Category: News

  • 2026 JCS Race Recap #5: CX Bike Indy + OBRA Cyclocross Championships

    Given memories from 2025 of (literally, in some cases) swimming in mud in Independence, the fast, dry and dusty singletrack may have surprised many participants upon arriving at this year’s fifth round of the Junior Cyclocross Series (JCS), which also served as the 2026 OBRA Cyclocross Championships. I know I was expecting at least a little moisture under the trees! This singletrack included the largest feature we’ve seen at an OBRA CX race all year—a daunting drop—and Erik Tonkin’s selection of awkward dismount-and-remount combos made sure that each and every one of the day’s podium finishers earned their places.

    Before claiming two OBRA Cyclocross Championships, Chlöe Spritz captured images of our juniors in action at CX Bike Indy, and Bertrand Mejia-Morin’s JCS photos from Heron Lakes are now up as well!

    The closest JCS race of the day was a repeat of the duel between Team Booger teammates Jack Abel and Bennett Gassner, with Jack taking the OBRA title and solidifying his lead in the Junior Open 17-18 competition. Jack took the Yakima Hot Lap and bested Bennett in the final sprint. Meko McDaniel earned one of many podiums for Corvallis Junior Cycling by finishing third, and is now third in the JCS competition behind the Booger riders. Meanwhile, Stella Cafiso (Team Booger), went on a solo rampage in the Junior 17-18 Women and earned a Hot Lap prize. She now leads the series with just one round left.

    Sunny Wittreich (Grouptrail Cycling) rode to an equally emphatic victory in the Junior 15-16 Women, putting her on equal footing with Ari Tabish (Team Booger) and Kadence Helm (Eugene Composite), each with 30 points apiece. The Open 15-16 field saw a tight battle between Johnie Hogue (Team Booger), Ollie Litinsky (Team S&M) and Jase Henderson. The trio stuck together for the first three laps until Johnie snapped the elastic, with Jase continuing to apply pressure on Ollie, and inching away during the penultimate loop. Garrett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling) clinched the series victory with a fifth place on the day, and Axel Weaver (Team Booger) is now just two points in front of Bjorn Swanson (Dirty Fingers) courtesy of Bjorn’s ride for fourth. 

    Johnie’s younger brother Crosby surely felt vindicated in his day-of decision to race, with a commanding victory in the Open 13-14 field over Benjamin Krawchuk-Miller (Corvallis Junior Cycling) and Eli Baraff (Grouptrail). Benjamin went out hard and was able to ease off and enjoy the final lap, and can celebrate an overall JCS win of his own as a result. Eli locked up second in the JCS. Gabby Linn (Mettle Cycling) put on another clinic in the Junior 13-14 Women race. Gabby is another rider who can rest easy with a perfect season thus far and another guaranteed JCS win. She just missed out on a second OBRA championship title in the Cat 3 Women, her second race of the day.

    Vivi McManuis (Team Booger), a frequent sparring partner of Gabby’s despite Vivi’s competing in the Junior 11-12 Women, continued her own perfect season. Phoebe Hogue (Team Booger) put in a consistent ride to gradually distance herself from Bobbi Buswell (Team Booger), making for an all-Booger Junior 11-12 Women on the podium. Bobbi cemented her second place in the JCS and younger sister Willow Buswell was fourth, giving her a near-insurmountable lead of 28 points over Ella Coombs (Corvallis Junior Cycling) as they head to Edgefiled next weekend. Having a guaranteed overall JCS title didn’t stop Luka Dedrick (Grouptrail) from nabbing his fourth straight win in the Open 11-12 race. Everett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling) rode a well-measured race, closing a 10-second gap to Cyrus Brown (Fast Fun Nice Racing) in the last two laps and taking second in the sprint. Cyrus and Everett will be battling for second and third in the sixth and final JCS round. Cyrus sits in silver, but just four points separate the two of them. 

    Wyatt Russell (A&B Racing) returned to claim the OBRA Cyclocross Championship in the Junior 9-10 Open race after missing a few JCS rounds. He went out hard, kept his foot on the gas and ended up being the only rider in his field who managed to squeeze five laps in on the day. Nicolas Rinaldi Ceroni (Biciclista) came in for a strong second, but will be looking over his shoulder at McMenamins Edgefield—a victory from Wyatt there would allow him to leapfrog Nicolas into first. Finnley Bergquist grabbed third with a steady ride, putting him in striking distance of Kiger Walters (Corvallis Junior Cycling) for the final spot on the JCS podium. The Junior 9-10 Women yielded another duel between Eliza Hazboun (Corvallis Junior Cycling) and Edith Brown (Fast Fun Nice). Eliza claimed the win on the day and in the JCS with a consistent ride, putting a few seconds between herself and Edith each lap. 

    With rain in the forecast, chaos courtesy of costumes, a classic course and plenty of podium positions to play for, our sixth and final round of the JCS at Cyclocross Crusade McMenamins Edgefield should be a blast! We’ll have Jay Ortiz on hand for photography, and I’m told that there will be a full-service bike wash courtesy of Muc-Off, which will make all our parents’ lives much easier. On that note, thanks to everyone who makes the JCS possible! It starts and ends with parents, and I’m especially grateful to the folks who have offered to assist with things before, during and after races. Thanks as well to series sponsors Sellwood Cycle Repair (with extra appreciation warranted for their having promoted last weekend’s races), Castelli (another double thanks for their JCS leader’s jerseys and OBRA Championship jerseys), Yakima and BikeTiresDirect. Our wrap-up party is still TBA, but keep an eye on Cross Crusade’s communications, as it’ll be in concert with them again!

  • 2026 JCS Race Recap #4: Cyclocross Crusade PIR Heron Lakes

    Our OBRA Juniors were again graced with gorgeous cross weather—no extra layers or heat mitigation needed—and everyone’s drivetrain remained immaculate at the fourth race of the Junior Cyclocross Series (JCS). With a mix of slow, awkward off-camber sections, a number of surface transitions, and long, fast straightaways, the Cyclocross Crusade PIR Heron Lakes course made for competitions that were tight—until they very much weren’t! The return of the dreaded six-pack of barriers and ever-daunting monolith—with the option for a wedge-jump B-line—added further technical challenges for racers. This round’s guest photographer, Bertrand Mejia-Morin, is putting together a gallery that we’ll share soon.

    See the current OBRA Junior Cyclocross Series standings.

    The Open 9-10 field saw Cru Weaver (River City Bicycles) claim a win on debut ahead of Nicholas Rinaldi Ceroni (Biciclista). Nicholas continued his podium streak; with his two wins and two second places, only a pair of wins from Wyatt Russell (A&B) could put the two of them on equal footing for the series. Hank Hathaway faded after a fast first lap, but held on for the final podium spot. Jude Smith and Kiger Walters (Corvallis Junior Cycling) are now tied for third place in the JCS, each just eight points behind Wyatt.

    The Women’s 9-10 race held another round of rivalry between  Eliza Hazboun (Corvallis Junior Cycling) and Edith Brown (Fast Fun Nice Racing p/b Steeplejack), with Eliza putting in three consistent laps for her third win in a row ahead of Edith. This leaves just six points betwixt them.

    Moving to the Junior Women 11-12 contest brings us to what has thus far been a perfect season for Vivi McManuis (Team Booger). Although she conceded the Yakima Hot Lap contest to Gabby Linn (who was racing 13-14) this week, Vivi engaged the afterburners for lap two, forcing her teammates Bobbi Buswell (finishing second) and Willow Buswell (finishing third) to ride at their own paces for the remainder of the race. With four wins, Vivi has the series lead wrapped up with two rounds to go, but the Buswells are separated by only six points for the other two podium positions.

    The overall JCS standings were also wrapped up in the Open 11-12 race this week, with Luka Dedrick (Grouptrail Cycling p/b Ruckus Composites) taking his third win in four attempts over Everett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling) in second and Cyrus Brown (Fast Fun Nice) in third. Everett and Cyrus went back and fourth throughout the race, changing the lead every lap, with Everett saving just enough for a decisive sprint. They, too, will be going down to the wire to decide the order of the JCS podium for this category!

    After putting in a blistering first lap to take the Yakima Hot Lap in the Open races, Dylan Glazer didn’t look back, and now leads his Team Booger teammate Carter Hayden in the Open 13-14 series competition. Carter placed second on Sunday and is only four points away from third place in the JCS. Carter’s strong finishing lap saw him catch, and pass, Liam Campaigniac (Corvallis Junior Cycling), who wound up third. Liam’s teammate Benjamin Krawchuk-Miller added to his series point total by placing fourth ahead of Eli Baraff (Grouptrail), who is currently second in the JCS.

    This might be the tightest top-five in the JCS, with only 26 points separating the riders.

    Meanwhile, Gabby Linn (Mettle Cycling) took her fourth-straight victory in the Women 13-14 field, shortly before a podium in the Women Category 3 field, and has cemented an overall win in the JCS.

    Ari Tabish (Team Booger) returned from a CX hiatus as fast as ever to take an uncontested win in the Junior Women’s 15-16 race. Despite spending the majority of her race solo, she clearly found a rhythm, with all laps falling within ten seconds of one another. She’s tied with Kadence Helm (Eugene Composite) for the lead in the series.

    Garrett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling) claimed his first win of the season after a trio of near-misses. Leading Logan Trost (Bicycle Attorney) home by considerable margin, Garrett is within touching distance of locking up the JCS overall. Axel Weaver (Team Booger), who finished third at Heron Lakes, will need to win each of the final two rounds to best Garrett. Andy Emmett (CORE Devo) and Bjorn Swanson (Dirty Fingers) are tied for third, with the JCS title now out of their reach.

    Lincoln Sanchez (Team Booger) duplicated sibling Ari’s consistency with his solo win in the Open 17-18 category, with a similarly tight span of lap times. With two races left, this category is wide open. Lincoln is tied with teammate Jack Abel and Zach Tristan (Grouptrail) for the lead, and Bennett Gassner (Team Booger) and Meko McDaniel (Corvallis Junior Cycling) are only a few points back. 

    I’ve been eagerly awaiting a return to Independence, Oregon, since our first cyclocross race there last November! Although it currently looks like we won’t get more mud this time around (and I can confirm that there will be no mandatory water feature), I’m told we’ll have the pleasure of starting and finishing on the main street of Independence, and that there will be even more singletrack for those who like to mix their XC and CX together.

    In case you haven’t heard, Juniors will race for free, and I’m quite excited to help hand out some state championship jerseys to go along with the series leaders! The race will be hosted by series sponsor and OBRA lynchpin Sellwood Cycle Repair. I want to thank them, along with series sponsors Castelli (who will also be providing our state championship jerseys), Yakima, and BikeTiresDirect, for their continued support.

    As ever, my final appreciation goes to OBRA parents. I hope this fall has been a bit less busy in the realm of drivetrain maintenance, even if the collective, familial race days are unchanged!

    —Robin

  • GoFundMe Supports Dave Roth During Recovery

    On September 20, after experiencing chest pain, OBRA official Dave Roth went to the ER. Doctors recommended bypass surgery, but while he was waiting for that procedure, Dave suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. This unexpected medical crisis has turned life upside down for someone who means so much to so many people.

    Dave is much loved and an important part of the OBRA community, and his kindness and thoughtfulness are on display at every race he officiates. So many people know him as a steady, caring presence, and now Dave needs that same care and support in return.

    With that in mind, there is a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to help cover Dave’s ongoing medical costs and living expenses while he is unable to work, allowing him to focus on recovery. With his return to work expected to take many months, these are not just one-time needs. Continued support can help Dave keep up with the bills and daily expenses that will keep coming in during his long recovery.

    If you are able, please consider making a recurring donation to help provide steady support in the months ahead. One-time donations are also deeply appreciated and will make a real difference. Most of all, please keep Dave in your thoughts and share this fundraiser with others who may want to support him as he recovers.

    —Chuck

  • 2026 JCS Race Recap #3: Willamette Superchamps

    OBRA’s junior cyclocross racers were greeted by superb weather for the third straight race at Willamette Superchamps in Eugene. Based on the footage I’ve seen and on-the-ground reporting by my stand-in Taylor, a course that nailed the balance between fun and challenging made for some excellent racing in the third race of the Junior Cyclocross Series (JCS). The closest battle of the day was again between Gabby Linn (Mettle Cycling) and Vivi McManuis (Team Booger) in what is surely developing into a friendly rivalry. As they’re in different age-group categories, they each consolidated their respective, overall leads. In the Women 11-12 competition, Vivi leads Bobbi Buswell (Team Booger) in second and Ella Coombs (Corvallis Junior Cycling) in third. Gabby’s Women 13-14 category victory was uncontested, and she is followed by Bella LaDolce in second for the series. 

    Eliza Hazboun (Corvallis Junior Cycling) steadily built a lead over Edith Brown (Fast Fun Nice p/b Steeplejack) to place first in the Women 9-10 field. This was the second straight weekend with the same racers in first and second, and thus both occupy the same seats in the JCS overall standings. Series newcomer Kadence Helm (Eugene Composite) snagged the Yakima Hot Lap in our women’s field by a solid 17 seconds, and even managed to take an additional nine seconds off her time in the second lap. The timesheet shows she never let up, and Kadence took the victory in our Women 15-16 race and is now leading the series at its halfway point. 

    Andy Emmett (CORE Devo) took the Yakima Hot Lap competition en route to a win in the Open 15-16 race over Garett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling). Garrett holds a sizeable lead in the JCS as a whole, though, with Andy, Axel Weaver (Team Booger) and Bjorn Swanson (Dirty Fingers) all tied for second behind him. Team Booger’s Caleb Farley made his first appearance in the Open 13-14 category this year after four race wins and the series victory in the Open 9-12 category in 2025. Caleb claimed an emphatic win ahead of Liam Campaigniac and Benjamin Krawchuk-Miller, both of Corvallis Junior Cycling. Benjamin now leads Eli in the overall, and Caleb is tied with his Booger teammate Dylan Glazer for third place. 

    The Open 11-12 competition has been tight this season, with Luka Dedrick (Grouptrail Cycling p/b Ruckus Composites),  Cyrus Brown (Fast Fun Nice p/b Steeplejack) and Everett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling) trading slots on the podium in all three races. Luka gradually opened up a gap on Cyrus in each of the first two laps, ultimately forcing Cyrus to ease off in the second half of the race, settling for second in the process. Luka now leads the series over Cyrus, with Everett’s bronze on the day consolidating the same position for the season thus far. Biciclista’s Nicolas Rinaldi Ceroni’s mature pacing earned him a second straight win in the Open 9-10 field over Harrison Ellis and Kiger Walters (Corvallis Junior Cycling) in second and third, respectively. Nicolas continues to lead the series ahead of Wyatt Russell (A&B), with Kiger now standing third. 

    Several of our juniors doubled up on the day! Andy Emmett placed fifth in the Category 5 Open field, and Wyatt Hawes seventh in the Open 1/2 race. Gabby Linn narrowly missed the win in the Women 3/4 field, but held on for silver. Finally, Bjorn Swanson has graduated from the JCS and placed eighth in the Open 3/4 race.

    Mike Norton captured the action in Eugene, and you can see his photos on Instagram and his website.

    Our juniors have a weekend to exhale before another three JCS weekends beginning with Cyclocross Crusade Heron Lakes on Sunday, October 18. I’m looking forward to being alongside the tape to cheer on everybody as they confront the monolith and an assortment of deceptively tricky off-cambers! In the meantime, though it’s not part of the JCS, the Cyclocross Crusade Coyote Run on Sunday, October 11 provides another racing opportunity. Gratitude is due, as ever, to Castelli, Yakima, BikeTiresDirect, and Sellwood Cycle Repair for their provision of leaders’ jerseys, hot lap goodies and series prizes. Finally, on behalf of all of our racers, for the support of our parents—you’re all helping foster the future of our beloved sport. See you at Heron Lakes!

    —Robin

  • 2026 JCS Race Recap #2: Heiser Farms

    Based on Summer’s report and Chloë’s photos, the second round of the 2026 OBRA Junior Cyclocross Series was blessed with a second-straight bout of perfect, early-season cyclocross weather at Heiser Farms, although I’m eagerly awaiting mud! I’m told the course retained its timeless combination of flow and tech, with a run-up that surely felt like a relief after last week’s wall at Cascade Locks. I suspect that the omnipresent bog threw a wrench in a few folks’ lines as well, both junior and adult racers alike! 

    The Yakima Hot Lap competition saw one repeat winner in Gabby Linn (Mettle Cycling) and a newcomer by way of the menace that is Jack Abel (Team Booger), who has been on a tear since XC mountain bike season and is racking up UCI points on the national junior circuit. Gabby won the 13-14 Junior Women category uncontested, but only pipped Vivi McManuis for the hot lap by a single second. Vivi, however, returned the favor and out-sprinted Gabby for the overall Junior Women’s victory on the day, winning the 11-12 Junior Women’s race in the process! Both riders consolidated their leads in their categories. Vivi was joined in her podium for the day by Bobbi and Willow Buswell, both of Team Booger, in second and third, respectively. The Buswell sisters now occupy those same slots in the overall competition for the 11-12 Women. The Junior Women’s 9-10 race started out close, but the consistency of Eliza Hazboun (Corvallis Junior Cycling) allowed her to pull away for the win over Fast Fun Nice p/b Steeplejack’s Edith Brown, also earning Eliza the series lead ahead of Edith. 

    Returning to the Junior Open Categories, Nicolas Rinaldi Ceroni (Biciclista) bested Wyatt Russell to win the 9-10 age group, flipping the prior week’s result, and tying them for the lead in the series. Wyatt Sells put in a measured race to place third on the day, putting him on equal points with Jude Smith overall. The 11-12 age group is likewise at a dead heat for the series. Luka Dedrick (Grouptrail Cycling p/b Ruckus Composites) steadily built on his speedy first lap to get the best of Fast Fun Nice p/b Steeplejack’s Cyrus Brown. Meanwhile, Everett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling) replicated his bronze from Race #1 and stands third after another consistent ride in Race #2. Everett’s brother and teammate Garrett did one better in the Junior Open 15-16 competition, but Axel Weaver (Team Booger) put in a measured effort over three laps to take victory. Garrett now leads the series, with Axel tied with Race #1 victor Bjorn Swanson (Dirty Fingers) for second. Benjamin Krawachuk-Miller, Corvallis Junior Cycling teammate of the Hawes brothers, earned a tie for the series lead with a win in the 13-14 Junior Open race. Dylan Glazer will surely be back to battle for that leader’s jersey in future rounds, though, with fellow Team Booger rider Carter Hayden now third overall. Jack Abel wasn’t satisfied with the Hot Lap win and pipped his Booger teammate and fellow UCI competitor Bennett Gassner for the 17-18 Junior Open victory, with Meko McDaniel (Corvallis Junior Cycling) earning third courtesy of a strong ride. These three now hold the same places for the overall standings. 

    I’d also like to take a moment to shout out a number of junior racers who doubled up on the day! Meko put in a strong effort in the Cat 4 Open field for fourth; Gabby dominated the Cat 4 Women, winning by more than four minutes; Jack and Bennett nabbed second and third in the Cat 1/2 Open; and Axel muscled out fifth in the Cat 3 Open. 

    I’ll close the recap, as usual, with some odds and ends. As I mentioned last week, I’ll be absent from Willamette Supercross in Eugene. This was my favorite new-to-me course last year! The views are lovely, the elevation gain is deceptive and the off-cambers are just enough to catch you out without being high consequence.

    Make sure to stick around after every JCS race for podium photos, leader’s jerseys and hot lap prizes, and don’t hesitate to ask me (or my substitute next week, Taylor Pasquariello) if you’ve got even the slightest suspicion that you or your junior racer has earned any of the above!

    Thanks to Heiser Farms promoter Eric Vickers, who Summer tells me was exceptionally enthusiastic about the junior racing, our series and prize sponsors and prize providers sponsors Castelli, Yakima, BikeTiresDirect and Sellwood Cycle Repair, and, of course, the parents who drive our racers, make sure their bikes function and take their handups. We’re still working on a date for our end-of-season party—we’ll keep you posted. I’ll see you all at Heron Lakes!

    —Robin

  • 2026 JCS Race Recap #1: Cyclocross Crusade Cascade Locks

    Our juniors were greeted with sunshine and warm weather in Cascade Locks—two rare occurrences in what I think might just be the rainiest part of the Columbia River Gorge—for round one of the 2026 Junior Cyclocross Series (JCS) courtesy of Cyclocross Crusade.

    Familiar to anyone who’s had the opportunity to race it, the course had a bit of single track, lots of rocks (visible this year due to relatively dry conditions), the biggest run-up in OBRA Land and plenty of sand. The dry weather made the sand especially challenging this year with the lines changing lap after lap, with no consistent riding lines developed. For those with the eyes and awareness to take advantage of this dynamic part of the course, there were lots of opportunities to make up time, and/or save energy. During the morning races, I joined some of our young racers in tempting some of their parents and peers with an assortment of hand-ups. Before we knew it, it was time to get the JCS properly started.

    Unsurprisingly, things were competitive from the start. An assortment of goodies from Yakima for the new Hot Lap contest for the fastest first lap spiced this up a bit (thank you, Marie!), but I do suspect it made only a fractional difference in the early efforts expended. The winners of the Hot Lap clearly didn’t burn themselves out, as both ended up winning their categories overall, with Bjorn Swanson (Dirty Fingers) and Gabby Linn (Mettle Cycling) nabbing the honors.

    Bjorn was joined by Garrett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling) in second and Zach Tristan (Grouptrail p/b Ciclo Wealth) in third on the Open 15-16 podium. He must not have been satisfied with a single win on the day, as he hopped back out onto the race course to join in the Category 3 Open race shortly after finishing—one of our many juniors who doubled up! Gabby bested Bella LaDolce in the Women’s 13-14 race and has thus earned the right to wear one of the new Castelli leader jerseys next week. 

    Jumping down in age groups to the Women’s 11-12 race, Vivi McManuis (Team Booger) and Bobbi Buswell (Team Booger) were locked in a tight battle during the first laps, but Vivi opened a gap on lap three and left no doubt who would be atop the podium by cutting nearly 90 seconds off that time for the fourth and final time around the course. Phoebe Hogue (Team Booger) and Willow Buswell (Team Booger) were in a similarly compelling competition for the final podium slot, with Phoebe winning out courtesy of a fast last lap of her own.

    The Open 11-12 race saw Cyrus Brown (Fast Fun Nice Racing p/b Steeplejack) open a lead over Luka Dedrick (Grouptrail Cycling p/b Ruckus Composites) and maintain an impressive level of consistency in his laps and line choice to hold on for the win; Everett Hawes (Corvallis Junior Cycling) regained some time after a rough first lap, but ultimately ended his day in third. 

    Dylan Glazer (Team Booger) put in a dominant ride to finish ahead of his teammate Carter Hayden in the Open 13-14 competition. Eli Baraff (Grouptrail Cycling p/b Ciclo Wealth) found an extra gear or two in the last ten minutes of racing, but still couldn’t manage to reel Carter in.

    The final competition of the day saw a well-earned victory for Wyatt Russell (A&B Bike) in the Open 9-10. I’m not sure exactly how, but I do imagine the dirt jumping he does—far beyond my own skillset—played a role in the win! Nicolas Rinaldi Ceroni (Biciclista) and Jude Smith joined Wyatt on the podium in second and third, respectively.

    Unfortunately, I will miss the next two rounds—at Heiser Farms and Willamette Superchamps—but have secured more-than-capable substitutes, including Summer Newlands and Taylor Pasquariello. Summer is my friend and teammate, and possibly the best bike handler I know. Ask her for some tips! Taylor is a fixture in our community and pet lover. They’ll be under the same OBRA tent where you usually find me, and I’ll be sure to emphasize the importance of supplying our junior racers with hand-ups before, during and after their races!

    A few updates and reminders. First, our photographers are working hard to provide photos of both race and overall series podiums as soon as possible. Hot Lap prizes are also being distributed just after the races. Second, our end-of-season celebration with medals, prizes, a raffle and jerseys (for those who haven’t already claimed theirs) will be concurrent with Cyclocross Crusade’s annual bash. Details TBA!

    Think you finished well in the individual race or series standings? We encourage junior racers and their parents to stick around after the race to wait for results. Either myself or a parent volunteer have physical spreadsheets to quickly confirm where things stand. This will help us award leader jerseys and grab podium photos.

    Thank you to our OBRA promoters, our sponsors Castelli, Yakima, BikeTiresDirect, and Sellwood Cycle Repair, and most of all, the parents of our junior racers—we could not do any of this without you. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions or feedback!

    —Robin

  • 2026 Junior Cyclocross Series Kicks Off on September 19

    Featuring six races this fall, the OBRA Junior Cyclocross Series (JCS) kicks off on Saturday, September 19, at Cyclocross Crusade in Cascade Locks. The fifth race in the series, CX Bike Indy, will also serve as the 2026 OBRA Junior Cyclocross Championships.

    “I’m excited to build on the established success of the Junior Cyclocross Series this year with a focus on fun and growing participation,” said Robin Cummings, the JCS Director. “Our podium finishers will win MapleXO medals and prizes, and there will be a raffle for all JCS contestants. This year, we’ll also be doing a first-lap prime at each race with merch provided by Yakima. And, because our juniors appreciated giving and receiving hand-ups of sweet treats last season, we’re partnering with local bakeries to ensure everyone gets a proper sugar fix.”

    To help young racers and parents register for all OBRA cyclocross races—including those in the Junior Cyclocross Series—all juniors will race in age-group categories instead of ability-class categories. This streamlined approach aligns with junior cross racing at non-OBRA events, including national championships. Visit our JCS page for detailed information on junior racing categories for cyclocross.

    In each of the JCS races, juniors receive points for their placing in that race. At the end of the series, the best four results count toward the hotly-contested individual competition. Castelli is providing custom-designed JCS leader jerseys, and in addition to medals and jerseys, the top three finishers in each category will receive prizes including gift cards from BikeTiresDirect and Sellwood Cycle Repair.

    The series also tracks team results in each of the six races and the winning team will be crowned as the JCS team champions.

    “Some of our parents have offered to help with on-the-ground scoring this year,” said Robin. “This will help us update our series standings as quickly as possible after each race. Once again, we’ll again have talented photographers donating their time to capture as many moments as possible.”

    No bike? No problem. The PDX-based Fast Fun Nice racing team has a fleet of loaner bikes—including many with 24-inch wheels—ready for your cyclocross-curious junior.

    2026 Junior Cyclocross Series Schedule

    Saturday, September 19Cyclocross Crusade Cascade Locks
    Sunday, September 27Heiser Farms CX
    Sunday, October 4Willamette Superchamps CX
    Sunday, October 18Cyclocross Crusade Heron Lakes
    Saturday, October 24CX Bike Indy / OBRA CX Championships
    Saturday, October 31Cyclocross Crusade Edgefield

    As for the ultimate race in the series on Halloween at McMenamins Edgefield?

    “I’m excited to see how everybody balances a fun costume with one that doesn’t impede racing too much!” said Robin.

    Visit the JCS page for more resources including:

    • Junior Racing Categories for Cyclocross
    • JCS Individual + Team Scoring
    • Series Standings
    • Robin’s Race Recaps
    • Swag + Prizes from Our Generous Sponsors

  • 2026 OBRA Criterium Champions Crowned

    Meeting the challenge of racing in lightning-fast fields on a technical course, 22 OBRA members earned 2026 OBRA Criterium Championship titles on Sunday, August 16. As Day Two of the Portland Criterium, the Lloyd District Criterium drew regional, national and international racers—and enthusiastic spectators—to a one-mile circuit around the Lloyd Center.

    In a Portland Mercury article about the race, Kendall Ryan, the current U.S. National Criterium Champion, described the scene.

    “This is such a great course: the chicane, the tunnel. It bottlenecks in a few places, then opens up for a lot of opportunities,” said Ryan. “It should really be a part of a major series. We had never been to Portland before, but it’s such a wonderful place to visit.

    In addition to hard-fought titles, our 2026 OBRA Criterium Champions zipped up our new championship jerseys designed by Castelli.

    “We are so proud of our new criterium champions and grateful to the Portland Criterium crew,” said Chuck Kenlan, Executive Director of OBRA. “People sometimes think of our championship events as state competitions, but all OBRA members—whether they live in Oregon or elsewhere—are eligible for OBRA championship titles. We are fortunate to have a robust membership of racers from throughout the Pacific Northwest region.”

    Please join us in congratulating our 2026 OBRA Criterium Champions!

    Open Category Pro/1/2
    Kent Ross

    Women Category Pro/1/2/3
    Sara Youmans

    Open Category 3
    Zane Strait

    Women Category 3
    Isabel Herring

    Open Category 4/5
    Jesse Nieman

    Women Category 4/5
    Camryn Berglin

    Open Masters 40-49
    Aaron Halfaker

    Masters Women 40-49
    Marie Smith

    Open Masters 50-59
    Paul Bourcier

    Masters Women 50-59
    Hilary Luther

    Open Masters 60+
    Matthew Slater

    Women Masters 60+
    Carolyn Daubeny

    Open Junior 17-18
    Abe Newell-Ching

    Women Junior 17-18
    Astrid Atkinson

    Open Junior 15-16
    Keegan Fairbanks

    Women Junior 15-16
    Stella Cafiso

    Open Junior 13-14
    Oliver Litinsky

    Women Junior 13-14
    Gabby Linn

    Open Junior 11-12
    Peter Lee

    Women Junior 11-12
    Regan Dale

    Open Junior 9-10
    Alex Lee

    Women Junior 9-10
    Vivianne McManuis

  • 2026 PNW Cup in Partnership with WSBA

    2026 PNW Cup in Partnership with WSBA

    Pacific Northwest Cup logoOBRA and the Washington State Bicycle Association (WSBA) are teaming up again this year for the second annual Pacific Northwest Cup, a four-race series that kicked off on Saturday, March 28, with the Mason Lake Road Race.

    The PNW Cup offers racers the chance to win prizes at each of the races, series prizes and custom-designed leaders’ jerseys crafted by Castelli Cycling.

    Three more races in this series in Oregon and Washington will provide OBRA racers with BAR points:

    April 19 – Banana Belt Road Race

    May 2 – Breakfast at Boston Harbor

    May 9 – Barton Park Road Race

    See the results from Saturday’s PNW Cup Race #1 at Mason Lake and the series points tally here.

    More Details about the 2026 PNW Cup

    How does the PNW Cup work?

    Each race will be scored 18-deep following this scoring matrix: 26,20,16,15,14,13,12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

    What are the eligible categories?

    The following categories will be scored:

    Men Cat P/1/2, Cat 3*, Cat 4/5 and Women Cat P/1/2, Cat 3* and Cat 4/5.

    *(If Cat 3 is combined with another field, only results from a race with P/1/2 will be scored, but they will be scored separately.)

    Do I have to race all four races to qualify?

    No, but they all count in the series standing.

    What is the tiebreaker if needed?

    Any ties will be broken by the highest placing in a PNW Cup race, and then by number of placing, and finally by the most recent placing.

    Do I have to be an OBRA member to race in Oregon?

    Yes! You can always get a one-day membership, but an annual membershipoffers a substantial discount of $20 off for all WSBA members, provided by OBRA. Just email wsba.pres@gmail.com for the code.

    Do I have to be a WSBA member to race in Washington?

    No, but we highly encourage it! It will make things easier for you, and current OBRA members receive a $20 discount. Email ckenlan@obra.org for the code.

    Do I need a USAC license to race in Washington?

    Yes, but you can always get a one-day license. If you’re planning on doing multiple races outside of Oregon, you can get an annual USAC license here.

    When will races be scored?

    At each race. Leaders’ jerseys will be given during podium awards.

    Do I need to be present to receive a leaders’ jersey if I’m awarded one?

    Yes!

    Pacific Northwest Cup leader jerseys designed by Castelli Cycling

  • BikePortland Podcast Highlights OBRA’s Upcoming Racing Season

    BikePortland Podcast Highlights OBRA’s Upcoming Racing Season

    Jonathan Maus of BikePortland and OBRA’s executive director, Chuck Kenlan, connected last week on the BikePortland podcast to chat about bike racing trends—nationally and locally—and 2026 racing events happening in the Pacific Northwest.

    A few of the highlights include:

    • Takeaways from OBRA’s Annual Meeting at Chris King Precision Components in Portland
    • National bike racing trends
    • OBRA bike racing trends
    • Recent rule changes
    • Participation in bike racing by discipline
    • How OBRA supports bike race promoters

    Watch and listen to the podcast.