Southridge Winter Series XC Race #5

I don't know if you've ever noticed before but, at Southridge there are a lot of rocks. Some of them are massive while others are small enough to kick at in anger as you walk up some especially troublesome section of trail. Some are worn around the edges and look like they've grow straight out of the earth. Others look almost detached from the ground, as it they had fallen right out of the sky. Trees are few and far between; no trail is going to weave a line around them as it might at some other venue. Instead the trails edge around, and sometimes over, the rounded tops of boulders. I am yet to see an instance when some rider needed one stop their roll down the mountainside but I suppose they could be there for that too.

For a third straight week, the number of entered competitors increased, enough that they could be split into two separate waves to start. As usual the pro and elite riders did their three full loops, the Sports two full times around, and beginners, as they've done all series long, one shortened loop leaving out the majority of the climb. While there were some good battles taking place, especially between the first and second riders on the trail and, to a slightly less degree, between 3rd and 4th, I don't know how things ended up; by the time I made it back down after shooting some more of the DH practice runs, the results sheet had been removed from the posting board. Ah well, I guess pics will have to do this time.

Pro / Elites into the low gap

Sports and beginners all spread out

1st an 2nd - about that close throughout the race

The rest of the XC race photos are here, while the DH practice photos will, like two weeks ago, be under separate post. Two weeks from now is the last chance to race this years' Winter Series, so it's now, or wait 'till next year.