High School Riders
11 Nov 08
This past weekend’s NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League fundraising event was a huge success. The league, in its eighth year of existence, has seen exponential growth in a relatively short amount of time. For the 2009 season the league expects there to be over 35 teams with as many as 500 riders competing in the five race series. The league’s success in the north has lead to the formation of the SoCal Interscholastic Cycling League, with future hopes of taking Matt Fritzinger’s racing model nation wide.
The weekend began with a cocktail party “meet and greet”, graciously held by Charlie and Lotte Moore- avid cyclists and huge fans of the league- at their beautiful Tiburon home. Levi Leipheimer was the featured guest of honor and spoke to the small crowd about his cycling roots, goals for 09′ and the life long benefits that the NorCal high school league provides for its riders.
Saturday morning, under cloudy skies, a small group of NorCal high school riders gathered in Mill Valley for a mountain bike ride with Specialized’s Ned Overend, one of the most humble and approachable rider’s I’ve had the pleasure to meet. Ned’s longevity and success in mountain biking is part of his mystique and legend. After supposedly retiring from professional cycling to pursue other avenues of adrenalin inducement- he won the 2001 and 2002 National XTERRA Series-he returned to the dirt in 2005 at the age of 50 and was 5th at the Norba National Championships! Ned spoke to the riders before we departed and was very approachable throughout our two hour rain soaked ride up and over Mt. Tam.
Blue bird conditions greeted Sunday’s 100 plus riders who had flocked to Kentfield for the final event of the weekend, a CHP escorted road ride through West Marin with bronze medalist and two time TOC winner Levi Leipheimer. The excitement of those gathered in the parking lot was palpable, as evidenced by some who immediately gravitated towards my van once they saw me unload Levi’s stars and strips Trek one off road bike. Levi was gracious and patient with the numerous photo and autograph requests and should receive a sponsor ship deal from Sharpie for the hundreds of times he signed his name! With two CHP motos, one crusier and a McGuire support car following, our colorful group rolled through San Anselmo with the same flare that the pro peloton does in a grand tour. Hats off to the CHP who safely ushered us around our bucolic route, controlling all traffic, and ensuring that we didn’t have to stop at any lights or signs. I lost count of the riders, young and old, who rode up to Levi and thanked him for being there and for his support of the Norcal High School Mountain Bike Racing League. It was obvious that his presence inspired and motivated everyone, especially the young guns from the Whole Athlete team that sprinted Levi to the crest of White’s Hill on our return-they will never forget that moment as they continue to pursue the sport they love.
If you haven’t already, check out the NorCal HS Mountain Bike League. It’s an amazing non-profit organization that is giving young people the foundation to become life long cyclists which will, whether they continue to race or ride recreationally, create happier and healthier people.
