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Overall SWAT placed 8th in the SoCalCross Prestige Series, pretty impressive for a small grassroots womxns team don't ya think? If the officials gave bonus points for spirit, style, and sportsmanship we'd have won for sure (sorry Montrose).  With a smaller team this season and only a few vetran racers we worked hard to stay in the top 10 rankings surrounded by large powerhouse co-ed teams.  Diana and Susie lead the team in points this season podiuming week after week. Diana won an impressive 7 races and the overall series in the B field. Susie placed 2nd in both B's and Single Speed in the series with 6 2nd place finishes and 1 win! We're looking forward to watching both of these shredders race with the elites in 2017.  We had a number of new racers come out a give CX a try in the C field. Arin and Kerstin started out in the C field but cat'd up quickly to B's mid season. They also raced masters collecting points for the team and getting stronger with each race. Meg and Lee caught the CX bug, racing when work allowed and came in 2nd and 3rd in the C field. It will be fun to see all of these womxn racing in the B field together in 2017.  B Series Podium! Winner Winner Diana // 2nd Susie  C Series Podium // 2nd Meg // 3rd Lee // 6th Kerstin (moved up to Bs) // 7th Arin (moved up to Bs )  SS Series Podium // 2nd Susie // 7th Diana // 9th Lynn How do you feel about your CX season? Diana: Best season yet! Racing in the B's this year helped me gain a greater self-confidence and learn to trust in my own abilities. I've improved a lot since last year and I know I have a lot more learning to do. The best part of the season was being able to share it along side my teammates, friends, and Greg. It was so great to be apart of SWAT this year, to hear cheers and give hugs and high fives. Lynn: I felt pretty good about my cx season. I learned that the skills acquired from last season were still there once getting back into cx racing this season. The best part was being able to make it on the podium in 4th place my first race back. This season was a bit different than last season due to school and work I was not able to attend every race of the season. Not being able to race the entire series and not being able to be with teammates was the worst part. Susie: I’m really happy with this CX season. Sharing the podium with Diana week after week and getting to know our competitors was awesome. The B field was an amazing group of womxn. Everyone was super supportive and each week was a battle. Arin: Happy and sad the season is over! Cross is hard as fuck & fun as fuck. Coming out of the season, I feel I learned a new skill set with handling my cx bike, overcoming sketch and scary turns, jumps, and drops. Having a greater sense for this sport and the wonderful people I surrounded myself with this past season, I look forward to the next. Cross has an amazing community and the very few douchbag bros can't even damper it.  Did you go into this season with any goals? Did you achieve them? Diana: My goal going into the season was to try to get on the podium at least once. I achieved that during the first race when I took the win and so I decided to raise the standard I had set for myself. My new goal became to stay in the leader's jersey for the entire season...Goal Accomplished. Lynn: My goals were to do well and have fun. Definitely achieved both goals. Arin: I didn't have any pre-season goals other then to show up. I feel there's a level of commitment you give to your team to succeed overall. As the season progressed I was able to focus on my capabilities and strive to improve (in most races, handups are too fun to pass up tho). Susie: My goals were to podium for the overall series in both my fields which I did (2nd & 2nd!!!) And for SWAT to place in the top 10, which we did!  What was your favorite race? Best Heckle? Favorite thing/part of this season? Arin: SoCal Cross puts together exciting and kooky courses, and each race has its own challenges, sweet spots, and people cheering for you around every corner. Some days I would go into the race with more determination, and other days more so with having a good time riding my bike, being outside in a park, and hanging out with friends. The comradery (emphasis on "rad") was the best. With S.W.A.T., Team Tres Leches, EPBP, and Best Friends Forever CC, we made the heckle-handups-high five zone a spectacle, and I'm so fortunate to be friends with these kick-ass individuals. Lynn: My favorite race was Turkey Trot, because we got to race in the rain and mud and had a sweet jump section to get air on the back end of the course. The best heckle was "bunny hop and dance." My favorite part of this season was taking most of the hand ups! Diana: My favorite race was Anza. That was such a fun and fast course with hills, Kyla Birthday EZ-UP, and a SWAT pool party. Susie: So many good courses this season, I can't pick just one. Casitias because of course side camping and a fun all dirt course, Spooky Cross because of the costumes and rain on day 2, Anza with the fast hills and ice pool, and Verdugo because that course/crowd is always super fun and morning rain made it really fast. Our new Space Tent was really a rad addition this season, #noboringtents and watching our new racers fall in love with the sport always makes me happy.  Goals for next season? Diana: Continue to gain confidence in myself and my abilities. Podiums would also be nice. Lynn: To do as many cx races as possible. Susie: To not get discouraged racing with the elites and enjoy it. Arin: Training? Maybe. Try a SS race? No less than 2 races a day. Don't stop smiling while racing.   Santa Cross is the last race of the SoCal Cross Prestige Series. Racers come out from all over for a last chance at getting points on the board towards both personal and team podiums. Competitive, fast, and festive with a tiny bit of mud Santa Cross was a great end to an awesome season.  Womens A/B/C Race Diana // Photo by Stuart Barrington  Susie // Photo by Stuart Barrington  Arin // Photo by Stuart Barrington  Kerstin // Photo by Stuart Barrington  Meg // Photo by Shelly Magier  Susie // Photo by Shelly Magier  Getting ready for SS/Costume Race Single Speed // Costume Race Single Speed Shredders  Single Speed Start  
  Podium Wolves  Diana wins the B race!  Meg 2nd in the C race!  Susie 3rd, Meg 5th in Single Speed race!
 Photos by Shelly Magier unless otherwise credited.
 Diana and Susie finish in the money in the Championship A/B race! Photo by Jason Shanney Finally, a CX race weekend in LA! Griffith Park is our home turf and no better place to hold the NABRA and SCNCA district championships. The course was brutal including an uphill hole shot into an even steeper uphill climb. We attacked and then we got up the next day and attacked again coming home with 3 wins, 1 championship jersey, Silver and Bronze state champion medals and some cold hard cash.  Photo by Jason Shanney Thankyou to Jason & Ramon for capturing the races so beautifully Photo By Ramon Cortes  Photo By Ramon Cortes  Photo By Ramon Cortes  Photo By Ramon Cortes  Photo By Ramon Cortes  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Ramon Cortes  Photo by Jason Shanney Look at all these Champions!  Diana with the Win and Susie in 2nd for the NABRA Championship B Race!!!  Arin 5th in Masters 45+  Lee 3rd in C's  SCNCA District STATE Champions for Cat 3/4! Congrats on the Silver and Bronze Diana and Susie!!!  1st and 2nd Again for Diana and Susie in the B race  Meg wins the C race Lee in 4th!  Lynn with 5th in the SS race Turkey Trot is always one of the best races in the series and this year held up to it's reputation. Rain and all!  Photo By Jason Shanney  Photo by Ramon Cortes LA got a bunch of rain the night before making for fun racing conditions.  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Ramon Cortes  Photo by Jason Shanney All the homies came out to heckle and handup; shout out to Heckler Hill and Party Peninsula for keeping the race fun.  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney  Photo by Jason Shanney "Diana got a decent lead a few minutes into the race. There were 4 of us in the chase group all fighting for 2nd. I made a bunch of mistakes but managed to get ahead on the sprint right before lap 2. By lap 3 I had a descent gap sitting safely in 2nd. A welcomed position after fighting for 7th a week ago at CXLA. I was having a ton of fun, racing relaxed, collecting high fives and handups. By the 2nd to last lap Rhea and Ashley started gaining on me. My legs felt, good so I picked up the pace anywhere I could gain time. All of the sudden I'd lost them and was starting to close the gap to 1st. I hit it as hard as I could and was able to pass on the mulch hill during the last half of the last lap. I figured I'd get caught on the downhill, but I gave it everything I had and managed to maintain the lead. My first win since moving up to the B field! A great reminder to have fun racing and occasionally you may even suprise yourself with a win. " -Susie  Photo by Ramon Cortes Podium Wolves!  Winner Winner Susie in 1st & Diana in 2nd in the B race  Kerstin in 2nd and Lee in 5th in the C race  Lynn in 4th & Susie in 5th in the SS race  Photo by Kyle Deven  Thank You Brooks Dry Cider for keeping the handups tasty! |
