platinum Performance Cycling Team
12 787 Greg Bourque Rock N Road
13 797 Scott Hammack Acqua al 2/SDBC
14 785 Mike Tettleton Team Bearclaw
15 782 Kevin Ryan Acme Racing
16 794 Damon Roberson Unattached
17 789 Griffith Vertican Celo Pacific
18 775 Derek Hermon Team CICLE/Bear Valley Bikes
19 793 Matt Freeman Team Redlands
20 795 Everett Hauser G S Adams Avenue Bicycles

Elite Women 1/2/3
1 522 Coryn Rivera Team Redline
2 515 Carolyn Popovic Team CICLE Presented by Voler
3 518 Dorothy WONG Team CICLE Presented by Voler
4 517 Kendall Ryan Team CICLE Presented by Voler
5 511 Lisa Crowe Team CICLE Presented by Voler
6 521 Sarah Kaufmann Roaring Mouse Cycles
7 523 Vanessa Humic Backbone
8 516 Alexis Ryan Team CICLE Presented by Voler
9 512 Heidi Kanayan Team CICLE Presented by Voler
10 519 Marian Hunting Velo Bella-Kona

Masters Men 35+ 1/2/3
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 305 Mike McMahon Team Velocity
2 310 John Bailey Bailey Bikes
3 304 Ben Jones Celo Pacific
4 306 Jeff Prinz Bike Religion
5 311 Garnet Vertican ODI
6 307 Alex Ter-Vrugt Celo Pacific
7 302 Phillip Gray Celo Pacific
8 309 Matt Brayer Team Possabilities
9 303 Jeff Herring Team C.I.C.L.E. Presented by Voler

Women 3/4
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 258 Susan Thompson Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)
2 256 Genna McMahon Team Velocity
3 257 Hanh Nguyen Banning's Bikes
4 259 Rebecca Siegel Team CICLE
5 260 Kelley Brunson Bear Valley Bikes

Masters Women 35+
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 493 Robin MacDonald Judgement Velo/Trek Bikes of Ventura
2 495 Carol Ruckle Team Possabilities
3 492 Dinorah Lawson Celo Pacific
4 491 Maria Fahie Switchback
5 494 Annette Padilla Celo Pacific

Junior Boys 10-14
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 53 Zane Torre Sho-air/Sonance
2 54 Jordan Herschman Sho-air/Sonance
3 52 Duncan Reid Backontrack
4 51 Joshua Said Velo Allegro
5 55 Nathan Rico Sho-air/Sonance
6 56 Mathew Weir Celo Pacific
7 50 Drew Campaigne Celo Pacific

Junior Girls 10-14
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 81 Hannah Eckvahl Velo Bella
2 82 Emelia Tanner Sho-air/Sonance

Junior Girls 15-18
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 290 April Lembi Team CICLE

Men 3/4
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 374 Scott Hammack SDBC
2 371 Geoff McFetridge Mudfoot
3 361 Roger Wotton Cynergy Cycles Race Team
4 357 Eric Christensen OutsideAll Day.com
5 355 David Sheek Rock N Road/OutsideAllDay
6 363 Seth Bradley Unattached
7 369 Alex Hall South Bay Wheelmen
8 353 Erik Turner Bike Religion
9 345 Eric Colton Team CICLE
10 346 Erik DeKold FToP
11 360 Brant Hatton Kenda/Backbone
12 347 Andrea Martinelli Bike Religion
13 362 Max Foorman Liquid Fitness So Cal 4/5 Team
14 349 Kerry Need Bike Religion
15 358 Dan Nielsen Team CICLE/Bear Valley Bikes
16 350 Troy Perkins Bike Religion
17 372 Paul Springer Acqua al2/SDBC
18 370 Jesus Ortega Celo Pacific
19 366 Tomas Petricko Mafia Racing/PBR

Masters Men 35+ 3/4
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 551 Timothy Sparks Sho-air/Sonance
2 552 Robert KMETZ Rock N Road
3 559 Theodore POSCH JR Team Velocity
4 558 Jamie Stathas Team MBS
5 557 Newman Bellis Coates/Freedom 2 Doit/Felt
6 542 Daniel Fahie Switchback Cyclery
7 545 David Lawson Celo Pacific
8 555 Aaron Jones Unattached
9 556 Tom McDonald Unattached
10 548 Tak Tsubota Team CICLE

Masters Men 45+
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 808 Charles Morris Bike Religion
2 805 Joe Gallal Team Velocity
3 802 Alan Braff Nonstop Ciclismo
4 809 Larry Price Ladera Cyclery
5 816 Vernon Smith Palos Verdes Groupo Ciclismo
6 817 Gregory Page Lightning Velo
7 801 Wes Barton NOW-MS Society
8 804 Robert deFerrante Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)
9 815 Michael Marckx Palos Verdes Groupo Ciclismo
10 807 John Lembi TBL

Masters Men 55+
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 38 Jon Miller Rock N Road
2 34 John Rubcic UC Cyclery/JW Flooring
3 36 Jonathan Livesay Team MBS
4 30 Stan Appel Fog Racing
5 39 Howard Miller Paramount Racing
6 35 R. Willmore Celo Pacific
7 32 John Donaldson Unattached

Singlespeed 1/2/3
Place Bib First Name Last Name Team
1 49 Noah Holcomb Cannondale Factory Team
2 40 Geoff Albert HUP United
3 48 Chuck Morris Bike Religion
4 46 Tom McDonald Unattached
5 43 Miguel Sutter Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA)
6 47 Mark Hoover Celo Pacific
7 45 David Sheek Rock N Road/OutsideAllDay
8 44 R. Willmore Celo Pacific

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