NICA State Champions!

The National Interscholastic Cycling Association's (NICA) NorCal and SoCal High School Leagues wrapped up their 2012 season with the State Championship Race in Los Olivos yesterday, and Whole Athlete-Specialized juniors did not disappoint. Three state titles and eight podium finishes underscored the young riders' success. 

Silas Blunk takes the Junior Varsity Title.

 

Josie Nordrum (Redwood) finished the Varsity Girls season on top, earning a well-deserved California State Title as the super-consistent Mackinzie Stanley (Drake) landed on the podium once again in 4th. Silas Blunk (Independent) took a breakthrough victory in the Junior Varsity race, going 1-2 with teammate Sean Bennett (El Cerrito), while Sarah Ogden (Redwood) capped off an undefeated Junior Varsity Girls season with her title.

State Champs Josie Nordrum (Varsity) and Sarah Ogden (Junior Varsity).

The extremely competitive Varsity Boys race saw a small yet super-strong group battling it out to the end, with Lucas Newcomb (Drake) taking 3rd, Jacob Albrecht (Santa Cruz Composite) 4th and Casey Williams (Independent) rounding out the podium in 5th.

Lucas Newcomb follows eventual winner Taylor Smith on his way to a top-3 finish.

Casey Williams battles the heat and a back-row starting spot to claw his way up to 5th on the day.

 

Josie Nordrum leads Shayna Powless on her way to eanring the Varsity Girls Title.

Silas Blunk and Sean Bennett 1-2 on the Junior Varsity Podium.

 

State Champ, Sarah Ogden undefeated in Junior Varsity Girls.

A familiar sight, Josie Nordrum and Mackinzie Stanley on the Varsity Girls podium once again.

Varsity Podium: Taylor Smith 1st, Tobin Ortenblad 2nd, Lucas Newcomb 3rd, Jacob Albrecht 4th and Casey Williams 5th.

 

Check out all the team's 2012 top-10 results here.

Next up for the team is the USAC European Race Camp for Lucas Newcomb, Shane Skelton and Josie Nordrum, where they will be racing in Switzerland and Belgium the next two weekends. Then it's onto the team's high altitude training camp in preparation for the National Championships in early-July. 

Stay tuned for more exciting news...

Courtney Takes World Cup Top-10 Finish

In her first-ever international race, Kate Courtney took on the world's best in the Nove Mesto (CZE) World Cup and rode to an impressive 10th place finish. The result is even more impressive considering the challenge of having to start at the back of the large junior women's field and work her way up on the wet, technical course.

Kate Courtney negotiates a technical rock section of the Nove Mesto course.

 

Courtney is no stranger to success. In her first two seasons of mountain bike racing alone, the 16-year-old high school junior already has two US cross country national titles to her name. She heads into her second World Cup this coming weekend in La Bresse, France.

Stay tuned for more exciting news...

Podium Perfect: Whole Athlete-Specialized Juniors Stellar Across the State

Whole Athlete-Specialized Juniors were once again on top of podiums in every race entered this weekend with eight wins and twelve podium finishes. From NorCal to SoCal High School League racing, to Pro XC at the Idyllwild Spring Challenge, the team is flying high this Spring. 

Casey Williams wins the SoCal High School Finals in convincing fashion.

 

Casey Williams and Shane Skelton led the charge in the SoCal High School League, with 1st and 3rd at the Lake Arrowhead Challenge. 

Meanwhile at the historic NorCal Stafford Lake series final, Jacob Albrecht (Santa Cruz Composite) took both the Varsity win and the overall series title. Also earning their respective series titles were Kate Courtney (Branson - Varsity Girls), Sean Bennett (El Cerrito - Junior Varsity) and Sarah Ogden (Redwood - Junior Varsity Girls).

The start of the NorCal Varsity final race. Jacob Albrecht took both the race win and overall series.

At the Stafford Lake event, the Varsity Girls went 1-2-3, with Mackinzie Stanley (Drake), Kate Courtney and Josie Nordrum (Redwood), while the Junior Varsity Boys took a three-way tie for first with Silas Blunk, Sean Bennett and Ben Spurr (Marin Catholic). Lucas Newcomb rounded out a strong Varsity Boys podium in 4th, as Sarah Ogden went undefeated in the Junior Varsity Girls series. 

Mackinzie Stanley takes the Varsity Girls win.

If podium finishes between the NorCal and SoCal high school leagues weren't enough, Zach Valdez battled with legend and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee Tinker Juarez at the Idyllwild Spring Challenge Pro cross country race, taking the win by over two minutes! 

Zach Valdez earns his third Pro victory of the 2012 season at the Idyllwild Spring Challenge.

Ben Spurr, Silas Blunk, and Sean Bennett on the Junior Varsity podium. 

Casey Williams and Shane Skelton on the SoCal Varsity podium. 

Jacob Albrecht and Lucas Newcomb on the NorCal Varsity podium. 

Sarah Ogden went undefeated in the Junior Varsity Girls series. 

Mackinzie Stanley, Kate Courtney and Josie Nordrum go 1-2-3 in Varsity Girls. 

Check out all the team's top-10 results here.