Race Report VV Composite HS MTB Race Photos and Report from Race #1

Starting a Composite High School MTB Team in the Victor Valley has been quite a challenge.

1) The area that the Team covers is expansive: It is a 45+ minute drive from one side of the desert to the other.
2) Finding the ability to merge work, personal time and team time is a juggling act (it helps that I am a clown).
3) Many students don't embrace exercise, especially if it is cold and windy out.

That being said, there are a couple of Student Athletes that have joined the team that have the desire, heart and parents who understand and believe in the healthy habit that cycling offers... and that is the great reward of putting the Team together.

Today was our first race of the series and it is an understatement that HS MTB racing is thriving! These events are a huge success and have a vibe that is way beyond cool.

Here's a few photos of Wyatt and Brooks racing today. Great kids!

 

High School Races at Vail Lake (Season Opener)

I just got back from a hectic week of meetings and events for CORBA. Yesterday was the most fun though, the season opener of the High School mountain bike league. I didn't get to camp out because of a commitment with the Forest service on Saturday, and instead drove to Vail lake at 4:30 in the morning on Sunday.

The league race, if you haven't seen one is an incredible spectacle. The racing is so well run, so professional and organized. I guess that's what happens when you put on six events in three months... practice makes perfect.

There were well over 300 racers at the event, and probably double that in families, friends and coaches. I had a CORBA booth there, and gave the 2011 CORBA award to Banner Moffat (friends of El Prieto) and Matt Gunnell (League Director) for what they've done for trails and mountain biking in Southern California.

Our friends on the San Gabriel team did well, taking the lead in the division two team points race after the first event. There are two divisions, divided based on the number of athletes on their team.

The Varsity boys race is looking like it will be especially brutal and competitive this year. Cody came in second, just three seconds after Shane Skelton. The first four were just ten seconds apart, and the first ten places were less than two minutes apart with at least six lead changes during the four lap, 22 mile race.

What's really impressive is that after the event instead of everyone packing up and heading home, entire teams and their friends and family stay on for the awards. There were hundreds of people cheering everyone on, applauding and cheering for those on the five-deep podiums.

I got on the mic in front of the crowd and talked about trailwork and advocacy, before giving Banner (friends of El Prieto) and Matt (League Director) their 2011 awards from CORBA. Matt then went on to talk about the importance of trailwork, encouraging all the teams to devote at least one team day doing trailwork as part of their high school program.

There are a few hundred photos on the OTB smugmug from yesterday. Here's a few that capture the spirit of the day. If you have any interest in getting involved, it's a lot of fun, extremely positive and friendly both on the course and off, and you can't help feeling good about it. I'm laying out the course for the third event in Keyesville, and may try to go to the second event in Wildwood State Park (Yucaipa) as well. Maybe even the so cal championship and the state finals, where over 600 athletes from Northern and Southern California leagues compete.

CORBA there to support:





Hammering to the finish:



Staging the field:



Varsity Boys ready to start:



They're off:



Cody jumps off the line:



JV boys follow:



Loose conditions make for a soft landing:



Second lap and the lead pack order is all changed with Casey in front:



The lead pack pins it:



Next lap, Cody way out in front:



Jesse goes for the inside pass to third place, but Casey holds him off:



Cody's jump was too early, and the chase pack pacelines into the wind to close the gap. Now Shane is in the lead, 4th lap.



Cody closed most of the gap, but not quite enough. He was about 20' behind Shane at the finish.


Then the awards:









My turn to talk:



Matt and Banner with their awards:



Varsity Girls... it helps that Hannah happens to be the world Xterra champ, and is also on the San Gabriel team.



Varsity Boys: Shane Skelton, Cody, Jesse, Lee and Casey:






Nate has his eyes on the 2015 series. He's ten, and already a well-respected racer with a social activist heart. He founded, at nine years old, the "Mountain biking for Pablove" team. I can't wait to see him race in the league.


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Everyone loves Nate (and shows it by picking on him :



Team Awards... some of the teams are huge... and growing year after year:











For me these events are some of the most fun, uplifting and rewarding things to witness. The parents are out there supporting the kids from all the teams. The coaches are not standing on the sidelines shouting at referees, but encouraging and supporting every athlete no matter their experience or skill.

During the training sessions the coaches are riding there right alongside the kids instead of yelling drill-sergeant instructions with a whistle from the sidelines or in the gym. Many of these kids will be mountain bikers for life, something that just can't be said about high school ball sports. There's a real team camaraderie, within teams and between different teams. And many parents and friends have gotten into the sport, or dusted off their old klunkers to start riding again. It's growing the sport immensely.

Between this, CORBA and the book project, I haven't been able to do as many OTB rides, STR rides, and RR's as in the past, but I'm glad to be involved and support the league, and would encourage any of you who have up and coming kids to think about it...

Here's the most impressive image of the awards... too wide to include in the forum: Awards

This is the future of our sport!


More photos are up on smugmug at http://otbmbc.smugmug.com/2012Photos/Races-and-Events/2012-02-26-Vail-Lake-High/21661335_4sSJZF, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150583774429538.389193.643689537&type=3

 

That is awesome! I wish we had a MTB team when I was in school.

 

Great Report! It's not easy putting together a HS team... but it is very rewarding!

 

That's the usual response of just about every parent/coach/old fart mountain biker who learns about the league! I think it's even on a t-shirt.

 

Mountain Bike Action just posted a pretty complete rundown of the event including all the divisions:

http://www.mbaction.com/Main/News/2012_SoCal_High_School_Season_Opener_by_Phil_Beckm_5108.aspx