Southern California’s Prestige Series of Cyclocross - Spooky Cross Report

10/26/09 - There were more costumes around the venue before sundown than Target has stocked the first week of October. The racing was great all day but as it got dark the event went from stock to sick! Spooky Cross brought a record amount of riders to the Southern California Prestige series and a high profile group, current and legendary champions of cycling, motocross stars Johnny O’Mara and Ben Baustrom, Pro road rider Tony “The Count” Cruz, and from the world of Mountain Biking there were Ned Overend, Sid Taberlay, and Brian Lopes.

The race was magical. While there seemed to be a lot of long straight sections the guys from Rock N’ Road along with the SoCalCross designers did a great job adding a wide variety of technical aspects to the course. For example, the longest sand section in a race, outside of the beach, which came into a sharp 180-degree turn and up into the dark and spooky forest. It was a great experience for riders and spectators alike as everyone enjoyed the tasty foods from the Green Truck run on veggie oil and the event was solar powered by Energy Efficiency Solar, music from DJ Echo Brown and three different bands kicking off with the Gruesome Twosome, the Rims and feature rock band: Kinkade.

While the elite fields had some awesome racing the Team Duke Spooky Cross Costume relay race spectacle was a frighteningly hilarious sight. The event benefited the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and one lucky participant won a pair of Oakley Sunglasses!  The Phelps brothers seemed to take an early lead while their chest were getting chaffed from their medals.  And a lot of others did not seem to care about the race as much as showing off their character or smashing the pumpkin hurdles. El Guapo the infamous wrestling sensation body slammed at least four freshly carved harvests before returning to his bike and threatening the crowds.

Spooky Cross Race Director, Dorothy Wong, gets the costumed riders pumped before their event.
photo © Greg Page / Page1Studio.com

The young Kendall Ryan (Team SoCal Cross/CICLE) again dominated the elite women’s field. It was a hard fought battle but she was able to monopolize on Megan Elliott (Black Mountain Cyclery) bobble in the super sand pit as she opened just enough of a gap to put in one last attack that would stick allowing her to ride in for the win with blah finishing second. The first chase was another great battle as teammates Dorothy Wong and Alexis Ryan (Team SoCal Cross/CICLE) battled with “Killer Bee” Beatriz Rodriguez (InCycle), Lana Atchley and Nor Cal visitor Melody Metzger (Cal Giant).  The chase group broke apart with Atchley and Alexis Ryan settling into a battle for the 3^rd spot on the podium.  Rounding out the top five it was Lana Atchley taking third, 16 year old Alexis Ryan fourth, Dot Wong (Team SoCal Cross/CICLE) taking in fifth, and “Bee” Rodriguez taking 6^th.

The ultra competitive elite men’s field had the strongest group of the year and the best racing yet. Series leader Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/B&L) was ready for a battle as Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air) was back out this week looking to take a win after finishing second to Prenzlow the previous week. But, Rock N’ Roads Gritters brothers also had some ideas to take a win at their home course. From the start it looked like it was going to be Rock N’ Road’s Gritters brothers who controlled the race with Prenzlow sitting in second. Taberlay had a fast start and a big crash in the first turn putting him in dead last after he was back on his bike from the wreckage. Kyle Gritters lead through the first lap with Prenzlow in second and brother Brandon in third. It seemed as Kyle was going to open a gap but Prenzlow never let it get too far as he realed him back in on the third lap to command the lead, leaving Brandon behind setting the pace for the first chase group. The chase group was together at first with Brandon Gritters, John Bailey and Donny (Bailey Bikes), Ned Overend (Specialized), Gary Douville (Platinum) and others. But, around this third lap things started to break up. Sho-Air’s Ben Bostrom launched a huge effort taking the lead on the chase that broke it apart. However, he paid for the effort ending his night early with three laps to go. It was an unfortunate night for Bailey too as he had to make an early visit to the pits due to mechanical issues.

The Hulk leads the charge during the kids race at Spooky Cross.
photo © Joe Lawwill

From here is was the second chase whom started to crack and guys dropped but only because another rider came flying through the field. Sid Taberlay came back from last and was on a mission to catch the front. With Prenzlow and Kyle Gritters on the front it was Taberlay and Brandon who opened the next gap on the chase, putting out their own efforts to catch the leaders.

In the end it was a fantastic fight as Prenzlow threw out one more huge effort entering the super sand pit but Gritters was able to hold on. The two came around the last turn and it came down to a sprint once the two hit the cement but it was Prenzlow by a bike length to take the biggest win of the year and Kyle Gritters finishing second. About thirty-seconds behind it was Sid Taberlay and Brandon Gritters. Taberlay squeezed out Gritters with one last effort in through the sand and then the dark forest to have ten-second gap for third and Brandon in fourth. And, to round out the top five it was another battle as the second chase still in tack came flying in with four riders sprinting for the line. It was Donny Carol (Bailey Bikes) who just pulled ahead of Gary Douville, Overend, and John Bailey for fifth.