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Cross on the Rock splashes through Bowen Park

Classic Vancouver Island venue delivers with slick conditions and challenging course

Cross on the Rock
October 17, 2018
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Cross on the Rock
Large fields and just enough moisture to keep things interesting. Image; Hung Mai Photography

Cyclocross season on Vancouver Island hit its half-way point as Cross on the Rock returned to the classic, “Euro” style Bowen Park course in Nanaimo, B.C.

Cross on the Rock
Wakefield, Drew Mackenzie and Nieuwesteeg try three different lines up a muddy off-camber corner. Image: Hung Mai Photography

Steady rain leading into the weekend mixed with dry forecast for race day, making for ideal cross conditions. The venue’s proximity to the BC Ferries Departure Bay terminal meant a sizable crowd of mainland racers had crossed the Salish Sea to join in the fun. With bigger fields, and new racers added into the mix, it was a great weekend of racing across categories.

One of Cross on the Rock’s longest serving venues, Bowen Park mixes steep, technical hills, sand features and a mid-lap road sprint. Oh yeah – and a lengthy, 50-step set of stairs to really get the legs burning. The well balanced course makes for dynamic racing, as fitness plays off against technical skill for 60 minutes.

Cross on the Rock
Max Gallant struggling for traction on the same tricky off-camber up hill corner. Image: Hung Mai Photography

Carter Woods (Naked Factory Racing) showed he lacks neither skill nor fitness, taking his third straight Cross on the Rock win of the season. The dominant junior rolled off the front of the field to win by 2min 23seconds. Behind Woods, Broad Street Cycles’ Parker Bloom held on for second.

The last spot on the podium was decided in a sprint finish, with Giant Vancouver’s Brett Wakefield just edging out Nicholas Kupiak (Naked Factory Racing) for third. Broad Streets Carter Nieuwesteeg, moonlighting from his summer off-road racing with Santa Cruz, finished close behind in fifth.

Rock City Cycles/Frontrunners/Kiyo Salon/Swet Haus had a huge presence in every category at the teams home venue. Image: Hunge Mai Photography

Logan Sadesky through the sand corner. Image: Hung Mai Photography

A constantly climbing course made for race-long battles for position. Image: Hung Mai Photography

Joining her Naked Factory Racing teammate on the top step of the podium was Comox Valley junior racer Emilly Johnston. After a string of seconds, the young racer claimed her first win by 41 seconds over veteran cyclocrosser Wendy Simms (Rock City Cycles/Frontrunners/Kiyo Salon/Swet Haus). Victoria Leeson (Party Kitty Racing) finished third, followed by Danielle Hagen (Naked Facotry Racing) and Lisa Ludwig (Oak Bay Bikes-Victoria)

Cross on the Rock
Feeling the effects of a mid-race mechanical. Image: Hung Mai Photography

Island racing resumes October 21 with Lumber X in Port Alberni, B.C. It will be the third time visiting the unique McLean Mill venue – a Canadian National Heritage site – in the series 13 year run.

For more from Cross on the Rock Bowen Park, watch Intertidal Creative’s highlights from the front, middle and very back of the pack: