For full coverage, schedules and information on the 2012 Cyclocross National Championships at Badger Prairie County Park in Madison, Wisconsin, visit our 2012 Cyclocross National Championships homepage.
Collegiate women fight for the holeshot - 2012 Cyclocross National Championships. ©Amy Dykema
by Robyn M. Perrin
VERONA, WISCONSIN — Sun and mud were both abundant for the D1 and D2 Collegiate Women’s race at the 2012 USA Cyclocross National Championships in Madison, Wisconsin. D1 and D2 women were on the field simultaneously for the four-lap race – the D2 field starting one minute behind the Division 1 women.
When asked for predictions prior to the start of the race, USA Cycling collegiate and high school cycling manager Jeffrey Hansen said, “Coryn Rivera and Katie Antonneau are the surefire bets for somewhere on the podium.” Hansen’s words proved prophetic as two of the most highly decorated cyclists in the world – who happen to be best friends, roommates and teammates – duked it out in the Division 1 Collegiate race.
Antonneau Navigated the Course Effortlessly ©Amy Dykema
Both Rivera and Kaitlin Antonneau (Marian University/Racine, Wisconsin) were careful to maintain control without depleting their energy reserves entirely, since both are racing in the Elite/U23 race on Sunday, January 8th. “I think I pulled Katie as close as 10 to 15 seconds away,” said Rivera. The final gap was 23 seconds as Antonneau remained comfortably in control, giving an understated one-handed wave at the finish as she claimed the national title.
“I like the course a lot. It’s tough,” said Antonneau, who relentlessly powered it to the finish line in 42:47, at a pace of 19.07 kph. “I think racing today helped because it got a lot of nerves out of the way for tomorrow… I pushed it hard through some parts just to see where I could risk it, but it was good.”
Mars Hill Fielded a Strong Team in the D2 Field including Mariske Strauss. ©Amy Dykema
While the D1 race played out with few surprises, the D2 race winner was a bit of a dark horse. Before the race, Hansen mentioned Rebecca Gross (University of Denver/Lakewood, Colorado) and Kimberly Flynn (University of Tennessee-Chattanooga/Hixson, Tennessee) as top picks. Hanson also said, “Mars Hills College is a team to watch.”
One to watch, indeed. South African Mariske Strauss, a top-level mountain biker recently recruited to Mars Hill College, can now add a cyclocross national champion title to her credentials – from her first-ever cyclocross race. Laughing and flush with excitement, Strauss said, “This was actually my first cyclocross event ever, so I just decided to take it as it comes and go as hard as I can for as long as I can … I just went out and had some fun racing for my Mars Hill College cycling team.”
Strauss scorched the course in 47:22, finishing 13 seconds ahead of second-place Rebecca Gross. Kimberly Flynn rounded out the podium to finish third in 48:55.
Strauss is the current South African cross country mountain bike champion, and she placed 18th at the 2011 the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. She’s a hopeful for the 2012 Olympic cycling team for South Africa.
When asked for reflections about the Nationals course, Lindsay Knight (University of Chicago/Chicago, Illinois) said, “Really muddy, and really slick. I actually wish it had been more technical, more turns, more trees, more tight stuff.” Others found it more to their liking, including Brittany Clawson (Fort Lewis College/Sandpoint, Idaho). “I’m more of a mountain biker and downhiller, and I love the mud, I love the mucky-muck. This was awesome,” said Clawson.
Full Results beneath Videos and Photos
Photo Gallery:
Mariske Strauss Interview:
[youtube owA3AQlsTOM 580 380]
Coryn Rivera Interview:
[youtube 6d3o-HE5nQY 580 380]
See all of Cyclocross Magazine’s 2012 USA Cycling National Championships video interviews here! Keep up to date on all of the action at 2012 Cyclocross Nationals on Cyclocross Magazine’s 2012 Cyclocross National Championships homepage.
D1 Women’s Results:
Division 1 Women National Championships 2012
| Place | Name | City, State | Time | Bib | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaitlin Antonneau | Racine, WI | 42:47:00 | 513B | Marian University |
| 2 | Coryn Rivera | Tustin, CA | 43:10:00 | 507B | Marian University |
| 3 | Emily Shields | Salisbury, NC | 46:01:00 | 509B | Lees-McRae College |
| 4 | Sarah Sturm | Durango, CO | 46:54:00 | 515B | Fort Lewis College |
| 5 | Katherine Shields | Salisbury, NC | 47:16:00 | 510B | Lees-McRae College |
| 6 | Erica Zaveta | Erwinna, PA | 47:29:00 | 520B | Lees-McRae College |
| 7 | Jacqueline Kurth | Palm City, FL | 48:22:00 | 516B | Marian University |
| 8 | Kaila Hart | Durango, CO | 49:18:00 | 512B | Fort Lewis College |
| 9 | Lauren Catlin | Fairfax, CA | 51:13:00 | 504B | Fort Lewis College |
| 10 | Brittany Clawson | Sandpoint, ID | 51:27:00 | 519B | Fort Lewis College |
| 11 | Allie Dragoo | Grand Rapids, MI | 52:41:00 | 506B | Marian University |
| 12 | Lisha Herold | Oakdale, MN | 53:06:00 | 502B | Marian University |
| 13 | Melissa (Missy) Erickson | Durango, CO | 53:09:00 | 501B | Fort Lewis College |
| 14 | Julie Hunter | Richmond, VA | 53:38:00 | 503B | Virginia Commonwealth University |
| 15 | Matilda Field | Durango, CO | 57:02:00 | 508B | Fort Lewis College |
| 16 | Cinthia Lehner | Greer, SC | 1:00:10 | 521B | Lees-McRae College |
| 17 | Mackenzie Filippi | Banner Elk , NC | .@1LAP | 511B | Lees-McRae College |
| 18 | Anne Cheeney | Durango, CO | .@1LAP | 518B | Fort Lewis College |
| 19 | Cassey Lynn | Madison, WI | .@1LAP | 505B | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 20 | Emily Parker | Corryton, TN | .@1LAP | 514B | University of Tennessee-Knoxville |
| 21 | Brooke Crum | Westerville, OH | .@1LAP | 522B | Lindsey Wilson College |
| 22 | Madison Mills | Owensboro, KY | .@1LAP | 523B | Lindsey Wilson College |
| 23 | Courtney Ott | Mancos, CO | .@2LAP | 517B | Fort Lewis College |
D2 Women’s Results:
Division 2 Women National Championships 2012
| Place | Name | City, State | Time | Bib | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mariske Strauss | Mars Hill, NC | 47:22:00 | 537B | Mars Hill College |
| 2 | Rebecca Gross | Lakewood, CO | 47:35:00 | 527B | University of Denver |
| 3 | Kimberly Flynn | Hixson, TN | 48:55:00 | 526B | University of Tennessee-Chattanooga |
| 4 | Elizabeth So | Washington, DC | 50:42:00 | 532B | Georgetown University |
| 5 | Niki Soderberg | Rochester, MN | 51:02:00 | 535B | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire |
| 6 | Lindsay Knight | Chicago, IL | 52:43:00 | 534B | University of Chicago |
| 7 | Laura Rice | Hendersonville, NC | .@1LAP | 540B | Mars Hill College |
| 8 | Angela Vitulli | Gunnison, CO | .@1LAP | 541B | Western State College of Colorado |
| 9 | Morganne Endicott | Alamo, CA | .@1LAP | 533B | Cumberland University |
| 10 | Victoria Ollo | West Point, NY | .@1LAP | 529B | US Military Academy |
| 11 | Stephanie Bunnett | Naples, FL | .@1LAP | 531B | Mars Hill College |
| 12 | Lacey Douglas | Des Moines, IA | .@1LAP | 539B | Mars Hill College |
| 13 | Jennifer Webster | West Point, NY | .@1LAP | 528B | US Military Academy |
| 14 | Jasmine Hansen | West Point, NY | .@1LAP | 538B | US Military Academy |
| 15 | Emily McManus | West Point, NY | .@1LAP | 530B | US Military Academy |
| DNS | Christina Birch | Somerville, MA | . | 536B | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
