washington state mountain bike races

Port Townsend, Jefferson County & Olympic Peninsula's news website

6/12/2013 6:00:00 AM Olympic Mountain Bike Team dominates season Team has 6 champions, winners in all divisions at state

The Olympic Mountain Bike Team (OMBT), known as the Killer Whales and composed of cyclists from local high schools, dominated the competition this season. After winning first place overall at each of the past three races, the OMBT met and beat 16 other teams at the state championship on May 19 in Washougal. The Killer Whales had six state champions and sent racers, often more than one, to the podium in every division. Cassie Ross won the girls’ varsity category, completing a sweep by winning all of her races this season. Mazy Braden was the girls’ junior varsity winner. In the intermediate category, Annalise Rubida placed first, and Camille Ottaway, third. Riley Fukano achieved third, and Sage Brennan placed fourth in the beginner category. For the varsity boys, Milo Steimle finished second, and Joseph Tweiten, fifth. In the closest race of the day, Luca Freier won the junior varsity race by 0.2 seconds; this was after racing for more than an hour. The Killer Whales showed the state their up-and-coming strength in the boys’ intermediate and beginner divisions. In the largest field with 31 riders, intermediate rider Andy Hull beat teammate Oliver Parish by less than two seconds; they placed first and second, and Joel Mackey tied for fourth. Completing the domination, Groves Moore finished first; David Hoglund, second; Miguel Salguero, third; Calvin Leckenby, fourth; and Jack Doyle tied for fifth in the beginner category. Eli Biskup, Jake Brady and Gus Wennstrom competed throughout the season, but did not attend this race. Winners at Washougal were declared state champions. In addition, the Washington Student League recognizes the top three overall point winners in each category. OMBT overall point winners for the girls were Ross (varsity) and Ottaway (intermediate). The boys’ winners were Freier (junior varsity), Hull (intermediate) and Moore (beginner). Coach Christian Young raced in the coaches’ race on a non-suspension single-speed bike and handily beat all competitors except one, a former teammate from his racing days. The two raced up the hill to the finish, clasped hands and happily tied. OMBT coaches are all volunteers: Young, Doug Ross, Dash Tudhope-Locklear, Davis Fogerty, Elizabeth Salvo, Paul Hershberger, Bob Larson and Garth Gourley. Doug Ross, OMBT director, credits the team’s success to the tremendous support from coaches, families and teammates encouraging each other, as well as to the greater Port Townsend community for coming together with an enthusiastic effort to get kids on bikes and on local trails. “It starts at home, is enhanced by coaches who have a passion for cycling, is supported by our community’s trails and resources, and the trickle-down effect leads to great things for kids,” Ross said. Ross also gives special recognition to Young, former Washington state mountain bike and cyclo-cross champion, for sharing his passion with the team. Local bike shops (Broken Spoke, PT Cyclery and ReCyclery) provided technical support, discounts, safety equipment and even bikes. Evergreen Fitness spin instructors Amber Arnold and Karen and Mitch Brennan led classes for the team free of charge. Bob’s Bagels, Optic Nerve, Contour and Gooding O’Hara & Mackey also sponsored the team. All OMBT racers who competed at state placed high enough to qualify for the USA Cycling Cross-Country Mountain Biking National Championships held in Bear Creek, Penn., in July. The team is discussing whether or not it can finance sending riders for this race; it may choose a closer regional race instead.

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bay area bike shops

Downtown Bay City adding bike racks in time for summer cycling

View full size Pictured is a prototype of the bike racks the Downtown Development Authority will install this year in Bay City. Courtesy | Candace Bales  

BAY CITY, MI — Bicycles locked to  lamp posts and other random objects are a common sight during summertime in downtown Bay City.

The Bay City Downtown Development Authority wants to help cyclists this year by adding 20 small bike racks throughout the downtown area.

"If you ever go down the main streets, you see bikes attached to the lamp post and whatever else," said Sue Mehl, who operates Jack's Bike Shop, 207 Third St., with her husband, Nick. "Some of my husband's bikes are on the expensive end and it would be nice to have a rack to put them on so they don't get scratched."

Candace Bales, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, said the group has wanted to install bike racks downtown for some time.

"It's actually been on the list of things to do for a while," Bales said. "It just moved forward on the list this past year."

Lynn Stamiris, commissioner of Bay City's First Ward, said he often talks to bicyclists in coffee shops since part of his district is downtown. He says they have been calling for racks for as long as he can remember.

"People have had to chain them to light posts or lay them on their side on the sidewalk," Stamiris said. "It's a safety hazard for people walking down the sidewalk and a real eyesore."

It will cost $8,600 to manufacture and install the 20 racks, according to Bales. She hopes to have the bike racks installed in June.

The authority received a grant from the Bay Area Community Foundation to fund the bike racks.

The group is still trying to determine the locations to place each rack. Bales says the current plan is to try to have at least one bike rack within each block. Some main streets, such as Washington or Center avenues, could have three or four racks.

The initial plan was to add 40 bike racks, but the authority reduced the number to 20 so the grant can cover the cost. Bales said after the initial racks are installed, the authority will look to add more over time.

"We hope to be able to phase more in after the first year," she said.

The Downtown Development Authority also is installing four kiosk wayfinding signs in the downtown area, Bales said.

The signs will have a map with a list of the different downtown businesses.

They are expected to be placed at the southwest corner of Third and N. Water, on the west side of Washington between Fourth and Fifth, along the west side of N. Water where it meets Center and at the northeast corner of Center and Washington.

The kiosk signs are currently being manufactured and are expected to be placed in June.

— MLive and Bay City Times writer Brianna Owczarzak contributed to this report.