Local mountain bikers have back-to-back weekends of exciting action in late August near McCall to wrap up the 2005 racing season—and possibly qualify for national competition.
The Tamarack Twister NORBA state championships are set for Saturday, Aug. 20 near McCall (visit knobbytireseries.com).
Cross-country finals will be staged Saturday on a fun, fast and challenging 7.5-mile loop—30 miles or four laps for Pros, Semi Pros and Expert Men; 22.5 miles or three laps for Pro/Expert Women and Sport Men; and 15 miles for Sport Women, Beginners/Juniors.
The races are qualifiers for the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships Sept. 15-18 at Canyon Lodge's Mammoth Mountain Bike Park in Mammoth Lakes, Ca.
Another upcoming event in McCall is the 14th annual Brundage Mountain Bike Festival Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 27-28. It is part of the 2005 Wild Rockies Mountain Bike Series (wildrockies.com).
Pomerelle Pounder
Hailey's Moses Mexia won the one-mile Pro/Semi Pro Men ages 19-29 downhill during the seventh annual Pomerelle Pounder mountain bike races July 30 south of Burley.
Scott USA racer Mexia (2:44.49) cracked the three-minute mark, as did runner-up Phil Vega of Ketchum (2:49.46), also a Scott USA rider. In fifth place among Pros/Semi Pros was Scott USA's Silas Hesterberg of Ketchum (4:00.96).
Corey Bellinger (2:53.93) and Matt Preucil (3:09.24) placed first and third in the one-mile Sport Men 13-18 class, and Jytte/Sun Valley Road & Dirt's Rolf Hebenstreit (4:50.14) placed third in Sport Men 40-Up.
In the Pomerelle cross-country race, Gabriele Andersen of Sun Valley (2.01:20) captured the Sport Women 40-Up class over 15 miles. Hailey's Ed Miller (1.41:06) was the 10-mile winner in Beginner Men 50-59.
Also, Bonnie Hunt of Fairfield (2.04:02) was the Sport Women 30-39 runner-up over 15 miles, and Stanley's Hans Howard (1.34:51) won the Beginner Men 16-19 class for the 10-mile distance at Pomerelle.
