My First CycloCross Season

AND it was rad… and hard, and fun, and….

I will do it again next year. Hopefully better.

I rode in some surf city races, cccx and the one Peak Season. I accomplished my goals. One being to race, two to not come in last (That happened the Halloween Surf City Race), and the third to get one of those beers from Santa Cruz Ale Works.

I did drop out of one race, it was a low for me. I was so frustrated with how clumsy I could be with mounts and dismounts, the super technical stuff, and how slow I could be. But I came out of it with a new attitude. No more dropping out, and to just have fun!

Yesterday was my first muddy race, and boy was it muddy. I fell three or four times. I lost count. The last lap was all about staying on my bike and finishing. I was so glad I did because I got Santa Cruz County Cyclocross Champion for womens C’s!!! I don’t know what it means, but I got a great hat out of it!! Thanks Sheila Moon!

It was awesome to meet new women. Thank You Mary for your encouragement and guidance. Dionne, I hope to see you out at more races. And to the whole cyclocross crowd, you are rad!

Now to catch up on housework I have neglected for the last few months!

Rachel Wolff
Santa Cruz, California

Surf City Cyclocross #5 & Series Finals

SCCX #5, Aptos High School, Aptos, CA

Photo by Steve Anderson

1st, Soni Andreini-Poulsen, Women 45+
5th, Miss Mary Perez, Women B

Series Finals

1st, Soni Andreini-Poulsen, Women 45+
2nd, Amy Abele, Women 45+
10th, Janet Lafleur, Women 45+
3rd, Miss Mary Perez, Women B
18th, Rebecca Dyas, Women B
9th, Sabine Dukes, Women 35+
23rd, Natasha Perry, Women A
27th, Marian Jamison, Women A
29th, Beth Welliver, Women A
32nd, Kelly Change, Women A
34th, Devin Haskell, Women A
5th, Dionne, Ybarra, Women C
7th, Janet Bellantoni, Women C
13th, Rachel Wolff, Women C
20th, Cindy Shambaugh, Women C

Surf City Cyclocross #4

SCCX #4, Harbor High School, Santa Cruz, CA.

1st, Soni Andreini-Poulsen, Women 45+
3rd, Miss Mary Perez, Women B

Velo Bella Hosts Costume Cross!

On Halloween Day, Velo Bella hosted its traditional costume cross race in Northern California. This time around, the Bella party invaded the Watsonville Fairgrounds. There were witches, and ghosts and gobbles and such. NorCali photographer Jon Suzuki captured some of the crazy hijinx. Scroll down and enjoy the fun!

Spooks galore.

Velo Bella Hostesses with the mostestesses.
Bellas Sabine, Laura, Erika, and Linda take a break and pose for a photo.

And there was bike racing. Miss Mary, ready at the start.

Feather Boa and white gloves, it’s all high class at Velo Bella.

Rainbow Wig and Run-up. Only on Halloween.

Spook-o-rama.

Who is that masked woman?
The NorCali Bellas came out in force to make the race happen.

For more adventures, check out Jon’s full gallery.

 

All photos copyright Jon Suzuki and are used with permission. Thanks Jon!

Surf City Cyclocross Series #3

SCCX #3, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Watsonville, CA

12th, Marian Jamison, Women A
13th, Natasha Perry, Women A
16th, Beth Welliver, Women A
9th, Miss Mary Perez, Women B
1st, Soni Andreini-Poulsen, Women 45+
2nd, Amy Abele, Women 45+
1st, Janet Bellantoni, Women C

Surf City Cyclocross Series #2

SCCX #2, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Watsonville, CA

19th, Marian Jamison, Women A
21st, Natasha Perry, Women A
22nd, Kelly Chang, Women A
24TH, Beth Welliver, Women A
13th, Rebecca Dyas, Women B
17th, Miss Mary Perez, Women B
2nd, Soni Andreini-Poulsen, Women 45+
4th, Amy Abele, Women 45+
5th, Dionne Ybarra, Women C
10th, Cindy Shambaugh, Women C
13th, Rachell Wolff, Women C

Surf City Cyclocross Series #1

SCCX #1, Soquel High School, Soquel, CA

Photo by Steve Anderson

3rd, Sabine Dukes, Master Women 35+
1st, Soni Andreini-Poulsen, Master Women 45+
3rd, Janet Lafleur, Master Women 45+
7th, Miss Mary Perez, Women B
3rd, Dionne Ybarra, Women C
6th, Rachel Wolff, Women C

Surf City CX Clinic Presented by Velo Bella

Surf City CX Clinic Presented by Velo Bella

Brooke Miller at one of our CX Clinics in Soquel

Interested In Cyclocross?
Want to hone in your techniques or fine tune a particular cross tactic?
Then the Velo Bella/Surf City CX Clinic is for you!

Beginners encouraged, seasoned riders welcome!!!

As is tradition, VB will host this year’s Clinic before the 1^st Surf City race of the season
on Saturday October 10^th at Soquel High School in Santa Cruz County.
(race on Sunday October 11^th)

Local Top Riders will lead the clinic on the actual Surf City course
and lunch will be served (included in fee).

Only $20 and Juniors are always FREE (but do require a Parent/Guardian waiver).

For more info, please see: http://www.cyclo-x.com/clinics.html

And for questions, please email Miss Mary Perez at

(If interested in instructing, please email Miss Mary)