Fast and Furious Racing at AACX - Sportif Cross Cup Round # 5

 AACX at South River Farms Park - Sportif Cross Cup Round # 5
 https://www.facebook.com/AACXcyclocross

 October 27, 2013, Selby-on-the-Bay, MD

Round #5 of the Sportif Cross Cup Series, AACX was this past Sunday and on a new course with great weather, the racing was fast and furious. Just shy of 300 riders showed up for the 2nd running of AACX presented by the Annapolis Bicycle Racing Team (ABRT)/Parvilla Cycles at South River Farms Park. Course designer Laura Van Gilder (Van Dessel/Mellow Mushroom) was absent meaning that the elite womens race was wide open.  Womens 1/2 Series leader Libbey Sheldon (Crosshairs) was intent on keeping the series lead but faced a tough challenge on the fast, power course.  Julie Hunter (Phaup St. Journal) was up from Richmond and quickly opened a gap that she never relinquished and took her 2nd win of the series.  Allison Tufano ( Sportif Coaching Group) took 2nd spot and Alice Henriques rounded out the podium by holding off Sheldon, whose 4th kept her in the series leaders jersey.  

Womens Elite Field ready to start (Photo Credit: Alex Pline)

 

In the Men’s Elite, it was definitely a race of attrition as Series Leader Patrick Blair 

(Adventures for the Cure) fresh off a win in  single-speed earlier in the day, was happy to sit in 

the top 3, as Weston Schempf (SEAVS/Haymarket pb Van Dessel) pushed the pace. Ultimately 

Schempf split the small lead group on the hill section and grew the lead to 50 seconds as he hit 

the line first.  Blair hung on for 2nd, keeping the series lead, while David Flaten (US Military Cycling) 

sneaked away from Kevin Carter ( Gripped Racing p/b Dogfish Head) to grab 3rd.

Master's Elite rolling down the descent (Photo Credit: Alex Pline)

ABRT riders represented well in the day’s other races, Rick Paukstitus (ABRT) kept his 

strong season going with a 4th in the Masters 55+ race, solidifying 2nd place in the series. 

In the Master's 3/4 race, ABRT got two racers on the podium as they sprinted for 4th and 

5th, Iain Banks in 4th and Mickey Thaxton in 5th. 

ABRT sprinting for 4th and 5th podium spots (Photo Credit: Alex Pline)

 This inaugural course, although not as technical as others in the series has strength sapping climbs and great potential.  ABRT are already looking at expanding the use of the Farm next year to incorporate some of the more technical opportunities........the punishing hill will remain! 

Thanks to all that came out to race and watch......ABRT also had great race sponsor support from:

Parvilla Cycle & Multisport
Anne Arundel County Recreation & Parks
Two Guys & A Grill
Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company
Mad Alchemy
Handlebar Mustache
SRAM/ZIPP
Sportif Cross Cup Series