The Southeast Cyclocross Super Series (SECX) is bringing together four incredible race weekends in four states for the region’s first national caliber race series. The promoters of the four events: the Savannah Superprestige, the Wilkesboro Cyclocross Festival, the Charleston CX Doubleheader, and the MSG Final (Kingsport, TN), have joined to give cyclists in this part of the country an opportunity to compete in big fields, at fun events, with great competition. Complete series details are available at http://www.secyclocross.com.
“Until now, racers in our part of the country have had travel to events like Charm City, Cinci3, and Louisville to get a taste of big-time racing are really cool events,” says series co-founder Andrew Stackhouse of Pirate Race Productions, “Now ’cross racers can come down here for both top-flight competition and some really fun parties.” However, SECX is not usurping the local series like GACX, MSG and NCCX, “The state series have been instrumental in getting people excited about ’cross and developing some incredible talent, and each of the SECX races remains part of its local series.”
In addition to attracting national attention to the outstanding individuals and teams in the region, the other goal of SECX is to increase participation among juniors, women, and novices. To accomplish this, SECX is partnering with GOSOAP Sports Detergent to offer team competitions for both Juniors and Adults. The GOSOAP Team Cups will score each team’s five best-placed finishers each day, irrespective of which category they compete in. “Cyclocross is special because of the camaraderie,” says Steve Teeples, founder of GOSOAP, “There are so few sports that entire families can take part, or where a group of friends of varying ages and abilities can race and cheer for each other all day. The GOSOAP Team Cups should encourage our outstanding elite programs, shop teams, and local clubs to get more people out racing bikes, and spending all day in the mud screaming for each other.” GOSOAP will also be offering washing stations at the events so racers can get their technical clothes cleaned and the wicking restored so they look and function like new for the next day’s racing.
In addition to the GOSOAP Team Cups, SECX will award top series finishers in 10 adult categories. Prizes include over $7,700 in cash and prizes, including payouts for Masters and Elite racers, as well as great prizes like gift certificates and the A23 wheelset from Velocity USA for the lower categories. The prize pool continues to grow as more sponsors sign on, and as part of the SECX commitment to women’s racing, the top five male and female elite racers will receive equal payouts.
SECX is also the first series in the region that will score boys and girls separately in four age groups: 10 to 12, 13 to 14, 15 to 16, and 17 to 18. “After talking to lots of parents and coaches, we realized that there is a ton of demand to create more opportunities for junior racing.” Stackhouse adds, “Cyclocross is by far the best cycling discipline for kids, and probably the only sport where kids and parents can watch each other play on the same field on the same day. Plus, who doesn’t love cheering on the litter rippers as they slip and slide around the course.”
Stackhouse concludes, “With nationals coming to Asheville in 2016, and SECX underway, we hope that people start talking about cyclocross in the Southeast in the same breath as the Northwest and New England.”
For more information about the series, including information on the individual events, or how your company can become part the excitement, go to www.SECyclocross.com or join the Facebook group to stay up to date on series announcements, form your team, or just to talk trash to other ‘cross racers in the Southeast.
