The Tahoe Hopper Race Reports

The Tahoe Hopper

Race Report by David Ambrose

I'm just too excited and I can't wait for the race report to post the results from the Tahoe Hopper at Squaw Valley this past weekend. If I don't get this out, I'll pee myself.

We rocked the Tahoe Hopper, hands down! Out of the six TWW'ers there, we had five podiums. Four of those were 1st places, and one was a 3rd.

Isaias placed 1st in the Sport 20-29 (?) category. I placed 1st in the Sport 30-39, while Allen placed a close 3rd. Brenton placed 1st in the Sport 40-49. Jenny Impey placed 1st in the womens 30-39 Sport. Oh YEAH!!!

Race report and group podium photo pending later this week (possibly later this evening)... One big correction, Paul Oellerich placed 5th in the Sport 30-39 so ALL attending TWW'ers podium'd! Wo0t!!! Four 1st's. One 3rd. One 5th. Oh baby...

Race Report by Scott Schlachter

Make that six out of seven... I placed 3rd (out of 5) in Expert Men 30-39 at the Tahoe Hopper DH on Saturday. Mike Fine (Team Hamina, but he's a regular on our list) took 2nd in the same catagory, and then went on to podium at the Sick and Twisted DH at Northstar yesterday as well(3rd I think, right Mike?). I didn't do as well at Northstar - crashed hard on my first run, and had major chain guide mechanicals on my second run - I didn't stick around, but I think I DFL'd. Had a great time practicing and racing both days though. Nice weather - even sprinkled on us a tiny bit on Sunday. Congrats to all you XCers - sounds like you really represented TWW well at the Hopper XC!

-S

Race Report by Isaias Job

Ok so the race report is running late, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it :-)

Results:

Team Wrong Way was in the house at the Tahoe Hopper! Shots out to all the racers and the podium finishers:

Lance Armstrong - 1st Place Pro (shots out the the postal team, #5 baby, YEAH!)
Brenton Hamilton - 1st place Sport
David Ambrose - 1st Place Sport 30-39
Allan Sherlock - 3rd Place Sport 30-39
Paul Oellerich - 5th Place Sport 30-39
Jenny Impey - 1st Place Sport
Isaias Job (yours truly) - 1st Place Sport 19-29; yeah, yeah, I finally moved up to sport and I'm at the top of my age group and still beat all those young whipper snappers! :)

Oh man! What an awesome weekend in beautiful Tahoe. I'd only been to Tahoe in the winter for skiing and boy was I in for a summer treat. We camped along the Truckee River at the Silver Creek Campsite, which was only 3.2 miles from race course at Squaw Valley and only $21 a night/6 people!

Brenton and his friend actually went up to the campsite on Friday and got the best possible campsite in the place...furthest from the other sites and like 20ft from the river. We even had guard dogs, Harley and Mattie, to watch over our bikes! Paul, Dave, Jenny and I all carpooled up from the East and South bay on Saturday morning and meet up with Brenton around noon.

Saturday:

After we got settled in at the campsite we rode up the road to register for the race. Then went for a mellow spin into Tahoe City to get the lungs acclimated to the 5000ft of elevation. We finished up the evening watching the Tour at "Pete and Peters" a totally happening bar, where we sat for 2hrs, consuming valuable counter space as we downed our pitchers of Tahoe's finest H2O ;-) I think I saw the bar tender give us a couple dirty looks, but they never kicked us out.

Sunday - race day:

The race was dope! A technical XC course that was right up my alley. I mean seriously, I would have swore that I was on a weekend group ride or something. All of the XC racing I have done(not much really -Sea Otter, Billy Cross and Central Coast) has never been very technical at all. I always wished that I could do a race that included technical aspects, similar to the rides we do on the weekend, and boy oh, boy did the Tahoe Hopper give me that and much, much more. I've never ridden anything so rocky. I was ecstatic bombing down the rocky single-track and shale sections. So, even though my entire category got lost(see other thoughts below), due to unclear course markings, and the cramp monster was trying to visit me after the massive technical descents, I still had a pretty strong race. I believe I finished like 5 minutes ahead of the second place person. I look forward to more Tahoe racing, sweet, sweet, sweeeet rocky terrain! I love it!

Other thoughts and stuff:

We gotta get more TWW up there. For any of ya'll that has ever wished and hoped they could ride a technical XC course...this is it. I'll even volunteer myself to be the official TWW race coordinator for this dope race!

What was even cooler than the race was the good times I had with Dave, Jenny and Paul. We also got to meet the race promoters, Diane and Travis Hopper...sooo totally cool. We told them that we were gonna be back next year in even bigger numbers and we also talked to them about getting some TWWers to go up and help mark the course and pre-ride it next year. They we're totally hot on the idea.

The only negative about the race was the lack of very visible course markings, something I think we(TWW) could help alleviate next year, plus they would give us a break on entrance fees and we would get to pre-ride the course...nice!

Cheers,

Isaias

Race Report by David Ambrose

I totally agree with Isaias about the Tahoe Hopper. On the Tahoe Hopper website it claims "This is a racer's race like no other" and they are not exaggerating! This course was so sweet, with a huge and nasty climb right out of the start and tons of awesome, technical singletrack. Rocks, shale, shrubs, snow, water, you name it.

Sport 30-39 started at 9:20 a.m. and we took off up the aforementioned climb. Allen and I fell into a comfortable front to mid-pack position, gradually overtaking others the closer to the top we got. I was hurting, just trying to keep up with Allen. I kept saying to myself over and over, "Just keep Allen in sight and I'm doing good, just keep him in sight, just keep him in sight." Then as we approached High Camp I thought we were nearing the top and laid on the attack. I passed about 4 people in the next 100 yards but quickly realized I was mistaken and the top was still a good distance away... "Oh no", I thought to myself, "This is gonna huuuuurt...." But I continued to mash my way up, keeping an eye out behind me to see who may be coming up. Allen kept coming into view, I couldn't drop him. Every time I looked over my shoulder, there he was.

After a bit more climbing and winding singletrack through low shrubs it started to really get hairy. Technical. Technical... oh yeah, baby. It got suh-weeeeet. Riding down sharp and loose shale, tight switchbacks, rocks galore, small drop offs... every bit of the entire course was a challenge in one way or another. At times it seemed more like I was just hanging on to the bike and hoping for the best.

Then it dawned on me that I think I've passed everyone in my class... ok, that's it, gotta hammer!

On the shale switchbacks I dab'bed on near every single one of them, afraid to brake too much and not wanting to lose momentum to a couple guys who'd been chasing me for a mile or so. Coming around one of the last ones, there was someone off the outside of the switchback fixing a flat. As I passed him up, swoosh! Off the side of the trail I went, right into some shrubs. Stumble, stumble, fall. D'oh! The closest guy behind me comes around the same turn and I get this sinking feeling that I just lost the first place position and there's no way I'll catch this guy if he keeps his speed. Swoosh! Off the trail he goes. Hah! We pick ourselves up and just grin at each other. If something's gonna happen, this seemed like the spot to do it! We hopped back on our bikes and wished the guy fixing his flat, good luck.

Merick (the guy chasing me), was practically riding my rear tire so it was either time to pull to the side and let him pass, or time to attack. I pressed it, and a few switchbacks later he was no where in sight.

About a quarter mile from the finish the trail split to the left and also continued straight ahead... BOTH were marked with the course arrows. Wtf!?? I stopped and tried to figure out which way to go. As I was doing this, Merick comes riding up behind me, equally confused. We looked around a bit and finally determine the right direction. Out of fairness he gives me a 30 yard lead since if not for the false course markings I'd have been well ahead of him. Merick ROCKS! How cool is that?

Hammering the remainder of the course, I came in 1st with Merick placing 2nd, 6 seconds later. Allen comes in shortly thereafter for a strong 3rd followed by Paul in 5th place.

Oh baby, oh baby. Team Wrong Way represented! And as Diane Hopper called out over the loud speaker at the awards ceremony, "Team Wrong Way in da HOUSE!"

All 7 of the 7 Team Wrong Members who raced, placed with a podium. How cool is THAT? Back to Main Page