State Championship Race in Moab

Oops, with the winding down of the season, we forgot to upload some pictures and commentary from the 5th and last race of the season.

Our state championship race was held in Moab, Utah, on the Moab brand trails.

How awesome to be a high school student and race in Moab!

 We had fantastic weather on November 9.  So nice that even the girls, who race at 10 a.m., were in shorts and short sleeved jerseys. Our star Freshmen girl, Lia, was having a superb race.  Here she is coming through at the half lap.  The other cheerleader is Lia's mom, Ellen.

Lia raced hard and well, but in the end a small crash followed by derailleur problems kept her from repeating her wins from the last two races.  She still managed to place 6th which put her in 4th for the overall series!

The Freshmen and Sophomore boys were next.

Coach Drew giving last minute advice on the start line.

Thomas has been improving all year.  So much so that he has had call-ups the last three races. 

The race was off and running.  Many spectators enjoyed the sun and excitement.

Crowds cheer.

 Sam had a good race and ended up 5th.

Sam

 And Thomas took 6th, which was enough to place him 5th overall for the entire season series!!

 There were tight finishes and lots of excitement for all our racers.

 At 1 PM, the JV and Varsity race got underway.  One of our best riders had to sit this one out because of a bad fall the night prior at the jump park, but the other guys were in good form. 

The narrator/coach gets a little excited in this video.

 The final verdict on racing in Moab. Rad!

After all the excitement of the day, it was time to celebrate.  Most of our student athletes and their parents came out to the condo to enjoy a post-race meal and revel in the achievements of our team. 

Team captain Sam Casper presented a sweet surprise: gifts for all the coaches and a heart-felt note, "... you guys made Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays way more fun than normal!..."

So, Team SLC Conglomerate has put the 2013 season in the books.  When Coach Drew and I (Coach Lucy) set out to coach the team this year, our goals were to turn kids on to the many benefits of racing mountain bikes.  I know for certain that more than one of our student athletes found that fire within!  What I had not anticipated was the fun we would have as a team and the friendships that we would make as coaches and as students.  2014 is going to be good!

A final note of thanks to all those that support our team.

Our Sponsors
Cascade Water Resources
Aspen Falls Chiropractic
Buckner Company Insurance
Guthrie Bicycles
Wasatch Touring
Private donors that are active in the cycling community but who will remain nameless.

Our volunteers
Coaches and ride leaders
    Drew
    Lucy
    Steve W.
    Matt
    Steve G.
    Glen
    Travis
    Rachel
    Leonard
    Bethany
    Ally
    Ben
    Shawn
    Collin
    Ellen  

Competing in a doughnut eating contest is hard work but demonstrates that competitive drive.  Photo credit Steve Wilson photography

And especially the parents of our student athletes and spouses of our coaches and ride leaders.  These folks provide support in countless ways.  It really takes a village to make a mountain bike team!

Photo by Steve Wilson Photography

Come on down to Moab

Coaches Jordan with some of the Utah League big wigs enjoying the awesome trails in Moab

Pre-ride is scheduled for 2:00-5:15.  Coaches Jordan will be at the race course during that time frame. Any help setting up the team tent will be appreciated.

7:00 pm is movies at Grand Co High School.  The movies will be awesome!

Saturday, if you have not pre ridden, the course is open for pre-ride from 8 to 9:30. Lia races at 10.

We don't have any meals planned at the race course.  After awards at the venue, team members and families are invited to our condo for an-end of season team celebratory dinner!

Season awards will be back in town at the Grand Co High School at 6:30.

State Championship will be great!

New trail!

Saturday's practice started in one of our regular stomping grounds, City Creek Canyon, but then we rode the steep up and over BST all the way to North Salt Lake to check out the fairly new (2ish years old?) Wild Rose trail system.

Fun little loops and a couple of downhill-only tracks made for big fun on an awesome fall day.

Thanks to Coach Bethany for the photos.

Congratulations to our team captain

By secret ballot, each team member was able to vote for one student athlete he or she thought should be our 2013 team captain.  All Varsity and JV student athletes on SLC Conglomerate and City Mountain Bikers were eligible.

A team captain is the rider who best leads the team in all of its endeavors.  A team captain is a good mentor, shows leadership and organization, enforces positive thinking, recognizes his team mates skills, steps up when needed, and creates a fun and encouraging team atmosphere.

And now, without further adieu, the SLC Conglomerate 2013 Team Captain is:


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keep scrolling

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the suspense is killing you


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and here it is!

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SAM CASPER

Sam is a senior at East High and always has a positive attitude. Congratulations Sam!

Bike Polo

Coaches and riders alike are tiring of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, so for Tuesday's practice, we went to Sugarhouse Park and played bike polo.  Thanks to Coach Bethany for arranging to borrow the mallots and ball from a friend.  Coach Steve, of Wilson Photography, took these amazing photos of the action.

And we were able to get 95% of the team there for the team photo.

A fun bunch!

Saturday Nov 2 practice details

Meet at 1 PM at the same City Creek location we've been meeting at (NOT the Red Butte Garden location).  This is the BST trailhead on City Creek.
 Here is a link to a map for practice locations.
 Click on the link or pan around to City Creek on the embedded map below and then zoom and click on the hiker at the mouth of City Creek.

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View Practice meeting places for SLC Conglomerate MTB team in a larger map

 Meet at the small dirt parking area at the hairpin turn on Bonneville Blvd where it crosses City Creek Canyon Road in City Creek Canyon.  Bonneville Blvd is a one way going counter clockwise so you have to enter City Creek Canyon from the Avenues at 11th Ave and B Street.

For Saturday's practice we will ride the BST trail up and over Ensign Peak, past the radio towers.  Riders will continue to north Salt Lake on the BST and ride the Wild Rose Trail System.  There are some fun easy little downhill-only trails (similar to Bobsled but shorter), so be prepared to rip it.  Riders will then return to City Creek TH via the BST.

Option:  Did you eat too much candy on Halloween night? Having a hard time fitting into your ride shorts? The thought of an elevated hear rate, lung busting-eyes crossed climb up to Ensign Peak not sounding appealing? Meet us at the Wild Rose trail head at 2PM.

650 Sky Crest Ln 

North Salt Lake, UT 84054

You can pan north on the map above and look for the blue marker.  Click on it - it will say Wild Rose Trailhead Park.

No need to RSVP but if you are late, don't expect us to wait.  Catch up or meet at Wild Rose TH.

We will return to City Creek TH at around 4 PM.

Race #5 Utah State Championship info 1

We are excited for our last race, the State Championship in Moab on Nov 9.  Even if you have missed a race, it is important that you come out and enjoy this fun venue. Here are a couple of important points about scoring.

All finishers at the State Championship are awarded Race Bonus Points as follows: 50 points for 1st place and sequentially for each place thereafter, one less point than is awarded the immediately preceding place, through 50th place, and one point for each finishing place thereafter (e.g., 49 points for 2nd, 48 points for 3rd, . . . 3 points for 48th, 2 points for 49th, 1 point for 50th, and 1 point for each finisher thereafter

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Awards for the day are awarded right after the race at the race venue. Overall Awards for the year will be held at the Grand County High School (608 South 400 East) at 6:30PM. These awards are for the overall race series and are awarded 10% of field size (rounded up) plus two places deep.

 

Awards will be followed by a professional cyclist speaker (tba).

 

Overall Series scoring for individuals is based on the best 4 of 5. In other words, the lowest score is dropped. A missed race would be the lowest score dropped.

The race is on the Brand trails. Click here for more info on the trails. Navigate to Trails->select by region -> Moab ->Brand Trails.

Don't forget to wear your jersey to practice at Sugarhouse Park tomorrow for the team picture.

Race #4 Solidier Hollow

Fabulous sunny warm racing weather and dusty trails marked race #4 at Soldier Hollow.

The morning was very cold morning while Coach Lucy volunteered at the registration tent.

Sunshine and high school mountain bike racing at Soldier Hollow

13 team members raced. Lia was once again our top finisher of the day, handily beating a field of 35 Freshman girls.

She gave a professional interview.

Wave 2 was our Sophomore and Freshman racers.

By this time, the day was clear and beautiful.

Thomas coming through on his lap.

Coach Drew congratulations Trent on his personal best finish of the season.

Sister Tally is happy for her bro.

Coach Bethany and Coach Lucy cheer on the racers.

 Wave 3 was JV and Varsity

Isaac at the start.

After the races, meatball subs!!

Several team members had person best finishes.  Hats off to all our racers!

Two weeks until the state championship in Moab. 

Saturday ride/practice

Saturday was an optional ride/practice.  Only JD and Coach Lucy were hard core enough to accept the challenge.  They rode up from City Creek and over to North Salt Lake to explore the Wild Rose Trails.  Awesome weather for a day on the bike.  They almost saw a rattlesnake. 

Unofficial practice tomorrow (Saturday)

Meet Coach Lucy at the base of City Creek where the road makes the hair pin turn (same place as the other rides met there) at 1:30 PM.  We will ride up and over past the radio towers to North Salt Lake and check out the Wild Rose trails. It is about a 13 mile loop so dress in layers and bring snacks and water.  I expect it may take us 2 to 3 hours.

The "Sharknado"

Practice on Thursday 15 October was not your ordinary practice on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail system. Students were divided in to two teams. A clue was handed to each team and they were off. Racing from clue to clue team members zig zagged around the BST Trails completing tasks. Tasks included a group photo on a Trailside bench, changing out a tube on a demo flat tire, and dividing up their groups to perform hill climbs or push-ups before cycling to their next clue.

Part of the task was to take your best Sharknado picture on the bench.

Thomas reads the next clue.

 Both the students and the coaches had a great time with the race finishing back at the TH with cupcakes and "high end" plastic medals.

Practice tonight will be fun

Practice tonight will be great fun! We have something very different than usual planned for all of you. Please come to practice unless you are very sick or working.

Race #3 Snowbasin Altitude Bash

Great day of racing yesterday at the 3rd High School race of 2013 at the Snowbasin Altitude Bash.

The girls went off at 10 AM. 

Lia at the start.

Lia coming through on her lap 2.5 minutes ahead of everyone!

She held on for a big win!  Lia and mom Ellen.

Wave 2 is Freshman and Sophomore Boys at 11:45.

JD and Quinn at the start

Thomas and his rival sprinting for the finish.  They were back and forth all day but at the end, his competitor held on for to snag 4th place.  Thomas had his best result so far of the year in 5th place.

Quinn at the finish

Most of the racers' families were there to cheer on the kids.

The JV and varsity boys race last so they have more time to prep and warm up.

Coach Drew walking through the course with John as he warms up

As the JV and Varsity were getting going, we had a team feast for those that were done.  Mmmmmmmeatball subs!

  Wave 3 is the JV and Varsity boys at 1:05 pm.

Ben coming through on lap 2

Sam cheered on by Coach Drew and brother Quinn

Seiji

John

Isaac had a tough day with mechanicals but held on to finish his race.

Varsity racer Galen

Varisty racer Ian

Thankfully, the weather was chilly but not wet and the precip from the past couple of weeks put the trail in primo condition.  With 3 races down and 2 to go, SLC Conglomerate is racing well.