Racing on Saturday: An Evening for Eddy Huntsman

There were, oh, maybe eighteen laps to go, twenty-two having already been reeled off in the P/1-3 Scratch Race. The field was mostly still intact; only a few of the riders were feeling troubled. But that was about to change. It was one of those right place / right time moments and I was standing right were I needed to be when Eddy Huntsman rose from his saddle and launched the attack. Huntsman quickly opening up a sizable gap, and the race was blown apart. With four riders giving chase, Huntsman kept the pressure on for two or three more laps before letting up, just enough for the four to join him - once that happened, the question of the hour shifted from will they lap what is left of the field? to how soon will they lap the field?

Scratch Race group of five, Huntsman on the right

Before this turns into a post about the racing exploits of Eddy Huntsman, lets not overlook that Saturday afternoon was, again, filled with much and varied racing at the Velo Sports Center - Juniors Rule! presented by the Foundation for American Track Cycling, round three of the SoCal Madison Cup, and category racing in the Agnew Brusavich Omnium. Fortunately, this weekend the freeways were clear and I was able to get across town for the earliest of the Juniors races - local riders were joined by others from San Jose and San Diego in rounds of Points, Scratch, Snowball, Elimination and Unknown Distance races (as if that were not enough, many of the same Juniors racers came back for the category races later in the evening). It was in the 15-16 year old Elimination race when one of the young women, down from San Jose launched an early solo attack; I suspect few watching (or racing) thought she would last through all the laps that remained but, as the laps counted down and the riders still in the race became fewer and fewer, questioning that likelihood turned to encouragement and respect for the hutzpah of her strategy. Barely flagging clear to the end, she did indeed hold on for the win. it was a heck of a gutsy move and the others were right to congratulate her for making it.

There were both Elite and Developmental Madison races, with both equal to the task of providing action and excitement for those assembled around the oval. I don't know about you all, but I continue to be amazed by the whole thing - I mean I've reached out and put a hand onto another riders' back to nudge them forward in a criterium or road race, but actually whipping them ahead seems a whole other ball game. I suppose, like a lot of things, technique and practice will get you far. Anyway, who might you guess was out in front of all the action in the Elite race? Yup, Eddy Huntsman, matched up with Tom Perkins, team #1. Those two were followed by Kevin Philips and Dan Vogt, Luis Che and Vikki Appel, and Krystian Stankiewicz and Lance Covern. Over on the Devo side, Johnny Walsh and Carsten Baker took top honors, followed by Kate Wilson and Sam Alpert, Sofia Rossi and Makena Topolovac, Aaron Wang and Natalie Wang, and Abigail Moe and Jack Digenan. 

Category racing came up next including Points, Scratch, Unknown Distance, Bavarian Win and Out, Tempo and Elimination races. That brings us back around to the forty-lap Scratch Race, with a group of five out front and about to lap the field. Once that was done, what else was there to do? Well, win the sprint, of course. And that is exactly what Huntsman did. Quite a night of racing. If you're still missing out, there is only one way to remedy the situation...

See you next Saturday!

attack from on high...

reaction...

capture (lapping the field).

Usually I get more selective as a race season progresses, yet this time I seem to be going the other direction - 170 photos have been selected for the album.