Baystate Cross (Sterling) - Women's Report
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Course and Conditions:
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People either love or hate this course. Tom Stevens does a great job with the course layout, and this year, added some tighter turns and more technical aspects, making it even better (from my perspective). Of course, at Sterling, the weather always plays a factor as well, and this year was no different. Yes, the sun was out. But, it was cold, and the sun hadn’t quite thawed the ground before racing started for the day. I watched people sliding and hitting the deck in corners, and, after failing to ride a steepish uphill after the barriers, dismount only to fall back down the hill on their feet! Ice and mud both played a significant factor in the races.
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Results:
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U15 Juniors
- Victoria Gates – 11th
Women’s 3/4
- Libby White – 5th
- Cathy Rowell – 13th
- Susanne Delaney – 14th
- Teri Carilli – 23rd
- Janet Ramos – 28th
- Katherine Snell – 35th
- Karin Turer – 36th
- Julie Lockhart – 38th
Elite Women
- Sally Annis – 3rd
- Cris Rothfuss – 5th
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Reports:
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[Victoria Gates]
This was a hard race. I blew my start and kind of gave up. I wanted to finish and not slip. I was having a tough time on the up hill because it was frozen and icy. The reward for making it up the hill was being able to go down it fast. It all came down to a sprint finish with another rider and me. It turned out I didn’t have it in me. All in all the race was really hard.
[Cathy Rowell]
With the large fields, and a technical start to the race, having a front row starting position was key for me. I was able (after getting rammed from a racer who believed that lining up on the far left, and cutting far right immediately), to get in behind Libby and the MRC fast women. Another key to the start of my race – being able to cleanly ride the entrance to the run up, passing some more women who had trouble there. That quickly put me in about 5th position for the first lap!
Knowing that at least one racer was directly behind me going into the second lap, I took a risk heading off the track and into the tight turns. The risk did NOT pay off, and I ended up going down in the mud, with my bike getting tangled in the tape. While I was getting myself untangled, 4 other racers passed me by, and that annoyed me.
I continued in the top ten for most of the next lap(s), and slipped again when my feet went out from under me on the slippery uphill in the lollipop section of the course. Two falls. Doesn’t usually happen to me, but the conditions were tough, and that is part of racing. I was disappointed with my final result, but had a great time regardless.
[Janet Ramos]
Well, let me put it this way, I was bribed with cookies to do Sterling this year. Unfortunately, Sterling is not my favorite cross race – I did however have a blast cheering for Cris and Sally who raced in the Elite race later in the day.
Here is, briefly, how my race went: started in the last row, wimped out on the start by being in the back on the muddy track, managed to pass 17 other people during the race, managed to get up the horse jump on each lap of my race (a huge victory for me), crashed once on the off camber lollipop up/downhill, felt energized by Mary Lou and Catherine and a few others who were cheering during the race, and felt relieved to finish just after being lapped by the lead junior. So that was my race – I know it sounds lame of me but it’s just not one of my favorite races. Here’s to better times in Rhode Island next weekend where there will be fewer off camber sections and a lovely beachfront water view. Thanks for reading my report.
[Karin Turer]
Before even test-riding, I’d already heard the words “unconscious,” “blood,” and “ambulance.” (the guy is okay, btw!) Then the pre-ride went so sketchy that I considered getting back in the car and heading home! It helped to chat with a few other teammates, and they were also nervous but gave me pointers (i.e. not trying to run down any icy hills). Thanks Cathy R and Suzanne! We also all shared intelligence on which side of run-ups was less slippery.
Before our race, I went to practice bits of the course. On the downhill leading to the big run-up, I went too fast and slipped and hit the deck, HARD. As I write (Monday), my shoulder and neck are still funky, and I have lovely new bruises on my thigh and knee! Even though my head didn’t hit the ground, it went nunga-nunga-nung from the impact. Yay!
I was still nervous at the starting line, but by that point I’d given myself the permission to drop out if I really didn’t feel safe – and to prioritize safety over “speed.” (my husband and I have been through a lot of complications from an injury of his, so I’m probably more cautious than the average racer). And once the bell went off, somehow I was fine. The loop around the track was VERY muddy, and I took care not to fall (which was good for my psyche though not my race position), and riding down my “wipeout hill” was impossible during the first lap, because there was carnage below. And after that, it was all good. Mainly on my own, but passed a few people, and really had fun with the downhills and was VERY pleased to keep the rubber side down (though I slipped on a bunch of the running bits)! The lollipop remount went well, and the “holy *$&^” moment of aiming the bike downhill for a split second was a big adrenaline rush. Finally, I was excited to make it up some of the short power hills that often elude me – especially the one with really gooey off-camber mud at the top. Very exciting!
So, as usual, nowhere near the front, but I was pretty psyched by facing my fears and ending up having fun. I love roller coasters and this had the same sort of “what am I getting myself into” sort of feeling.
[Julie Lockhart]
Wow, really great additions to the course and all the old favorites (ice/mud/cinder gunk). Goals were met except where fate took a hand. Powered the run up on the right hand side, was caught behind a slide out at a chicane, and on a quick up where the top was cluttered … Several lessons learned: note to self … check brakes before the race (front brakes dragging … hmm, so much effort wasted). I am safer on my bike than trying to run/walk down icy grass slopes. Also I am still getting over the Clavicle, the 55+ crash made me too timid … time will overcome. Great start, track was very manageable and speed no problem (except for aforementioned brake thing). Loved the ‘step’ at the jump until it moved away. Tried and succeeded with different tactics through difficult places. Also very annoyed by 6 or more racers previewing on my last up and over (side of the run up/descent) I thought I was going to hit one of them (in my path) on the descent. Taken out once … just great cross weather. YAY we will have two days here/there next year.