Graham Casleton earning the top tier of the podium joined by teammate Maxim Zadina in 4th place in the boys’ 6th grade race on Sunday. Courtesy photo.
Owen Tucker tackling the chunky descent. Courtesy photo
BY PAULA KNEPPER
Los Alamos NICA Coach
Fourteen athletes from the Los Alamos High School and Middle School National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) team traveled to Tijeras, NM, on Sunday, September 20, to compete in the Manzanita Mountain Madness. More than 200 youth cyclists from fifth through 12th grade gathered for a day of mountain bike racing on the trails at Oak Flats. After a rainy week, Sunday brought beautiful weather and excellent conditions. The sun was shining, the trails were in great shape, and the Los Alamos riders were ready to put their legs to work.
The youngest Los Alamos racers kicked off the day in the 5th Grade Boys division. Owen Tucker had a strong ride to finish second, with James Schulze close behind in third. Jasper Matthews rounded out the Los Alamos group with a fourth-place finish. Having three Los Alamos riders finish among the top four made for an exciting start to the day. In the 6th Grade Boys division, Graham Casleton put together a strong race to take the top spot. Teammate Maxim Zadina also had a solid ride, finishing fourth.
The 8th Grade races brought another strong showing from Los Alamos. In the 8th Grade A Boys division, Quanah Moseley continued his impressive racing with a first-place finish. Evan Guerrero and Brecken Hanson battled through the course as well, finishing seventh and 10th, respectively. Nora Tucker represented Los Alamos in the 8th Grade B Girls division and rode to a fourth-place finish.
The high school riders faced deep and competitive fields in their respective divisions. Leann Harwell raced in JV2 Girls, finishing seventh. In JV1 Boys, Cullen McLean crossed the finish line in eighth, while Calvin Grow finished 15th. Adis Bock raced in the JV2 Boys division and finished eighth, while Elijah Dinkel represented Los Alamos in the JV3 Boys race, finishing 10th.
With athletes ranging from fifth grade through high school, the Los Alamos team continues to grow and develop as a group. For many of the younger riders, these races are an opportunity to learn what it takes to race a mountain bike while gaining confidence and experience. The older riders provide great examples for the younger athletes, and the team atmosphere makes each race weekend about much more than individual results.
Manzanita Mountain Madness was a beautiful day to be on the bike. After a wet week, the sunshine and dry conditions were a welcome change, and the athletes made the most of it. From the first racers of the morning to the final high school finishers, Los Alamos riders showed up ready to race, encourage their teammates and enjoy another day on the trails.
The team will carry the experience from Tijeras into the next race weekend October 10-11 at Pajarito mountain as the New Mexico NICA season continues. Come out to Pajarito to keep the stoke high and support the Los Alamos team on October 11th.
James Schultze demonstrating smooth is fast. Courtesy photo.
Los Alamos high school athletes Ian McLean, Seb Koglin, and Will Nettleton all recovering from a variety of injuries showed up to support the event as announcers along with Coach Tony Hinojosa. Courtesy photo