Southern California - Manhattan Beach Grand Prix...

It's this Sunday, June 29th...

Anyone going?

Yep. I'll be there at 5:45am. Bright and early.

Do you know the area Chuckle? where would be the best place to park?

I'll be there around noon to race at 1:10. There is a parking structure which is Southwest of the last turn. It makes finding parking way easier now.

Do you know the area Chuckle? where would be the best place to park?

Never been there. I'm not even the one driving on Sunday morning. But I'll be sure to look for the parking structure that redal mentioned!

It's this Sunday, June 28th...

Its actually Sunday, June 29th.... Not that you would show up on the wrong day..

Anyone know why no cat-5?

Its actually Sunday, June 29th.... Not that you would show up on the wrong day..

Anyone know why no cat-5?

So they could give the women a 3/4. Promoter is letting the women know that he won't do this again if they don't support the race. He would have sold out a cat 5 field for sure.

Never been there. I'm not even the one driving on Sunday morning. But I'll be sure to look for the parking structure that redal mentioned!

Just make sure to feed your meter. We were there for a long time last year and my wife's job was to feed the meter (I was racing). We ended up with a ticket. Also don't knock any Swami's guys down.

Just make sure to feed your meter. We were there for a long time last year and my wife's job was to feed the meter (I was racing). We ended up with a ticket. Also don't knock any Swami's guys down.

I just hope there isn't anything that remotely resembles a traffic light at S/F. We're all in trouble if there is:p

I just hope there isn't anything that remotely resembles a traffic light at S/F. We're all in trouble if there is:p

The traffic lights are on both ends of the course. Wait..there might be a crosswalk signal at the S/F.

Damn... I guess I'll ask the officials to cover it when I get there in the morning.

so how does this race work ? the course is 1.4 miles but they say the race is "50 minutes" long ? do you race for 50 minutes and whoever is in the lead wins ? where is the finish line ? forgive my lack of knowledge on this.

Yeah...race is for 50-mins (or 40 for the Cat 4's). Distance covered does not matter (of course, distance covered depends on how fast you ride). First one to the finish after those 50-mins is the winnah!!

gee...is the course really 1.4 miles? didn't seem that long last year. went by pretty fast... :scratch head:

So they could give the women a 3/4. Promoter is letting the women know that he won't do this again if they don't support the race. He would have sold out a cat 5 field for sure.

Are there enough women 3/4's out there? I've only ever seen small fields with the women, of course I suppose this is NRC race.

so how does this race work ? the course is 1.4 miles but they say the race is "50 minutes" long ? do you race for 50 minutes and whoever is in the lead wins ? where is the finish line ? forgive my lack of knowledge on this.

They will average the lap times and as close as possible according to the average they will go to laps and give you 5 laps to go. In the Pro/1 race we will probably see lap cards about 65 min., since I think we do around 3 min. laps. Sometimes the race ends up a little under the advertised time and sometimes a little over. For instance I think the last two 90 min. races I have done ended up being 88 min.

Its actually Sunday, June 29th.... Not that you would show up on the wrong day..

oops...thanks for pointing that out :o

I'll be there around noon to race at 1:10. There is a parking structure which is Southwest of the last turn. It makes finding parking way easier now.


Thanks

Hi,

Masters 45+ at 9:30a. I'll be there the rest of the day taking photos.

Another weekend, another series of big crashes in the Cat 4 field. Anyone know what actually happened on either one of them?

Not sure. The one near S/F was at my 3 'o clock, and the one on the back side of the course was behind me.
Were you in the race?

Another weekend, another series of big crashes in the Cat 4 field. Anyone know what actually happened on either one of them?
Gee, I'm so sorry I didn't enter now. There are fewer crashes in the masters fields, right? only a few more years to go for that!

Another weekend, another series of big crashes in the Cat 4 field. Anyone know what actually happened on either one of them?


Gee, I'm so sorry I didn't enter now. There are fewer crashes in the masters fields, right? only a few more years to go for that!

Hi,

My teammate who is a Junior and raced in the 4s (with his Junior gears) said he finished 28th. He told me that he saw all three crashes on the last lap. I also heard that a former teammate crashed earlier in the 4s. :(

As far as the Masters go, the 45+ race was crash free but it was only 30 minutes. The officials told us on the line that they were cutting our race to 40 minutes (from 45) because of the crashes and other issues. Next thing I know they are saying 2 to go and I stopped my computer when I crossed the line and it said 30:33. :mad:

However, the Masters 35+ race was not as good (or lucky?). I saw two crashes and one with a Helen's racer looked bad -- backboard and ambulance ride after being on the ground for a long time. I hope he's OK.

Hi,

My teammate who is a Junior and raced in the 4s (with his Junior gears) said he finished 28th. He told me that he saw all three crashes on the last lap. I also heard that a former teammate crashed earlier in the 4s. :(

As far as the Masters go, the 45+ race was crash free but it was only 30 minutes. The officials told us on the line that they were cutting our race to 40 minutes (from 45) because of the crashes and other issues. Next thing I know they are saying 2 to go and I stopped my computer when I crossed the line and it said 30:33. :mad:

However, the Masters 35+ race was not as good (or lucky?). I saw two crashes and one with a Helen's racer looked bad -- backboard and ambulance ride after being on the ground for a long time. I hope he's OK.


Really I raced the 35 plus and must of zoned out..sure it wasnt the Cat 2 race ? The fields seemed smaller this year. Still a great race and a great time. It is good having an event rather than show up and leave.

edit..our race was cut a couple of laps at least.

I was out there today and had a blast. The sun killed me though.

Not sure. The one near S/F was at my 3 'o clock, and the one on the back side of the course was behind me.
Were you in the race?

yeah, I was around 5th wheel right before that second crash. One of the guys that went down hit my leg hard enough to knock the cleat out of my pedal, and I lost a lot of position. I ended up 10th in the race. While I'm sure I could have done better had I not been bumped by both crashes, I surely could have done a lot worse had I been a few inches closer to either of them.

Really I raced the 35 plus and must of zoned out..sure it wasnt the Cat 2 race ? The fields seemed smaller this year. Still a great race and a great time. It is good having an event rather than show up and leave.

edit..our race was cut a couple of laps at least.

Hi,

You know you're right. I was thinking that I saw the crash after I went to my car to feed the meter the first time. It was after my second meter feeding trip during the Cat 2 race. :o

I didn't see any crashes at turns 3-4 during the 35+ race.

Another weekend, another series of big crashes in the Cat 4 field. Anyone know what actually happened on either one of them?

The S/F line crash was pretty bizarre. One lap to go (of course). I happened to be watching from about 20m after the line. One guy, prolly about 5th wheel, just goes down. I couldn't tell why. He must've overlapped wheels or something. Then, rider after rider just plowed into him and others. I had two teammates in the race (I was recovering from a hospital stay and didn't race), both doing real well, and they both got caught in it. At least 8+ guys on the ground, with more behind & slowed.

No shots of actual crash, but here's aftermath...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/2623247306_be601f7c8d_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/2622422443_8490172086_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/2623247682_de37a9efb5_o.jpg

Basically I dropped out of the CatIV race on the first turn. Never knew that dropping your chain in the middle of a race didn't count as a mechanical. Now I know. After seeing the crash.. I think it was a blessing in diguise!!

Lastly, Did you guys see that 16 year old kid Cory Williams in the final sprint. He had to be at least 4-5 bike lenghts from the second place finisher. Glad this is his last race as a CatIV.

The crazy thing is he made more of a gap on me than that in the final turn. I actually gained on him in the sprint! That was a great move he made going into the turn.

The crazy thing is he made more of a gap on me than that in the final turn. I actually gained on him in the sprint! That was a great move he made going into the turn.

Is that you in the last two pictures?

Nope. I had gone wide to avoid the accordion effect. Once I was bounced all the way out to the left, I was still right up with the front guys. I would have completely missed the crash if that guy hadn't overreacted and run into me.

Or do you mean the person in the khakis?

i went it was a good day.. had a nice time just chillin out watching pros and cat 2 race... congrats to those who raced... good times...

I finally uploaded some video to youtube...
Sorry, they're not primo quality but here's one of Fast Freddie and Kayle LeoGrande warming up...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_EoZSMxUTOo