A luchador steps into the cross ring as Ned Flanders takes the “Zach McDonald line.” © Garrett Lau.
by Andrew Juiliano
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The feedback from Surf City #2 at Harbor High School confirmed suspicions that course designer and race winner, Ben Jacques-Maynes (Jamis CX), is a full-blown masochist.
The physically and technically demanding course brutalized competitors at All Hallows Cross, and even elicited some choice words from Ned Flanders, and the Oscar Meyer Wieners, during the costume race.
The track utilized the elevation change at the venue and combined punchy climbs with loose squirrelly descents. Course tape wound between buildings and the ball field, and riders struggled over a dusty run up. To cap it off a retaining wall hop up, and several loose drift-downs on a steep hillside, destroyed the will of many.
Those who struck a balance between oxygen deprived tunnel vision, and a blatant disregard for self-preservation, found success on the blustery autumn afternoon.
Carolina Gomez Villafañe (Rambuski Law/Family Cycling Center) held off Karen Brems (Rambuski Law) in the last lap of the Elite Women’s race to snag her second straight Surf City victory.
Ben Jacques-Maynes and Andy Jacques-Maynes (Buy-Cell.com/IBIS) engaged in a full hour of brotherly suffering, torturing one another in the Santa Cruz Hills. Ben Jacques Maynes outlasted his twin brother and crossed the finish line wearing a pain face scarier than any ghoul in the costume race.
For an in-detail race report and results read the full article at Nor Cal Cycling News.
Full costume race collection viewable at Garret Lau’s Flickr Gallery.
