Cyclocross season in Canada draws to close with Vancouver series finals
Vancouver Cyclocross Coalition winds down with a wet race at Aldor Acres
For most of Canada, cyclocross season wrapped up sometime in November, or maybe very early in December. In the more western parts of B.C., though, temperatures stay above the freezing level all year round, even if only just barely. This means cyclocross season can continue well into January like it does across the pond in Europe. The last Canadian series still running its 2017 calendar, Vancouver Cyclocross Coalition Kazlaw Cup held its series finals on Sunday at Aldor Acres farm in Langley, B.C. under stormy January skies.
Conditions varied wildly during the day, with the first two races taking place under sunny skies before a deluge of rain drenched the intermediate and singlespeed fields. After a week of heavy rain, though, mud was a constant for all categories. The clouds parted with perfect timing for the Elite fields, sending the last VCXC start of the day and of the season off into deep mud and bright sunshine. Track conditions were best described as “soupy,” and the sudden sun could do little but thicken long stretches of slippery terrain.
In the Women’s Elite race, Natasha Cowie of Steed Cycles bested Anne Ouellet of Fluvog’s Crit Nasty. The win was enough to claim the 2017 series overall for Cowie, ahead of Ouellet and fellow Steed Cycles rider, Kelly Jones taking third for the year.
On the Men’s side, Craig Richey (Garneau-Easton p/b Transitions Lifecare) pulled Nathan Killam (Moustache Mafia Racing) away from the rest of the field before separating himself from Killam to take the win. While Richey took home the win on the day, second place was enough for Killam to hold on to the VCXC Kazlaw Cup series overall by a narrow, nine point margin.
Four Winds Brewing hosted awards and the season wrap up party at their taproom in Delta, B.C., where the cross-faithful were rewarded with delicious curry and tasty beer provided by the evenings hosts. For series winners, there was beautifully carved cedar trophies from local chainsaw carver Ryan Cook.
