Beach to Boulders, Perris, CA
By Phil Beckman, PB Creative
Contact: Matt Gunnell, matt@socaldirt.org, (818) 415-1133, www.socaldirt.org
Perris, Calif. — The third round of the 2013 SoCal High School Cycling League season was like a fairy tail: Beauty and the Beast. The setting was Lake Perris State Recreation Area, an 8,800-acre high desert playground created with the 1973 construction of the southernmost reservoir in the 701-mile California State Water Project.
The nerve center for this “Beach to Boulders” event was a lovely, comfortable, scenic park on the lake’s northern tip. The 344 registered student-athletes, 36 teams, their supporters, volunteers and staff on hand were spoiled by the agreeability of this venue. Pleasant weather just added to the affable atmosphere. It was a beauty.
On the other hand, the racecourse was a maximum heart rate test that started on the sandy beach and then charged up a long stretch of thick, spongy sod, swung onto a paved climb that went up and up and up into the surrounding hills. And then onto a dirt climb and up some more before turning onto a long, fast, singletrack trail that whooshed competitors back down to the shoreline and around the beach to another demanding slog up a grassy slope to the finish. It was a beast.
It was like nothing SoCal League participants had ever experienced. Matt Gunnell, the Executive Director of the SoCal High School Cycling League, explained afterward, “Racing at Lake Perris provided a unique opportunity for the SoCal League to try something a little bit different and incorporate some unique elements into high school mountain biking. We had our race start in sand on the beach and the riders had the opportunity to traverse the beach at least two times per lap. I gave the coaches the heads up a few weeks back to ‘train on riding in sand’ and it appears many teams took the advice. This course favored powerful riders and was not very technical. This may have played into the results but, because mountain biking takes place on a variety of terrain in varied conditions, this race will help define the best overall riders at the end of the season.”
Teams
Three-time and defending Division 1 team champion Hemet High School scored its first victory of the season at Lake Perris. Moments later, Head Coach Pete Kirkham was forced to jump in the lake. “I told the team this week that if they could refocus and step up to win again, I’d go for a swim,” he said. “They responded very well and did a really good job today. Our result today is a product of what they did after we missed the podium for the first time ever at the last race. We couldn’t be happier.”
It was a tight fight, as Woodcrest Christian High School and Yucaipa High School finished second and third overall in D1 by the slimmest of margins. In the season standings, Yucaipa still leads the way with Hemet moving to second and Woodcrest third.
Crescenta Valley High School maintained its position at the top of the Division 2 standings (for teams with 11 or fewer riders) by claiming its second win of the year. Head Coach Jim Rowton was a little choked up when he said quietly: “There’s no secret to it. You go out and work hard and hope the kids can perform up to their ability. I try to keep them focused on how much work it takes to be a good team and how everybody is a critical and integral part of that.”
South Orange County Composite placed second on the day. A new squad for 2013 — El Toro High School — enjoyed its first SoCal League podium in third. In series points after three of five events (all count in team competition), Crescenta leads South OC and Corona del Mar High School.
Varsity Boys
Christian Husband (Independent) made his first high school mountain bike appearance a memorable one by surging away from breakaway partner Sean Bird (St. Francis) within sight of the finish line to win by seven seconds. This bold series debut was even more remarkable by the fact that Husband had only hours before completed a prominent three-day road stage race, finishing fifth overall against a National-level Junior field.
“Someone recommended I try high school mountain bike racing,” Husband explained. “I plan to do as many of these as I can if they don’t conflict with my road program. I do mountain biking for fun and training. The scene here is awesome and the competition is great compared to other race series. The environment is super cool.”
Runner-up Bird was thrilled with his best finish in his first season in the Varsity class. He had played a key role in splitting up a strong group that had formed by the halfway point of the four-lap, 20-mile race and then helped whittle it down a bit more on the last climb of the last lap. Only Husband was on his wheel as they came off the descent and began the long, flat stretch along the beach heading toward the finish.
As Bird picks up the plot, “Christian started playing games and I realized at that point I needed to think more about overall season points. The other guys were so close I didn’t really have a choice — I had to keep pulling. I knew he would probably have a better kick at the end anyway. It’s definitely very exciting. Overall it was a great race.”
Sammy Bello (Independent) also had the best ride of his rookie Varsity season for third, while Alex Bagg (Yucaipa) and Kyle Skeen (Ramona) bookended the podium.
Jarred Jordan (Murrieta) now leads the standings on the consistency of a sixth-place finish (and the absence of former leader Shane Skelton). Bagg, Bello, Bird and Garrett Gaither (Ramona) are right on Jordan’s heels.
Varsity Girls
To no one’s surprise, Hannah Rae Finchamp (Maranatha) dominated Varsity Girls again despite competing in a triathlon in Lake Havasu the day before (she earned top overall female honors). Not even a mechanical issue could slow her down. She explained that, “I was trying to pass a JV rider and when she moved over she crashed. I am so sorry to whoever that was but she hit my bike and from then on my chain was skipping and I didn’t have my biggest gear. But that’s the exciting part of mountain biking; you never know what to expect.” Finchamp will be spending her spring break on a trip with schoolmates to Galapagos Island.
Reka Felenyi (Rim of the World) has had a rough-and-tumble series so far, but it all came together for her at Lake Perris with a strong second place. “I was surprised,” she exclaimed. “I was like, ‘I don’t know what’s happening.’ I can’t believe I actually got second. I want to thank my parents and coach for training me and making me believe I won’t fall in every race.”
Emma Klingaman (Hemet), Morgan Zurborg (Woodcrest) and Megan Bradley (Rim of the World) rounded out the top five at Beach to Boulders. In season points, Finchamp leads Klingaman, Zurborg, Bradley and Dalma Felenyi (Rim of the World).
JV Girls
Ema Suarez (Independent) has swept the season so far after again topping JV Girls without drama. “I really liked this race. The course was pretty easy and in my opinion it favored those who do road racing. I felt pretty strong even though the sand kind of slowed me down. Thanks to my coaches and family and to the SoCal League for making this happen.”
Hemet teammates and best friends Hayleigh Kirkham and Alexis Marques rode together the entire two laps and finished just two seconds apart for second and third, respectively.
These results mirror the current point standings: Suarez, Kirkham, Marques.
JV Boys Division 1
Imeh Nsek (Independent) chose the steepest section of the course to make his move against a leading group of seven on the second of three laps in this class and was gone. He monitored his pace to perfection on this warm afternoon and soloed in with over a minute’s cushion. Woodcrest teammates Michael Lansing and Brian Messner sprinted for second, with Lansing getting the nod.
“I slowed it down at the beginning of the third lap so I didn’t die on the last hill, and no one got back,” said the winner.
Nsek now has sole possession of the Leader Jersey, with Lansing and Messner chasing for the championship.
JV Boys Division 2
The largest class of the day (64 riders) was also one of the most exciting. The top three were separated in the results by less than seven seconds. Emerging victorious for the eighth time in a row (going back to his Freshman 2012 season) was James Pflughaupt (Corona del Mar). Sean Bell (El Toro) and Daniel Johnson (South OC) went 2-3, the same order these riders find themselves in the standings.
According to Pflughaupt, “It was a tough race; really hot. The last climb was absolutely brutal. I attacked in the feed zone and got a bit of a gap and then just flew through the sand. It was an interesting finish.”
Sophomore Girls
Despite a shaky start, Christina Mann (Yucaipa) made it a three-peat in 2013. As she reported, “At the start I could not get clipped in and everybody passed me. But when you go through the soft sand and make the bend to the right I saw everyone drifting all the way to the left. There was this huge open space for me on the right so I was like, ‘Hey, thanks,’ and cruised on through.”
She blitzed the first lap and pulled away to win convincingly ahead of Kaitlin Washburn (Eastlake) and Madison Brown (Woodcrest).
Mann extended her points lead over Washburn and Lauren Small, who was fourth at Lake Perris.
Sophomore Boys Division 1
Geoffrey Bartz (Independent) rode three tactically savvy laps to snare his first victory in high school mountain bike racing. “I didn’t do a lot of pulling on the road and the climbs. I just saved myself for the last lap. I broke away at the feed zone, only about a tenth of a mile from the finish,” he explained.
Bartz admitted that Dillon Gamache (Yucaipa) and Miles Crawford (Independent) did the bulk of the work within their leading group of three, and that’s the way they finished.
Gamache took home a nice consolation prize in the form of this class’s Leader Jersey. Hayden Ramsay (Yucaipa) was fifth at Lake Perris and dropped to second in the standings, with Bartz moving up to third.
Sophomore Boys Division 2
First-round winner Alexander Deroche (Crescenta) was back on top after recovering from an illness that affected him at the last event two weeks prior (he still finished second). “Resting for a couple of weeks paid off,” he said. “The course suited me well. It seemed easy during practice but was much harder in the race.”
Parker Maccianti (Santa Ynez) rolled in for second, with round two winner Caden Gruber (Corona del Mar) in third. In the standings Deroche is leading Gruber and Maccianti. An individual rider’s best four of five races count for final championship awards.
Freshman Girls
Hannah Eckvahl (San Gabriel Valley) jumped out to a quick lead and appeared strong and confident enough to score her third straight win. But what was this? One rider was not being dropped! It turned out to be Brenna Pratt (Crescenta Valley) having the ride of her life.
“I basically got pulled around by Hannah,” said Pratt. “I just tried my hardest to stay with her and in the last turn was able to get around and sprint ahead. It was a lot of fun.” This was the first Girls win ever for Crescenta Valleyt.
How’s that for a fairy tale ending?
Hannah Binder (Tustin) filled out the top three.
Eckvahl is still looking comfortable in the Leader Jersey, with Pratt moving up to second. Rebecca Israel (Yucaipa) is now third.
Freshman Boys Division 1
Patrick Liddy (Independent) had a breakout day with his first win (in only his fourth mountain bike race). He was part of a leading group of four at the end of the first lap, then made a successful move on the second lap’s climb to create a gap he would hold to the finish. “We were having a fun time on that first lap, passing each other and talking. After my attack I just tried to keep it smooth. I was feeling great today after being sick coming into this.”
Jacob Jordan (Murietta) finished second by half a minute but retains the Leader Jersey. Third on the day was Bo Knickman (Newbury Park). Liddy holds second in points, with Kyle Legge (Newbury Park) — fourth in this event — maintaining third in the standings.
Freshman Boys Division 2
Jack Tucker (Corona del Mar) had this field covered yet again for his third straight triumph. When asked what the key had been for this latest win, he replied, “I’m not sure. I’m not feeling too great, actually. I did two days of the San Dimas Stage Race this weekend and I was pretty sick before that. I guess it was just a matter of riding smart and not going hard until it mattered.”
Evander Hughes (Great Oak) and Evan Williams (Big Bear) rounded out the top three. In the standings it’s Tucker in front of Hughes and Mikael Rodgers (South OC), who was fifth at Lake Perris.
