WCA Crit Champs Returning to Ripon June 13

The best bicycle racers in Wisconsin and beyond will return to Ripon Saturday, June 13 for the Wisconsin Cycling Association’s 2009 State Criterium Championships. Riders will compete in 10 categories for the Wisconsin State Championship jerseys, cash and prizes.

Medals will be awarded to the top three riders and a Wisconsin Championship jersey to the overall state winner in each category. Racing action begins at 10:30 a.m. with the junior’s races and continues all day with the final pro race beginning at 6:30 p.m. The junior’s and women’s category 4 races will run counterclockwise on a half-mile course with a start and finish on Watson Street in the heart of Ripon’s historic downtown business district. The later races will expand to a 1-mile route that winds down Ransom, Seward, Woodside and Thorne streets before the final 150-meter sprint to the finish.

The Ripon Medical Center and the Ripon College Office of Community Engagement will also hold the Free Wheelin’ Children’s Bicycle Safety Rodeo from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the 100 block of Watson Street. All games and activities are free, including the Kids’ Fun Race and Parade that will be held on Watson Street at 11:45 a.m.

The event is hosted by the Ripon College Red Hawks Cycling Team and the Lakes Area Physical Therapy Cycling Club. Cash and prizes are being supplied by race sponsors Accurate Controls, Brewer Heating and Cooling; Rippin’ Good Cookies, Precision Plus Inc. of Elkhorn; Fond du Lac/Oshkosh Cyclery; Bicycle Doctor Nordic Ski Shop of Dousman; Open MRI of Sheboygan; and KC’s Driving Schools of Southeastern Wisconsin.

We’re looking forward to having some of the state’s most exciting bicycle racing in Ripon again this year. Despite the flooding problems of last year, we experienced excellent community support and a good turnout for our first year as host. We hope the weather will cooperate, and that we’ll see increases in both the numbers of participants and spectators this year.

With discounted rates at Ripon hotels, racers and fans are encouraged to come early and stay late.

Volunteers are needed to assist. All volunteers may be eligible for a free race entry. To volunteer, please contact me at 920-748-8322 or dammr@ripon.edu.

For more information, please visit the race Web site.

Looking Ahead

As the 2008-09 school year at Ripon winds down, I'm excited by the promise of the 2009 mountain bike season. While we're losing three seniors to graduation, we've already picked up two promising freshmen and a few current Ripon students who have come out of the woodwork to flesh out next year's roster.

While one of my best possible female recruits has opted to go elsewhere, I'm still holding out hope that one more top male prospect will decide on Ripon in the coming days.

I'll be sure to share more details about our promising young team soon. For now, let me tease you with a sneak peek at our 2009-10 jersey. Inspired by the Kenda Titus Hayes MTB Team jerseys of 2008, I adapted the look for the Ripon Red Hawks. I've already received great feedback from the team who are excited to once again wear one of the best looking kits in the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference.