Southridge USA Winter Series Results

There have been three Southridge USA Winter Series races in California so far this season. When it comes to points, in both downhill and 4X, the series title is still anyone's game! There are two more races left, and the final counts for double points. For more information about the series, the schedule, and results, visit SouthridgeUSA.com.

#3 Feb. 6-7
Downhill
Pro Women
1. Leigh Donovan
2. Joy Martin
3. Gabriela Williams
4. Margaret Gregory
5. Jennifer Wolf
6. Carol Gibbs

Open Women
1. Heather McFadden
2. Nancy Harris
3. Erica Phillips
4. Kelly Damschen
5. Mandy Oliekan

Sport Women 34 & Under
1. Stephanie Wolf
2. Koral Kina
3. Ashley Hernandez
4. Julia Zavala
5. Meaghan Vollebregt

Sport Women 35 +
1. Kim Finch
2. Traci Adams

Beginner Women Women 35 +
1. Wendy Villegas
2. Lala Mijares

4X
Open Women
1. Brittany Jackson
2. Robin Vold
3. Laura Drexler
4. Andrea Aracil

#2 Jan. 23/24
Downhill
Pro Women
1. Melissa Buhl
2. Leigh Donovan
3. Joy Martin
4. Jennifer Wolf
5. Christine Hirst
6. Margaret Gregory

Open Women
1. Mandy Oliekan
2. Nancy Harris
3. Kelley Damschen
4. Lisa Vanzuyen
5. Erica Phillips

Sport Women 34 & Under
1. Stephanie Wolf
2. Julia Zavala
3. Ashley Hernandez

Sport Women 35 +
1. Traci Adams

Beginner Women 34 & Under
1. Megan Applegate

Beginner Women 35 +
1. Wendy Villegas
2. Lala Mijares

4X
Open Women
1. Robin Vold
2. Laura Drexler
3. Andrea Aracil
4. Lala Mijares

#1 Jan. 9/10
Downhill
Pro Women
1. Jennifer Wolf
2. Christine Hirst
3. Gabriela Williams
4. Joy Martin
5. Margaret Gregory

Open Women
1. Nancy Harris

4X
Pro Women
1. Joy Martin

Open Women
1. Nancy Harris
2. Laura Drexler
3. Robin Vold
4. Lala Mijares

January's Featured Rider: Joanna Petterson

Joanna Petterson is a South African-born rider who splits her time between winters in Hawaii, training sessions in CA, and racing the US and World Cup 4X and downhill circuits. Last season, Joanna found herself atop two World Cup podiums in Canada, and is looking to build on that success in 2010. In fact, Jo is one of the few riders who consistently races both disciplines at the World Cup level. As if that's not enough to set her apart from the crowd, she's as passionate about getting others involved in cycling as she is focused on her own professional career.--FF

Name: Joanna Petterson
Home: Kauai, Hawaii (born in South Africa)
Age: 30
Favorite type of riding: Bikes, of course! Downhill, 4x, jumping, road, XC, singlespeed, around town
Why you ride: I ride because it is a freeing experience. I love the wind on my skin, the speed, adrenaline, and the challenge. I love a good hillclimb on the road bike. I love to push myself and accomplish goals, and do things that I think are (near) impossible.
Sponsors: Fulcrum Wheels, Maxxis, Clif Bar, Smith Optics, ODI, Leatt, crankskins.com, Harlot
Website: (Coming soon!) JoannaPetterson.com

Are you a dreamer? I am. Every day I take myself from reality and attempt to reach my dream of being as great as I can be on a bike and then get even better. It is challenge to make the cycling life a reality. It is a full time job apart from the training needed to be elite. Racing is a lifestyle, from hotel, to plane, to car, to venue. I live my life out of a bag during the season and even in the off-season, making my various stops my home.

I left South Africa when I was 4, moved around a bit with my parents, and ended up on the amazing island of Kauai, HI. I returned to SA when I was 8 and then returned to Kauai when I was 13. I was a world-traveled child, and I guess that stuck with me. I haven't done much riding on Kauai because I'm usually trying to take a break and let my body heal when I am here. So, I spend my free time surfing. It is such an amazing sport that I don't even want to call it a sport, more like an amazing adventure every time I get in the ocean.

Recently, I surfed Hanalei Bay. We had some flooding this past week, the ocean is brown from the rivers and there are logs and sticks and even dead things that float into the ocean. On one hand it was terrifying to think what lurked beneath because there are sharks in the bay, crazy ones when the water is so murky, but on the other, the waves were so amazing! It was my best day of surfing since I got home.

The riding on Kauai is mysterious, wet most of the winter and hard to find. One of my favorite trails takes you through eucalyptus forests, down a red dirt smooth trail with drops and smooth natural berms, and around the rim of a canyon with the views of Niihau. That's when you stop and check the surf. If it's up, then you finish your ride and head to the waves. Kauai is an amazing place, and I'm hoping it returns somewhat to the agricultural roots it has. Move away from tourism a bit and start to be self-sustaining. I'm working on that with my family when I am home, and when I retire from racing it will be a huge part of my life. Providing a resource for food is such a valuable asset in the long run.

A little more relative to cycling, though, I aim to start a BMX track on the island, to provide a place for kids that's free of drugs and negative influence, that is healthy, and could one day lead them to the Olympics. I can't wait to start this project! In 2010 I am also producing a movie with a few other people. It is a hugely exciting project for me, one that I have wanted to do for a few years. It is going to be a women's race/ride film and we are going to highlight the best of women's riding.

My biggest riding accomplishments would have to be unaccomplished, so far! Winning the 2006 NORBA 4X Series Championship was a good time. This season, my 3rd in 4x at the Mont Ste Anne and 4th in Bromont World Cup races where both great. But, I'm not super happy with the season. I placed 10th at the World Championships in Canberra, which was a good show but not my best. I'm aiming for much more in 2010 as far as my racing goes.

Racing and competition in general have always been a part of me. It's a huge part of my personality that I can't deny. I just want to be the best I can be, and truthfully, I want to be better than every other racer out there. But so do they. So we just keep pushing each other and it's great. I love racing. I dedicated my life to it after my first race and have been pursuing this dream ever since for the last ten years.

I enjoy meeting new people to ride (or surf) with wherever I am so if anyone wants to ride don't hesitate to get in touch and we can go enjoy this amazing sport. The more the merrier!

CCCX #4 Results

Karin Hanzi was the lone pro female competitor at the fourth CCCX downhill race of the series on January 3, 2010. She walked away with the fastest women's time as well. Despite the lack of pro women racers, there was a solid showing for girls in each of the Expert, Sport, and Beginner classes. Nice work, ladies! The next CCCX race will be held at Toro Park, CA on January 31. For more information, visit CCCX.org.

Pro Women
1. Karin Hanzi

Expert Women
1. Kelley Damschen
2. Rosie Bernhard
3. Amy Forwand
4. Kelly Johnson
5. Ashley Hernandez

Sport Women
1. Mollie Sitkin
2. Ayshe Tuncer
3. Mary Moncorge
4. Keri Albrecht
5. Jill Henrich

Beginner Women
1. Jessica Spray
2. Ruby Tidd
3. Sarah Skammel
4. Andrea Locke
5. Sue Roussel
6. Sofia Villafane

Ray's Women's Weekend 2010: Be There!

The annual Ray's Women's Weekend is just around the corner. The indoor mountain bike park in Cleveland, OH is hosting the Ray's Angels Women's Weekend on February 19-21, 2010.

The weekend kicks off with a day of free riding on Friday (yes, as in you pay nothing!), in addition to the ability to take skills clinics from any of the 14 pro women coaches. It doesn't matter if you've never ridden a bike before, are a skilled racer, ride cross country, prefer dirt jumps, or pedal a BMX bike--there's terrain and a coach for you!

Riding on Saturday and Sunday is 1/2 price for women, and all the pros will be sessioning all weekend too! Click here to sign up for the clinics, and if you do it by February 1, you'll get a free T-shirt.

Sweet Video from SheShreds.net

A posse of NorCal riders put together this Dirt Divas video about their crew of friends. Check out SheShreds.net too!

CCCX #3

The third CCCX downhill race of the season was held November 29 at Toro Park, CA. Kelly Johnson posted the fastest women's time of the day! The next CCCX race will be held January 3, 2010 at Toro Park, CA.

Expert Women
1. Kelly Johnson
2. Rosie Bernhard
3. Annemarie Hennes
4. Ashley Hernandez
5. Cathy Chevron

Sport Women
1. Jill Henrich
2. Ayshe Tuncer
3. Natalie Morris

Beginner Women
1. Jessica Spray
2. Andrea Locke
3. Ruby Tidd
4. Lise McCarthy

Australian National Series Round 1

The first round of the Australian Mountain Bike Series took place in Glenorchy, AUS on December 12-13. Leigh Douglas took the win in downhill and Sarsha Huntington won the mountaincross. The next race in the series is the Australian National Championships in Adelaide January 12-17, 2010.

Downhill
Elite
1. Leigh Douglas
2. Ema Lews
3. Sarah Booth
4. Leonie Picton
5. Sarsha Huntington
6. Joanne Fox
7. Shannon Chugg

Under 19 Women
1. Emily Hockey
2. Holly Baarspul
3. Christie Batt
4. Katelyn Humphris

Master Women
1. Jillian Brady

4X
1. Sarsha Huntington
2. Jayne Rutter

December's Featured Rider: Katie Hayes

Katie Hayes hit the Freeride Foundation radar with a promo video she released earlier this summer. I met her at the Slope Sistair event in Grand Junction, CO in August. The first thing I saw her do was tabletop a firepit gap jump at The Ranch, with the smooth style and confidence we don't see often enough from women freeriders. She went on to prove that she has the skill and the eye to put together a tough, but flowing slopestyle run that included drops, jumps, and wall-rides. Katie not only puts together sweet runs on her bike, but she literally builds the trails she trains on. The girl is young and smart, and we can't wait to see her progress over the next few years.--FF

Name: Katie Hayes
Home: Whitefish, Montana
Age: 22
Favorite type of riding: Fast with lots of airtime. Though I do enjoy going out and kicking my own ass riding tech, rooty stuff!
Why you ride: It is a great way to challenge myself, escape, or just have fun.
Sponsors: Twenty6 Products, Hammer Nutrition
Website: Vimeo videos

I grew up riding and racing cross country. Even then I was more stoked on flying down hills, dropping three feet off of the neighbor’s deck, and trying to launch myself off plywood ramps in the backyard. I’m positive my dad was too nervous to buy me a downhill bike. My fondest memory (and probably the one that solidified dad's decision) resulted in me clothes-lining myself on the side mirror of his truck, getting a fat lip, and losing a tooth. As I entered high school, my interests changed, and my parents decided I needed to prioritize my activities. Soccer became a year-round obligation, I had qualified for the Junior Olympics in Jackson Hole, WY for ski racing, and I decided not to get another mountain bike.

Then I started dating a boy that loves to ride. Three years ago, I got tired of shuttling him for rides and decided I needed a downhill bike. It was a huge skill and confidence booster having someone much more experienced to follow around and learn from. I started helping him build and maintain our local freeride trails. I quickly realized that building the features I would ride makes riding them much more comfortable.

Building is awesome, because it allows me to be creative and express myself artistically on the trail. It sometimes amazes me what we can do with dirt and logs. A couple months ago we had the chance to show the Ride Guide crew the two trails we have put the most work into this summer. It is a huge compliment to hear someone, that travels all over Canada and the US say, “Those were two of the most fun trails I have ridden!” You can watch the episode (#162) in January.

I love that riding provides me with a reason to travel! We started the summer off with a trip to Utah, riding in Moab and near Green River. Whistler became my second home for a week every month and I feel like riding there for so many days in a row improved my skills immensely. After closing weekend there, the trails felt more like my home trails than the ones actually at home. At the end of August I competed in Slope Sistair III. It was great meeting and getting to ride with such a fun and experienced group of girls.

Why do I ride? For many reasons, but mainly because it is fun! I love going out for a day, whether it be to ride or to build, and coming back to the car feeling happy and fulfilled. I enjoy feeling challenged and then succeeding. I have learned that with success also comes failure and of course cuts, bruises, and broken bones. To succeed in this sport you definitely have to decide if you're going to be the one that gets knocked down, gets back up and tries again, or just gives up. I want to help the women’s side of the sport grow and see more girls take an interest in our sport.

18th Annual Southridge Challenge Results

Maxine Irving crushed the Pro women's field at the 18th Annual Southridge Challenge downhill race this weekend. It's pretty nice to see a Pro women's field 8-deep during the off-season! Sadly, it doesn't look like there were any Sport or Expert women in attendance. For more information about the Southridge racing series, visit SouthridgeUSA.com.

Downhill
Pro Women
1. Maxine Irving
2. Joy Martin
3. Jennifer Wolf
4. Gabriela Williams
5. Christine Hirst
6. Francine Johnson
7. Carol Gibbs
8. Leigh Donovan

Beginner Women 34 & Under
1. Koral King
2. Julia Zavala
3. Paige Handy
4. Amanda Salter

Beginner Women 35 & Over
1. Kim Finch
2. LaLa Mijares

CCCX Fall DH Series Fires Up

The 2009 racing season continues with the CCCX Fall Downhill Series. This 6-race series started Oct. 24 and runs through January 31. Two races are already in the books. The series is held outside of Salinas, CA at Toro Park. For more info about the CCCX races, visit CCCX.org.

#2, Nov. 15
Expert Women
1. Cathy Chevron
2. Annemarie Hennes
3. Kelly Johnson
4. Rosie Bernhard
5. Morgan Compton
6. Ashley Hernandez

Sport Women
1. Jill Henrich
2. Natalie Morris

Beginner Women
1. Jessica Spray
2. Andrea Locke
3. Ruby Tidd
4. Kim Krueger

#1, Oct. 24
Pro Women
1. Johauna Rathbun

Expert Women
1. Annemarie Hennes
2. Kelly Johnson
3. Kelley Damschen
4. Ashley Hernandez

Sport Women
1. Ayshe Tuncer
2. Jill Henrich

Beginner Women
1. Andrea Locke
2. Anika Kinkhabwala

More Bootleg Racing: Screamin Santa Downhill and Super D

The Bootleg Canyon, NV crew just added another race to the roster this winter. The Screamin Santa Double Down Super D and Downhill races will be held outside of Boulder City, NV on December 19-20. The downhill race is a 2-run event, with 2 different courses. The fastest combined time wins. There will also be a speed trap for riders to score prizes for pinning it through that section. For current updates, info and questions visit www.myspace.com/johnsonrockhard.

And don't forget that the Southridge Challenge is next weekend in Fontana, CA: SouthridgeUSA.com.

Awesome Land: Women of Dirt

The teasers are up for the new Bones Over Metal film, Awesome Land: Women of Dirt! There are 25-second clips of Lisa Myklak, Tammy Donahugh, Katrina Strand, Cierra Smith, Leana Gerrard, Kathy Pruitt, Darcy Turenne, Dawn Cashen, Jill Kintner, Stephanie Nychka, Emily Johnston, and more available for your viewing enjoyment!