Mountain bikers tread through Mountwood Park
Olivia McBrayer, right, started off strong in the beginners race during the Challenge at Mountwood Sunday at Mountwood Park. It paid off as she won first place among the female riders in the beginners category with a time of 56:54.1. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
River Valley Mountain Bike Association Vice President Vincent Nedeff gets the competitors in the Challenge at Mountwood’s expert division ready for the start of their race Sunday at Mountwood Park. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
Mountain bikers in the expert and sport categories get ready for their races Sunday during the Challenge at Mountwood event. Competitors in three categories — beginner, sport and expert — went out in waves separated by two-minute intervals. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
The racers gathered 15 minutes before the start of the Challenge at Mountwood race Sunday to listen to the rules. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
The experts were the first category to start racing in Sunday’s Challenge at Mountwood. Their course was 21 miles long over a large portion of the network of trails at Mountwood Park. The expert category had the smallest number of riders, but it was also the hardest course. There was a cash reward to the winners in the expert category. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
Olivia McBrayer won the female category in the beginners group of the Challenge at Mountwood. She finished the eight-mile course with a time of 56:54.1. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
Olivia McBrayer, right, started off strong in the beginners race during the Challenge at Mountwood Sunday at Mountwood Park. It paid off as she won first place among the female riders in the beginners category with a time of 56:54.1. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
River Valley Mountain Bike Association Vice President Vincent Nedeff gets the competitors in the Challenge at Mountwood’s expert division ready for the start of their race Sunday at Mountwood Park. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
Mountain bikers in the expert and sport categories get ready for their races Sunday during the Challenge at Mountwood event. Competitors in three categories — beginner, sport and expert — went out in waves separated by two-minute intervals. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
The racers gathered 15 minutes before the start of the Challenge at Mountwood race Sunday to listen to the rules. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
The experts were the first category to start racing in Sunday’s Challenge at Mountwood. Their course was 21 miles long over a large portion of the network of trails at Mountwood Park. The expert category had the smallest number of riders, but it was also the hardest course. There was a cash reward to the winners in the expert category. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
Olivia McBrayer won the female category in the beginners group of the Challenge at Mountwood. She finished the eight-mile course with a time of 56:54.1. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
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VOLCANO -- More than 150 mountain bikers competed Sunday in the annual Challenge at Mountwood.
"This is our biggest fundraising event of the year," said Vincent Nedeff, vice president of the River Valley Mountain Biking Association. "People like to come here to race because (the Mountwood) trails are regarded as some of the best in the state."
Mountain bikers were spread out across three categories: beginner, sport and expert. They began the race in three waves, with experts going first, followed by sport and beginners, with two-minute intervals in between.
The beginner course was around 8 miles, with Josiah Bower, competing in the boys 14-17 division, posting the fastest overall time of 43 minutes, 58.7 seconds, out of 51 total racers.
The sport course was 16 miles, and Brian Bell was the first of 72 riders to finish, with a time of one hour, 18 minutes and 24.2 seconds.
The expert category had the smallest number of riders, but it was also the hardest course. There was a cash reward to the overall and category winners in the expert category.
Taking first place overall was Brandon Maywood, finishing the 21-mile course in 1:44:07.5 and earning a $180 prize. Cassie Smith won $150 for being the top female finisher, with a time of 2:12:24.2.
There were 28 competitors in that race.
There were also a handful of non-competitive racers in the "Just for Fun" category as well.
Top finishers were:
PRO/EXPERT
* Overall: Brandon Maywood, 1:44:07.5
* Female: Cassie Smith, 2:12:24.2
* Female Open: Cassie Smith, 2:12:24.2
* Male: Brandon Maywood, 1:44:07.5
* Male Open: Brandon Maywood, 1:44:07.5
* Masters (45+): Jeremy Daum, 1:59:14.7
* Singlespeed: Gabe Holtzer, 1:59:55.2
* Vet (35+): Joey Riddle, 1:46:14.8
SPORT
* Overall: Brian Bell, 1:18:24.2
* Female: Julia Kastner, 1:39:42.5
* Female Open: Julia Kastner, 1:39:42.5
* Female Vet (35+): Aimee Barclay, 1:39:50.5
* Girls (14-17): Larkin McCloskey, 1:52:57
* Male: Brian Bell, 1:18:24.2
* Boys (14-17): Peyton Nicola, 1:18:28.8
* Clydesdale (>200 pounds): Casey Freed, 1:31:40.7
* Grand Masters (55+): Chris Campbell, 1:29:51.5
* Male Open: Elijah Meyer, 1:30:48.1
* Male Vet (35+): Brian Bell, 1:18:24.2
* Masters (45+): Stephen McBrayer, 1:22:59.2
BEGINNER
* Overall: Josiah Bower, 43:58.7
* Female: Olivia McBrayer, 56:54.1
* Female Open: Julie Samples, 59:42.5
* Girls (11 and under): Hallie Riddle, 1:22:45.8
* Girls (12-13): Olivia McBrayer, 56:54.1
* Girls (14-17): Sofia Perna, 1:06:15.3
* Male: Josiah Bower, 43:58.7
* Boys (11 and under): Judah Bower, 53:51.4
* Boys (12-13): Gavin White, 47:41.3
* Boys (14-17): Josiah Bower, 43:58.7
* Male Open: Karl Ruud, 50:00.8
JUST FOR FUN
* Overall: Chris Christian, 43:03.1
* Female: Allison Curry, 1:25:15.9
* Male: Chris Christian, 43:03.1