National Championships Day 2, Masters: Eight Titles, Four Repeats

With rising temperatures and a drying course, all the master women and the 45-49 master men had a chance to tackle large fields and a rutted but tacky race track in the battle for the stars and stripes jersey. Speeds were high and traction was far improved from the morning’s racing.

Full report by USA Cycling with contributions by Cyclocross Magazine:

Many of the same women who will line up for Sunday’s elite race also contested today’s 30-34 master women’s contest. With the course drying out from the overnight rains, the 30-rider field quickly spread out and Maureen Bruno-Roy (Arlington, Mass./MM Racing-Seven Cycles) rode steadily to her second national title. The race remained relatively quiet with few, if any changes amongst the top five. Emily Van Meter (Portland, Ore./River City Bicycle Team), Anna Milkowski (New Haven, Ct./Velo Bella-Kona), Josie Jacques-Maynes (Capitola, Calif./Specialized-KMC) and Kristin Wentworth (Madison, Wis./Planet Bike), all expected to be factors in Sunday’s contest, were able to get a good feel of the course in route to collecting their medals

“The pressure for me to win this race is a little higher, so I was a bit nervous,” said Bruno-Roy. “The course is really hilly and you feel it on the first lap. I actually started to feel better as I got warmed up.”

Run simultaneously, the 35-39 women’s contest played out in much the same fashion with Sarah Kerlin (Capitola, Calif./HRS Rock Lobster) out front the majority of the race. Lisa Strong (Arvada, Colo./Tough Girl-Scott) poured it on in the final minutes to snag the silver by just seconds over bronze medalist Sally Annis (Nashua, N.H./NEBC-CycleLoft/Devonshire Dent).

Nearly 70 master women aged 40 to 60+ took off in a staggered start to compete for six national titles amongst those age groups. Wendy Williams (Portland, Ore./River City Bicycles) posted the best time of the group at 37:05 on her way to a national championship in the 40-44 division. In the 45-59 category Kris Walker (Pocatello, Idaho/kriegcycling.com) upset hometown favorite and defending national champion Catherine Walberg (Topeka, Kan./KCCX-Verge) who, like many riders, battled some mechanical difficulties in the mud.

“I felt a bit of building pressure racing in my hometown,” said Walberg. “No one likes to lose their jersey, but she truly won it today. Kris was the most powerful rider on this course and with the hill it is a powerful course.”

Kathy Sarvary (Lunenburg, Mass./Mid-State Cycling Club) pulled in the 50-54 national title while Diane Ostenso (Cottage Grove, Wis./Planet Bike) defended her Stars-and-Stripes in the 55-59 race. Martha Iverson (Durango, Colo./Durango Wheel Club) earned the 60-64 championship, while 66-year-old Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, Mass./NEBC-CycleLoft-Devonshire) added to her extensive Stars-and-Stripes collection.

As expected, the final race of the day saw Steve Tilford (Topeka, Kan./HRRC-Trek Stores) win another national championship in the 45-49 men’s race, but this time not without challenge. After starting somewhere in the third row, Oxnard, California’s Mark Noble (Bailey Bikes) made his way to the front of the field and began gunning for Tilford. With a captivated crowd cheering him on Oxnard closed the gap to within about 20 seconds with two laps to go before Tilford held steady to win another national title. Kevin Hines (East Warhem, Mass./Corner Cycle) grabbed the bronze before an exciting sprint to the finish decided the remainder of the podium.

The USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships will continue Saturday, with the U23 men and women and master men’s categories from ages 30 to 54 competing for six national titles.

Photo Gallery:

Full Results: