Posts from 200705

Help Needed at the Big Ring!

How do I get one of those sweet event T-shirts?  It's a popular question at the Big Ring and we don't sell them, so here's the secret:  WORS is in need of volunteers to course marshal or work the timing chute at our first marathon event.  These tasks are as simple as pointing people in the right direction, calling out numbers or pulling back tags and you can even support your favorite racer while you do it by cheering for them on the course, doing water bottle hand ups or being there as they cross the finish line.  In exchange for 3 or more hours of your time, you'll get a special event staff Rudy Rack Big Ring Classic T-shirt and a light lunch.  Volunteers are needed for time slots between 10am and 4pm.  To volunteer or if you have any questions please contact Alexis Edberg at acedberg@gmail.com.

WORS Marathon Series Update

With Rudy Rack Big Ring Classic, the inaugural event of WORS new Marathon Series fast approaching we would like to reiterate some of the procedures for this new format and one very important change* for the Sport category since the print of the 2007 WORS Racer Handbook. All racers need to be aware that start times and wave procedure is different for the marathon series.  Citizen Youth

Treadfest at the Grand Geneva Resort

Treadfest2007 Treadfest 2007 at the Mountain Top Lodge, Grand Geneva Resort, Lake Geneva, WI
Cyclocross season got off to an early start this year at Treadfest once the Elite/Comp racers took to the track. A sudden cold downpour lent the newly created Treadfest course that extra element* of challenge. In the Ladies' Elite race, Abigail Strigel (Team Polska - FDL Cyclery, finishing time 2:09:26.5), beat out her closest competitor Erin Disterheft (Team Billy's, Galesburg MI) by a nearly 8 minute margin to win the Ladies' Elite overall. Tristan Schouten (Trek/VW, finishing time 2:05:14.8) held off Jesse and Marko Lelonde (Gary Fischer/BKB, 2nd and 3rd place respectively), to win the Men's Elite overall. Honors in the Comp Males overall went to Mike Sherer, racing for Pony Shop, who crossed the line with a time of 1:57:38.2.

Polska Abigail Strigel placed first for Team Polska

Trek/VW Tristan Schouten placed first for Team Trek/VW

Trek/VWTrek/VW Tristen Schouten carves a path less taken through the rock garden

LelondeLelondeJesse Lalonde stays the course
The rain held off earlier in the day for Sport, Citizen and Youth racers. Women's Sport Overall winner Martha O'Connor-Leigh (Free Flight Racing -DBQ, IA, finishing time 1:21:58.8) dominated the field, crossing the line more than 5 minutes ahead of the 2nd place finisher, Claire Cannon (Team WORS). Two of the youngest competitors in the field, Megan Wolf (15, #3021) racing for Team Extreme, and Sarah Huang (12, #3015) for Hayes Disc Brakes, finished strong to place in the top 5 overall. In the Men's Sport race, Radek Vopalka (Endeavor Cycling, finishing time 1:05:58.5), held off the second place finished, Craig Stanley, to win.

Men's Start Radek Vopalka (#2148), started fast and went on to win the Men's Sport Overall.

Women's Start Martha O'Connor-Leigh (6th from left in the yellow jersey), went on to win the Women's Sport Overall.
Citizen racers Liz Baumgardt-Kays, and Matthew Amman (Team Extreme) took top honors in the Women's and Men's races, respectively, while Alyson Davis and Brett Poulton were first place finishers in the Citizen Youth races. In all, over 740 racers turned out to test the newly created course. Lake Geneva-based bike club Skinny's Club Tread (pictured below) deserves a Big Thank You from satisfied WORS racers for the 1000+ hours that club members and friends invested in carving out both the track as well as the necessary collaboration with local land-owners.

Skinny's Club Tread Skinny's Club Tread made the Treadfest course possible.
Club members, faced with scarce riding in their local community, created the course in hopes of promoting interest in, and opportunities for, mountain biking in their area. Skinny's is currently working with the Grand Geneva Resort towards the possibility of future access to the course, which is on private land and can currently be ridden only by invitation. Skinny's Club members and friends who invested time in developing the course include Ray Nelson, Butch Welke, Lorna O'Rourke (this year's Treadfest director), Kent Lambert, Ryan Fosnaugh, Rich Mennenoh, Dan Getzen, Dave Seity, Steve Miller, Chris Solen, Paul Lauderbach, Don Thomas, Chris Volbrecht, Bob Weinty, Bob O'Rourke, Jared Collier, and RePete and DJ Burns from Clif Bar. In all, over 1000 hours were invested in developing the 5 miles of new trail. Skinny's would also like to extend their thanks for the support of the Grand Geneva, Michael's Cycles and Team MARS. And, of course, WORS racers who helped make Treadfest a great event this year. Let's cross our fingers for Skinny's efforts to keep this track open for future access! You can view these and other pictures of Treadfest, including Starts and Podium shots, here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mellifluouscmc/collections/72157600238114178/ Watch for future pictures of WORS events to be posted here at the WORS website. And, of course, for shots of the race itself, check out WORS sponsor Extreme Photography Unlimited! http://www.xtrphoto.com/ See you at the Rudy Rack Big Ring Classic, June 3 at Nine Mile Forest, Wassau, WI! * Originally this was Seth Lenss' pun, but he said I could have it because he didn't want it.
Attention all WORS Series RegistrantsOne of the benefits of taking out a WORS series registration is a one dollar discount on on-time registration (formerly pre-registration).  Through last Tuesday there was an error in the event online registration prices that gave everyone this discount.  That error has been corrected.  So, now to receive your online discount you must have your series number recorded in your profile.  So please check to make sure you have your series number in your profile.  We want everyone to receive the full benefits of series registration. 

Also, please beaware that if you registered for the series other than online, your account will state:  You currently have no series registration for 2007.   Don't worry about this a go ahead and add your series number to your profile.
Treadfest at the Grand Geneva Resort

Treadfest 2007
Treadfest 2007 at the Mountain Top Lodge, Grand Geneva Resort, Lake Genva, WI

Some thought that cyclocross season got off to an early start this year at Treadfest, race number two in WORS 2007 sponsored by Subaru.  Once the Elite/Comp racers took to the track, a sudden cold downpour lent the newly created Treadfest course that extra element* of challenge. In the Ladies' Elite race, Abigail Strigel (Team Polska - FDL Cyclery, finishing time 2:09:26.5), beat out her closest competitor Erin Disterheft (Team Billy's, Galesburg MI) by a nearly 8 minute margin to win the Ladies' Elite overall. Tristan Schouten (Trek/VW, finishing time 2:05:14.8) held off Jesse and Marko Lelonde (Gary Fischer/BKB, 2nd and 3rd place respectively), to win the Men's Elite overall. Honors in the Comp Males overall went to Mike Sherer, racing for Pony Shop, who crossed the line with a time of 1:57:38.2.

Polska
Abigail Strigel placed first for Team Polska
The rain held off earlier in the day for Sport, Citizen and Youth racers. Women's Sport Overall winner Martha O'Connor-Leigh (Free Flight Racing -DBQ, IA, finishing time 1:21:58.8) dominated the field, crossing the line more than 5 minutes ahead of the 2nd place finisher, Claire Cannon (Team WORS). Two of the youngest competitors in the field, Megan Wolf (15, #3021) racing for Team Extreme, and Sarah Huang (12, #3015) for Hayes Disc Brakes, finished strong to place in the top 5 overall. In the Men's Sport race, Radek Vopalka (Endeavor Cycling, finishing time 1:05:58.5), held off the second place finished, Craig Stanley, to win.

Citizen racers Liz Baumgardt-Kays, and Matthew Amman (Team Extreme) took top honors in the Women's and Men's races, respectively, while Alyson Davis and Brett Poulton were first place finishers in the Citizen Youth races. In all, over 740 racers turned out to test the newly created course. Lake Geneva-based bike club Skinny's Club Tread (pictured below) deserves a Big Thank You from satisfied WORS racers for the 1000+ hours that club members and friends invested in carving out both the track as well as the necessary collaboration with local land-owners.

Polska
Men's Start
Club members, faced with scarce riding in their local community, created the course in hopes of promoting interest in, and opportunities for, mountain biking in their area. Skinny's is currently working with the Grand Geneva Resort towards the possibility of future access to the course, which is on private land and can currently be ridden only by invitation. Skinny's Club members and friends who invested time in developing the course include Ray Nelson, Butch Welke, Lorna O'Rourke (this year's Treadfest director), Kent Lambert, Ryan Fosnaugh, Rich Mennenoh, Dan Getzen, Dave Seity, Steve Miller, Chris Solen, Paul Lauderbach, Don Thomas, Chris Volbrecht, Bob Weinty, Bob O'Rourke, Jared Collier, and RePete and DJ Burns from Clif Bar. In all, over 1000 hours were invested in developing the 5 miles of new trail. Skinny's would also like to extend their thanks for the support of the Grand Geneva, Michael's Cycles and Team MARS. And, of course, WORS racers who made the inaugural Treadfest a big success. Let's cross our fingers for Skinny's efforts to keep this track open for future access! You can view these and other pictures of Treadfest, including Starts and Podium shots, here. Watch for future pictures of WORS events to be posted here at the WORS website. And, of course, for shots of the race itself, check out WORS sponsor Extreme Photography Unlimited! See you at the Rudy Rack Big Ring Classic, June 3 at Nine Mile Forest, Wassau, WI!


Skinny's Club Tread made the Treadfest course possible.

* Originally this was Seth Lenss' pun, but he said I could have it because he didn't want it.

Article and photos by Claire Cannon

WORS 2007 Kicks Off In Iola

Over 750 riders turned out for the first WORS race of the 2007 season, the Iola Bump & Jump to enjoy near perfect conditions and a fast course. The lead-out, a first of many climbs, was well rewarded by a rapid descent into the ski jump bowl. Spectators waiting in the jump bowl area probably enjoyed a good show at the lip of the bowl, where many riders chose to catch a bit of air on their way down. Some may have noted that on her first lap through this descent, Sara Kylander-Johnson, 2004 WORS Overall Women's Champion of Duluth, MN (pictured below speaking with a younger rider) had already caught the wave that started ahead of her! She went on to dominate the women's elite field while 2006 WORS Overall Men's Champion, Brian Matter of Sheboygan, WI displayed his early season fitness as he rode steady to take the top men's prize. For complete results from the Bump & Jump click on "Results" on the left side of this page.

Iola Race Photos:
Sara Kylander-Johnson, racing for Trek/VW, stopped to speak with a younger rider after a winning performance in the Women's Elite race. Brian Matter, racing number 1 for PCW/Trek, went on to win in Men's Elite.
WORS Director Don Edberg reminds the Citizen Youth racers 'be kind to one another!' Citizen Men's racers from North Aurora, IL in high spirits before their ride.
In high spirits on the podium. Podium double-cross, WORS style.
Single-speed racers on the podium. These gentlemen were gracious enough to stop and answer a question after receiving their medals. When asked "Why race single-speed?!", answers included, "it's fun", "stupidity", and "can't afford more gears."


Article and photos by Claire Cannon

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