UN-Reno; Sky Tavern MTB Race Weekend - by Larry Sussman
The first race of the 2015 Fall MTB Collegiate season was this weekend at Sky Tavern near Reno. The University of Nevada, Reno kicked off the WCCC series, hosting a two day race event on the slopes of Mt Rose. Racers camped in a beautiful aspen grove, and were treated to a delicious spaghetti dinner from the Sky Tavern Lodge.
Saturday’s racing started with a 6 mile, 100’ of climbing per lap XC race. The Men A’s race was dominated by UNR/KTM racer Trevor DeRuise, who finished his three laps minutes faster than the other racers. Freshman Sandy Floren and Mark Tingwald (both UCSC) rounded out the top three.
The Women’s A’s race saw Megan Bradley (Berkeley) taking the win in the large field. Kristy Dunne brought it home for the Humboldt State team, with a first place in Women’s B’s. Men’s B’s was a highly competitive race with a lot of talented racers battling it out for the win. When the dust was settled, Quinn Turpak (CalPoly SLO) had his first XC race win of the season.
Saturday afternoon treated racers to one of the few Dual Slalom races on the circuit. The UNR team had put in a lot of build hours, and the course was running fast, loose, and a little sketchy at times. Gone was the old drop, replaced by a couple corners tighter than a tourniquet, followed by a fun step up into the final berm. The fast course made for some close racing, with heat wins being determined by as little as .002 seconds.
Derek Roelle finished first in the Men’s A’s race, after local favorite Tyler Hansen took a handlebar to the stomach in the first left hander. He still ended third on the day. The Women’s A’s races were blistering fast, but the Humboldt girls proved quickest, landing Alison Osgood and Sara Schneider to first and second, respectively. In Women’s B’s, Megan Bradley celebrated her second win of the day, with Kristy Dunne (B’s XC winner) taking second. In Men’s B’s, UNR Freshman Austin Wolfe bested all comers until the final round, when Humboldt State’s Bo Hellams snatched the win by a split second. Ethan Heywood (Humboldt) beat out JP Purdom in the Men’s C’s Dual Slalom Race.
Early Sunday morning, it was time for Short Track. The .4 mile course had substantial climbing over rough ground. UCSC’s Mark Tingwald had to settle for third as his teamate Sam Anderson Moxley powered through the race field, to take the win in Men’s A’s. In Men’s B’s, it was Matt Sleutjes (Chico) with the holeshot (in a red pajama suit) but UCSC’s Evan Peterson lapped most of the racers in his quest for a number plate upgrade. Speaking of UCSC, they put three racers in the top 3 positions of Men’s C’s. In the Women’s fields, it was Megan Bradley once again with a win in A’s endurance, and Carina Bilodeau (UCSB) winning the B’s.
The highlight of the weekend was the Downhill race. This course is one of the toughest, most technical courses on the circuit, and had no lack of nasty crashes. What was once a downhill trail became a rock-strewn dust chute, and had a new drop line that cut out some of the old course.
UNR’s Oakley Erickson destroyed the Men’s A’s with a 2:37, and had teammates Tanner DeGiovanni and Tyler Hansen hot on his heels for the second and third spots. Tyler hit the deck for the second time this weekend, but was able to finish his run.
In Men’s B’s, Bo Hellams took his second gravity win of the weekend, beating out Logan Steele (Chico) and three consecutive UNR riders.
Alison Osgood had her second win in gravity in Women’s A’s, followed closely by (no surprise) her teammate Sara Schneider. In Women’s B’s, Kristy Dunne had yet another win, with Chico’s Spencer Downey in second. UC Davis’ Luke Matthews took home the win in Men’s C’s, his first of the season.
Saturday’s racing started with a 6 mile, 100’ of climbing per lap XC race. The Men A’s race was dominated by UNR/KTM racer Trevor DeRuise, who finished his three laps minutes faster than the other racers. Freshman Sandy Floren and Mark Tingwald (both UCSC) rounded out the top three.
The Women’s A’s race saw Megan Bradley (Berkeley) taking the win in the large field. Kristy Dunne brought it home for the Humboldt State team, with a first place in Women’s B’s. Men’s B’s was a highly competitive race with a lot of talented racers battling it out for the win. When the dust was settled, Quinn Turpak (CalPoly SLO) had his first XC race win of the season.
Saturday afternoon treated racers to one of the few Dual Slalom races on the circuit. The UNR team had put in a lot of build hours, and the course was running fast, loose, and a little sketchy at times. Gone was the old drop, replaced by a couple corners tighter than a tourniquet, followed by a fun step up into the final berm. The fast course made for some close racing, with heat wins being determined by as little as .002 seconds.
Derek Roelle finished first in the Men’s A’s race, after local favorite Tyler Hansen took a handlebar to the stomach in the first left hander. He still ended third on the day. The Women’s A’s races were blistering fast, but the Humboldt girls proved quickest, landing Alison Osgood and Sara Schneider to first and second, respectively. In Women’s B’s, Megan Bradley celebrated her second win of the day, with Kristy Dunne (B’s XC winner) taking second. In Men’s B’s, UNR Freshman Austin Wolfe bested all comers until the final round, when Humboldt State’s Bo Hellams snatched the win by a split second. Ethan Heywood (Humboldt) beat out JP Purdom in the Men’s C’s Dual Slalom Race.
Early Sunday morning, it was time for Short Track. The .4 mile course had substantial climbing over rough ground. UCSC’s Mark Tingwald had to settle for third as his teamate Sam Anderson Moxley powered through the race field, to take the win in Men’s A’s. In Men’s B’s, it was Matt Sleutjes (Chico) with the holeshot (in a red pajama suit) but UCSC’s Evan Peterson lapped most of the racers in his quest for a number plate upgrade. Speaking of UCSC, they put three racers in the top 3 positions of Men’s C’s. In the Women’s fields, it was Megan Bradley once again with a win in A’s endurance, and Carina Bilodeau (UCSB) winning the B’s.
The highlight of the weekend was the Downhill race. This course is one of the toughest, most technical courses on the circuit, and had no lack of nasty crashes. What was once a downhill trail became a rock-strewn dust chute, and had a new drop line that cut out some of the old course.
UNR’s Oakley Erickson destroyed the Men’s A’s with a 2:37, and had teammates Tanner DeGiovanni and Tyler Hansen hot on his heels for the second and third spots. Tyler hit the deck for the second time this weekend, but was able to finish his run.
In Men’s B’s, Bo Hellams took his second gravity win of the weekend, beating out Logan Steele (Chico) and three consecutive UNR riders.
Alison Osgood had her second win in gravity in Women’s A’s, followed closely by (no surprise) her teammate Sara Schneider. In Women’s B’s, Kristy Dunne had yet another win, with Chico’s Spencer Downey in second. UC Davis’ Luke Matthews took home the win in Men’s C’s, his first of the season.
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