SoCalCross Fever Hits Hansen Dam This Sunday, January 17th
1/15/10 - The Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross presented by Shimano will host its final race of the 2009-2010 season on Sunday, January 17th at Hansen Dam Park in Los Angeles, also race three and finale of the January 2010 Cross Fever Series.  Home to the famed UCI Dam Cross in 2007 and 2008 and the 2006 SCNCA District Championships, the park's bowl-shape is the perfect platform for premier cyclocross action.  Hosted by Teams SoCalCross and Montrose Bike Shop, racing begins this Sunday at 9:30am with the Juniors and Youth categories and finishes with the elite men and single speed. Kids race free in the kids cross race.  And by popular demand, the women have their own race from beginner to elite and equal masters women's age groups to the men!  The Series also offers fun categories like tandem, single speed for all levels including the ladies and a clydesdale points competition to balance out the racing with the fun. For the first time this season, there is even a chance of rain!  More race info can be found at SoCalCross.org

The January SoCalCross Fever Series started last season as a way to continue the sport to the real end of the cross season January 2010 in line with the 2010 UCI Cyclocross World Championships on January 30-31^st in Tabor, Czech Republic.  With talk of National CX Championships moving to January in the near future, So Cal could become the perfect host!  While many crossers have begun their off-season or transition for road, mountain bike racing, or triathlon, a hearty bunch continues the pursuit of their passion to race cross.  The series also continues to introduce new riders to the sport offering a free beginner’s clinic and demo/rental CX bikes.  Even some teams from the So Cal’s High School Mountain Bike League (socaldirt.org) has been using the series as practice “races” not too technical and not to long as a way to introduce to newer riders some of the skills of mountain bike racing cyclocross can offer. 

Being the finale of the 2009-10 season, the Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross will end another historic year of growth with 18 events over 16 weekends in 6 counties and many new clubs hosting races across the region from San Luis Obispo to San Diego.  There were also a number of new venues including city parks, a velodrome, a college, a beach, a moto-x track, an amusement park… all showcasing the creativity and potential of where you can host a race. 

The popularity and growth of cyclocross as one of the fastest growing cycling disciplines in the US, evident with the recent CX National Championships in Bend, Oregon having had the highest attendance on record for any USA Cycling National Championship event, the future of the sport is bright.  Now it’s only eight months to the next cross race!