Van Gilder, Kemmerer, Thiemann (L to R) on the Nittany Podium Day 2. © Cyclocross Magazine
Today, the racing was even faster than the day prior—as noted by the women who saw a five lap race morph into a six lap race for Day 2. It was Arley Kemmerer who took the win, followed by Laura Van Gilder, with Nikki Thiemann coming in for third and a last lap crash putting Gabby Durrin (formerly Day) into fourth.
In the men’s race, it was JAM Fund rider Stephen Hyde who surprised the crowd by taking off in a group with Todd Wells. Justin Lindine caught them after two laps and the trio continued to separate from the rest of the field. A crash just a few turns shy of the finish took Hyde out of contention for the win, and Wells took the sprint over Lindine while Hyde easily rolled in for third.
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Report by Anne Rock from full weekend:
Located on the grounds of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center, made famous by track cycling Olympians Marty Nothstein and Bobby Lea, mountain bike Olympian Todd Wells (Specialized) doubled up on victories at the two-day UCI 2 contest. The international field boasted racers from as far as Switzerland, with former Philadelphia Cyclocross rider Lukas Winterberg (Zollingersport.ch) beginning his 5-week US Cross Tour at Nittany.
The women’s race saw a battle between Pennsylvanians Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) and Arley Kemmerer (C3Twenty20 Cycling) who traded wins.
The heart-shredding course, designed by eminent east coast cyclocross racer Michael Yozell, left room for neither mistakes nor rest. The course ran in the opposite direction on Sunday, but that didn’t make it any easier. A nasty little uphill leading to a sharp left turn and a log was added for extra hilarity. Between turns, roots, tacky mud, loose gravel and a relentless straightaway, the course punished those who neglected to train as well as those who skipped a remedial skills clinic.
Both days of the men’s race saw a dominant group break away leaving others scrambling to catch them. Saturday’s race saw a group of 7 containing Wells and Weston Schemp (Haymarket SEAVS) battle over the relentless course. Wells narrowly nipped Weston Schempf (Haymarket SEAVS) at the line on Saturday’s race which finished in a sprint.
In Sunday’s race, the lead group was limited to 3—Wells, Justin Lindine (Redline), and Stephen Hyde (JAM Fund/NCC). Reaching a swooping right hand turn around a tree about 100 yards from the finish first almost guaranteed victory. The left hand sharp descent off that turn dropped races to a 50 yard straightaway to the finish. Sprinters had no advantage at the finish of this course.
Lindine crashed midway through the race on the log over, landing in the poison ivy that hugged this short but dangerus wooded section. Hyde crashed on a loose gravel transition with about 1/8 of the final lap remaining, leaving Wells and Lindine to duke it out for top honors. Wells beat Lindine to the final turn and earned his second win in as many days.
A field of over 40 elite women provided two great days of racing Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) taking the win Saturday and Arley Kemmerer (C3Twenty20 Cycling) topping the podium on Sunday.
Saturday’s race saw Kemmerer, Van Gilder and Gabby Day (Rapha Focus) out in front for most of the race, chased relentlessly by Nikki Thiemman (Team CF) and Stacey Barbosa (Colavita). Thiemann and Barbosa’s allegiance paid off and enabled them to bridge to the three leaders. In the end, it would be Van Gilder out-sprinting the group with Day in second and Kemmerer in third.
Sunday’s race, another nail biter, saw the same 3 leaders trading pulls for most of the race. With 2 to go, local heroine Nikki Theimann bridged to the lead group and then moved to the front. Theimann thought that riding the log-over while the others ran it would allow her to create a gap but the chasers thwarted her plan.
As the group neared the critical turn before the descent into the last 30 yards to the finish, Van Gilder tangled with a stake allowing Kemmerer a lead which she never relinquished. Van Gilder settled for second and Thiemann scored a stunning third to round out the podium. Brava, ladies! Thanks for the awesome show.
Tempers flared in the Cat 2/3/4 race, given new meaning to the “Killer B” category. In Sunday’s race, two racers locked it up at a hair pin turn on the far side of the course. Words were exchanged. Fists were thrown. Suspensions and disqualifications were issued. The gunfire heard in the distance from the neighboring skeet shooting club was appropriate background for the melee.
Hopefully, sportsmanship will prevail in future races. This is ’cross, boys and girls. Let’s keep it dignified and fun.
Nittany Day 2 Elite Women Results
Nittany Day 2 Elite Men Results
