Triathlon Nationals!

2009 USA Triathlon Age-Group Nationals: Tuscaloosa, AL 8/22 - Female triathlete, Alex Forte, took a road-trip down to Alabama for the 2009 USAT National Championships. Alex placed
15th in her division, finishing the 1.5K Swim, 40K Bike, 10K Run in a total time of 2:26:35. This qualifies her for the 2010 ITU World Championships in Budapest, Hungary!

From ROAD to XC . . .

As the summer winds down, Brian Marsh's racing doesn't. Bunny-hopping back and forth between road races and mountain bike/XC races, Brian reps the blue and white in true BSPT fashion. Although he finished 5th at the Kenda Cup East/Yankee Clipper XC Race in Windham, NY (8/15), Brian's story pay tribute to the type of competitor that he is. The following is from an email he sent after the race:
"Alright so I have never done anything so last min. I left culpeper wens night with no hotel and no directions only a gps bike and plans of a good race. Worked out well. Drove all night to get here at 6:30am. Find a cheap motel and I'm set. My race goes off at 8am sat. Had a good start sitting in 4th and work my way to 2nd and in typical fashion I poke a hole in my tire. I pull off remind myself to stay cool I have had plenty of practice I get a fresh tube in and off I go. Another 2 laps to go I start knocking out spots on the climb after falling to dead last. I some how manage to pull myself back into 5th place but couldn't catch the last guys. I am certain I would have had a 2nd place finish if it wasn't for the flat. I missed the podium by a min and half and figure I changed the tube in 3 mins. That's my luck."
It's ok, you are 2nd in our book, Brian :)

STAMPEDE ON HORSESHOE MOUNTAIN: Nelson County, VA 8/22 - Brian also posted a 1st place finish at the race located at Devils Backbone Brewery.

BSPT teams up on the road

Page Valley Road Race: Luray, VA 8/9 - What's better than two BSPT members? Three! The road crew of Brian Marsh, Jacob Aber, and Michele Scherer took a drive out to Luray for the day, bringing home 1st (Brian), 2nd (Michele), and 11th (Jacob) finishes. Nice work, team!

Greenbelt Training Series: Greenbelt, MD 8/5 - Tag-team roadies, Brian Marsh and Jacob Aber, finished 1-2 consecutively, showing the field what it means to be a BSPT member. Keep it coming, guys!

540 Cycling Development Criterium Series #2: Warrenton, VA 8/1 - Female roadie, Michele Scherer made her criterium debute, placing 5th in her division at her first road race. This is only the beginning!

Olympic Competitors and Such . . .

Culpeper Sprint Triathlon: 8/2 Mountain Run Lake Park, Culpeper, VA - Julia Peck (team member and sponsor), Alex Forte (team member), and Jacob Aber (team member), Ed Norlander (team supporter), and Rebecca Carter-Leftwich (team supporter).
A group of BSPT team members and supporters competed in the 5th Annual Culpeper Sprint Triathlon this weekend. Among the 700 competitors at the 750 meter swim, 16 mile bike, and 5k run event was 2004 Athens Olympic Bronze medal triathlete, Susan Williams, who finished as 1st overall woman!

Alex Forte: 2nd overall woman (1:22:26)

Julia Peck: 2nd age-group (1:38:23)
Jacob Aber: 5th age-group (1:35:02)

Ed Norlander: 5th age-group (1:34:38)

Podium, Podium, and More Podium . . .

The Cranky Monkey Race #1: Wakefield, Annandale, VA 7/26 - Brian "Stix" Marsh brought home another podium 3rd place finish, posting almost identical lap times for the 4-lap course and a final time of 1:42:24. Crank it up!

540 Cycling Development Criterium Series #1: Warrenton, VA 7/26 - Jacob Aber scored yet another podium spot, finishing 2nd place in the Junior road race.

Charlottesville International Triathlon: 7/26 Walnut Creek Park, Charlottesville, VA - Triathletes Alex Forte and Dave Jones ventured out to the hilly and gnarly Walnut Creek Park course for an international/olympic distance triathlon this past weekend. For the 1500m lake swim, 25 mile bike, and 10k trail run, Alex placed 2nd overall female (2:19:34 overall time) while Dave finished 1st in his division (2:17:29 overall time). BSPT tag-team!

Wednesdays at Wakefield (#4): 7/22 Annandale, VA - Stix started out the race week with a 3rd place finish at the final "Wednesdays at Wakefield" Series race. Completing the 16 mile course in a total time of 60:12 (a full 2 minutes faster than his time on the same course the week before!). Bring it on Stix!

Greenbelt Park Training Race Series: 7/22 Greenbelt Park, Greenbelt, MD - Junior roadie, Jacob "J-Bird" Aber finished 1st out of 30 cyclist in the recent Greenbelt race. Keep it up with the champion spots J!

Downhill Back-to-Back Weekends

Highland - Gravity East Series: Highland Mountain Bike Park, Northfield, NH 7/11&12/09 - Male downhill rider, James Boyer, placed 4th in his division in a time of 3:18:37 at the Highland Downhill race. The following weekend, July 18 & 19, James finished 5th at the Attitash - Gravity East Series event (Bartlett, NH) in a time of 3:42:38. He's a downhill machine!

BSPT goes Off-Road

XTERRA EX2: 7/12 Rocky Gap State Park, Flintstone, MD - Female off-road triathlete, Julia Peck, made the 3 hour trip to compete in this "brutal" and challenging race. In fact, the trail run included rock scrambles and cliff-side feast of strength (*see above photo). Finishing 2nd place in her division (out of 8) and 172 overall among men and women (out of 416), Julia completed the 3/4 mile swim, 14 mile mountain bike, and 5 mile train run in a total time of 3:19:32. She continues to be ranked #1 in the XTERRA regional rankings for the Mid-Atlantic. Yeah Jules!
























Battle at Burke: 7/19 Burke Farm, Rixeyville, VA - 3 team members and 2 team supporters showed up at CAMBO's Burke Farm for the annual "battle" mountain bike race. First timer, Alex Forte, placed as 1st female and 2nd overall in the Beginner race, followed closely by Jacob "J-Bird" Aber who finished as 3rd male and 4th overall. Team supporters Ed Norlander and Mark Munn also competed and finished as 14th and 15th men consecutively. Later in the day, junior star rider, Daniel "Twiggy" Austin, placed as 9th male and 12th overall in the Sport class. Nice work team!