October 20, 2009 – While the skies were dry, the rain soaked grass at the 2008 Vanier Park Cyclocross Classic in Vancouver, B.C. gave a clear advantage to the power brokers over the technicians. In almost every category, race breaking moves were made in the energy sapping grass sections that rendered tactics largely useless, and allowed riders who could punch out superior wattage in key moments to simply ride away from their pursuers.

The new partnership of West Coast Racing and Trek Truck Racing co-promoting this mainstay of the BC Cup Cyclocross Series drew out over 150 racers to this annual event’s unique urban venue in the heart of downtown Vancouver. While the course design of returning Race Director Sven Sturm presented its usual split-personality with half of it in a continuous ribbon of fast hardpack and gravel, and the other half on the grass, it was the latter’s expanse of soft green fields that quickly carved up the start packs into many smaller battles of attrition. In the rare cases where fitness requirements failed to produce splits, the major technical area aptly billed as the ‘Slope of No Hope’ put paid to several podium aspirations.

The tightly contested Men’s B category followed all these major plotlines to a ‘T’ and yielded some of the most compelling racing of the day. Behind winner Mike Sidic the action reached a feverish pitch in the closing stages. “After some early troubles, I reconnected late in the race to make it a group of four to decide the podium,” described Matt Drown (West Coast Racing). “Our group had some trouble lapping traffic from another category out on the course at the same time, and that whittled it down further but I couldn’t fully capitalize on a 2-up sprint,” recounted Drown after being edged out by frequent rival Ryan Newsome (Local Ride).

Kelly Jones (Sugoi), who represented Canada at the 2007 cyclocross world championships, had no such difficulties in taking the Women’s A event. “I learned a lot about suffering on the course last year,” recounted Jones, “and so I was confident that if could through the opening sand pit cleanly in the lead I would have a good shot at it. I didn’t get quite the start I wanted with Christy Love (West Coast Racing) taking the holeshot and then also Melanie Vaughan (Steed Cycles) slipping in front of me, but I decided to put in an early surge across a pretty unusual line to grab the lead into the sand, and after that I just needed to ride my own pace at the front and stay out of trouble.”

In stark contrast, the Men’s A produced several lead changes among the front running trio of Kevin Noiles (Trek Red Truck Racing), Drew Mackenzie (Island Racing Club), and Noiles’ team mate Tyler Trace. “Kevin had good legs to start with,” admitted Trace, who entered the event as the BC Cup series leader, “and hit us with lots of attacks in the early going.” It wasn’t to be Noiles’ day however. “I knew Kevin would be strong after his top 5 finish at the national championships last weekend,” added Trace, “but I could tell I was moving through the grassy power sections a bit better than the other guys. I gapped them but gave it all back later going down after tangling with some course tape! Kevin’s energy went down a bit and then Drew and I just rode off the front together. I put in one more big attack again on the grass field to get another gap, and then used all the areas where the course turned back on itself to keep checking that my lead was intact all the way into the line.” Noiles eased home after Mackenzie’s 2nd place finish to give Trek Red Truck Racing another top 3 podium position to go along with Trace’s win.

As always, the Kids’ Cross sponsored by Bike Gallery was a hit, with cycling superstars of the future getting a glimpse of bike racing in several waves of pint-sized riders, some taking on a lap of the full BC Cup course, with others testing the waters on a special micro course.

Co-organizers West Coast Racing (www.westcoastracing.ca) and Trek Red Truck Racing (www.trekredtruckracing.com) would like to thank our list of excellent sponsors and partners who supported the race plus provided a bevy of prizes for all categories;

– Race Face (www.raceface.com)
– PowerBar (www.powerbar.ca)
– Bike Gallery (www.vancouverbikegallery.com)
– Schwalbe Tires (www.schwalbetires.com)
– M&M Meats (mmmeatshop.com)
– Active Life Physiotherapy (www.activelifephysio.ca)
– Uprising Breads (www.uprisingbreads.com)
– Atac Sportswear (www.bikeatac.com)
– Running Room (www.runningroom.ca)
– Vancouver Parks (www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks)

Look for photo galleries to be posted shortly at the main event page www.westcoastracing.ca/vanier

Results

Women A
1. Kelly Jones (Sugoi) 41:58
2. Melanie Vaughan (Steed Cycles) 43:30
3. Joele Guynup 44:26
4. Christy Love (West Coast Racing) 45:32
5. Courtney Albert (Trek Red Truck Racing) 46:48
6. Celine Dennis 47:05
7. Karen Watson 48:03

Men A
1. Tyler Trace (Trek Red Truck Racing) 55:23
2. Drew Mackenzie (Island Racing Club) 55:30
3. Kevin Noiles (Trek Red Truck Racing) 56:59
4. Nick Berry 57:44
5. Zack Garland (Kona-Adobe) 58:24
6. Sven Sturm 59:15
7. Carsten Ivany (Local Ride) 59:22
8. Rob Gosselin 59:22
9. Pascal Wehr 1:00:17
10. Ian Young 1:01:17
11. Joe Wessel 1:01:31
12. Dwayne Kress 1:01:31
13. Basse Clement -1 lap
14. John Perkins -1 lap
DNF Chris Sayers DNF

Women B
1. Karen Todd
2. Kelsey Miller
3. Anne Marie Lefrancois
4. Sarah McMillan
5. Stania Juriga
6. Lorraine Kennedy

Men B
1. Mike Sidic (Escape Velocity)
2. Ryan Newsome (Local Ride)
3. Matt Drown
4. Mike Berkenpas (Local Ride)
5. Gordon Ross
6. Bryce Fegley
7. Sherwood Plant
8. Andrew Lea
9. Mike Tunnah
10. Jeff Hanninen
11. Matt Law
12. Joshua Weiss
13. Paul Sales
14. Pascal Teste
15. Jak New
16. Ryan Rickerts
17. Craig Fabische
18. Andrew Kerr (Local Ride)
19. Steven Herbert
20. Nicholas Cowan
DNF Colin McArthur
DNF Ben Jackson
DNF Ryan Cousineau
NP Urs Bleuler

Master Women
1. Heather King
2. Barb Zimich
3. Lesley Trivett
4. Kathleen Negraeff
5. Tanya Camposano

Master Men
1. Graeme Martindale
2. Sean Howie
3. Scott McGregor
4. Brad Collins
5. Brent Hambleton
6. Steve Murray
7. Colin Campbell
8. Patrick Beckstead
9. Graham Tutti
10. Jay Murray
11. Kim Steed
12. Patrick Love
13. Bob Chew
14.
15. Roy McBeth (Local Ride)
16. Rod Dagneau
17. Ray Lachance
18. Dave Cressman
19. Tyler Jordan
20. Iain Mant
21. Jay Loder
22. Robbie Bitz (Local Ride)
23. Derek Thomas
24. John Irvine
25. Rick Rodland
26. Greg Devins
27. Jason Metcalfe
28. Bryon Enns
29. Anselmo Rossiello
30. Kenny James
31. Anthony King
32. Ian Parker
33. Kalle Karu
34. Mark Butschler
35. James Thompson
36. Brian Griffin
NP Patrick Cafferty
NP Trevor Salmon
NP Doug Kranenburg
NP Simon Pulfrey

Open Beginner (Mixed)
1. Morgan Taylor
2. Craig Fabische
3. Michael Dolling
4. Geoffrey Agnew
5. Todd Allison
6. Bill Riley
7. Kevin Macdonald
8. Steven Fedder
9. Dustin Brons
10. Alexis Doucet
11. Jeff Ker
12. Dan Spry
13. Scott Schroeder
14. Matthew Atkinstall
15. John Starcevic
16.
17. Stephane Delisle
18. Matt Barber
19. Tom Wojcik
20. Andrew Houston
21. Scott Wotherspoon
22. Kevin Watt
23. Brian Wong
24. Vadim Mugerman
25. Guy McInnis
26. Mark Harrison
27. James Ballard
28. Geoff Wherrett
29. Karl Bridge
30. Michael Bobick
31. Mark Huggan
32. Fraser Hanson
33. Jenn D’aoust
34. Sean Kato
35. Geoffrey Agnew
36. Nick Towill
37. Connie Abram
38. Dennis Hansen
39. Joanne Hughes
40. Matthew Smith
41. Jeff Van Mulligen
42. Nigel Turner
NP Steven Forster
NP Martin Richardson

Under 17 Male
1. Peter Whalen (Local Ride)

Under 17 Female
1. Maggie Coles-Lyster (Local Ride)

Kids’ Cross 11-15 (non-competitive)
Theresa Riley
Zac Pollard
Finn Shklanzu
Daniel Kennedy
Rowan Doherty

Kids’ Cross 0-10 (non-competitive)
Oliver Mendenham
Nola Cressman
Nicholas Long
Mitchell Long
Tilda Cressman
Connor McBeth
Axel Statton
Timo Clement
Jackson Goldstone