Seering Soars at Crystal Ridge

Tiffany Seering took her inaugural flight for the Red Hawks at the Alterra Coffee Bean Classic, race #7 of the 2008 Wisconsin Off Road Series. She finished in 2nd place in the 19-24 age group of the women's citizen class with a time of 57 minutes 33.3 seconds. Tiffany was just 10 seconds behind Ashley Weichmann of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the first place finisher in her age group. Tiffany's time was good enough for 10th place overall in the women's field. The race was held at Crystal Ridge Ski Hill in Franklin, Wis., Sunday, July 27.

Tiffany, who is transferring to Ripon this fall from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, will be a first-year student on the Red Hawk cycling team. The WORS race was her first competition on the bike. Based on her performance and the amount of fun she said she had, I expect she'll be a strong rider for Ripon.

Wonder if Ripon is Serious About Cycling?

If you're wondering how serious Ripon College is about cycling, just take a look at this article by Tom Held of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Cycling starts at the top at Ripon. President David Joyce is committed to the sport. The chief officer of the College was at Mt. Snow in Vermont this past weekend to take on the U.S. National Mountain Bike Championships.

Fox 11 Covers Ripon Superweek Race

Fox 11 News of Green Bay came down to Ripon last Friday to cover the Ripon College Red Hawk Criterium: Stage 9 of the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic. Reporter Evan Perrault also reported on the Ripon Velorution Project and what the College is doing to rebuild a cycling culture in Ripon.

Watch the video.

Can't We Just Get Along

This MSNBC story looks at the supposed conflicts between motorists and cyclists on the road. It is tragic that the title of the page is "Bikes or Cars: Who Rules the Road?" Why is that a question? Neither rules the road. We SHARE the road, and if we all follow the rules and respect the other users we share the road with, there would be no conflict at all. Of course, harmony is a concept that humans just can't seem to comprehend.

Hop Back on That Bike!

Building a Bicycle Infrastructure

Ride for Heather

Please join Team Fond du Lac/Oshkosh Cyclery for a fundraising ride on Sunday, August 31, 2008 in the Fond du Lac area. The goal of the ride is to raise funds to help Heather and Joe Shanahan with their mounting medical expenses as they battle Heather’s recurrent non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Heather, a Ripon native, is 30 and undergoing stem-cell transplant treatment in August.

Rain or shine, rides will include a 5-mile and 15-mile bicycle path ride for kids and casual recreation riders. There will also be a 30-mile ride and a 62-mile ride on the back roads of scenic eastern Fond du Lac County. Expect scenic, rolling terrain. Sag support will be provided for the three longer rides.

A spaghetti lunch will be provided at the Taycheedah Town Hall (just off the HWY 151 N wayside) about two miles north of Fond du following the rides. Great prizes, including a Trek T1 fixed-gear bike, will be awarded to the rider collecting and turning in the greatest dollar amount of pledges.

For more info visit rideforheather.com.

Take a Step Back in Time

If you want to participate in a truly unique event that remains the same today as it was 18 years ago when it began, give the Louis Reed Time Trial in Ripon a try.

It takes place Sunday, July 13, beginning at 8:15 a.m. at Barlow Park on the south side of Ripon. It is a 10-mile time trial. There is no entry fee.

Organized by Eric Westhagen, the Louis Reed Time Trial pays tribute to Ripon's bicycle hero of more than a century ago. Ripon hosted the state bicycle meet of the Wisconsin Division of the League of American Wheelmen in 1893 and 1894. The tournament was held on a horse track where Barlow Park is now located. Louis Reed, a Ripon College student, captured four state championship titles and broke a world record time at the 1894 state tournament.

According to Westhagen, the Louis Reed Time Trial is truly "the race for everybody, young and old, and of all abilities and equipment."

For more information, contact Eric Westhagen @ (920)346-8228 or mktquant@centurytel.net

Super Week Coming to Ripon, July 18

Ripon College will host Stage 9 of the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic bicycle race Friday, July 18. Commonly known as Wisconsin Super Week, this year’s race — the 40th annual — promises the best in professional and elite amateur cycling with men and women competitors from across the United States and more than 20 foreign countries.

Racing on a 0.6-mile course that circumnavigates the historic college campus, participants will be challenged with four corners and two short climbs on each loop. The Ripon College Red Hawk Criterium is the ninth race in a series of 18 that begin Friday, July 11 and end Sunday, July 27.

Members of fashion mogul Michael Ball’s controversial Rock Racing team, as well as racers from Australia’s Virgin Blue squad and the Hong Kong Cycling Team, are anticipated to race, according to Michael Garrison, director of marketing for race promoter Breakaway Event Productions of Milwaukee. Garrison said several Olympic athletes from various countries will also be in attendance as they prepare for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games to be held in August.

Racing will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the Category 4 & 5 men and culminate with the top professional racers who will compete in a 100 K event at 4:45 p.m.

“Ripon College has a rich history in the sport of cycling dating back to the 1890s,” said Ric Damm, head coach of cycling at Ripon College. “The College, through its Velorution Project and the establishment of the new Red Hawk cycling team, hopes to create a renaissance of the bicycle culture on campus. This race is a part of that effort.”

Additional race sponsors include Tracy Porter Inc. and Alliance Laundry Systems.

Ripon’s Main Street Inc. encourages spectators and racers alike to remain after the final race to enjoy the sounds of the Beatles tribute band, The Britins, who take the stage at the Village Green from 7 to 10 p.m.

For more information, visit the International Cycling Classic Web site at www.iccsuperweek.com.