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Sue Butler, pictured here winning the Portland Short Track Series earlier this month, took home two OBRA MTB championships this weekend in the short track and cross country events. File photo.

Kona's Erik Tonkin, pictured here at Horning's Hustle earlier this year, took the top prize at the OBRA XC Championships Sunday in Alsea Falls.

RESULTS

OBRA MTB Short Track Championships
Saturday, Aug. 14
Sherwood

Pro/1 Women
1. Sue Butler (River City Bicycles)
2. Colleen McClenahan (Sorella Forte)
3. Sarah Tingey (Bridgetown Velo)
Pro Men
1. Ben Thompson (Trek Mtn Co-op) 5
2. Jon Myers (Team S&M) 5
3. Shannon Skerritt (Trek 29er) 4
Complete OBRA Results are HERE.

OBRA MTB Cross Country Championships
Sunday. Aug. 15
Alsea Falls

Pro/1 Women
1. Sue Butler (River City Bicycles) 1:12:11.00
2. Alice Pennington (Team S&M) 1:15:29.00
3. Elaine Bothe (Sorella Forte) 1:38:09.00 *Cat 1
Pro Men
1. Erik Tonkin (Kona) 1:21:53.00
2. Ben Thompson (Trek Mtn Co-op) 1:22:07.00
3. Sloane Anderson (ProAir/HFA) 1:23:38.00
Complete OBRA results are HERE.

Sue Butler (River City Bicycles) was the fastest woman at the High Cascades 100, covering the endurance MTB course in just over nine and half hours. Photo by Matt Brubach / Oregon Velo.

BEND — A crowded field from around the country and Canada hit the trails of the Deschutes National Forest near Bend Saturday for the High Cascades 100 endurance mountain bike race. Portland’s Sue Butler (River City Bicycles) won the women’s race, pounding out the 100 miles is just over nine and half hours. Cheryl Sornson (Team CF) was the second-fastest woman at 9:47:06. Bend’s Serena Bishop, the third-fastest woman and top Cat 1, finished in 10:51:06.

Hammer Nutrition’s Cary Smith was six minutes faster than local pro Chris Sheppard. Smith covered the 100 miles in 8:09:15. to take the win. Sheppard finished in 8:15:36 for second, and Canada’s Josh Tostado (Bachbuilders/Santa Cruz) was third at 8:23:33.

Hammer Nutrition's Cary Smith was the fastest rider over the 100 miles. Photo By Shane Young / Oregon Velo.

The 100-mile course, made up of several large and small loops near Wanoga Snow park, featured very limited overlap in its 80 miles of singletrack, 20 miles of cindercone roads and a little volcanic lava rock to go with the 10,000 feet of climbing. Riders spent from eight to 14 hour to finish or place in their divisions.

RESULTS
High Cascades 100
Saturday, Aug. 7
Bend
Pro Men
1. Smith, Cary (Hammer Nutrition) 08:09:15.00
2. Sheppard, Chris (Rocky Mountain Bikes/Rebound PT) 08:15:36.00
3. Tostado, Josh (Bachbuilders Santa Cruz) 08:23:33.00
4. Schalk, Jeff (Trek Mtn Co-Op) 08:30:07.00
5. Barry, Troy (Hammer Nutrition) 08:39:03.00
Women Combined
1. Butler, Sue (River City Bicycles) 09:31:33.00 *Pro
2. Sornson, Cheryl (Team CF) 09:47:06.00 *Pro
3. Bishop, Serena (Sunnyside Sports) 10:51:06.00 *Cat 1
4. Sucich, Angela (Diamondback) 11:26:10.00 *Pro
5. Phear, Nicky 11:33:13.00 *Cat 2

Complete OBRA Results are HERE.

Check HERE for more Oregon Velo photos.

The Portland MTB Short Track Series ran its final race of the season Monday night around Portland International Raceway's infield.

Shannon Skerritt (Trek 29er) secured his sixth consecutive Pro Men's overall crown Monday night with another win.

PORTLAND — Shannon Skerritt (trek 29er) took the top step of the podium Monday night at PIR and secured his sixth-consecutive Pro Men’s overall win for the Portland MTB Short Track Series.

Skerritt battled Micheal Gallagher (Cyclepath), Tim Butler (River City Bicycles) and Davy Yeater (River City Bicycles) throughout the early going bvut eventually pulled away for the win. Gallagher scored second place, with Butler following for third. Skerritt scored three first-place finishes and came second three times on his way to winning the best six-of-seven series scoring system. He’s now won the overall crown every year of the series except 2005, when Kona’s Erik Tonkin won the inaugural event.

In the Pro/Cat 1 Women’s race, Sue Butler (River City Bicycles) made her second appearance of the series and got her second win, finishing ahead of teammate Brigette Brown and Bicycleattorney.com’s Brooke McDermid. Butler’s 60 overall points didn’t figure in the overall battle, which Showers Pass rider Sue Gandjean won with 140 points scored from her best six of seven results.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY.

RESULTS
Portland MTB Short Track Series #7
Monday, Aug. 2
Pro Men
1. Skerritt, Shannon (Trek 29er) 6
2. Gallagher, Michael (Cyclepath Racing) 6
3. Butler, Tim (Specialized/River City Bicycles) 6
4. Yeater, Davy (River City Bicycles) 6
5. Snyder, Chris (Bicycleattorney.com) 6
Pro/Cat 1 Women
1. Butler, Sue (River City Bicycles) 6
2. Brown, Brigette (River City Bicycles) 5
3. McDermid, Brooke (bicycleattorney.com) 5
4. Grandjean, Sue (Showers Pass) 5
5. Browning, Julie (Cyclepath Racing) 5

Complete OBRA results are HERE.

Read more…

Michael Gallagher and Wendy Williams (pictured) won the Portland Short Track Series #6 races Monday night on PIR's infield. Photos courtesy of Mark Blackwelder.

PORTLAND — Series leader Shannon Skerritt (Trek-29er) took a week off from the pro men’s race of the Portland MTB Short Track Series Monday night, opening the door for Cyclepath’s Michael Gallagher to take the win in front of Tim Butler (Specialized River City Bicycles) and recent Larch Mt. Hillclimb winner Jon Myers (Team S&M). Cross Crusade’s 2009 women’s overall winner Wendy Williams (River City Bicycles) made her first appearance at PDX short track this year and won the Pro/Cat 1 women’s race ahead of Showers Pass rider Susan Grandjean and Cyclepath’s Julie Browning. The seven-race series concludes Aug. 2.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY courtesy of Mark Blackwelder.

One more race remains in the seven-race Portland MTB Short Track Series. Photo courtesy of Mark Blackwelder.

RESULTS
Portland MTB Short Track Series #6
Monday, July 26
Pro Men
1. Gallagher, Michael (Cyclepath Racing) 7
2. Butler, Tim (Specialized River City Bicycles) 7
3. Myers, Jonathan (Team S&M) 7
4. Snyder, Chris (bicycleattorney.com) 7
5. Diviney, David (Cyclepath Racing) 7
Pro/Cat 1 Women
1. Williams, Wendy (River City Bicycles) 6
2. Grandjean, Susan (Showers Pass) 6
3. Browning, Julie (Cyclepath Racing) 6
4. Bothe, Elaine (Sorella Forte) 6
5. Rotan, Kristine (Cyclepath Racing) 6

Complete OBRA results are HERE. Read more…

Davy Yeater (River City Bicycles) won the Pro men's race Monday night at Portland MTB Short Track #5. Photos courtesy of Mark Blackwelder.

PORTLAND — River City Bicycles’ Davy Yeater knocked series leader Shannon Skerritt off the top podium step of the Pro men’s race of Portland MTB Short Track Series #5 Monday night at PIR. Yeater took his first win of the series in front of Skerritt and Cyclepath’s Michael Gallager. It was a good night for River City riders, who scored a double with Brigette Brown winning the Pro/Cat 1 women’s race on her ‘cross bike in front of Team S&M’s Christy Love and Sorella Forte’s Elaine Bothe. The seven-race series continues July 26 and Aug. 2.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY courtesy of Mark Blackwelder.

RESULTS
Portland MTB Short Track Series #5
Monday, July 19

Pro Men
1. Yeater, Davy (River City Bicycles) 8
2. Skerritt, Shannon (Trek 29er) 8
3. Gallagher, Michael (Cyclepath Racing) 8
4. Butler, Tim (Specialized/River City Bicycles) 8
5. Snyder, Chris (Bicycleattorney.Com) 8
Pro/Cat 1 Women
1. Brown, Brigette (River City Bicycle) 7
2. Love, Christy (Team S&M) 7
3. Bothe, Elaine (Sorella Forte) 7
4. Browning, Julie (Cyclepath Racing) 7
5. Grandjean, Sue (Showers Pass) 7… … Read more…

Central Oregon's singletrack will host the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon National Championships in 2011-12. FILE PHOTO.

BEND — USA Cycling announced this week that Bend will host the 2011 and 2012 Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships.

The annual event, which crowns 24 national champions in marathon mountain biking, has been held in conjunction with the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge, Colo., for the past four years. Its move to Bend for 2011 and 2012 will mark the seventh and eighth USA Cycling National Championship events held in the cycling-friendly city in a four-year period.

“We are very excited to further our relationship with Bend,” said USA Cycling’s National Events Director, Kelli Lusk. “Bend is one of the most popular hotbeds for cycling in North America. Based on our previous experience there, as well as on the community’s outstanding enthusiasm for the sport, we’re confident our members will have an exceptional national championship experience.”

Bend has also hosted USA Cycling’s 2009 and 2010 Juniors, U23 & Elite Road National Championships and 2009 Cyclo-cross National Championships. In December, it will play host to Cyclo-cross Nationals again. Then the 2011 and 2012 editions of the USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships will also take place in Bend.

With breathtaking beauty and a festival-like atmosphere as the backdrop, the 2011 and 2012 USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships will start and end in Bend’s historic Old Mill District. The race course will provide a combination of technical sections and miles of highly acclaimed single track. Competitors will gradually climb for 25+ miles toward Mt. Bachelor before looping around and returning to town on a fast and fun descent.

“As a community, Bend is honored and excited to host USA Cycling’s Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships,” commented president and CEO of Visit Bend, Doug La Placa. “We’re looking forward to sharing Bend’s world class single track with cyclists from around the country and we’re committed to hosting an event that will exceed the expectations of everyone involved.”

Marathon-length mountain bike courses range from 60 to 100 kilometers.

(Submitted by USA Cycling).

Portland MTB Short Track takes place at PIR every Monday evening through Aug. 2.

Series leader Shannon Skerritt won the Pro men's race Monday night.

PORTLAND — Shannon Skerritt (Trek 29er) notched another win in the Pro men’s race of the Portland MTB Short Track Series Monday night at PIR, his second win of the seven-race series. Skerritt finished ahead of Steve Carwile and Nick Gibson (Yakima Bike Racks). Sue Grandjean won the Pro/Cat 1 women’s event in front of Sorella Forte’s Elaine Bothe and Colleen McClenahan.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY.

RESULTS
Portland MTB STX #4
Monday, June 12

Pro Men
1. Skerritt, Shannon (Portland Trek 29er) 6
2. Carwile, Steve 6
3. Gibson, Nick (Yakima Bike Vigilantes) 6
4. Yeater, Davy (Portland River City Bicycles) 6
5. Pennington, Luke (Team S&M) 6
Pro/Cat 1 Women
1. Grandjean, Sue (Showers Pass) 5
2. Bothe, Elaine (Sorella Forte) 5
3. McClenahan, Colleen (Sorella Forte) 5
4. Tingey, Sarah (Bridgetown Velo) 5
5. Sturdy, Sarah (Tireless Velo) 5

Complete OBRA results are HERE.

… Read more…

Jason Sager (Jamis), the 2008 Cross Crusade winner, got the win at the Portland MTB Short Track series Monday night at PIR.

Sue Butler (River City Bicycles) returned to mountain biking Monday and won at PIR.

PORTLAND — Former Portland resident and 2008 Cross Crusade winner Jason Sager (Jamis) made his way back to town Monday to deny PDX MTB Short Track strongman Shannon Skerritt (Trek 29er) the win for the second week in a row. Last year’s Cross Crusade winner Sean Babcock (Team S&M) broke Skerritt’s win streak last week, although Skerritt still has a commanding lead in the series overall battle.

Sager and Skerritt battled early in the race, with each rider taking turns leading the way though the course on PIR’s infield. Sager pulled away for good about three-fourths of the way through the event and finished comfortably ahead of Skerritt. Steve Carwile finished third.

Sue Butler (River City Bicycles) returned to the dirt from her road racing campaign and made quick work of the pro women’s field, finishing strongly ahead of Brooke McDermid (bicycleattorney.com) and Sue Grandjean (Showers Pass).

Check out the complete PHOTO GALLERY.

RESULTS
Portland MTB Short Track #3
Monday, July 5

Pro Men
1. Sager, Jason (Jamis Factory Team) 8
2. Skerritt, Shannon (Trek 29er) 8
3. Carwile, Steve 8
4. Myers, Jonathan (Team S & M_ 8
5. Snyder, Chris 8
Pro/Cat 1 Women
1. Butler, Sue (River City Bicycles) 8
2. McDermid, Brooke (bicycleattorney.com) 7
3. Grandjean, Sue (Showers Pass) 7
4. Brown, Brigette (River City Bicycles) 7
5. Bothe, Elaine (Sorella Forte 7)

Complete OBRA results are HERE…. … Read more…

One of the pro men jumps a log obstacle while another opts for the alternate route Monday at the Portland MTB Short Track Series #2.

Sean Babcock handed Shannon Skerritt his first loss at the Portland Short Track Series Monday at PIR.

PORTLAND — Shannon Skerritt’s streak at the Portland Short Track Series stretched back to last year until Team S&M’s Sean Babcock knocked him from the top step of the podium Monday night on a course that winds through PIR’s infield.

Skerritt (Trek 29er) and Babcock dueled throughout the 35-minute race, each taking shots at the other as they switched leads and pressed the pace at the front. Babcock finally gained an opening on the last lap as the riders made their way through lapped traffic. Babcock passed a rider just before entering a tight right-hand turn that squeezed between two trees. Skerritt had to hesitate for just a moment, providing Babcock the gap he needed to build an advantage all the way to the finish line.

“We were right there together the whole time,” Babcock said. “I knew eventually something had to give.”

Something had to eventually give in Skerritt’s streak as well. Since the series’ inception, Skerritt had never lost a race that he finished, although he suffered one mechanical last season in a race eventually won by Doug Wilmes. Skerritt still leads the series after winning last week and finishing second Monday.  Steve Carwile finished third.

In the Pro women’s race, Christy Love (Team S & M) won her second consecutive race after taking the opener last week as well. Love finished ahead of Brooke McDermid (bicycleattorney.com) and Sue Grandjean (Showers Pass) by wasting little time opening up a lead and then extending her advantage through the eight laps.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY. … Read more…

BEND — Shawna Palanuk made the battle to win the Pickett’s Charge MTB cross country race look almost easy, knocking off the competition by more than three minutes by the finish. The Green Ridge/Infocus rider posted a time of 2:07:07, with Velo Reno’s Amber Broch in second at 2:10:08. Serena Bishop (Sunnyide Sports) finished third with a time of 2:10:22.

Brig Brandt (ReboundSPL) won the Pro Men’s race, covering the course in 1:44:43, more than a minute faster than second-placed rider Pro Air’s Sloan Anderson, who came in at 1:45:49. Matt Russell (www.evanplews.com/KENDAUSA) finished third at 1:46:05.

RESULTS
Pickett’s Charge
Sunday, June 27
Bend

Pro Men
1. Brandt, Brig (ReboundSPL) 1:44:43.60
2. Anderson, Sloan (Pro Air) 1:45:49.20
3. Russell, Matt (www.evanplews.com/KENDAUSA) 1:46:05.70
4. Rogers, Bruce (Hutch’s/ClearOne/Bend Dental) 1:53:43.10
5. Kem, Omer (Jamis) 1:55:45.60
Pro/1 Women
1. Palanuk, Shawna (Green Ridge/Infocus) 2:07:07.60
2. Broch, Amber (Velo Reno) 2:10:08.70
3. Bishop, Serena (Sunnyside Sports) 2:10:22.10
4. McDermid, Brooke (bicycleattorney.com) 2:12:03.20
5. Dong, Evelyn 2:12:36.00

Complete OBRA results are HERE.