Seattle Cyclocross Series Race # 2

Last Sunday, we headed down to Lakewood - that be Washington - for race number two of the Seattle cyclocross series. Venue for this event was Fort Steilacoom Park, pretty nice place for a 'cross race. I hit this park twice last spring; once for a mountain bike race for Ian, then again to volunteer for the first ever high school mountain bike race held in Washington. That was cool.

So, some quick details and pics for trip number three from Steilacoom...



Weather felt like 'cross weather. A little wet, but not fully raining. Overcast skies and fall is here. Defying gravity, racer dude levitates over the barrier section.

Rad Racing juniors line up for action.

JL Velo juniors do the same.

Ian gazes off into the distance. Contemplating race strategy - or maybe unfinished homework waiting at home?

Go Ian go...

Scott, racing in the Junior Boys 13 - 14 class, trails a kid racing in the 15-16 class. Scott eventually passed him and won the race overall. Very fast kid, that Scott is.

A gaggle of JL Velo juniors attack the barriers, Ian included.

Ian getting ready for the running remount.

Kid racers rock.

Ian heading out of the second barrier section.

For the smaller kids, the barriers are larger then they appear...

Teammates screaming encouragement always helps...

Fast dudes in full battle.

Turn right at the barn, get ready to run...

Slice splash action.

Puddle mirror action.

Inverted bikes nap in the pit area, hoping to not be awakened.

Just a stroll in the park. A fast stroll...

Pan Action 'R' Us.

Pan Action 'R' Us, take two...

Round 'N' Round we go...

Gravel road action. Downhill even...

Focused on the next corner. Or maybe the food vendor truck...

You gotta be bad ass to rock the pink kit.

If I stare straight ahead, maybe this guy will stop yelling at me...

Not much of a write up today. Race was almost a week ago, I finally sorted through the pictures tonight, it's late and I'm lame. Ian scored 12th out of 15 kids in the Junior Boys 13-14 class. Said he didn't feel that great - no problem, still racked up some series points.

He also was dead last going into the first corner. Start was a long, wet pavement section. Some of the 'cross starts intimidate him a little, since they're fast and quite a few kids gunning for it. He agreed to work on that a bit. Cyclocross races are short and starting off the back makes it pretty tough to catch many racers.

In any case, I'm always proud of him. Racing 'cross or bikes in general ain't easy. Ian and the rest of the junior fields always impress me. They are the future of the sport.