"With flowers in their hair" (or helmets) SCC core race team members Liam Hafey, Jessica Marquis, Eric Dillon and Grace Stanhope line up for the start of the Ken Quan BC CUP xc race SCC Core team at Whistler.
Tradition has it that riders wear a flower in memory of Ken.
When it's dry, mass starts of 120 riders tend to kick up a lot of dust. Denys Jones and Eric Dillon have to hold their breath to get through the start and off into the less dusty single track after the dusty start.
Bob is well out in front of the group in cleaner air.
go Bob!
Our race team gets a lot of support from family. One of the key elements of that support is the "feed zone". The trick is, to get the fresh bottle (and some times something to eat) into the racers hands without the racer having to slow down or stop. A bad pass can leave the rider with no fluids until the next lap. On a hot day this can be a disaster and could mean the difference between winning and even finishing the race. The process requires a steady hand...hold the bottle still...and the rider comes in at speed...and takes it out of the feeders hand. If the feeder tries to pass the bottle to the rider it could cause a miss...bad news for the rider.. and a bad reputation for the feeders who are usually faamily or friends. Here's Louis Dillon
taking a perfect pass from dad David.
Matthew Clough is so good at it...he can do it with his eyes closed. Matthew's feeder is Mom.
Now Bob requires a little more expertise...handled here by daughter Hannah. Bob usually calls ahead to his feeder if he wants water, gatorade, coke, cappucino, tylenol..etc..etc...Hanna offers Bob 2 bottles... Coke low and Gatorade high....Bob chooses the Gatorade and leaves the coke for the last lap. A lot of high end racers like Bob prefer a coke/water mix for their last lap because the caffeine and sugar gives them a bit of a boost..I think Bob just likes it cuz it tastes good! ***feeder tip....make the coke flat BEFORE you put it in the bottle or risk disaster. When your rider thinks they're going to get a drink
and the whole thing gushes out in their face, hands, jersey, bike,...sticky coke and dusty trails....get the picture?
And then there's Denys....he goes alone...no support..all we have to do is cheer him on....at this point, most riders are exchanging an empty bottle for a full one ...notice Denys' bottle is still almost full.
SCC scored big in whistler...here's the results wwith some more photos of the podiums.
Citizen 3 lap
11th Bob Stanhope
13th Glenn Hafey
Elite Women
4th Katherine Short
Junior Men
5th Sebastian Sleep
Junior Women
2nd Jessica Marquis (no photo....sorry Jessica I was shooting video ...my still photographer was asleep when you hit the podium..you'll be in the movie though!
Master Men 50+
5th Denys Jones
U15 Men
1st Eric Dillon
2nd Liam Hafey
U15 Women
1st Grace Stanhope
U17 Men
2nd Matthew Clough - nice work Matthew!
5th Louis Dillon (U17 Louis was in the lead when a bit of confusion resulted in his doing an extra lap - - it's the riders responsibility to count their own laps so unfortunately for Lou his time looks a bit long BUT he got to see where he would have fit in with the Juniors....he would have been 2nd if he's raced in the faster Junior category...go Lou!!!!)
The BC Cup overall results weren't posted when I sent this but the team did well. Here's the proof.
And a happy SCC team....don't know what happened to Jessica....sorry Jess...
WoooHooo! Thanks for your support everyone!!!
