It’s hard to briefly summarize a great week of racing, spectacting, eating, laughing, and washing (oh, the bike washing!). Instead of words, here is a short video clip featuring some of the highlights from our week:

Follow this link to watch on Vimeo.

In what felt like deja-vu from last year, after a muddy few days for pre-riding and seeding heats, the temperature dropped into the single digits, and snowed. We woke to 9 degrees F, and a nice dusting of snow. First for the day was Marten in the 30-34 final. The temperature warmed up to a balmy 14 degrees in time for the start. Parts of the course were flat, frozen, and fast, while other parts had deep hard ruts.

Peter Beels from Leadout Racing was manning the pits, and taking care of the bike changes.

Next in the day was Mike in the 40-44 final. The conditions were changing rapidly, and by the time he went off, the temperature was near freezing, and the sun came out. As a consequence, the mud was flinging up onto the bikes, and promptly freezing in place. The pit crews were essential.

The pitting action was fast and intense, the only photos we have are from after the race.

Greg was in the final event of the day, Men’s 35-39. He rode smart, and had a steady race to finish 30th out of 72 starters, an excellent result!

We could call this day, the onset of “cross-cough”. We’ve now all had a chance at either a final, or a seeding heat, and the souvenier is a persistant cough for the rest of the day. The rains continue, and the puddles are getting deeper.

Tall, wading boots are necessary to walk around the course.

Steve O. lines up for his front row start in the 40-44 race.

On course.

Norway was represented.

Mike put on the performance of the day, after just missing qualifying for the final in his seeding heat, he lined up for an additional two laps in the repechage, and easily finished in the top 8 to earn himself a spot in the final race on Friday.

Here is Mike remounting after the barriers.

Marten went out a little too aggressively to claim the hole shot, then slid backwards to finish twentieth in the 30-34 seeding heat.

There is a large tent next to the staging area for warming up on trainers, here is Greg and Matt getting ready for their seeding heat.

Greg had a great race, and moved up from his starting spot to finish 17th in his seeding heat, and qualify for the final, a very good performance.

Lehigh Valley local Mike Yozell had a fantastic race, battling for the top spot all the way to the line, he’s earned a front row start for the final.

Bill Elliston will be up at the front of the race as well.

We’re all excited for tomorrow, most of us get a day of rest to recover, but Aleks will be racing her final event! Good luck!

Today was our first full day here in Louisville. Yesterday Greg, Steve, Sabina, Becca, and Marten converged on the rental house just outside of downtown Louisville. The rains let up this morning, and even a little sun poked through the clouds and we left the house at 8 am to check out the Masters course and get in some pre-riding.

The course is awesome, plenty of variety, some fast stuff, some technical stuff, some steep run-ups, this will be fun.

Here is Steve Tilford on his way to qualifying for a front-row start (if I counted correctly).

Enjoying a lunch in the balmy Kentucky January weather.

Getting the hole shot!

Number 2 gets the hole shot in the Men’s 60-64, and goes on to win the qualifying heat. All of these competitors are truly defying their age.

The first of many bike and car cleanings for the week.

Now it is time for rice crispies, and some fine coffee courtesy of Mark B.

Over two days of racing, 5 Lamprey racers made it out for a full weekend of racing over two days at the nearby Kutztown course. On Saturday, Joe and Marten raced in the 1/2/3, finishing 11th and 13th respectively.

On Sunday, Greg, Jeff, and Jeremy lined up in the Masters 35+ race.

Thanks to MTB NJ for the photos.

While our Canadian contingency has already seen and raced in snow, this was the first actually cold race for those of us in Eastern PA. Ron, Roland, Jeff, Joe, and Marten raced in the 4, 3/4, Masters 35-39, and Elite 1/2/3 events. In the Cat 4 race, Ron came up against some congestion in the muddy lead-in to the run-up, but came out smiling:

The course featured just about everything, with a great amount of variety. We’ll be back.

Racing the Alberta Provincials, Aleks Macklem won the 40-49 Women race in tough, cold conditions. Mike took a 3rd place podium spot in the 40-49 Men, making two excellent results for the Macklem duo.

Provincials

Continuing a strong season, Steve took his first win in the Masters 40+ Cat 4 field at Independence Cross (formerly Beacon Cross).  He says:

“The race was fast and a good group of 40+ old cat 4 old dudes. I had a bad start clipping in, but recovered to have 3 rd into the course. Took the lead on the first lap. Then at some point was back down to fourth. With clean riding I moved back into 3 rd with three of us going clear. On the last lap the strongest guy in the group slid out right at the last barriers and it was me chasing one other guy. I pulled out some roadie on him and let him lead out the sprint but then beat him by half a wheel. It was a good race. Redemption for almost dying there lat year from hypothermia.”

Roland, David, Ron, Steve, Greg, and Marten headed down towards Philly on a beautiful fall day for some more cylcocross racing at WestChester Cyclocross Classic. For most of us, it was our first time on that course, and the general consensus was that it was a really fun course (if a bit long), and excellent use of the available elevation. Parts of the course felt like a roller coaster, swooping around trees, up and down berms, and the laps went by quickly.

Ron and David in the Cat 4 race

Greg gets a front row start on the Masters 35+ starting grid.

Greg and Steve finished 9th and 24th respectively in the Masters 35+, a very good result in a competitive field.

For our third annual event, we knew that the turnout would grow, but many of us were surprised to see the pre-registration numbers creep up near 400, basically double from the previous year!  Several things came together to make this year a best-ever.  St. Luke’s Hospital provided big support, and special thanks to John and Lisa at Cutter’s bike shop and Specialized for donating a 2013 Crux frame which we raffled off to one lucky winner.  The proceeds from the raffle went to the HCM Foundation.  The food may have been the highest class ever served at a cross race, anyone who didn’t try their gumbo and chicken sandwich on a biscuit really missed out!  A first for us was a live band, Gallons to Ounces. Thanks to Lower Saucon Township for allowing us to use the park, Flying Dutchman for the awesome donuts, PowerBar, Gaerne Shoes, and Erik Mitchell.

First off was the Men’s Cat 4 event, with the field limit of 100 reached, the start was a hectic mad dash for the base of the hill.

The start actually went quite smoothly, and the field worked their way up past the barriers, and over the “St. Luke’s Staircase”.

Jeff sails over the barriers in the Masters 35+

Matt Morrison takes a fast line on the downhill

Bowman descends with confidence.

Greg uses every inch of course for maximum speed.

Joe Pigga plows through the mud in the Men's 1/2/3 Race

Chris in the 1/2/3 race

Selene and Erica raced hard for the Women's Elite win

The Masters 55+ podium

The Kids race!

Thanks to John Ronca and Chris Garges for the photos.