Race Report: Sea Otter 2010

by Nancy Harris, member of The Path Bike Shop Race Team

Another Sea Otter Classic has come and gone.  This year it was much warmer and dryer than some of the past years. However the ground at Sea Otter, after considerable rainfall, becomes like jello.  Lots of soggy spots on both the Dual Slalom (DS) and Downhill (DH) courses made for some interesting "slow" spots.

Roger and I both set out to race both DS and DH this time around.  We had DS practice and qualifying on Thursday. Roger and I attempted to do our qualifying runs together (see the great photos below taken by Jonathan Buckell) but his chain guide decided to break in Run 1 and for Run 2 he had to make it a singlespeed. Fortunately, Roger did end up qualifying, even though it was last.

Roger Gutierrez (left) and Nancy Harris (right), The Path Bike Shop Race Team. Photos: Jonathan Buckell

In Cat 1 Open Women there were 7 of us and I qualified 4th. I was not feeling as strong as 2 years ago what with my herniated disk/pinched nerve issues. My left leg is suffering from serious weakness and atrophy which really messes up my power and pedal stroke (it's more like pedaling a square on the left side). At the end of qualifying we rushed over to e.thirteen and they were kind enough to sell us a new chainring and provided parts and actually fixed the whole enchilada.  And thanks to SRAM who provided a new chain free of charge. With promises of tips to be paid in beer to all of the sponsors who helped out, off we went to rest up for racing on Friday.

Along comes Friday and DS qualifying. I was strong in my 1st run and actually came in 1st with the 1.5 advantange.   But I ended up getting eliminated in run 2. I had trouble with the rhythm section and lost a few seconds which I couldn't make up. The girl who won (see the pictures of the girl on the orange bike) was sloppy on top but an XC racer with huge legs and she outpedaled everyone at the bottom.

Saturday we opted not to practice and to take it easy. We ended up having plenty of time to play spectator and cowbell ringer for Traci, Julia and Jake during Sport/Beginner DH. And we got a chance to watch the Pro Dual Slalom Finals. It was exciting to watch Leigh Donavan out their ripping it up after coming out of retirement.  She was one of the women who was instrumental in teaching me how to ride a Downhill bike and how to jump.

photo: Eric Foltz Photography

Sunday we raced DH. There was 15 in my Cat 1 Open Women class!!! None of us have ever raced in that big of a field before. The most I have ever raced is 11. I ended up 12th out of 15. Considering I was only 6 seonds off Roger and my classmates were 15 - 31yrs old, I was stoked with my finish. It was awesome to see Essence Barton (18) win the DH on her AC!!!  She also won XC Cat 1 15-18!!!  I have literally watched her grow up while bike racing and it was fun to be in the same class. Next year I am putting a chainguide on the Uzzi and racing it! The uphills just drain me on the M6. . Oh, I forgot to mention, some nice gentleman in a black pickup truck (I don't know who it was) drove his truck down the road during my race run and yelled "PEDAL" all the way to the finish. What a motivator, I'm sure I was a few seconds faster because of that. Whoever you are THANK YOU for the motivation!!!!

photos: Jonathan Buckell

Roger ended up with 3rd in the DH and had a good run.

photo: Mike Lord, Six3Events

All in all, it was a good week of racing. I guess we'll go again next year.