Whole Athlete Junior Development Team Discovers Sea Otter Success

Marin County-based Whole Athlete Cycling Team continued a successful Spring campaign at the Sea Otter Classic. Following dominant performances at the Bonelli Park US Cup and Fontana Pro XCT races, the squad kept its momentum rolling with an astounding 14 podium appearances at the three-day Sea Otter event in Monterey, CA.

Cat 1 Junior 17/18: 1st Mitch Bailey, 2nd Zach Valdez,

3rd Seth Kemp (not pictured) 4th Will Curtis, 5th Nick Newcomb

Cat 1 Junior Girls 15-18: 1st Essence Barton, 2nd Sofia Hamilton,

3rd Shayna Powless, 4th Kendall Ryan (not pictured), 5th Kate Courtney

Zach Valdez found his winning streak in XC Cat 1 17-18 broken by 2008 Canadian National Champion Mitch Bailey, but managed a more than respectable 2nd place, while teammates Will Curtis and Nick Newcomb took 4th and 5th respectively. Newcomb also went on to place 3rd in the Cat 4 Circuit Race, securing his upgrade to Cat 3 on the road. Sofia Hamilton continued her rise to the top by following her win at Fontana with a convincing 2nd place in XC Cat 1 15-18 girls, while 14 year-old Kate Courtney took the 5th spot on the podium.

With the best Specialized bikes, yoga among the Monterey cypress and groceries from Whole Foods Market, the team was well taken care of for the weekend. Here are some of the team's recipes for success:

• Organic Whole Foods Red Quinoa with 365 Everyday Value garbanzo beans and organic veggies (carrots, peppers, zucchini) cooked in garlic, 365 Everyday Value extra virgin olive oil, and dried Italian spices.
• Organic Whole Foods free range chicken, 365 Everyday Value black beans cooked in extra virgin olive oil, and dried italian spices, organic brown rice, lettuce, avocados, tomato, cheddar cheese, Amy's organic salsa and 365 Everyday Value whole wheat tortillas.
• Organic Whole Foods rolled oats, walnuts, raisins, apples and bananas, 365 Everyday Value soy milk, organic eggs, juices, whole grain bread, 365 Everyday Value organic peanut butter and jams.

The Sea Otter classic marks the last of the national-level spring targets for the Whole Athlete Cycling Team. Even bigger goals come later in the year: an altitude camp in Lake Tahoe at the end of June, US MTB National Championships in Colorado in July, and the World Cup Finals in New York in August. From regional races to international competition, team members are learning to compete (and succeed) at the highest levels.

The mission of the Whole Athlete Cycling Team is to invest in the future of youth and the sport of cycling by supporting development of junior & espoir cyclists, while providing a team program where young cyclists can race and ride together guided by a defining philosophy of dedication, integrity and fun. This mission is enabled by mentors, volunteer time and donations to the Velo Development Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. More information can be found at http://www.wholeathlete.com/team and http://www.velodevelopment.org/