2024 Southridge Winter Series, XC Race #2

That famous Fontana zephyr came in this morning, perhaps her arrival was early enough that most people were still asleep, only aware of her presence, as was my case, as they drove in on the freeway. She wasted no time in kicking up her heels, though thankfully (and due to a little rain earlier in the week), her heels did not also throw a cloud of dust into the air as the ground, mostly, remained firmly tamped down.

I don't know if it was the wind or something else that prompted one competitor to proclaim it "that kind of day." A lap earlier the same rider had been two lengths back of the leader on the trail, now the lead racer was out of sight, so many twists and rocky bumps out of sight. By the end, the gap between the two was only fifty seconds, but out here that gap is as good as a state away. Stuart Gonzalez and Ely Woody were the two Vet Pros locked in duel; Gonzalez took a second win in the series, while bettering his time of the series opening race by more than two and a half minutes.

None of the pros who competed two weeks ago, turned out this time around, which allowed Josh Tootall to take the 1st place points in the pro competition and, perhaps, adding some interest to the next four races. How will things unfold? Mark Milam, Gary Scheidler and David Buckell each matched their 1st place finishes in the series' first race, so anyone who wants to challenge them through the February and March races is going to have their work cut out. There were no women entered in any category on 13 January, so with her win today Rachelle Henderson, has a firm grip on the series.

The 2024 Winter Series at Southridge is only a third of the way through its three month run, so nothing is set in stone yet, and there is still plenty of opportunity for things to be shaken up.

The list of who came out on top today: Josh Tootall (Pro men), Stuart Gonzalez (Vet Pro), Mark Milam (Expert men 40-49), Carlos Salazar (Expert men 50-59), Chad Baeskens (Sport men 30-39), Michael Newman (Sport men 50-59), Gary Scheidler (Sport men 60+), David Buckell (Beginner men 60+), Rachelle Henderson (Beginner women Open). Where's everyone from all the other categories? You won't lose for not showing up, but you won't win either!

Photos in the album.

through the lake district

Tootell is the rider in red, 8th on the trail at this point; by the end he would be 3rd

Gonzalez leads through the gap

the climbing starts

Gonzalez

Woody, wheelie, that kind of day