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Paul Curley steals the first title of the 2009 National Championships. © Janet Hill

Paul Curley steals the first title of the 2009 National Championships. © Janet Hill

Paul Curley (GearWorks/Spinarts) of Taunton, Mass. returned to the National Championships after a few years hiatus, and returned to the same position he’s used to – at the front. Curley held off defend champion Gary Thacker (Chipotle/Titus) of Boulder, CO to take the Masters 55+ title. The title is Paul Curley’s 24th, give or take a few, as the winner has racked up so many he’s lost count.

Check out Curley’s race recap video below:

In the 60+ race, another multi-time National Champion made his return to the races, with Redline’s Dan Norton taking what he thinks might be his 13th title, but he doesn’t care to count. Norton led wire-to-wire, executing on his plan to get the holeshot and hammer for half a lap before surveying the damage. When he looked back, he had a gap over defending champion Phil Bannister and decided to keep it going, stretching it out to 1:19 at the finish. In the process, he beat two former National Champions in Bannister and Webcor’s John Elgart.

“I went hard to get the holeshot,” Notron told Cyclocross Magazine. “Then I rode a half-lap really hard to assess the damage. I had a gap, so I just gassed it. At the halfway point of the race, when I found out that I had a good gap, I started riding the corners conservatively and then gassing the straightaways. The corners are really tricky – it’s a technical course.”

“Everyone was running the little, icy off-camber. One of the kids from my team rode it and gave me the scouting report to hug the tape to the left all the way, then a straight shot all the way up,” revealed Norton. “I just flew through it.”

The 65+ Masters race, James Wagner (Cycle Therapy) opened a big gap early, making his way into the 60+ field and came home solo to take the title.

In the 70+ race, Joe Sailing (Team Somerset) used a fast start to gap two past National Champions including defending champ Ron Riley (Santa Cruz) and 2007 winner Walt Axthelm (DCCX). Sailing stretched out his lead to 25 seconds over Erik Nordenson, who took second. Herbert Bates (Nault’s Cyclery) took third in the 70+ division.

Axthelm, now graduated to the 75+ division, took home the gold medal in front of Ron Riley (Team Santa Cruz).

Full Results:

place bib Last First Team Time
Master 55-59
1 346 CURLEY Paul Gearworks/spinarts 48:45:00
2 325 THACKER Gary Chipotle/titus 49:02:00
3 333 KNIGHT Terrell 50:03:00
4 327 LONGMIRE Michael Northern Rockies 50:04:00
5 358 SILVA Randy Nob Hill Velo 50:06:00
6 360 BROWN John Family Cycling Center 50:44:00
7 329 MILLER Jon Rock N Road 51:01:00
8 344 TOWNSEND Charles Bianchi/grand Performance 51:24:00
9 328 GORRY Wayne Four Unity 51:49:00
10 341 MULLER Steve Flathead Cycling 52:22:00
11 357 JONES Glen Brazen Dropouts/cronometro 52:53:00
12 326 SMITHERMAN Torre Gtc 53:07:00
13 345 LACEY Steven Showers Pass 53:15:00
14 350 BEALS Dave Cbrc / Nycross.com / Vo Max 53:21:00
15 349 AMMON Andrew Carolina Master Cycling 53:27:00
16 342 PAUTSCH Gregory Planet Bike 53:32:00
17 335 WALKER Bob Bountiful Mazda 54:20:00
18 363 WATSON Pete 54:30:00
19 377 MILLER Steven 55:03:00
20 366 BIRCH Brian 55:03:00
21 343 GOODWIN David Northampton Cycling Club 55:06:00
22 338 SHIELDS Kerry Carolina Masters 55:12:00
23 332 PAULSON Gordon Planet Bike 55:14:00
24 374 SULLIVAN Thomas Rock Lobster 55:43:00
25 352 RYAN Kevin Socalcross 55:43:00
26 354 BROOKS Erik Blue Rooster/sports Medicine C 55:54:00
27 362 SADOFF Paul Hrs/rock Lobster 55:59:00
28 334 SACHS Richard Richard Sachs – Rgm Watches – 56:33:00
29 336 PARKER Harold 36racing 1LAP
30 348 RANTALA Jim Webcyclery.com 1LAP
31 361 SPAK Michael Schwab Cycles Racing 1LAP
32 368 KOERNER Hank 2/2 Fuel 1LAP
33 359 PARKS David Mirage 2LAP
34 364 VOLKERT Brian 2LAP
35 369 PERRYMAN Eric Colorado Velo 2LAP
36 372 RAPP Steve 2LAP
37 379 LUOMA Robert 2LAP
38 370 CARVEY Brad 3LAP
39 371 GOECKEL Roland Double Check 3LAP
40 376 SAMPSON Scott Da Hui Race 3LAP
41 356 MORROW David Slo Nexus 4LAP
42 373 GALLICHOTTE Derek 4LAP
43 365 CANFIELD Chris Blue Sky Velo 5LAP
DNF 330 COWLEY Dirk Ffkr Architects/sportsbaseonli
DNF 339 HAMEL Edward Joe’s Garage
DNF 353 SWANSON Rick Acme Racing Team
DNS 331 ROOT Randall Evolution Cycling Team
DNS 337 ZIMBELMAN David Zteam Racing
DNS 340 HAGEN Bruce
DNS 347 RYCEWICZ Chris
DNS 351 BOGLIOLI Bernard Byrne Invent
DNS 355 DOUBLEDAY Barry Mbrc
DNS 367 SAGE Gregory Team Oakland
DNS 375 GUGLEILMELLI Bob
DNS 378 HOLMES Tom
Masters 60-64
1 459 NORTON Dan 42:58:00
2 450 BANNISTER Phil 44:17:00
3 451 ELGART John Webcor/alto Velo 44:19:00
4 463 RATH David Corner Cycle Cycling Club 44:56:00
5 464 COTTLE Douglas Porcupine/specialized 45:03:00
6 452 RUBCIC John Uc Cyclery/jw Flooring 45:12:00
7 462 MEYER Dan Bikery 45:15:00
8 457 WALDMAN Lee Green Mountain Sports Velo 45:17:00
9 453 CUARESMA Frank Cal Giant Farms 45:38:00
10 466 STRASSER Ron Team S&m 45:50:00
11 456 LEET Don Sunnyside Sports 46:39:00
12 470 OGREN Robert Kenwood Racing 46:57:00
13 458 SPEIRN Russ Portland Velo 49:12:00
14 468 BAGIENSKI Richard 3d Racing 50:35:00
15 472 WOODRUFF Hal 51:03:00
DNS 454 ROLLINS Lewis Contender Bicycle
DNS 455 ABBOTT Rick Excelsports.com
DNS 460 MARVIN Allan
DNS 461 KELLEN Ric Mako/mellow Motors
DNS 465 LANTON Edward
DNS 467 MINI Hank Mad Cat
DNS 469 MYERS Joseph Two Wheeler/specialized
DNS 471 WALL Richard Kauai Bicycle Club
Masters 65-60
1 531 WAGNER James Cycle Therapy 4 Corners 47:15:00
2 532 LLAMAS Robert Montrose Bike Shop 48:22:00
3 525 LEA Rob T.e.a.m. Fuji 48:38:00
4 534 MARANTZ Richard 49:58:00
5 528 HETTINGER Loren 50:33:00
6 530 DEVOSS Gary San Diego Cyclo-vets 50:51:00
7 529 MACDONALD Mike Jaeger Wheelmen 53:35:00
8 533 GUSTAFSON David 54:12:00
9 527 THOMPSON Philip Mvbc/dick Sonne’s Racing 1LAP
10 526 WILLMORE R. Celo Pacific 2LAP
Masters 70-74
1 778 SALING Joe Team Somerset Van Dessel 43:27:00
2 779 NORDENSON Erik 43:52:00
3 777 BATES Herbert Nault’s Cyclery/naults.com 49:50:00
Masters 75-99
1 775 AXTHELM Walt Dccx 44:35:00
2 776 RILEY Ron Team Santa Cruz (scccc) 47:01:00