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Southern 'Cross - NE
Ellijay, Georgia, USA, January 24, 2009
Cogburn tops first Southern 'Cross
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The first ever Southern Cross p/b BH Bikes, an endurance cyclo-cross race, was held in Ellijay, GA under ever changing skies. The racers started the first loop of the CX course at Mulberry Gap in the rain which made for a subdued beginning.
"The racers went pretty slow at the start, I don't think anyone wanted to fall nor did they really know what they were in for" said Eddie O'Dea.
According to promoters, Namrita & Eddie O'Dea, not even the locals ride the route they laid out for the Southern Cross and certainly not in these conditions. The gravel roads that made up most of the 36 mile loop were covered in a layer of peanut butter like mud.
"The only part of the course that was not mud was the paved section" commented racer, Garth Prosser. The route also included a 12 mile climb which is were the lead group broke off and eventually broke apart. Race winner, Cameron Cogburn, set out on his own in the steeper sections late in the climb and held that gap until the end.
The racers returned to Mulberry Gap one at a time, spread out from the climbs. The finishing CX loop was even more demanding than the first, and started with a "run up" what came to be know as The Wall. This 100 yard run up was a little unconventional, but so was everything about the Southern Cross. The post race festivities included chili provided by Mulberry Gap and brews by Yazoo Brewing.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Maria Andrade
- Cameron Cogburn, Rich Harper, Garth Prosser, and Will Black looking dirty but happy
- Carey Lowery bringing home first place after a nail biting finishing loop against 2nd place
- Eddie O'Dea enjoying the post race party with the Faster Mustache team
- Mike Brown was the only racer to finish the Southern X on a fixed gear
Images by Namrita O'Dea
- Andrea Wilson of Metro Volkswagon Cycling encountering the first run up of the day
- Racers beginning the parade loop of Southern X 2009
- Thad Hoffman of Swiftwick-Yazoo is all smiles after finishing the 37 mile event
Images by Kurt Rampton/Faster Moustache
- Will Black leading the singlespeed class
- Andy and Cara Applegate on the first run up
- Cameron Cogburn leading the race
- Garth Prosser looking focused on the long descent
- Garth Prosser, Cameron Cogburn, and Rich Harper
- Mark Hekman at the start of the parade lap
- Men's Podium with Garth Prosser, Cameron Cogburn, and Rich Harper
- Rich Harper descending after the long climb
- Some of the great volunteers from the Faster Mustache crew
Results
Fixed Gear 1 Mike Brown 4.07.00 DNF Duncan Niederlitz (Smyd) Open Men 1 Cameron Cogburn 2.46.00 2 Rich Harper (Kenda Elite Cycling) 8.00 3 Garth Prosser (Sobe Cannondale Mtb Team) 9.00 4 Chris Janiszewski 13.00 5 Jim Smart (Atomic Race Team) 21.00 6 Sonni Dyer (Studio7 Cross) 7 Patrick Harkins (Nashvillecyclist.Com P/B Bike Pedlar) 27.00 8 David Worth (Nashvillecyclist.Com) 29.00 9 Hank Campbell (Floridacross) 30.00 10 Brendan Sullivan 11 Michael Scott Graham (Dent Wizard/Neptunecyclery) 12 Ryan Bosio 31.00 13 Adam Jackson (Team Athens) 33.00 14 Mark Cockrell (Final Kick Sports) 34.00 15 William Coil 35.00 16 Greg Schisla (Gtc - Gwinnett Touring Club) 36.00 17 Ian Jones (Oxford Cycling) 45.00 18 James Brookshire (Peachtree Bikes) 47.00 19 Randy Guymer (Rbs Cycling Team) 49.00 20 Paul Sullivan (Winskins Printing) 52.00 21 Ted Moore (360Racing) 22 Ben Horst (Cycle Therapy) 53.00 23 Justin Andrews 55.00 24 Rick Tillman 1.01.00 25 Mike Hopton 26 Katsuhiro Tanda (Team Athens) 1.04.00 27 Will Botens (Rbs Cycling Team) 1.06.00 28 Jeremy Nagoshiner 1.12.00 29 Chris Johns (Chain Reaction Bicycles) 1.21.00 30 Michael Boyco (Smyd) 31 Bill Andrews (Gsmr) 1.28.00 32 Ross Douglas (Augusta Cross Coalition) 1.34.00 33 Greg Bryant 1.36.00 34 Howard Hesterberg (Sledgehammer Charlies Racing) 2.01.00 35 Glendon Tyree (Liquid Fitness Racing) 2.17.00 DNF Christian Leask (Pacesetter Cycling) DNF Gabriel Charvat (Faster Mustache) DNF Zeke Lilly (Cycle South) DNS Kuhn Robert (Hup United) DNS Jeff Armstrong DNS Emory Ball DNS Daniel Gibson (Speedy's #44 Hot Sauce.....) DNS George 'Lawson' Kuehnert DNS Stephan Lapointe (Rome Velo) DNS Brett Miller (Naples Cyclery) DNS Jimmy Miller (Speedy's #44 Hot Sauce) DNS Thori Wolfe DNS Dwight Wyatt (Carolina Fatz) Open Women 1 Carey Lowery (Outdoor Store) 3.21.00 2 Andrea Wilson (Metro Volkswagen Cycling) 3 Kristen Bowers (Sorella Cycling) 22.00 4 Emily Brock 42.00 DNS Laura Weislo Singlespeed 1 Will Black 2.54.00 2 Mark Hekman (Premier Sports Partnership) 7.00 3 Thad Hoffman (Yazoo/Swiftwick) 32.00 4 Charles Reeves 54.00 5 George Mattison V (Team Magic) 1.21.00 DNS Trey Smith (Cycle Therapy) Tandem 1 Andy and Cara Applegate (Cannondale / CCN) 3.25.00
