Awesome watching Jill killin it (Jillin' it?) today, seeing Max hang tight in the fours and watching Sean and Jeff hold down the front for nearly the whole 4/5 race.

Learned some hard lessons on crit racing myself but pumped for the next one none the less.

A few choice photos from the early races:
(photos courtesy of Donica Ida)

Jill that might be the most dominating day for a single Kissena in the last decade.

#CHAPEAU

It's the Amistead ponytail for sure. Congrats Jill!

W4 Race:
This was a fun race.  It was fast from the whistle.  Rosael from Radical started us off at a great pace.  It was a short race, so anyone who attacked I was going to follow.  There were a few breaks that ended up widdling us down to 8.  And on the second to last upwind stretch, I decided to go for it and stayed out front for the win.

W3/4 Race:
Going into this race, I didn't really care what happened since I had already won a race.  So, I stayed in the pack for the first 3-4 ish laps, and then for some reason I decided to go for it on a downwind stretch and I got a 15-17 s gap.  There weren't even lap cards up yet!  Finally about 2 laps into my break, they put up 11 laps to go.  

I could hear John Malcolmson's voice in my head: attacking in the first two thirds is saying one of two things: 1) "I am a watt monster who drives her enemies before her, so you'd better bridge to my attack or watch me disappear into the distance." 2) I am inexperienced and I'm showing you that.  I thought, oh well, stupid move, but at least I'll get a good workout in.

Somehow I managed to stretch this out to about 25s max and held it for the win.   Yay!

Let's see:

• Drive with Alice, quickly meet Julie, Jill, Jeff, and TACO! we'll create a kissena compound. Sean, Max, and a few other kissena are there.
• Races running late
• Try to mellow out at the Kissena compound.
• Julie, Jill, Alice, and Evelyn line up for first women's race
• Jill attacks with 2 to go or so, Alice covers everything, it looks amazing.
• She's gonna do it, she's gonna stay away!
• Jill wins
• Ok, maybe I should go change into bike clothes
• Psuedo warm up
• Sucks that races are running late, Alan has them super efficient now and cutting 5 minutes out of each to catch up. But races start right after each other, not at an exact hour or time, have to stay close and be attentive to staging calls.
• Jill lines up to another race
• I go back to the car, change into actual racing apparel
• Notice Jill riding solo, did she get dropped? nah, she mega attacked from the gun and is away
• Staging callup for my race, Alan is giving instructions but has to pause everytime Jill comes around, because I am screaming so stupid hard at her!!!
• Jill wins
• We line up to the start of my race, Jeff, Sean, Bruce.
• Feel so dramatically better than last year (see report above) take the first couple of corners holeshot style
• Felt like Sean, Jeff and I could do some real damage. Look forward to more crit racing with these two.
• Keith Garrison is attacking hard, eventually stays solo out for a while, to be brought back with about two to go
• Races speeds nicely in the last few laps, 6 to go, 4 to go, 3, 2, bell
• Sean will slot into 5th
• Much hotness.
• Later, get a comment from Alan, "you guys looking good out there"
• Let's do more, let us go race bikes.

Photos by Kevin Hatt

I didn't realize that Alice was covering all of the moves while Jill was away. That's double extra super pro.

looked like this (photo by Victor):

That's the pro-est shit ever.  Phenomenal teamwork.

May 7 is still a long way off, but registration for the 2017 edition of CRCA Orchard Beach Criterium is open. Early Bird registration fee is only $30 (until April 17), and racing a second field costs only $10. Kissena had a good showing last year. Let's make this year even better. Here's to hoping the organizers are more, uh, organized, and don't shorten our races because they're running late. 

Tentatively a yes for the 4 race.

I'm reg'd for the 4 and the 3/4 races. If I can avoid getting chopped in the first turn of the last lap, I think I have a good shot in the 4 race. In the 3/4, I hope to race for a teammate.

Bikereg link

https://www.bikereg.com/crcaorchardbeachcrit

I'm planning on just cat 4 for now, but open to participating in the 3/4 race.

I'm in for the Cat 4.

Registration is filling up for the 4/5 and 4 fields.  I'm in for the 4 and 3/4.

Bruce van-Schalkwyk said:

Registration is filling up for the 4/5 and 4 fields.  I'm in for the 4 and 3/4.

I wonder who else reg'd?

THE JULES! 

btw, this forum needs a hotness button.

^ I turned on WTF, no hotness icon available  :'(  

Regd for 4/5 4 and 3/4

SeanMiles said:

Regd for 4/5 4 and 3/4

I have never, and never will, triple up.

Checking my calendar 

I'll be skipping Orchard's tomorrow and riding long tomorrow. (Sorry, Jules) 

Yack's is doing the triangle tide. Anyone care to join?

Sent from my iPhone

Who's driving up tomorrow and who's taking the train? (Or riding?)

I flew in. (Zing) 
seriously thiugh, I'm in dire need of a pedal wrench at the race - I'm going to have to tear down my bike and head straight to the airport. If anyone has one, or an adjustable wrench I'd be might grateful if you brought it.

@MaxThorn I'll be taking the train. What time are you headed up? Unfortunately my first race is one of the earliest at 8AM. 

I think I'm Taking the train. Undecided if I'm going to do the 4/5

I registered for 4/5, 4, and 3/4 to give myself options, not because I realistically expect to finish all three races. I'm definitely in for the 4. The decision is whether to race 4/5 or 3/4. 

In any case it looks like I'll be on the train later than you, @ChristinaWoolston

@Jules threw a pedal wrench in my backpack

I'm registered for 3/4/5 and 2/3. Plan to be there at 8:30.