Tag: Cyclocross Crusade

  • 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

  • 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

  • Junior Cyclocross Series Race #6 Recap: McMenamins Edgefield

    Junior Cyclocross Series Race #6 Recap: McMenamins Edgefield

    The sixth and final round of the 2025 Junior Cyclocross Series on Sunday, November 2, at Cyclocross Crusade: McMenamins Edgefield marked the second consecutive weekend of a dreary Saturday followed by a Sunday with dreamy cyclocross weather! With sun and just enough mud to make things fun—without sacrificing drivetrains—our junior racers flew up a steep, paved starting climb reminiscent of the Koppenbergcross that took place earlier last week, followed by line choices galore and some heavy sections courtesy of deep mud and soggy bark chips. From my perspective, it was the most challenging race of the year and a perfect way to see how much everybody improved over a few short months!

    Vivi McManuis ended the series the same way she began it back at Oak Hill School CX with a win for Team Booger, her fifth win of the series in the Junior Women 9-12 3/4/5s. Bobbi Buswell earned her fourth silver medal and jumped onto the final step of the series podium ahead of Vivi’s teammate Phoebe Hogue, who ended up second overall.

    Isla Hundhausen (Boise Young Rider Development Squad) sped to a win in the 13-14 Junior Women 3/4/5 field, with Gabby Linn in second for the day and Madeleine Duval in third. This is a reversal of the series, with Gabby ultimately ahead of Isla and Sydney Chapin in the title battle.

    Dialed Cycling Team’s Taylor Ferdaszewski came in for their first victory of the season, claiming the overall gold in the process, and was followed by Kayla Lyda in the 15-16 3/4/5 Junior Women. Maya Feldman-Wang and Ari Tabish—both racing for Team Booger—are tied with Mayumi Sugahara for second overall, and each rider has won one round and thus remain in a dead heat after a tiebreaker! With no representatives in the Junior Women 17-18 competition at this round, Kepri Sroka remains the uncontested champion of this category.

    Caleb Farley of Team Booger capped off a mirror image of Vivi McManuis’ accomplishment for the Junior Open 3/4/5 9-12 season with his fifth win in five showings, with Ryan Kraemer Steigerwald making his first podium of 2025 in second and Luka Dedrick (Grouptrail Cycling p/b Ruckus Composites) placing third. I would also like to give a shoutout to Everett Hawes, who laid down a gauntlet in the new-as-of-Sunday “Most Hand-ups Given” competition with a staggering 30 hand-ups, limited only by a lack of gummy worms with which to further bless our adult racers. Any challengers next season will need to be on top of their game to match Everett’s mid-race fuel supplements!

    Dylan Glazer earned another title on behalf of Team Booger in the Open 13-14 3/4/5 field with his win ahead of Garett Hawes (Marys Bicycle Club). Garett was followed through the line by his teammate Ezra White, mirroring their second and third placings respectively, for the series.

    Bjorn Swanson (Team Finger) earned his second win of the year, chased home by Jordan Rathmanner and Leo Herriges (Team Oregon p/b Rodda Paint) in the 15-16 3/4/5 Junior Open field. Bjorn earned the series title with his effort, with Leo slotting himself into second over Andrew Chapin. Oliver Woods did Planet PDX Cycling proud with his third win in the JCS this year, further opening his lead in the Junior Open 17-18 3/4/5 competition. Alex Tipton took silver on the day and earns the same for the season.

    Addison Temple took a victory on behalf of Boise Young Rider Development Squad in the Junior Women 1/2/3 13-18 field, and finishes her season in third for this field. Whitney Hayden and Morgan Filer, both of Team Booger, had already firmly established their positions in first and second for the series, with no changes after Edgefield.

    Minutes after earning himself a podium space in the Open 1/2 field, Jack Abel (Team Booger) edged out Ollie Litinsky of Team Oregon p/b Rodda Paint in the Junior Open 1/2/3 13-18 for his second win of the year. An absent Johnie Hogue (Team Booger)—having already maximized his series points—remains atop the field, with Jack and Ollie rounding out the series podium.

    Our omnipresent photographer, OBRA board member and racer Chlöe Spritz was behind the lens again at Edgefield, and her photography website has been updated with albums of the Junior Cyclocross Series Race #6 and the adult fields on both Saturday and Sunday. Please thank her for all she does for the OBRA community the next time you see her!

    End of Season Party

    It’s hard for me to believe, but this is almost the end of the road for the 2025 OBRA Junior Cyclocross Series. I want to extend a massive thank you to the parents and kids that make our sport so special. Cycling isn’t easy—and cyclocross in particular is a handful—and I cannot overstate how much I appreciate the financial, logistical and mechanical hurdles you all navigate with grace!

    All that’s left is to properly recognize everything our juniors have achieved and learned over the series at our Junior Cyclocross Series Awards Party, on Sunday, November 23, from 12 to 4 p.m. at Steeplejack Brewing’s NE Broadway location. We’ll have newly-designed leader’s jerseys (including one for anyone who led midseason but did not finish in front!), medals and prizes for all podium places, a free raffle and  a box for your suggestions on how we can improve upon what we’ve built this year. You’ll also receive a link to a survey soon, and I look forward to hearing more about what worked and where improvement is needed.

    Our event will be immediately followed by Cyclocross Crusade’s celebration, and I hope all of you will stick around to enjoy it. If you or somebody you know was either leading their category earlier in the series or at the end and cannot make the party, please email me to make sure everyone receives their just rewards!

    Final Cyclocross Races of the Season

    Finally, there are still have four races at three venues on the OBRA calendar between now and the end-of-season party! First is the 2025 OBRA Cyclocross Championships at a new venue in Independence, Oregon, next Sunday, November 9. Intel from Erik Tonkin is that we’ll be enjoying a start on main street, the deepest mud of the year and another bike wash after getting spoiled with one at Edgefield. There are even whispers of a (cold) shower onsite! See more information and get registered for CX Bike Indy.

    The following weekend, November 15 and 16, is a doubleheader that anyone who enjoyed round one of the Junior Cyclocross Series this year will want to attend. Oak Hill School Supercross will add mud to an already tricky course. And, if you have even a fraction of the love for night racing that I do, you won’t to miss the CX-Mas Lights Night Race at Washougal MX Park on Saturday, November 22. This race will take place the night before our end-of-season party and I don’t want you to miss what I expect to be a stark, slopping contrast to the grass cries that characterize early-season weeknight events.

    —Robin