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CU goes 1-2 at NCCA MTB nats as Baum repeats for UNM

By Ian Dille
Published: Oct. 30, 2004

Josh Bezecny and Nick Ranno gave the University of Colorado a one-two finish in the Division I men’s cross country on Saturday at the National Collegiate Cycling Association’s Mountain Bike National Championships in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania.

Bezecny built a minute lead over Friday’s short-track winner, Matt Shriver (Fort Lewis College), on the technical 6.5-mile course and held on to take the win, with Ranno eventually overtaking Shriver for second.

“I felt really comfortable on the first single-track section,” said Bezecny. “I got a gap and just kept going.”

Meanwhile, Nina Baum (University of New Mexico) added the women’s Division I cross-country to her victory in Friday’s short track, again soloing in for the win ahead of a Fort Lewis College rider – this time, Susan Grandjean. Baum will compete for the omnium title with third-place finisher Karen Warkerman (Vermont) in Sunday’s downhill final.

In the men’s Division II race, Brent Brookwalter (Lees-McRae College) overtook Middlebury’s Spencer Paxson on the third trip up a grueling mile-long climb through the start-finish and rode in alone for the win. Brookwalter, who enjoys racing in muddy conditions, waited patiently before making his move.

“I knew it was going to be a long race,” he said. “I just tried to pace myself.”

In the women’s DII race, another repeat winner, Lea Davison (Middlebury) claimed victory in commanding fashion. But Davison couldn’t wait around to receive her stars-and-stripes jersey at the awards banquet.

“Talk to my professors,” said Davison as she rushed back to Vermont to complete her homework.

The continuation of Friday’s rain-delayed dual slalom was a soggy but exciting race. In the men’s Division I race, Kentucky’s Lindsey Wilson College and Colorado’s Fort Lewis College went head to head in both semi-final runs, with Charles Mooney and Andrey Parson beating their Colorado rivals to face off in the finals, where Mooney took the win.

In the women’s Division I race, teammates again became competitors as Leana Gerrard (Fort Lewis) narrowly beat Susan Grandjean to take the win.

Gerrard, a consistent finisher on the four-cross NORBA National schedule, felt a bit out of place on the somewhat-outdated dual-slalom course, but clearly managed to make do.

“Dual slalom is old school,” she said. “It’s before my time.”

National Collegiate Cycling Association Mountain Bike National Championships
Seven Springs, PA. October 30br>
Division I cross country
Men
1. Josh Bezecny, University of Colorado, 1:36:56
2. Nick Ranno, University of Colorado, at 3:43
3. Matt Shriver, Fort Lewis College, at 4:49
4. Aren Timmel, Chico State, at 12:47
5. Daniel Vaillancourt, University Of Vermont, at 13:13
6. Eric Ransom, Fort Lewis College, at 14:35
7. Thomas Turner, Clemson University, at 15:43
8. Collin Becker, University of Colorado, at 16:02
9. Michael Andres, Chico State, at 16:11
10. Steve Carwile, Lindsey Wilson College, at 16:24

Women
1. Nina Baum, University Of New Mexico, 1:41:58
2. Susan Grandjean, Fort Lewis College, at 1:47
3. Karen Walkerman, University Of Vermont, at 3:27
4. Caitlyn Tuel, Penn State University, at 4:28
5. Kelly Murphy, University of Colorado, at 4:55
6. Rebecca Much, Fort Lewis College, at 5:08
7. Amy Drumm, Mesa State College, at 6:29
8. Tina Dominic, Fort Lewis College, at 7:27
9. Kathleen Weber, Texas A & M, at 8:24
10. Patty Compton, Stanford University, at 8:27

Division II cross country
Men
1. Brent Bookwalter, Lees-McRae College, 1:42:59
2. Spencer Paxson, Middlebury College, at 4:01
3. Bill Danyluk, U.S. Air Force Academy, at 4:16
4. David Timmons, Murray State University, at 9:19
5. Bryan Fawley, West Virginia State, at 10:22
6. Edward King, Middlebury College, at 12:43
7. Weston Shirey, Lees-McRae College, at 14:53
8. Taylor Tolleson, Lees-McRae College, at 16:47
9. Spencer Powlison, Saint Michael's College, at 19:29
10. Andrew Freye, Southern Maine, at 20:04

Women
1. Lea Davison, Middlebury College
2. Jenna Zander, Minnesota-Mankato, at 2:36
3. Linden Kimmerer, Humboldt State, at 12:32
4. Monique Hein, Lees-McRae College, at 17:53
5. Clara Beard, Lees-McRae College, at 24:53
6. Kylie Krauss, Warren Wilson College, at 25:09
7. Addy Wygmans, Warren Wilson College, at 29:42
8. Kate Ben-Ezra Lev, Warren Wilson College, at 37:32
9. Catherine Watkins, College Of William A, at 38:13
10. Lianne Miller, Michigan Tech, at 40:17

Division I dual slalom
Men
1. Charles Mooney, Lindsey Wilson
2. Andrew Parson, Lindsey Wilson
3. Paul Smith, Fort Lewis College

Women
1. Leana Gerrard, Fort Lewis College
2. Susan Grandjean, Fort Lewis College
3. Jessica Vogt, University Of Colorado

Division II dual slalom
Men
1. Michael Valach, Davis & Elkins
2. Terry Hinton, East Tennessee State University
3. David Flynn, Lees-McRae College

Women
1. Monique Hein, Lees-McRae College
2. Katelyn Parhiala, Saint Michael's College
3. Clara Beard, Lees-McRae College