Shields Wins Division 1 Collegiate Women’s Race, Arensman Gets D2 at the 2015 National Championships – Updated: Photo Gallery

The leaders combated mud on the tough course conditions in Austin. © Cyclocross Magazine

Austin, TX- The chaos of slippery mud conditions was compounded by two simultaneous Collegiate Women’s races on course this afternoon in Texas. Both Division 1 and Division 2 hit the slick, muddy course on two waves, separated by a few minutes. The D1 race hit the course first, Coryn Rivera (Marian University) and Ellen Noble (UMass Amherst) took an early lead, but Noble’s smooth riding style allowed her to break away from the group. Meanwhile, Chris Birch (MIT) and Allison Arensman (Brevard College) took charge as the D2 race began.

Sofia Gomez Villafane crashed hard but finished strong in 9th and brought a little course along with her

The D2 race leaders caught the back of the D1 race in the tight twists early in the course as racers slipped, slid, and fell on many of the course’s tricky sections. Noble rode clear, determinedly pedaling through the muddy off-cambers, and Rivera chased. Behind them, Emily Shields (Lees-McRae College) chased hard, and Arensman rode from the front row of the D2 start into top twenty of the D1 race.

Noble’s win looked certain with less than a half lap to go, her skills and power setting her thirty seconds above the chase; however, disaster struck. Rivera pitted with a bike issue, and quickly Noble snapped her derailleur in the final turns.

Shields’ conservative approach to tackling the technical conditions, running where others were struggling to ride, paid off. “You lose so much time crashing. Whole groups of girls would ride and fall in front of me, and I’d just run right by them,” said Shields. Shields tactical and determined racing won her the D1 race. Rivera fought back to second, and Emily Schaldach (University of Colorado Boulder) claimed third.

Emily Shields (Lees-McRae) almost snuck by Richard Fries. © Brian Nelson

Meanwhile, Arensman stayed upright for the entire race and took the D2 win, her teammate Sarah Hill crossed the line second ahead of Chris Birch.
Tomorrow is another day for many of these collegiate women, including Ellen Noble, who will be looking for a luckier day in the Elite National Championships race tomorrow.

Allison Arensman (Brevard College) dominated the Women’s D2. © Brian Nelson

Full results below the photo gallery.

Collegiate D1 and D2 Women – 2015 Cyclocross National Championships Photo Gallery:

• The leaders combated mud on the tough course conditions in Austin. © Cyclocross Magazine

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• The mud may get gummy for Sunday's races. © Brian Nelson

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• Post race smiles. © Brian Nelson

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• Emily Shields (Lees-McRae) answering some post race questions. © Brian Nelson

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• Allison Arensman (Brevard College) dominated the Women's D2. © Brian Nelson

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• Rivera pitted on the final lap and slipped to third. © Brian Nelson

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• Emily Shields (Lees-McRae) almost snuck by Richard Fries. © Brian Nelson

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• Sometimes you bring a little course home with you. © Brian Nelson

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• Ellen Noble (University of Massachusetts Amherst) rode to within a half lap of the win. © Brian Nelson

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• Janelle Cole (Brevard College). © Brian Nelson

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• Coryn Rivera (Marian University) pushing for an early lead in the Collegiate D1. © Brian Nelson

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We chatted with D1 winner Shields and D2 winner Arensman after their races:

2015 Collegiate Women D1 Results

2015 Collegiate Women D2 Results