October 29, 2011 – Consistency and tenacity are the keys to success when it comes to winning a season-long race series.  On the eve of the penultimate stop in the Southern Cup cyclocross series, that steady, persistent point-gathering attitude is best exemplified in Julie Marceau (Lapdogs) who leads the Senior Female standings despite having yet to register a win.  Her 19-point advantage over Leigh Hobson (The Hub) is the result of high finishes in each of the six events run to date, a feat that none of her fellow competitors has managed.

However, with 25 points for a win, 20 for second, 16 for third, 13 for fourth, and 11 for fifth, nothing is guaranteed and various scenarios could see either Marceau or Hobson take the overall title.  Looking further down the standings it’s a triple terror in third place as 3 Rox Racing teammates Laura Bietola and Amanda Sin, each having scored two wins, are tied with Jamie Gilgen (Beaches Cycling Club), all with 50 points.  In order to break the logjam someone will have to step up at either the Hardwood or Riverdale ‘cross races, or perhaps at both.

The consistency factor continues in the Senior Male category with veteran Nathan Chown (Team CF) in the lead thanks to points-scoring finishes in all but one race.  His advantage is only a single point over Zach Hughes (Norco Factory Team), who isn’t expected to take the start on Sunday.  Following last weeks’ Barrie Baseball Cross the 21-year old Waterloo resident complained of soreness in his left knee and said he planned to skip the Hardwood race in order to rest for the upcoming national ‘cross championships.

A further six points back in third place is Jared Stafford (Ride With Rendall) who has won every race he has finished.  With Stafford’s propensity for victories, Chown will need all his experience to hold off his challenger.

Another close battle is taking place in the Master Female division, where Michelle Cordy (HB Cycling Club) and Lori Kofman (Chain Reaction/Molson 67) have distanced themselves from the rest of the field.  Cordy sits on top of the standings with 91 points, stemming from three firsts and one third-place finish.  She has skipped the last two races though, allowing Kofman to close the gap to a single point on the strength of a pair of wins added to a couple of runner-up showings.

The struggle for supremacy ended long ago amongst the Master 1 Males, but suspense still exists in the contest for the lower steps of the podium.  Andrew Croutch (The Hub) has dominated all season long, reeling off six consecutive wins for a perfect score of 150 points.  Can he go eight for eight?

Paul Greene (Chain Reaction/Molson 67) sits in second with 70 points and Tristan Smit (Evolution Cycles) currently occupies third place with 55.  Breathing down Smit’s neck are Jon Barnes (Trek Canada), Robert Sule (Chain Reaction/Molson 67), Ed Makarchuk (Sound Solutions), Edgars Apse (Darkhorse Flyers) and Mark Pagell (Independent).  With the gap from third to eighth spread by only 11 points, there’s no rush to engrave the third-place trophy just yet.

Close rivalries also exist in the Master 2 and 3 Male sections.  Unfortunately, anyone who scores too many points risks being upgraded to a higher category, thereby losing most of their points and their standing in their erstwhile division.   For those who avoid promotion, overall success may well come down to a stellar result in the final race.

Standings After Six Races