A Kenda racer (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Members of the Kenda Titus Hayes women's mountain bike team took their first podium of the 2008 season by winning the four person women's category of the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo this past weekend in Tucson, Arizona. Team members Zephanie Blasi, Heather Holmes, Krista Park and Amanda Riley covered 19 laps of the 16 mile course during the 24 hour event, finishing two laps ahead of their closest competitors Menage A Quatro (Deborah Martin- Wille, Linden Kimmerer, Sue Rawley, Jennifer Sica) in second and Swiss Chix (Lisa Barnes, Nicole Eikenberry, Chrissy Saraceni, Karen Lewis) in third.
The Kenda team was clearly not slowed by the fire that broke out in the welding area of the Titus factory last Friday. Fortunately, the team, which was there assembling bikes, was able to relocate to a nearby hotel for final bike assembly and new team kit testing.
The morning of the race brought dry skies but cold temperatures in the low 30s (degrees Fahrenheit). Thanks to some pre-race rains, Team Kenda was among those who visited a muddy ditch en route to the race on a weekend that would just keep getting nicer with temperatures rising into the high 50s with clear skies on Sunday. The early season race, held in the desert climate of Arizona, drew many big names to the race. Most were there to have fun and test both their February legs and new equipment for 2008.
