Youth

NCS & CROCT team up to offer youth summer mountain bike camps for 2017

For the 3rd consecutive summer, CROCT is collaborating with Northfield Public Schools Community Services (NCS) to offer mountain biking experiences for area youth.

In 2015, we hosted weekly Monday night group rides, plus an overnight trip to the Cuyuna Lakes MTB Trail System:

In 2016 we added mini-clinics at the start of the weekly Monday night group rides:

For 2017, we’re hosting three Youth Mountain Bike Camps (3-hour clinics each day for a week).

Description: Learn the basics of mountain biking from the IMBA certified mountain bike instructors at Cannon River Offroad Cycling & Trails (CROCT). The camp will consist of lessons on the operation of the bike (brakes, shifting), basic body position, skills (cornering, climbing, descents, ratcheting, front and rear wheel lifts), and terrain challenges (logovers, skinnies, switchbacks, bermed & flat corners). A variety of group games, some bike maintenance tips, and open riding in the Sechler skills park will be included.

The camps run Mon-Thur, either 9-noon or 1-4, with a rain make-up day on Fridays. If the Sechler trail is closed due to flooding, other city or school district parks in Northfield or Dundas will be used.

A mountain bike safety check is required a week or more prior to a camp, performed at no-charge by Downtown Bikes in Northfield. (A limited number of mountain bikes will be available to rent for the week.) Participants must wear a helmet, and carry their own water (bottle cage or pack) and a snack.

Location: Sechler Park MTB Trail, Northfield

Cost: $160/pair; $90/single, registration required

Dates: 

June 12-16: 9 am-noon, ages 9-13 – Lead instructor: – Griff Wigley
July 24-28: 1-4 pm, ages 14-18 – Lead instructor: Ted Siefkes
July 31-Aug 3: 1-4 pm, ages 9-13 – Canceled

Online registration opens on Friday, April 14 at the NCS website.

Here’s a draft PDF of the page describing the camps. It will appear in the summer 2017 NCS brochure that will be sent to all households in the school district:

thumbnail of CROCT – NCS summer youth mtb camps 2017

 

 

Advocacy, Clubs, Competition, Fundraisers

Snow Crush 2017 – Recap, Results, Pictures!

Startline (photo by Griff Wigley)
Startline (photo by Griff Wigley)

Making the most of a sparse winter, CROCT staged a successful fatbike race in January, hosting 84 hardy racers in the second annual Snow Crush.

Held on Saturday, January 14, the Snow Crush was a true community event – run by CROCT, sponsored by F-Town Brewing, supported by Milltown bike shop in Faribault, and held at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault.

This year’s Snow Crush included three distances to suit racers of any ability. Reflecting the growing popularity of fatbike racing in Minnesota, this year’s field was a third larger than in 2015, when 65 racers turned out. Gorgeous 20-degree weather helped draw a crowd, and made the tracks for the 6, 12, and 16 miles races nearly perfect.

Leaders in the 16-mile race (photo by Jim Wellbrock)
Leaders in the 16-mile race (photo by Jim Wellbrock)

Charles Wolf (St Peter) won the 16-mile race advanced race in1:22:58, taking a narrow two-second win over Mitch Brekke (Albert Lea). Nick Zawadski (Minneapolis) finished third in 1:23:33. Chelsea Strate (Minneapolis) easily won the women’s 16-mile race in 1:35:10, ahead of Robin Williams at 1:42:40.

In the men’s 12-mile intermediate race, David Chlet took the win in 1:17:00, followed by Scott Perkinson at 1:19:55 and Tony Lema at 1:20:11. Kris Brazil (Faribault) won the women’s intermediate in 1:24:26, ahead of Megan Beer in 1:28:08.

In the 6-mile beginner race, Ann Paulson and Mike Rost (Faribault) won, 1:20:20 and 58:00, respectively. Anna Perkinson took second place in the women’s beginner category (1:23:50), while Ben Lema  took second (1:00:00) andAndrew Tubesing took third (1:03:00).

Full results are posted online, as are three galleries of photos:

Following the race, everyone retired to F-Town Brewing for an after-party and awards, and Faribault radio station Power 96 posted a nice write-up on the race as well.

Advocacy, Competition, Fundraisers

Registration now open for the Snow Crush Fatbike Race and Fundraiser – Saturday, January 14, 2017

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For the second straight year, CROCT is teaming up with F-Town Brewing in Faribault to host the Snow Crush fatbike race and fundraiser at River Bend Nature Center on Saturday, January 14, 2017. Registration is now open! Here’s the PDF poster:

Snow Crush 2017
Snow Crush 2017

Just like last year, racers will ride a beautiful groomed trail through River Bend’s forest, prairie, and river bottoms.

Racers on Course
Racers on Course

We can’t be sure it’ll be as delightfully frosty as last year! See the 2016 results here, and on Facebook, photos of racers and of the event.

Icebeard
Icebeard

To suit a wide range of fatbike riders, we are offering three race classes:

  • advanced: four laps of the course, 16 miles total
  • intermediate: three laps, 12 miles
  • beginner: two laps, 8 miles

Register online now at the discounted rate of $25 or at River Bend on race day for $30. Note also that we’ve made plans for a back-up date in case uncooperative weather prevents us from running the race on January 14.

RBNC
RBNC

In addition to enjoying the fun at River Bend during the event, racers and spectators can head to an after party at F-Town Brewing for awards, beer, hot food, and product demos by Milltown Premium Adventure Goods, Bikestud, and others. We’re grateful to all the event sponsors: F-Town, Milltown, Tandem Bagels in Northfield, Stoke Coffee Roasters of Northfield, and 45NRTH.

The full schedule of the day’s events:
12:00PM: Registration & race setup at River Bend Nature Center (1000 Rustad Road, Faribault)
12:45PM: Racer meeting
1:00PM: Start for advanced and intermediate (16 and 12 miles)
1:05PM: Start for  beginners (8 miles)
4:00PM: After party with pizza, beer, music, & awards at F-Town Brewing Company (22 4th Street NE, Faribault)

2016 After Party
2016 After Party
Trail work, Volunteers

Josh & Jayden Seifert lead the upgrade to CROCT’s Sechler skills park

CROCT member Josh Seifert has redesigned and led a major redevelopment of the skills area in Sechler Park this fall, adding 3 table top jumps, a large wooden berm dubbed Bermzilla, a stockade berm, and several rollers:

Sechler skills park redesign sketch - Josh Seifert Josh Seifert CROCT volunteers - Sechler skills park

His son Jayden has been working at his side much of the time:

Jayden Seifert Jayden Seifert Josh & Jayden Seifert

Josh & Jayden Seifert Josh & Jayden Seifert Josh & Jayden Seifert

As we were about to reopen the park, major flooding of the Cannon River in late September did some damage:

flood-damaged Sechler skills park flood-damaged Sechler skills park flood-damaged Sechler skills park

While waiting for the water to recede, Josh and Jayden spent Saturday Oct 3 at the Lebanon Hills MTB park in Eagan for Dakota County’s Wild Mountain Festival and IMBA’s Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day.

Dakota County's Wild Mountain Festival at Lebanon Hills MTB Park

Like last year, Jayden won the race for his age group. Like other parents, his dad had to race on Jayden’s bike:

Jayden Seifert Jayden Seifert

Jayden Seifert Josh Seifert

Josh and a small team of volunteers did the repairs to the Sechler skills park yesterday:

repairs to Sechler skills park repairs to Sechler skills park

repaired Sechler skills park repaired Sechler skills park

We hope to open later this week, as soon as the dirt hardens.

Trail work

CROCT’s Sechler skills park is getting an upgrade

More details to come when it’s open but here are two Tweets: