Local Race Promoters Create Big Opportunity for Olympia Area Junior Cyclists

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By Laurie O’Brien

Last weekend, while the eyes of the world were trained on London and the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Road Races,  90 of the best young cyclists in the western United States converged on Elma, Washington for the first ever Northwest Classic Juniors Stage Race.  Riders came from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, California, and British Columbia to ride against their peers.

Aynslee King, Grace Green, and Ciara MacDonald celebrate on the girls’ 10-12 podium. (Photo by Bryan MacDonald)

The brain-child of Tumwater residents Jim Brown and Erik Anderson, the goal of the event was to support the growth and development of junior riders – those under the age of 19 – in the region.   According to the promoters, all too often, junior categories are added as an afterthought to adult races, and those young riders who are strong enough to race against adults, never really get the chance to compare themselves to other juniors except at national championship events.

“This event was my shining moment with regards to my cycling career,” said Jim Brown, who is the team director for local junior development team Revel Consulting-Rad Racing Northwest.  “I’ve never been prouder of anything that I have helped make happen.”

Brown was responsible for drawing sponsorship to the event.  Rapha, Hammer Nutrition, Giro and other corporate sponsors jumped on board providing over $10,000 in cash and prizes.

Erik Anderson, a local race promoter, was responsible for all the logistics, securing permits, and hiring U.S. A. Cycling officials to monitor the race.  All three stages – a time trial, a criterium, and a road race – were held in the shadow of the abandoned water cooling towers at the Satsop Development Park in Elma.

The weekend proved fruitful for three local riders.  Lewis Whiley a thirteen-year-old 8th grader at Reeves Middle School just started bike racing two years ago and had never ridden against anyone but local juniors.  Whiley finished third in the time trial, fifth in the criterium, and fifth in the road race.  The 13-14 boys’ field included a number of riders who have been on the podium at the national championships.  Whiley’s consistency earned him a fourth place GC (General Classification) podium finish.  More importantly, it proved to him that he has what he needs to take his racing to the next level.

Riders prepare to race under the cooling towers at the Satsop Development Park.

For sixteen-year-old Andrea Casebolt, a junior at North Thurston High School, the pressure of high stakes racing is nothing new.  Casebolt has competed at the national level in road, mountain, and cyclocross, and she won national gold as a twelve-year-old in cyclocross.  She competed this weekend in a combined field of 15-16 and 17-18 year old girls, taking second in the time trial, third in the criterium, and second in the road race.  Her efforts earned her a second place GC.  The first place winner was a 17 year old rider from Vancouver, BC.

Sixteen-year-old Capital High School junior David O’Brien and his Revel Consulting- Rad Racing teammates went into the criterium and road race with one goal: To work as a team and attack, attack, attack.  O’Brien did just that, going off the front multiple times during the criterium and picking up a couple hundred dollars in product from Giro and Schwalbe Tires during prime laps.

During Sunday’s Jim Brown, Sr. Memorial Road Race, the goal was once again to ride aggressively as a team.  After a 52 mile race, it came down to an uphill pack sprint for the finish.  O’Brien timed his sprint perfectly and came away with the win in the hotly contested 15-16 race.

For Revel-Rad director and race visionary Jim Brown, the moment was a weekend highlight.  He named the race after his late father and explained to the riders at the start line that a year ago, on that very day, he had been speaking at his dad’s funeral.   To have one of his own riders win the inaugural race was a sweet victory.

O’Brien’s win in the road race secured him a 5th place GC podium place.

Brown and Anderson are already planning next year’s event, and they hope to draw even more participants.

Race promoter, Erik Anderson organized the inaugural Northwest Classic race for youth cycling enthusiasts.

Complete results of the Northwest Classic Juniors Stage Race can be found here:

http://ssvr.weebly.com/northwest-juniors-classic-stage-race.html

GC Winners were:

Boys’ 17-18:  Max O’Neal – Herriott Sports Performance – Seattle, WA

Girls Combined 15-16/17-18: Tessa Pinckston – Devo – Vancouver, BC

Boys’ 15-16: Diego Binatena – Team Specialized – San Diego, CA

Boys’ 13-14: Michael Hocking – BYRDS – Boise, ID

Girls’ 13-14: Hannah Green – BYRDS – Boise, ID

Boys’ 10-12: Croix Cameron – Revel Consulting-Rad Racing NW – Seattle, WA

Girls 10-12: Grace Green – BYRDS – Boise, ID

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