EVERETT — Hundreds of lean, muscular bicyclists from throughout the Northwest braved the sandy beach and woodland hills of Thornton A. Sullivan Park at Silver Lake on Sunday to participate in races hosted by Seattle Cyclocross.
The cyclo-cross event here is part of a series of seasonal bike
races that began in September and conclude Nov. 27 at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe.
The Silver Lake event presents one of the most difficult obstacle courses in the series, participants said.
Will Pratt, 35, of Penticton, B.C., already was in town visiting family so he decided to compete.
“With the sand and the hills, it’s a fun course but pretty challenging for me,” said Pratt as he loaded his family and equipment into his van for the six-hour drive home. “You ride through the sand, then up a hill. There’s no coasting for a quick rest.”
The Seattle Cyclocross Series was established in 1990 by a group of volunteers.
“There were about 30 people involved when it started,” said Alec Duxbury, 43, of Seattle. “At a race earlier this month, we had 800 participants — men, women and children.”
It’s a hobby that requires riders to stay fit, said Jason Cemanski, 26, of Seattle.
“A lot of people live for ‘cross,” Cemanski said. “It’s not as competitive as road racing, and that’s a reason it’s so fun. When you do well, the crowd cheers. When you fall over in the sand, people still applaud.”
Along the beach, Clayton Weichbrodt, 10, of Auburn, warmed up after his own race and settled into cheering for his dad, Art.
“It’s pretty here, but the sand is slippery with deep ruts and it’s very difficult. Lots of people are running through it carrying their bikes,” Clayton said. “Hey, there’s my Dad! Go Dad! Way to ride it!”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
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