Getting squirrely in Longview

Aug 6, 2011 by editor

LONGVIEW, Wash. — “Squirrel Fest” isn’t a phrase one usually wants to have associated with a bike race, but the 2nd Annual Longview Grand Prix Criterium teamed with the city’s yearly Squirrel Festival Saturday to offer a full day of events for racers and to introduce curious-but-enthusiastic crowds to this two-wheeled sport.

The Grand Prix featured 10 fields racing around the Civic Circle in the center of town for cash, prizes, medals and trophies. The half-mile roundabout, which sits cradled between the Post Office, the municipal library and the historic Monticello Hotel, consists of wide roads with rounded ends connected by two-block straightaways. While square dancers twirled near the library and a giant squirrel mascot chased kids through the surrounding park grounds, racers flew over the course in just about a minute per lap.

OBRA criterium champion Steven Beardsley (Gentle Lovers) took the men’s Cat 1/2 win, while his coaching client Emily Charbonneau (Sorella Forte) won the women’s Cat 1/2/3 race in front of French mountain bike pro Julie Krasniak (Look).

Krasniak was the mystery rider in the women’s field as she immediately went on the attack around the giant oval, hammering through the sweeping turns and building a lead of 10 to 12 seconds. Sorella Forte’s Jan Moss and Sarah Tisdale led the chase to reel in the French rider, eventually having to pull Krasniak back into the field several times before the 45-minute race was done.

The Sorella’s coordination on the front paid off for Charbonneau, who bided her time in the field waiting to use her track racing speed to finish the deal and reward her teammate’s effort. As the group came into the last corner mostly together Charbonneau jumped hard to counter an earlier move from Krasniak. The Sorella rider surged ahead just before the line and ensured the win with a powerful bike throw that lifted her front tire off the pavement. Krasniak crossed the line next for second. Erica Larenzen (Fair Start) finished third.

Beardsley battles Bedford for men’s win

Fresh off an extended period of competing in France, Marcel DeLisser returned to OBRA racing and immediately started inflicting some pain in the men’s hour-long Cat 1/2 race. The former Junior national team rider soared off the front early with Peter Drake (Fred Meyers), who was racing his third event of the day. The pair flowed smoothly over the NASCAR-like surface and built a lead that hovered around a dozen seconds before attacks and bridging effort from the field eventually brought them back into the fold after about 25 minutes.

That’s when Rocky Serna, another former OBRA standout returning to his roots in Oregon, launched a solo attack and gained a quick gap on the field. Drake bridged to the front again, and the pair looked to be giving it a good go before Stephen Bedford (Team Oregon/Laurelwood Brewing) and Ryan Kelly (Portland Bicycle Studio) bridged to the leaders. Bedford’s presence at the front attracted the attention of Beardsley, who chased hard and brought the group back. Bedford tried another attack with teammate William Laubernds, but the field was back together with three to go. Kelly tried a solo move next, but it was short-lived as the speed kicked up going into the finale.

Beardsley and Bedford exited the final corner together, approaching the final short straightaway nearly neck and neck. Bedford jumped first, but Beardsley countered and grabbed the lead just before they reached the line. Bedford finished second. Washington rider Scott Laliberte crossed the line third.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY for this race.

RESULTS
Longview Grand Prix Criterium
Aug. 6

Cat 1/2 Men
1. Steven Beardsley (Gentle Lovers)
2. Stephen Bedford (Team Oregon/Laurelwood Brewing)
3. Scott Laliberte
4. Clif Heaberlin (Ginnuess Cycling Team)
5. Lonny Knabe (Team Type 1)

Cat 1/2/3 Women
1. Emily Charbonneau (Sorella Forte)
2. Julie Krasniak (Look)
3. Erica Larenzen (Fair Start)
4. Sarah Maguire (Kenda/Geargrinder)
5. Kristina Lackner (Hutch’s-Eugene)

Masters 35+ Cat 1/2/3
1. Todd Littlehales (Rapha Racing NW)
2. Scott Laliberte
3. Eddie French (Guinness Cycling Team)
4. Ben Jacobsen (Rapha Racing NW)
5. Mark Crawford (Ironclad Performance Wear)

Cat 2/3 Men
1. John Christianflack (Olympic Ortho)
2. Daniel Penner (Ironclad Performance Wear)
3. Tyler Stearns (Hagens Berman)
4. Williams Laubernds (Team Oregon/Laurelwood Brewing)
5. Kenji Sugahara (Team Oregon/Laurelwood Brewing)

Cat 3/4 Men
1. Cameron Duff (The Goon Squad)
2. Vaughn Nelseon (Olympic Ortho)
3. Rob Thompson (Ironclad Performance Wear)
4. Jeremy Dunn (Embrocation Cycling Journal)
5. Nick Duckstein (Bikesale.com)

Cat 4/5 Men
1. Davis Hand
2. Jeff Marain (Goon Squad)
3. Aubrey Edwards (Goon Squad)
4. Michael Trowbridge
5. Ian Mastenbrook (Hammer Velo)

Cat 4 Women
1. Christi Kenyon (Bikesale.com)
2. Hannah McDade (Beaverton Bicycle Club)
3. Inge Wortman (Verge)
4. Lauri Brault (Sorella Forte)
5. Justine Saudan (Bridgetown Velo)

Masters 35+ Cat 4/5
1. Patrick Palmer (HPChiro/Alpine Mortgage)
2. Erik Anderson (Pacific Power Blue Sky)
3. Wayne Boyle (Pacific Power Blue Sky)
4. Andrew Hayes (Mountain View Cycles)
5. Jeff Wygant (Team Highlander)

Masters 50+/60+
1. John O’Brien (West End Bikes/Specialized)
2. William Zale (West End Bikes/Specialized)
3. Scott Harmon (HPChiro/Alpine Mortgage)
4. Richard Desmond (Upper Echelon Fitness)
5. David Thielen (ZteaM)

Juniors 14-16
1. Harry Zimba (Beaverton Bicycle Club)
2. Killian Bailey (Beaverton Bicycle Club)
3. Emerson Webb (Beaverton Bicycle Club)
4. Keeganb O’Neill (Word-RCB)

Juniors 10-13
1. Braden Fridell (Beaverton Bicycle Club)
2. Alex Walentynow (Revel Rad Racing)
3. Alex White (Bike Gallery)
4. Grayson Bailey (Beaverton Bicycle Club)

Juniors 17-18
1. Ian Mastenbrook (Hammer Velo)