Gravel Race: Young But Mighty Black Fork Gravel Grinder in Ohio

Last weekend, the fourth-annual Black Fork Gravel Grinder took place in Loudonville, Ohio. The event, in only its second year as a race, drew participants from across the region and has been steadily gaining a reputation as a top-notch event.

Like many iconic gravel events, the Black Fork Gravel Grinder was started from a desire to share local roads with the greater cycling community. Born out of necessity, the route was created by Matt Simpson and Jay Clipse in order to train for the Mohican 100 while trails were closed. Recognizing they had found something special, the two spent the next year developing a course to share with the world.

“It’s one of the best out there, we know that for sure,” Clipse told Cyclocross Magazine. “We’re in our fourth year, second as a race. We started out slow to make sure that it was going to catch on as we were hoping.”

Catch on, it did. The response has been “overwhelming,” with an increase in ridership by 20% for this year alone, which translates to nearly 100 new participants every year.

As a young race, much of the field is local to nearby Columbus, Cleveland and Pittsburgh although the event draws a regional crowd, with riders from up to a dozen states every year.

This year’s event featured distances of 23, 30 and 54 miles, with the latter serving as the marquee event.

Despite its young age, the race has already developed a culture, one that brings riders back each spring.

“The character of the race is a mullet. It’s a party in the back, business up front,” Clipse explained. “You’ve got your racers that are hardcore, and they’re going to stay up front. Then you’ve got the folks that just want to go out, just want to have a ride and see the scenery, talk on the gravel. That’s the party in the rear. We treat them all the same. It’s all-inclusive.”

Speaking of parties, the race holds quite the gathering at the finish line. Volunteers are waiting at the finish with a cold beer for every rider, and catered meals are available post-race.

“We decided early on we were going to have a quality event. That’s what was going to bring the folks in,” said Clipse. “We treat the first place racer just like the last place rider who’s coming in six hours later. We’re going to make sure they have a hot meal, we’re going to make sure they have a cold beer, and we’re going to make sure that everybody is cheering them on when they come in.”

The event is serious about its commitment to giving every participant a great experience. Volunteers staffing aid stations are paid for their time, encouraging a staffed snack table for everyone regardless of their position. The sweep car follows last place as a rule, and there is a special celebration as the final riders roll in.

While the format has changed in the initial years of the event, going forward the race is going to remain largely as it is now, with a welcoming atmosphere for racers and more recreational riders alike.

“We want to make sure that encompasses everybody. We want the folks that want to come out and just ride, we to include them as well. We also want the fastest racers, we want the pros to come out and race too. All inclusive. It’s going to stay that way,” Clipse guaranteed.

Even with rain moving in as the day grew on, riders stuck around late into the afternoon as the final riders came in. Clipse compared the post-race extravaganza to past years.

“You never know what the weather is going to be in Ohio, but the vibe is the same. No matter what, the vibe is going to be the same. There is going to be a party afterward. Everybody is going to cheer everybody on. It’s the same as every other year, just a little bit of wet weather.”

The Race

The 54-mile race was the marquee, timed event for the Black Fork Gravel Grinder.

Jen Toops took the Women’s 54-Mile win. Haley Wickstrom finished second and Melissa Hiller third.

Top Men’s 54-mile honors went to Jake Henningsen. Travis Iles and Aaron Coxen rounded out the podium finishers.

Full results for the 54-mile race are below.

Women's Results: 2019 Black Fork Gravel Grinder

Place	Name	Category	Time
1	Jen Toops	30-39	3:34:29
2	Hayley Wickstrom	16-29	3:35:38
3	Melissa Hiller	40-49	3:38:49
4	Wendy Billings	40-49	3:49:17
5	Pamela McCormick	40-49	3:57:30
6	Angela Graziosi	40-49	4:14:39
7	Dannette Trappe	40-49	4:23:28
8	Tayllor Allen	16-29	4:24:19
9	Shanna Johnson	40-49	4:25:00
10	Kari Hutson	30-39	4:25:19
11	Jessica Tomazic	SS	4:26:28
12	Brittany Beuthe	30-39	4:31:26
13	Caitlin Gossman	30-39	4:33:40
14	Cindy Berard	50-59	4:35:09
15	Peggy Cook	60+	4:35:28
16	Amy Woods	30-39	4:38:00
17	Amanda Wolf	40-49	4:43:28
18	Cori Stevens	30-39	4:46:31
19	Leah Brownlee	30-39	4:52:58
20	Tina Wagner	50-59	4:56:56
21	Selena Barnfather	40-49	4:57:26
22	Melissa Wick	40-49	5:26:00
23	Halla Jonsdottir	30-39	5:55:47
24	Mandi Payton	30-39	6:21:22

Men's Results: 2019 Black Fork Gravel Grinder

Place	Name	Category	Time
1	Jake Henningsen	16-29	3:02:26
2	Travis Iles	16-29	3:02:27
3	Aaron Coxen	16-29	3:02:27
4	Nick Belkowki	30-39	3:02:27
5	Matthew Weeks	30-39	3:06:59
6	Shane Brenner	40-49	3:06:59
7	Jonathan Card	50-59	3:06:59
8	Jay Ganser	30-39	3:07:05
9	Anthony Toops	30-39	3:07:53
10	Jimm McElroy	30-39	3:09:38
11	Jordan Appleby	16-29	3:12:32
12	Sean O’Donnell	40-49	3:12:33
13	Tom Franek	50-59	3:12:33
14	Christopher Smith	40-49	3:14:26
15	Brent Evans	50-59	3:14:26
16	Nicholas Skaggs	16-29	3:14:27
17	Brandon Grant	16-29	3:14:49
18	Quintin Bressler	30-39	3:16:32
19	Michael Keppler	40-49	3:18:42
20	Michael Gottfried	30-39	3:18:57
21	Jeff Harper	30-39	3:20:01
22	Nate Loman	50-59	3:20:46
23	Jeffrey Griffin	50-59	3:20:46
24	Peter Post	50-59	3:20:59
25	Sam Decker	16-29	3:21:22
26	Derek Wilford	50-59	3:23:21
27	Rudy Sroka	60+	3:23:27
28	Shane Montgomery	16-29	3:23:29
29	Ezra Sonderling	16-29	3:27:00
30	Joshua Smith	30-39	3:27:02
31	Ryan Gamm	30-39	3:27:06
32	Tyler Hardin	30-39	3:27:50
33	Morris Miller	40-49	3:28:35
34	Thomas Dunn	30-39	3:28:52
35	Dorel Stoia	40-49	3:29:04
36	Ryun Mielke	40-49	3:29:07
37	Mark Illingworth	30-39	3:29:18
38	Craig Burland	50-59	3:29:53
39	Ryan Fisher	30-39	3:31:40
40	Andrew Stackhouse	40-49	3:31:52
41	Steve Fields	40-49	3:33:27
42	Matt Locke	30-39	3:34:09
43	Christopher Kick	40-49	3:34:22
44	Jason Tellez	40-49	3:34:35
45	Andy Bracke	50-59	3:35:04
46	Scott Young	50-59	3:35:34
47	Jason Baldwin	40-49	3:35:36
48	Arthur Smith	50-59	3:35:53
49	Chris Rednour	16-29	3:36:20
50	David Adams	40-49	3:37:29
51	Boris Brezo	16-29	3:38:22
52	John Barney	50-59	3:38:23
53	Peter Czerwinski	50-59	3:38:24
54	Joseph Ipacs	60+	3:38:25
55	Jared Ladia	16-29	3:38:47
56	Kelsey Smith	30-39	3:39:50
57	Brian Ochocki	50-59	3:40:25
58	Dan Frazier	50-59	3:40:30
59	Paul Jaroszynski	50-59	3:40:58
60	Jesse Hawk	40-49	3:41:33
61	Jeff Miller	40-49	3:41:33
62	David Jolin	50-59	3:41:38
63	Ben Naylor	30-39	3:42:30
64	Nathaniel Woods	30-39	3:42:31
65	Ben Brosius	30-39	3:42:46
66	Bill Marut	50-59	3:43:25
67	Jeffrey Hutchinson	30-39	3:43:49
68	Shawn Hawk	50-59	3:44:08
69	Steve Herman	30-39	3:44:34
70	Richard Wiley	60+	3:44:54
71	Jake Gordon	16-29	3:46:47
72	Keith Mueller	16-29	3:48:25
73	Anthony Bunt	30-39	3:48:34
74	Andrew Cerniglia	40-49	3:48:46
75	Dom Burnelkis	30-39	3:49:01
76	Rick Rick III	40-49	3:49:03
77	Rick Voithofer	50-59	3:51:13
78	John Day	40-49	3:51:38
79	Jeff Roesner	40-49	3:51:39
80	Mark Milliren	30-39	3:51:54
81	Ron Kubala	60+	3:52:53
82	Paul Patterson	40-49	3:54:14
83	David Brinkley	40-49	3:54:49
84	David Thornton	50-59	3:54:53
85	Jacob Coleman	30-39	3:56:09
86	Matthew Woodyard	30-39	3:57:29
87	Tim McCarthy	50-59	3:57:41
88	Andrew Jalbrzikowski	40-49	3:58:21
89	Daniel Fausey	SS	3:58:26
90	David Cartmell	50-59	3:58:29
91	Mike Schiltz	50-59	4:00:53
92	Steve Quelette	40-49	4:01:12
93	Douglass Joos	50-59	4:02:26
94	Zac Smiles	40-49	4:02:28
95	Keith Ranly	40-49	4:02:51
96	Sean Gilbert	40-49	4:03:04
97	Robert Brnilovich	50-59	4:04:30
98	Peter Hitzeman	30-39	4:04:54
99	Garry Blait	50-59	4:04:56
100	Jacob Skidd	40-49	4:04:58
101	Scott Billman	60+	4:05:20
102	Luke Wendt	40-49	4:05:28
103	John Kagan	50-59	4:06:42
104	Jake Northrup	50-59	4:07:39
105	Steve Coss	30-39	4:11:53
106	Chris Knapp	40-49	4:12:39
107	Larry Pandy	60+	4:12:49
108	Thom O’Neal	40-49	4:12:53
109	Adam Madara	40-49	4:13:55
110	Timothy Fitzwater	40-49	4:14:56
111	Anthony Coletta	30-39	4:15:10
112	Brent Christy	30-39	4:15:36
113	Charles Schindler	40-49	4:16:06
114	Jack Richardson	SS	4:16:07
115	Paul Adams	40-49	4:16:10
116	Andrew White	30-39	4:16:12
117	James Campbell	40-49	4:16:50
118	Paul Miles	40-49	4:17:00
119	Michael Emerson	16-29	4:17:08
120	Scott Hencye	30-39	4:19:16
121	Mark Ventura	40-49	4:21:20
122	Thomas Wise	40-49	4:21:20
123	Bill Anderson	60+	4:23:30
124	Jeff Shaull	50-59	4:24:42
125	Brian Davis	40-49	4:25:49
126	Adam Bennett	30-39	4:26:48
127	Roger Walker	40-49	4:27:53
128	Brian Wahl	40-49	4:29:57
129	David Spurlock	50-59	4:32:34
130	Tom Forrest	50-59	4:33:00
131	John Simkins	50-59	4:34:43
132	Dan Ripberger	50-59	4:34:57
133	Victor Allen	50-59	4:35:03
134	David Descutner	50-59	4:35:05
135	Glen Gardner	50-59	4:39:37
136	Brandon Schuh	16-29	4:43:41
137	Evandro Ficanha	30-39	4:45:38
138	Ryan Tolle	30-39	4:46:29
139	Marc Rebick	50-59	4:46:52
140	Doug Johnson	40-49	4:49:16
141	Grzegorz Kwiecien	30-39	4:50:06
142	Kevin Brown	30-39	4:50:06
143	Todd Devore	40-49	4:51:47
144	Devon Doran	40-49	4:51:50
145	Jonathan Bompiani	30-39	4:51:51
146	Chad Dorn	40-49	4:51:53
147	Christopher Radak	30-39	4:52:15
148	David Kubala	60+	4:52:25
149	Chris Sill	50-59	4:54:39
150	Terry Hughes	60+	4:54:41
151	Bob Darrow	60+	4:56:18
152	Radu Herbel	40-49	4:56:51
153	Ricky Dale Earnhardt	30-39	4:57:08
154	Derek Good	50-59	5:00:16
155	Tim Portman	30-39	5:05:36
156	Michael Koppel	50-59	5:08:01
157	Shayne Plourde	16-29	5:08:22
158	Tim Sherherd	50-59	5:08:25
159	Rodney Haun	50-59	5:10:18
160	David Benner	60+	5:10:18
161	Joel Turley	30-39	5:11:20
162	Scott Liechty	30-39	5:30:44
163	Dan Kauffman	30-39	5:35:03
164	Justin Holt	30-39	5:37:11
165	Joey Shearer	50-59	5:37:22
166	Brian Anderson	50-59	5:37:22
167	Dale Klinect	60+	5:37:22
168	Benjamin Kauffman	30-39	5:41:17
169	Olafur Thorarensen	40-49	5:55:46
170	Matthew Scullen	30-39	5:55:48
171	Thomas Bower	40-49	5:55:48
172	Patrick Ryan	50-59	5:55:48
173	Rob Hunter	40-49	6:15:19
174	Terry Wagner	40-49	6:21:01
175	Christian Maier	40-49	6:22:39