B Witty
NEWS RELEASE?For Immediate Distribution
Contact Information: Brian D. Witty
Cyclo-Cross Crusade Series
Telephone: (503) 519-8338
E-mail: bdwi-@lycos.com
?Cross Crusaders Skerritt, Wicks and Wicks Make Podium at Cyclo-Cross
National Championships in Baltimore, MD.
Baltimore, MD, December 14, 2001 ? Oregon ?cross stalwarts Barry Wicks
(OSU& Bike Gallery) and Shannon Skerritt (Bike Gallery) both garnered
podium spots in their respective events on the opening day of the 2001
Cyclo-Cross National Championships. Wicks mounted the podium twice,
scoring a 5th place in the Collegiate race (sporting OSU colors) and
also a 5th in the hotly contested Espoirs/U23 Mens race (flying the flag
for Bike Gallery). Skerritt took the bronze medal in, what many claimed
to be, the fastest ever Masters 30+ Men?s National championship race.
The weather in Baltimore was a balmy, but wet, hovering around 58
degrees. The highly technical, yet fast course was dampened by several
overnight and early morning showers making conditions very slippery as
the day wore on. The approximately 3km course started on a flat, paved
road which allowed for a very fast and wide-open start. Then, the race
organizers through a little bit of everything at the racers. Off camber
descents, two sets of barriers with a fast approach, a stone staircase
run up, short muscle ride up hills, a set of double barriers followed by
a fairly steep 15-18 second run up. The course featured a fair bit of
elevation change over the length of a lap but the climbing was broken up
with short sections of pave, paved (and gravel) roads and long sections
of parkland grass.
The first race of the day was the Collegiate Men?s race. The start was
an all out sprint just as expected as riders jockeyed for position going
into the first turn, which led to an off camber sweeping right hand
descent. Barry Wicks had a good start and by the time he reached the
first set of barriers, was in the lead group of four or five riders.
However, disaster struck and he suffered a flat tire only about halfway
through the first circuit of the course. After an abnormally long wheel
change, Barry was back in the race but found himself in nearly last
position on the course. Fortunately, Wicks was able to gather himself
and used his talent to pick off large handfuls of riders per lap.
Despite yet another flat and a pretty solid crash, Wicks had chased
himself into the top 10 with a little over 2 laps remaining. In the
final laps, Wicks was able to pass several more riders to pick up a very
respectable 5th Place podium position.
The Master?s 30+ Men?s race started later in the day after several other
category races and a little more drizzle had changed the course
conditions for the worse (or better depending on your perspective). The
start resembled a final sprint in a TdF stage race as the mass of
contenders through caution to the wind to get a good position. Shannon
Skerritt had a very solid start and was able to avoid a huge ?yard sale?
on the first descent. As the leaders powered through the first rolling
section of the course, he was sitting comfortably in about 10th
position. As the racers made their way through the lower section of the
course, the lead group kept getting smaller and smaller. After three
laps, a group of 5 riders including Skerritt, had opened a decisive gap.
The group of four continued to open their gap. Skerritt was able to
use his running prowess to move into 3rd position on the stone staircase
run-up and held it all the way to the line fetching himself a National
Championships Bronze medal in the process.
The final event of the day was the Espoir (U23 Elites) race. The top 3
finishers in this event qualify themselves for the World Championships.
Wicks was one of two in the race to have raced the early event of the
day. Despite possible fatigue from his earlier race, Wicks was
considered to be one of the favorites in the U23 event. He did not
disappoint. For most of the first lap, Wicks sat just inside the top 10
biding his time. After the lead group had separated themselves from the
rest of the field, Wicks set his sights on passing riders. He
methodically picked off riders one at a time and found himself in 4th
position with one lap to go and still chasing hard. He was able to keep
that position until a hard charging Alan Obye caught and passed him in
the final run up and barrier section before the paved finishing
straight. After the race, Wicks mused that he ?had nothing left in the
tank?, but was happy with his second top 5 podium finish of the day.
Saturday promises to be another great day of racing at the Cyclo-Cross
Nationals. The forecast calls for a few showers to fall overnight but
the day is suppose to be in 60 degrees and rain free. Cross Crusaders
to compete tomorrow: Mikkel Bossen (Team O) in the Junior Men?s event;
Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M) and Naomi Gollogly (Bike Gallery) in the Elite
Women?s field; Eric Tonkin (Kona), Shannon Skerritt (Bike Gallery) and
Barry Wicks (Bike Gallery) are all entered in the Elite Men?s race.
Racing continues on Sunday with the final Supercup Series race at the
same venue but on a different course.
Respectfully Submitted,
Club Vivo
PS- Sorry for the rambling report but it?s been a long day and I really
need to get back to the Baltimore Brewing Company for more?.