Cane Creek State Park held the third Cane Creek Timberland Mountain Bike Race on Saturday, June, 27, 2015. After having been moved from earlier in May due to thunderstorms, the race had rain once again to contend with. Three-quarters of an inch of rain fell on the course overnight and raised fears that the course would be muddy, but the course withstood the rain and the race went on as planned. Riders had to use caution going over roots and bridges, but otherwise the course was in fantastic shape.
The race had 86 contestants spread out over 26 categories of competition. The race course for the Cane Creek Timberland is designed to be fast paced with long periods of relatively flat land, followed by brief dives and climbs in some of Southeast Arkansas’s most rugged hills. Not only was this a test of their strength, but this race also tested their stamina and skill.
Each category of racer had a different distance they had to complete. For beginners in CAT 3, racers had to complete one 8 mile lap. The intermediate racers in CAT 2 raced two 8 mile laps for a total of 16 miles. Professional racers in CAT 1 had the longest haul of all with three 8 mile laps for a total of 24 miles. Each category was divided into age divisions from Junior to Master riders.
The Cane Creek Timberland Mountain Bike Race hosted contestants from all over Arkansas and the surrounding states. The race started with the junior racers taking off from the start line. It would be 8 miles before anyone at the finish line would see their smiling faces, triumphant in victory. For these juniors, a lot of times, the race isn’t about beating the other kids; it is about proving to themselves that they can do anything they set their mind to in life.
CAT 3 racers left the start line about 20 minutes after the juniors. Even faced with the 8 mile challenge in front of them, many of the racers had smiles before the start. The riders would complete the course between 40 and 70 minutes, exhausted when they crossed the finish line. Awaiting them at the finish line, along with their friends and family, was the promise of food, water, and good company.
Most people while reading this would presume that CAT 2 would be the next racers off of the starting block, but CAT 1 racers were the next to go. As these racers lined up at the starting line, all joking was cast aside. Gone were the faces of joy and carelessness, replaced by the sober and determined focus of a professional racer. These unique individuals would race 24 miles before finishing their task. The reason for the focus was not hard to find, these racers compete for a prize not of gold, silver, or bronze, but for one that is green and bragging rights.
CAT 2 racers cover just a little less distance than those unique individuals in CAT 1, but not by much. These racers would dash across two 8 mile laps in an effort to see how they stack up. If they do well, the eaves of CAT 1 awaits them if they so choose. These are the racers that are on the cusp of greatness and are tremendous athletes as well. As they hit the starting line, from the word “go”, these racers rode hard and fast to see who would shine amongst their group. Upon finishing, many found friends and family waiting to congratulate them for their accomplishments.
Overall, the race went very smoothly. One comment of note came from the Park Interpreter, Seth Boone, when he said, “You cannot control the weather, all you can do is control what you can control and let the rest fall as it may. We worked on the trail tirelessly for months to get the course in good condition, and even though we got a little bit of rain, I believe that the racers had a memory they will enjoy for years to come.” We hope to see this race continue to grow in popularity each year as our exceptional gem in Southeast Arkansas is slowly refined. Cane Creek State Park and myself would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the following sponsors:
Tony’s Radical Sportz of White Hall, North Little Rock Cycle, Spokes, Lincoln County Health Planning Committee, Walmart of Pine Bluff and Monticello, Parkside Cycle, Arkansas Cycling and Fitness, Chainwheel, Simmons First Bank, Bank of Star City, Star City Inn and Suites (America’s Best Value Inn), Relyance Bank, Mike’s Pizza Pro, State Farm, and Ouachita Outfitters.
(Extra special thanks to Ana Gilhang Grynwald, Seth Boone and Chassie Kirby for all the photos)
The first place winners are listed below, for complete results, visit usacycling.com.
Event Winners – Cane Creek Timberland, Jun 27, 2015
Cross Country Men Junior 1-10 CAT 3
Roman Mcquiston – RVC (475276) FORT SMITH, AR
Cross Country Men Junior 11-12 CAT 3
Clay Hobbs – RVC (435412) LAVACA, AR
Cross Country Men Junior 13-14 CAT 3
Jeremiah Middleton – (477984) WESTERN GROVE, AR
Cross Country Men Junior 15-18 CAT 3
Ethan Mcquiston – RVC (439397) FORT SMITH, AR
Cross Country Men Senior 19-29 CAT 3
Jared Jones – AC&F (466272) NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR
Cross Country Men Master 30-39 CAT 3
Tj Coltharp – Edge (417390) WAKE VILLAGE, TX
Cross Country Men Master 40-49 CAT 3
Christopher Many – GPP (478032) ROGERS, AR
Cross Country Men Master 50-99 CAT 3
Ken Sluyter – FAST (319212) BENTONVILLE, AR
Cross Country Men Master Clydesdale CAT 3
Jeff Trader – (374999) KEARNEY, MO
Cross Country Men Senior 19-29 CAT 2
Cody Oden – Spokes (362266) LITTLE ROCK, AR
Cross Country Men Master 30-39 CAT 2
Adam West – Phat Tire (402425) BELLA VISTA, AR
Cross Country Men Master 40-49 CAT 2
Jr Middleton – (414172) WESTERN GROVE, AR
Cross Country Men Master 50-99 CAT 2
Kevin Crawford – RVC (8097) FORT SMITH, AR
Cross Country Men Master 60+ Open
Randy Jackson – RVC (406807) LAVACA, AR
Cross Country Men Master Single Spe Open
Josh Carroll – Phat Tire (361332) FORT SMITH, AR
Cross Country Men Senior 19-29 Pro / CAT 1
Hunter Hobbs – RVC (435408) LAVACA, AR
Cross Country Men Master 30-39 CAT 1
Daniel Halpain – AC&F (406273) BRYANT, AR
Cross Country Men Master 40-49 CAT 1
Terry Coddington – Carve (230012) CONWAY, AR
Cross Country Men Master 50-99 CAT 1
Michael Mccutcheon – Phat Tire (386610) ROGERS, AR
Cross Country Women Junior 11-12 CAT 3
Madi Snyder – FAST (kids) (474347) LOWELL, AR
Cross Country Women Senior 19-39 CAT 3
Caleh Wall – TBS
Cross Country Women Master 40-99 CAT 3
Kim Wall – TBS (180189) MODESTO, CA
Cross Country Women Senior 19-39 CAT 2
Lindsay Caster – Phat Tire
Cross Country Women Master 40-99 CAT 2
Kathy Wilson – Parkside (405868) HOT SPRINGS, AR
Cross Country Women Senior 19-39 CAT 1
Rachel Furman – Carve (383826) LITTLE ROCK, AR
Cross Country Women Master 40-99 CAT 1
Michelle Jackson – RVC (406805) LAVACA, AR
