The matriarchs of local bicycle racing–Martha Walsh and Gina Kavesh–have worked hard to create incentives to develop the women’s peloton, and have organized race series for category 3 (intermediate) and 4 (beginner) racers. (Bicycle racing is organized into categorized skill/ability levels. In Washington State, women’s category 4 is the starting point, and as racers participate in more races and earn points they can advance up the hierarchy.) This year Volkl is sponsoring the category 3 series, and Marker is sponsoring the category 4 series. 2010 marks the 3rd year of the cat 3 series and (about) the 10th year of the cat 4 series.
Candace Adamo (Team Group Health) and Erica Lorenzen (IJM.org) were among the women who upgraded from category 4 to 3. Those ceramic FSA pulleys should come in handy in the cat 3 peloton.
Volkl has put up a pair of skis (or snowboard, winner’s choice) for the cat 3 series, and Marker is supplying a full kit of its technical outerwear for the top point-getter in the cat 4 series.
Stephanie Peters (Team Group Health) is the winner of the mid-series Volkl Cup standings and gets upgraded to cat 2.
Other series prizes are being donated by:
Arbonne
Bike Hugger
Cucina Fresca
Full Speed Ahead (FSA)
Luna
POC Eyewear
Real Rehab PT
Starbucks and
Voler is providing the series’ prestigious leader’s jerseys.
Better than all the prizes, though, is the great competition these series offer to beginning and intermediate racers. Each race series is integrated with existing races on the local racing calendar. Racers accumulate points based on how they place in each race and the points are tallied as the season and series progress.
Last Thursday, mid-season prizes were awarded for the category 3 Volkl Cup series. As of mid-season the top finisher is Stephanie Peters of Team Group Health who scored an FSA 488 wheelset. Stephanie’s results so far this season have also earned her an upgrade to category 2. Other women whose results upgraded them to category 3 scored sets of FSA ceramic derailleur pulleys to help them succeed in the more competitive category 3 races. Although the series is only about at the mid-way point, 12 women have already upgraded from category 4 to 3.
Candace Adamo, Kathleen Taylor (currently #2 in the Cat 3 Series) and Stephanie Peters showing that Team Group Health is a dominant force in the women’s peloton.
Volkl Cup Series Standings as of May 5, 2010:
1 Audrey Baldessari, IJM.org
2 Kathleen Taylor, Team Group Health
3 Suzie Kauper, IJM.org
4 Zana Faulkner, IJM.org
5 Heidi Blackie, First Rate Mortgage
6 Lee Smith, Team Group Health
7 Laura Chang, Bikesale.com
8 Tamara Donnelly, Team Group Health
9 Erika Krumpelman, Velo Bella Kona
10 Michelle Kautzmann, Olympia Orthopedics Associates
