Cyclocross Season Wrap-Up: Local Riders Meet With Success At National Championships

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Andrea Casebolt: 4th place at the USA Cyclocross National Championships

Two local riders returned from Wisconsin last weekend after competing in the USA Cycling National Cyclocross Championships.  Andrea Casebolt, a sophomore at North Thurston High School, earned a 4th place medal in the women’s 15-16 age division.  This marks Casebolt’s fifth consecutive podium finish since she began competing at the national level.  David O’Brien, a sophomore at Capital High School, capped off a successful local season with a solid 15th place finish in the highly competitive Men’s 15-16 age division.  Both represent Revel Consulting-Rad Racing NW, a local junior development team.

Most riders from the Olympia area finished off their season in early December with the finales of the two largest regional cyclocross series and the Washington State Cyclocross Championships.

John Flack, who represents local team Olympia Orthopaedic Associates, is a mechanic at Joy Ride Bikes in Lacey and rides in the Pro 1-2 or “Elite” category.  Flack had a strong local season, taking over-all podium spots in both the Seattle Cyclocross Series of seven races and the MFG Cyclocross Series of six races.  He finished third and second respectively in the different series.   The 42 year old Flack proved he is still competitive against riders half his age when he placed 6th in the Elite Race at the State Championships.

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David O'Brien: Won two state championships in one day

In the Men’s Category 3 division, O’Brien was the dominant rider in the area, winning both the over-all Seattle Cyclocross Series and the State Championship title.  On the same day he won the Category 3 state title, he easily defended the Junior 15-16 state title he won a year ago.  O’Brien, who turns sixteen in March, will move to the Elite category next year.

In the Women’s Category 3 division, Anne Mitchell of Olympia Orthopaedic Associates was the overall series winner for Seattle Cyclocross.  Casebolt was third in that series.  Both riders will move up to the Women’s Elite category in 2012.

In the junior divisions, Travis Luther and Ethan Casebolt were second and fifth respectively in the Seattle Cyclocross Series Boys’ 10-12 group.  Lewis Whiley was 4th in the 13-14 group, and Billy Peterson earned a third place series podium for Boys’ 15-16.  Madison Luther was second overall for Girls’ 13-14.  All five youngsters ride for Revel-Rad.

At the state championships Whiley, a 7th grader at Reeves Middle School, placed 4th in his age group.  Parker Newman, who rides for JL Velo, and Kyle Sweeney, another Revel-Rad rider placed 3rd and 5th respectively in the 17-18 race.  Both Newman and Sweeney generally ride Men’s Category 4.

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John Flack

Three riders who frequent the Seattle Area Series earned Stars and Stripes Jerseys in Madison last week.  Kari Studley won the Women’s Single Speed Race while her Redline teammate Logan Owen secured his seventh consecutive national championship, this time in the 17-18 age division.  Zach McDonald, who rides for Rapha Focus, demolished the competition in the Men’s U23 race then turned around and rode to a 4th place podium spot the next day in the Men’s Elite race.  Owen and McDonald, who both hail from Kitsap County, will represent the USA at the World Championships in Koksijde, Belgium later this month.

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