Shawn and I are back from Guatemala...and things are still a bit fuzzy. Talk about needing a vacation, after your vacation. It was definitely a blast, altho getting there was harder than the qualifying race! The Saturday before we were flying out (on Thurs) our airline went bankrupt! After alot of deliberation and internet ticket hunting we ended up scoring tickets that were only $35 more than we had originally paid back in May and 2 days before original departure- game was still on.
We got to Guatemala City and stayed there for the first 5 days. Lots of wandering around, eating and drinking. Everyone seems surprised that we stayed in Zone 1 and loved it. Yeah sure all the security guards, police and army dudes carry huge machine guns. But the central market kept us entertained most of the time.
The Guatemala National Velodrome is there, but unfortunately we could find no address or person who knew how to get there. One cab driver took us almost all the way there and decided to go any further it would be 200 more Quetzales. Bummer.
On Monday we headed to the airport to meet our CMWC escort to Panajachel. Gustavo was a very proud Guatemalan who knew a lot of history and was way cool to talk to. We ended up getting to know him pretty well since the roads had been eaten up by the landslides and we got stuck en route to Pana. :(
We missed most of the crazy chaotic travel days around to Lake Atitlan..But still had our own adventures getting there. We ended up staying in TecPan, Guatemala's first capitol. The best food we had all trip! YUM!
After massive cleaning of the roads we were able to get thru on Tuesday afternoon. At one point all passengers had to walk across a foot bridge where there was a bad turn. Only drivers were allowed to pass. I guess they figure better to lose one than a whole car, van or truck full of people. Yikes!
Upon arriving in rainy Panajachel we were greeted by a very grumpy and rude organizer. If you know him, then you know his ways i guess. I wasn't impressed tho and didn't think coming all the way down there deserved to be treated like shit! Nadir and Andy ruled on the other hand! Along with all the volunteers! (Lola!!!)
The next couple days become VERY blurry. I had 2 birthday parties in this time frame. Cake and LOTS of beers! Hello Gallo!!
We missed the group ride around the lake being stuck in TecPan unfortunately. So instead we took a private boat across the lake to San Pedro and rode around there for a day. It was beautiful!
Before we knew it the Welcome party had begun. Shawn had went for a 54 K ride, 27 of it uphill to a 10,000 ft plus summit. I hung with the Australians, Germans, Swiss, Polish, Japanese, Guatemalans, Americans, and ....
Sleepless night before...
Race day!
I was in the first heat. My stomach was all nerves starting at 8 am. Each person racing got a cell phone and was told to wait for a call dispatching you to your first checkpoint. At the first checkpoint you receive your manifest. You got 1 hour to make the most Q. You were penalized for being late, and going the wrong way down one ways.
It was really fun. The course was somewhat blocked off to the public. Altho tuck tucks, street-dogs and oblivious locals seemed to not care. Mountain bikes were a plenty. Cross bikes seemed the best. We brought our Colnago and Tommasini road bikes w/25c's which definitely did the trick. With luck we got no flats over the cobble stones and gravel that made up half the course.
Neither of us qualified! HA! They accepted 5 girls and 30 boys from the 1st qualifying.
I got 9th, Shawn got 41st...due to his own as well as organizer/checkpoint error :(
They did a 2nd qualifying race but we didn't participate. I think I regretted that a little. But since I usually just party it up, I was stoked to have tried at all!
The awards ceremony was really fun. Food and traditional Guatemalan dancers that had an amazing firework display. Everyone was so thankful for being together there. A lot of prize bags and bikes got donated to the local riders.
Our girl Tron killed it. She was one of few who brought a track bike down, and her skidding, backwards circles, and track standing skills earned her a couple awesome prize bags and jerseys.
Our boy Kai Edel from Germany also killed it. Not only did he ride his bike from NYC to Panajachel on a fixed gear but he took 1st in the cargo race and 3rd in backwards circles.
(Plus qualifying in top 10) Oh Snap! We love you guys! XO
I guess this wraps up our report. I am sure others have better stories of racing and partying.
Here are our adventure photos! Guatemala we loved you, and we will miss the rest of you we only get to see once a year at these things!
-Gina Marie + more photos to come!
MAIN RACE:
| 1 Craig Etheridge | 50 | Hodala! | Male | Seattle | USA | 1-10 years |
| 2 Austin Horse | 3 | | Male | Brooklyn | United States | 1-10 years |
| 3 SINO | 79 | Japanachel TAKATA | Male | Meguro,Tokyo | JAPAN | 1-10 years |
| 4 'coach' Mike Pearce | 54 | Los Gallos Mas Gallos | Male | Washington | USA | 1-10 years |
| 5 Marcin Stoch | 173 | KASPIO | Male | Warszawa / Krakow | Polska | 1-10 years |
| 1 Reitzel Josephine | 95 | Team Australia | Female | Lausanne | Suisse | 1-10 years |
| 2 Christina Peck | 147 | Chicago Cuttin Crew | Female | Chicago | United States | 1-10 years |
| 3 Kate Schrock | 53 | Los Gallos Mas Gallos | Female | Washington | United States | 1-10 Years |
| 4 YUKI | 808 | Japanachel TAKATA | Female | Tokyo | Japan | 1-10 years |
| 5 Meredith Begin | 63 | Los Gallos Mas Gallos | Female | Washington DC | United States | 1-10 years |
Top local KEVIN T ZUTL
LA OCHO
1 Ivonne Kraft Karlsruhe, Germany
2 Mike “Coach” Pearce Washington, DC, USA
3 Francisco Dz Ul Medrano Panajachel, Guatemala
SPRINT:
| 1 Ivonne Kraft | 900 | team bega |
| 2 Reitzel Josephine | 224 | Los Maya's de La Carerra Cycles |
| 3 Kate Schrock | 95 | Team Australia |
| 1 Brooks Rapley | 224 | Los Maya's de La Carerra Cycles |
| 2 Veit Rueckert | 911 | Team Australia |
| 3 Matsudo | 940 | Japanachel TAKATA |
CARGO RACE:
1st – male/female Kai Edel / Ivonne Kraft
2nd – male/female Beaver / Nina Roettgers
3rd – male/female Kevin Barnhorst / Merideth Begin
TRACKSTAND:
1st – male/female Veit rueckert / Tron
2nd – male/female Matsudo / reitzel Josephine
3rd – male/female Strom / Christina Peck
Top local / Mario Pichya
BACKWARDS CIRCLES:
1st – male/female Veit Rueckert / Tron
2nd – male/female Mason / Meredith Begin
3rd – male/ Kai Edel
SKID:
1st – male/female Strom / Meredith Begin
2nd – male/female SAFA / Tron
3rd – male/ Obi Nobel
BUNNY HOP:
1st – male/female Beaver / Ivonne Kraft
2nd – male/female Steve Porno Frolich / Reitzel Josephine
3rd – male/ Obi Nobel
Top local / Gabriel Launcho
TOP VET Ivonne Kraft
TOP ROOKIE None
DFL Biker Bill
TOP OVERALL RIDER Meredith Begin
TOP OVERALL TEAM Team Australia
MOST SPIRITED RIDER Obi Nobel
BEST CHECKPOINT Noe Bunnell and Nora
BEST VOLUNTEERS Anton Bennett, Kell McKenzie
