Hart Park Cyclocross - Invite to NCNCA riders

NCCA , SCCX riders and bike fans:

Your are cordially invited to race #7 of the So Cal Cyclocross Cup in Bakersfield CA. on November 6th. One of our sponsors, Cannondale Bicycles will have demo road, cross and a few mountain bikes available for you to test ride around the race course and roads surrounding beautiful Hart Park. Our venue features on of the best cyclocross courses in the state and Hart Park offers lots of roads and trails.

Wanna check out the bike Gilberto Simoni and Damiano Cunego ride? How about a cross bike? Maybe Mountain Bike magazine's bike of the year, the Prophet with five full inches of travel front and rear! They'll all be there along with hot cyclocross racing action.

Check out the fresh roasted Lengthwise and Detroit coffees as well as music, food, lots of prizes and numerous sponsor booths and fun.

And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, we will be giving away a COMPLETE Cannondale cyclocross bike to one lucky winner! Tickets are only $1 so buy extras! Tickets are available race day or check out www.socalcyclocross.org for all the details. All proceeds benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Thank you and cross on!

Sam Ames
Race Director
Hart Park Cyclocross

BOO! Its time for Surf City #2!

BOO! Its time for Surf City #2! And we have a special treat for all of those who suffered up and down the jungles of Aptos High. This time we offer flat, fast, lots of lovely green grass, turns and shorter run ups. Will the course dry out by Sunday? Or will it be like the year Bart Brentjens showed up?
Featuring the haunted halls of Soquel High and the undulating forests of Sleepy Hollow, with several dirt paths that want to eat up your legs and take off your head. Be wary of the sandpit of lost souls. We have a couple of course options hastily sketched out here http://www.pbase.com/sdukes/image/51333000 and here http://www.pbase.com/sdukes/image/51333001
The Kiddie Kross course will feature the course of the Spider! With Halloween treats for all of the participants. Kiddie Kross is free, because its so darn cute we can't stand it.
And, of course, we bring back the ever popular Costume Cross! Will we ever recover from last year? http://www.pbase.com/sdukes/image/35877999 Winners of costume cross, with judging by the fabulous Bella Slayers, will earn yummy Gizdich Ranch pies.
More information and registration here: http://www.bikereg.com/races/register.asp?EventID=2676 Preregistration closes on Thursday! Race day registration opens at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday.
And don't forget the clinic on Saturday led by local legends: Ben Jacques-Maynes, Sarah Kerlin, Ann Fitzsimmons, and Stella Carey. Only $15. Pre-register or register on clinic day at 11:30.
More series info here: http://www.velobella.org/rides_surf_city.htm I think thats it..Dare to see you there!
Sabine
www.velobella.org
Please take time to thank the following for making Surf City possible!
Bicycle Trip
Scotts Valley Cyclesport
Bicycle Outfitter
WildDingo.com
Hincapie Sports
Bontrager
NCNCA
Crankbrothers
GU
Schwalbe
VelTec
California Giant
Gizdich Ranch
PAZZO
Phil Wood
Ritchey
Rock Lobster
Suburu of Santa Cruz
Seabright Brewery
Summit Bicycles
Sheila Moon
Vanderkitten
Crossroads Bicycles
VeloTech
WTB

Velo Bella Clinic - Saturday Oct. 29th

Velo Bella Clinic - Saturday Oct. 29th
In conjunction with the second race of the Surf City series (The Halloween Race!), we will be holding a cyclocross clinic. Come join us on Saturday, October 29th at Soquel High School at noon for a cyclocross clinic. We are excited to have Ben Jacque-Maynes, Stella Carey, Ann Fitzsimmons, and Sarah Kerlin leading this clinic for us. Clinic cost is only $15!!! A frightfully good deal!Ben Jacque-Maynes of Kodak/Sierra Nevada is a seasoned Cyclocross rider with achievements such as the U.S. title in the Under-23 division in 2000 and the U.S. collegiate title in 2002 to his name. He is also a Bella Fella, and a proud new Pappa! (Congrats Ben and Goldie!!)

Ann is enjoying her inaugural season as a member of the Velo Bella Cyclocross Elite team. She got her start in Cyclocross as one of the Velo Bella Dirty Dozen in 2002! Since that first year she has translated her strength and skill on the mountain bike into a sleek smooth cross machine!

Sarah is also a member of the Velo Bella Elite team. She placed 5th in the Cyclocross National Championships in 2004 and an amazing 18th at the World Championships in her first trip to the grand event.

Stella Carey rounds out our list of amazing instructors giving their time to help new cross riders get a great start. Stella is a two time world champion on the singlespeed and has been a force to watch out for on the Cyclocross scene for several years. All our instructors are amazing athletes and bike handlers and bring a spirit of fun and adventure as well as their love of the sport to teaching. The clinic is co-ed and open to all levels of riders. Instruction will include practice on the course used in the race on Sunday, so be sure to sign up for Sunday's race as well. Don’t forget it’s the weekend of Halloween so costumes are encouraged!Cyclocross bikes are not required for the clinic or to race. If using a mountain bike be certain to remove bar ends. It also helps to change out to narrower, low profile tires. Most newcomers to cyclocross start out on a mountain bike, so don't worry about it. Just bring what you ride. We encourage everyone to pre-register for this event. You can pre-register at Bikereg.com: http://www.bikereg.com/races/register.asp?EventID=2671 We especially invite beginners, juniors, first timers and women to give a go at cyclocross. We promise a fun event that will have you gasping for more! We are offering a beginner's category (Category C) for women. Category C women will get their own start and results against other beginner riders. We are also offering a special Cyclocross Survival Kit for ALL first time female racers. You must pre-register to qualify. So come out for the clinic and come back for the race. Come see what all the dirty grins are about! More info on the Surf City series can be found here http://www.velobella.org/rides_surf_city.htm
Here are a few cool into to CX links:
http://members.aol.com/napavelo/intro.htm
http://www.maddogmedia.com/crossnet/howto.html
http://bigshark.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=68
And our gallery of CX fun:
http://www.pbase.com/sdukes/cyclocross

Surf City Gets Ready to Kick Off!

Surf City Gets Ready to Kick Off!

Come join us for the first race of the Surf City series at Aptos High School this Sunday. Aptos High has undergone some renovations, so the course will be slightly different than in year's past. Most likely remaining will the infamous forest "3 steps forward, 2 steps back" run up and the short stairs by the start finish. Aptos High features some significant elevation changes, so however the course turns out, you can expect it to be a toughie.

And, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Surf City, we are holding a special jungle cross course race at 11:45. If you long for those wacky Bob Liebold style features of old, this is your chance to race them again. This event is only $5 and will be sponsored by Gizdich Ranch, makers of those yummy juices and amazing pies. Pies will be given to the winners of the event (we reserve the right to determine what a "winner" is) and Gizdich Ranch juices will be available for all competitors. If you are fairly new to cross, then consider yourself lucky (or unfortunate if you are highly sadistic) that you missed out on the Jungle Cross days. Here's a great article on the madness that was jungle cross:
http://members.aol.com/napavelo/surfhist.htm

Thanks to the generous product donations of our many loyal sponsors, we are offering a $13,000 overall prize list in cash and merchandise. Prizes will be awarded at the final event. All races count towards points. More details are available on our website:
http://www.velobella.org/rides_surf_city.htm

Kiddie Kross Kids Races (kids 12 and under) will happen at all of our events, so bring the whole family. All children who participate will receive a special prize bag. Kiddie Kross Races are free, but a waiver must be signed to participate. Junior racing for the older kids is available for a reduced rate of $10

Beginners are encouraged to participate at all of our events. We have categories just for new racers and clinics on October 15th and October 29th. All first time female competitors who pre-register will receive a special Cyclocross Survival Kit!

Online registration for all of the above is available at BikeReg.com
http://www.bikereg.com/races/register.asp?EventID=2671

Race day registration will open at 8:00.

Surf City is made possible by the generous support of the following sponsors:
Bicycle Trip, Scotts Valley Cyclesport, WildDingo.com, Hincapie Sports, Bontrager, NCNCA, Crankbrothers, GU, Schwalbe, VelTec, California Giant, Gizdich Ranch, PAZZO, Phil Wood, Ritchey
Rock Lobster, Suburu of Santa Cruz, Seabright Brewery, Summit Bicycles, Sheila Moon, Vanderkitten
Crossroads Bicycles, VeloTech, WTB, White Industries

Velo Bella Clinic - Saturday Oct. 15th

In conjunction with the first race of the Surf City series, we will be
holding a cyclocross clinic.

Come join us on Saturday, October 15th at Aptos High School at noon for a
cyclocross clinic. We are honored to have Carmen D'Aluisio, Sarah Kerlin, and Simon Vickers
lead this clinic for us. Clinic cost is only $15.

Carmen is a former criterium national champion, pro mountain biker and one
of the nation's top cyclocrossers. Although she has recently retired from
professional racing, she remains active in the sport as a personal coach and
as the director sportif for the Webcor Builder's Women's Team. (Don't worry
Carmen, I won't call you a matron)

Sarah is a member of the Velo Bella team. She placed 5th in the Cyclocross
National Championships in 2004 and an amazing 18th at the World
Championships in her first trip to the grand event.

All our instructors are amazing athletes and bike handlers and bring a spirit of fun and
adventure as well as their love of the sport to teaching.

The clinic is co-ed and open to all levels of riders. Instruction will
include practice on the course used in the race on Sunday, so be sure to
sign up for Sunday's race as well.

Cyclocross bikes are not required for the clinic or to race. If using a
mountain bike be certain to remove bar ends. It also helps to change out to
narrower, low profile tires. Most newcomers to cyclocross start out on a
mountain bike, so don't worry about it. Just bring what you ride.

We encourage everyone to pre-register for this event. You can pre-register
at Bikereg.com:
http://www.bikereg.com/races/register.asp?EventID=2671

We especially invite beginners, juniors, first timers and women to give a go
at cyclocross. We promise a fun event that will have you gasping for more!
We are offering a beginner's category (Category C) for women. Category C
women will get their own start and results against other beginner riders. We
are also offering a special Cyclocross Survival Kit for ALL first time
female racers. You must pre-register to qualify. So come out for the clinic
and come back for the race. Come see what all the dirty grins are about!

More info on the Surf City series can be found here
http://www.velobella.org/rides_surf_city.htm

Here are a few cool into to CX links:
http://members.aol.com/napavelo/intro.htm
http://www.maddogmedia.com/crossnet/howto.html
http://bigshark.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=68

And our gallery of CX fun:
http://www.pbase.com/sdukes/cyclocross


Sabine
www.velobella.org

CCCX #2 Set For This Sunday in Ft Ord, East Garrison

CCCX #2 Set For This Sunday in Ft Ord, East Garrison

The CCCX Series holds it race # 2 in the Former Army Base at Ft Ord East Garrison area this Sunday.
Racers can expect a fast track that has a little of everything to offer for the cross enthusiast. The route being used Sunday is filled with a large portion of pavement and hard pack dirt sections. There is also a few single track trails that keep the riders skills at a premium. Also incuded are a few bumby sections that will surely test everyones cross steeds and race gear. Wind may also come into play as many portions of the race route are exposed to the exsisting local wind currents. The lap times will be longer then most cross venues and this route is surely one of the highest speed circuits used on the North Cal race scene. This might be the final time bike racing will take place in this area where the district road and cross championships have been decided. A major housing development is schedule to start soon thus ending the use of this beautiful open space area as racers have known it.

Many racers look to make a move in this 6 race series where medals go to the top three each race.
Mens A race might see Justin Robinson, Aaron Kereluck, Matt young, Gustavo Jimenez, or David Wyandt show form. Womens Elite field might be wide open with a National being held in Portalnd. Look for Hillary Daniels, Josie Beggs, or Lauren Costantini to have a good day. Mens 35 A field will surely be hard fought with Mark Howland, Tim Thompson, Cesar Chavez, Pat Shott, Robert Meighan, Mike Morgan, or Brock Dickie all showing fine form. Other talented female racers looking to strut their stuff are Henrietta Stern, Yvonne Walbrochi, Samantha Sommers, Lori Lown, Shauna Potocky, Alyse Wayman, Fuavia Oliveira, Julie Brothers, Karen Kefauver, Katie Bjory, Julie Starling, and Michelle Lambert. Mens 45 A field will see the likes of Jon Suzuki, Edwin Rambuski, Robert Kurosawa, Thomas Sullivan, John Brown, Kim Akol and Scott Martin have a go at Ft Ord. Other male racers looking to make a mark in their respected divisions might be Murray Swanson, Christopher Skulley, Frank Thaxter, Brian Rogers, Ryan Schlichting, Jeff Bronack, Tyler Wertenbroch, Ryan Isaacs, Matt Dunston, Troy Mayfield, Shige Honjo, Jeff Van Damme, and Alex Anderson. Juniors will be in full force with Raymond and Thomas Mendoza, Jordan Vanderstoep, Andy Shaw, Jesse Nickell, and Taylor Shamsoian all racing hard. Also look for other cross racers such as Mitch Bramlett, Chris Rodriquez, Bob Barwick, Erik Salander, Dwight Goss, and William Hall to make a impact in their race groups.

The sun should be shining bright on this sport where mud is desired, so bring your sun screen and your esasy ups. And be sure and take advantage of this last chance opportunity to race in this beautiful area of the former Army base at Ft ord.