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Ft Lewis sweeps short track

By USA Cycling
Published: Oct. 20, 2006

Angel Fire, N.M. (October 20, 2006)-Backed by a sweep of the top-three spots in the men's short track cross country race and the top-two spots in the men's 4-cross competition, Fort Lewis College dominated the Division I ranks as the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships opened Friday.Alex Hagman, Eric Ransom and Noah Singer claimed first, second and third place respectively in the morning's short track race to put the Durango,Colo.-based institution on pace to win the overall Division I championship it last captured in 2004.

In the afternoon, Thomas Tokarczyk and Chris Heath rode to first and second place in the 4-cross event to further demonstrate Fort Lewis College's reputation as one of the top cycling schools in the nation.Although the first edition of the overall standings won't be tallied until Saturday, Fort Lewis College is assured the top spot in the DivisionI ranks after the men's squad looked untouchable.

And since collegiate cycling factors both men's and women's points into the overall rankings to determine a champion, Sabrina Kraushaar's third-place effort in the women's 4-cross race gave Fort Lewis College another spark with its sixth top-three finish of the day.Hosted by Angel Fire Resort in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Northern New Mexico, the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships welcomed 290 athletes from 71 schools.

In the day's opening event,the Division I men's short track cross country race, the selective course at 8,600 feet was enough to pare the 77-rider field down to a select group of contenders after just a few laps.

Midway through the race, Hagman had clearly identified himself as the strongest rider in the race as Ransom and Singer followed for Fort Lewis ahead of fourth-place finisher Andy Schultz (Montana State University) and fifth-place rider Peter Stetina (Colorado State University). In the Division I men's 4-cross contest, the fifth-seeded Tokarczyk edged Heath, his teammate and the top-seeded rider for the win.

Afterearning the second seed in the morning's qualifying run, Weston Pope (LindseyWilson College) advanced to the final four where he placed second.

Seventh-seeded William Parson, also of Lindsey Wilson College, placed fourth.

In the small final, Paul Post (Lees-McRae College) took the win to place fifth overall. The Division I women's short track cross country race saw the University of Arizona place two riders in the top three as Chloe Forsman captured the win and teammate Melanie Meyers placed third from the 44-rider field. Heather Holmes (University of Utah) was second while Kathleen Webber (TexasA&M University) and Maureen Kunz (UC-Berkeley) rounded out the podium in fourth and fifth respectively. The final of the Division I women's 4-cross featured Kraushaar, LeanaGerrard (Western Washington University), and University of Colorado teammates Caroline Jarolimek and Neven Steinmetz.

A staple on the National Mountain Bike Series and U.S. National Team rider, Gerrard earned the second seed in qualifying but backed up her reputation with a win over Jarolimek,the fastest qualifier of the day.  Although Steinmetz clocked thethird-fastest qualifying time earlier, the 12th-seeded Kraushaar snuckin for third to add to the Fort Lewis College point total.  MoniqueHein (Lees-McRae College) rode to a win in the small final to place fifth.The University of Colorado, the defending Division I champion, onlyscored two podium finishes on the opening day of competition from the effortsof Jarolimek and Steinmetz, but the perennial cycling powerhouse will lookto rebound in the cross country and downhill competitions.With three-time defending champion Lees-McRae College racing in theDivision I ranks for the first time, the Division II competition was wideopen as Western State College and the University of Montana each claimedfive podium spots in the day's four events.  The Colorado School ofMines put four riders on the podium and Warren Wilson College stayed withinstriking distance with three.Western State College won two events as Kate Chapman won the women's4-cross and Garrett Brady won the men's short track.Brady put nearly a minute into second-place finisher Braden Kappius(Colorado School of Mines) to take the win as Douglas Shryock (Universityof Montana) rode to a third-place finish.  Patrick Hurley (WarrenWilson College) placed fourth and Phil Grove (University of Montana) placedfifth.The second-seeded Chapman took the 4-cross win ahead of Katelyn Parhiala(St. Michael's College), Amy Scherm (Western State College) and NyleneWicks (University of Montana) respectively.  Camille Prevost (WarrenWilson College) captured the small final for fifth place.In the Division II women's short track race, Amanda McKay made UnionCollege's only podium finish of the day a significant one with a victoryover Kylie Krauss (Warren Wilson College).  Amy Drumm (Universityof Colorado HSC), Kate Chapman (Western State College), and Heidi Caskill(University of Montana) completed the podium.Anthony Coneski (University of Montana) captured the win the DivisionII men's 4-cross after turning in the second-fastest qualifying time inthe seeding run.  Coneski beat top-seeded Jess Pedersen (ColoradoSchool of Mines) for the win.  Nick Zuzelski (Colorado School of Mines)and Philip Chillimindris (Western State College) placed third and fourthrespectively and Brandon Turman (Colorado School of Mines) placed fifthwith a win in the small final.The 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championshipscontinue Saturday with the cross country event. Riders will ascend to over10,000 feet as they gain 1,400 feet of elevation per nine-mile lap. Two laps are on the schedule for all categories for an 18-mile race.

2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships
Angel Fire, N.M.October 20-22Day One ResultsMen's Division I Short Track Cross Country
1. Alex Hagman (Fort Lewis College)
2. Eric Ransom (Fort Lewis College)
3. Noah Singer (Fort Lewis College)
4. Andy Schultz (Montana State University)
5. Peter Stetina (Colorado State University)Women's Division I Short Track Cross Country
1. Chloe Forsman (University of Arizona)
2. Heather Holmes (University of Utah)
3. Melanie Meyers (University of Arizona)
4. Kathleen Weber (Texas A&M University)
5. Maureen Kunz (UC-Berkeley)
 Men's Division II Short Track Cross Country
1. Garrett Brady (Western State College)
2. Braden Kappius (Colorado School of Mines)
3. Douglas Shryock (University of Montana)
4. Patrick Hurley (Warren Wilson College)
5. Phil Grove (University of Montana)Women's Division II Short Track Cross Country
1. Amanda McKay (Union College)
2. Kylie Krauss (Warren Wilson College)
3. Amy Drumm (University of Colorado HSC)
4. Kate Chapman (Western State College)
5. Heidi Caskill (University of Montana)
 
 Men's Division I 4-Cross
1. Thomas Tokarczyk (Fort Lewis College)
2. Chris Heath (Fort Lewis College)
3. William Parson (Lindsey Wilson College)
4. Weston Pope (Lindsey Wilson College)
5. Paul Post (Lees McRae College)Women's Division I 4-Cross
1. Anthony Coneski (University of Montana)
2. Jess Pederson (Colorado School of Mines)
3. Nick Zuzelski (Colorado School of Mines)
4. Phillip Chilimindris (Western State College)
5. Brandon Turman (Colorado School of Mines)Men's Division II 4-Cross
1. Leana Gerrard (Western Washington University)
2. Carolina Jarolimek (CU Cycling)
3. Sabina Kraushaar (Fort Lewis College)
4. Neven Steinmetz (University of Colorado)
5. Monique Hein (Lees-McRae College)Women's Division II 4-Cross
1. Kate Chapman (Western State College)
2. Katelyn Parhiala (Saint Michael's College)
3. Amy Scherm (Western State College)
4. Nylene Wicks (University of Montana)
5. Camile Prevost (Warren Wilson College)