May 4/06 1:35 am - Blizzard Bike Club News

Posted by Editoress on 05/4/06
 

Blizzard Bike ClubFort St. John, BC

May 1st



The Blizzard Bike Club of Fort St. John brought in twenty-six riders to overwhelm the competition at last Sunday's first Challenge Cup race in Dawson Creek.

The Blizzards won 122 points with Stephen Ferris the overall winner. Dawson Creek had ten riders and 39 points. The defending champion team of Grande Prairie was held to just 24 points.

It has been fifteen years since Dawson Creek has put on a Challenge Cup race but they put on a good show. Forty riders came out to race in the 'Sweetwater Sweat race' on the Rolla road. They had the choice of eleven, twenty-five or fifty kilometre distances.

The 50 km event was a tough one. Twenty-three riders contested the hilly and windy circuit. Stephen Ferris (Bliz) eventually broke away from the pack to come in alone with a time of 1:25:56 hours. Robin Baillie (Bliz) out sprinted GP's Joe Radench for second at 1:28:24. Pat Ferris (Bliz) won the sprint for 4th from DC's Trevor Kolkea and GP Penny Thompson at 1:29:38. Bob Andrews (B) was 7th at 1:30:40, Jamie Kroschel (DC) 1:31:21, Kolton Chapman(DC) 1:31:23 and Les Elliot (B) 1:33:35 to round out the top ten times. Other riders were Ken Perry 1:34:15, Darrin Graw 1:35:10, Mark Kildaw 1:35:27, Gary Hilderman 1:35:54, Kevin Cooper 1:40:47, Richard Wood 1:40:47, Sam Keats 1:40:47, Jolea Bilodeau 1:40:50, Gord Harris 1:40:54, Barb Polehoykie 1:40:55, Dan Strasky 1:40:50, Dayna Stickel 1:52:41 and Francis Plum 1:52:54.

Roger Bouchard of DC won the 25 km event with 50:29. Gillian Manson (DC) was second at 50:57 and Colter Young (B) was third at 52:41. Other times were Rob Humphries 54:38, Ken Nix 54:59, Adam Bilodeau 53:13, Sara Kolkea 55:52, Floyd Polehoykie 57:45, Eva St. jean 58:20, Suzi Bach 60:24 and Kendra Young 1:01:18.

Grant Spelsberg (B) was the winner of the 11 km event at 25:57 minutes. Estelle Nix (B) was second at 27:15 and Deb Humphries (DC) third at 30:03. Other times were Lois Harris 33:38, Pat Andrews 38:53, and Shelley Sandness 49:23.

The next Challenge Cup is May 14th in Grande Prairie.

Coming up: The Blizzards are having the 23rd Annual Blizzard (men) Phoenix (women) and Under 19 (junior) trophy time trials, Sunday, on the Montney 15 Mile circuit. Riders will be taking aim at the 20 year old record time of 35:11 minutes held by Pat Ferris since 1986. Race time is at 2 pm at the Pineview Pullout, just north of Fort St. John.