A record 127 racers competed in the inaugural 2011 race of the notorious Cross on The Rock cyclocross race series, hosted by the Trail Bicycles-Eatmore Sprouts Cycling Team on Sunday, Sept. 11.
The event was held at Heritage Park and the Coal Hills BMX track in Cumberland under extremely hot conditions at 32 degrees Celsius. There was lots of excitement and many crashes in the high-speed course designed by Curtis Saunders and organized by race director Lisa Ludwig.
Categories included Beginner, Intermediate, Masters, Open Women and Expert Men as well as a kids’ race hosted by Trail Bikes-Eatmore Sprouts athlete Glenn Wakeling.
Top local highlights saw David Damery take third place in Masters Men, Andrew “Rocket Socks” Brown ninth in Masters Men, Gillian Ellsay first in the Beginner Womens Category, Amanda Wakeling seventh in Expert Women and Glenn Wakeling ninth in Intermediate Men on a single speed.
The highly competitive Expert Men’s category saw Carter Hovey, Drew McKenzie and Craig Richey (all from Victoria) taking first, second and third places respectively with junior rider Jordan Duncan pulling off an impressive 15th place finish in his first Expert-level cross race.
Other results saw Kia Van der Vliet and Jessica Reynolds in sixth and seventh place respectively in Beginner Women, Edwin Betinol fifth, Rurik Hubnerk 11th, Isaac Van der Vliet 14th in Beginner Men, Ryan Stuart 18th and Paul Laperriere 19th, Jacob Van Der Vliet 27th in Intermediate Men, Kent Duncan 16th, Patrick Rife 22nd in Masters Men, Guy Ridler 13th and Jordan Duncan 15th in Expert Men.
The next races in the point series are in Port Alberni Oct. 2, Victoria Oct.10, Nanaimo Oct.15, Nanaimo Oct.16 Ladysmith. Oct.30 and the Cross on the Rock Series Final on Nov. 20 in Victoria.
The Sept. 11 race received an overwhelming response from the Comox Valley community to help promote Cumberland as an excellent recreation and tourism destination. The Cumberland Coal Cross thanks the following companies for their donations of product and draw prizes: Seeds Natural Foods, Trail Bicycles, Riding Fool Hostel, Tarbell’s, Island Mountain Rides, Raw Hair, Organic Family, Blue Toque Sports Consignment, Eatmore Sprouts, Dodge City Cycles, Rusty Rooster, Polka Dot Pants Consignment, Darkside Chocolates, Sushimon, Carmie’s Catering, the Wandering Moose, Mount Washington Alpine Resort and Cumberland Massage Therapy.
– Cumberland Coal Cross
