Eight mountain bikers from the Wood River Valley took part in this year's 105-mile Cascade Cream Puff race near Oakridge/Westfir, Ore. on Sunday, June 29.
Calling itself "America's Toughest 100-Mile Mountain Bike Race," the 50% singletrack race wasn't for cream puffs in the least bit.
The event that included about 16,000 feet of climbing was a real vertical and downhill test for the 148 starters (and there were 106 finishers). There were no juniors and no tandem racers in this year's race.
Winning in nine hours and 38 minutes was Kevin Rowe, 36, of Bellingham, Wash. The top female rider, in ninth place overall, was Louise Kobin, 40, of Los Gatos, Ca. in 10:55.
Sean McLaughlin, 36, of Ketchum, won the Singlespeed Class and finished sixth overall with a time of 10 hours and 19 minutes. He was only three minutes out of fifth place and 41 minutes behind Cream Puff overall winner Rowe.
Not far behind was 11th-place Greg Martin, 36, of Ketchum and WTB/Noon with a final time of 10 hours and 59 minutes. He finished third in the Singlespeed category.
Other local finishers:
32—Mike Herlinger, 9th Singlespeed in 12:00. 33—Michael Shane, 35, of Ketchum, 8th Open Men in 12:04. 40—Pat Schott, 44, of Ketchum and Power House Bike Pit in 12:26, 14th in the Veterans Class.
48—Todd Johnston, 40, of Ketchum and Four Season Spa & Pool/Sun Summit South in 12:51, 17th in the Veterans Class.
59—Chris Gardner, 46, of Hailey and Sun Valley Road & Dirt in 13:28, 4th in Masters 45-and-above. 69—Roger Mankus, 51, of Ketchum and The Elephant's Perch in 13:48, 8th in the Masters 45-and-above class.
