LA World Cup recap

You can spend your time, waste your time, or invest your time. It's your choice.

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January 18-20th ~ The 2008 LA World Cup is now a thing of the past. What a fantastic weekend of racing!! It was non-stop excitement and energy!! From the infield antics of the athletes and volunteers to the lumberyard drama as medals were won and lost in thousandths of a second. Over 400 athletes from all over the world came together in LA to earn their chance to represent their country as an Olympic Athlete in Beijing, China this summer.

I promise you all, the Women of the World Cup are some of the sweetest Ladies I have ever met. It is hard to believe that Ladies as sweet as Jennie, Becky & Christen can be such ferocious athletes in competition. They only stop smiling long enough to get the job done!!

I had the opportunity to get to know a few international athletes and their coaches and the trend of “niceness” never stopped. The Chilean team manger lives locally and was thrilled to have his team here. His athletes were even more thrilled to have hired a very sweet Lady who happens to be among the best massage therapists in LA County. Between race sessions, the Dutch team managers generously shared their wonderful coffee and delicious chocolate treats with us. The French showed their ingenuity by turning a pair of abandoned shopping carts into rolling equipment carts for their mechanical staff. One of their carts was loaded down with more than a dozen race wheels hanging on it, at least a half dozen rollers in it and 4 flats of water and other assorted beverages on the bottom! The Koreans shared photos of family members at home who could not be here. The Canadians and Americans sat back to back in one corner while the Dutch team shared their new found electrical hook up with the French. A young Lady from Estonia (who speaks excellent English) shared with us that she does not even have a track to train on at home and her winters are spent speed skating. Many of the athletes enjoyed their LAWC experience so much that they delayed their flights home so they could stay an extra week.

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Many Huge “Thank You’s” to all LA World Cup Volunteers ~ We had a fabulous bunch of eager volunteers who never stopped smiling as they helped with whatever needed to be done. Meals were delivered, copies were made, communiqués were distributed, commissaries were informed, water bottles were filled, cabins were set up, helmet rules were enforced, languages were interpreted, sponges were placed, bullets were purchased, athletes were escorted, the apron was swept, the VIP’s enjoyed guided tours, the spectators were greeted, the volunteers were fed, the start gates were loaded, the athletes were shuttled and the Podium Girls were gorgeous!!

Thank you EVERYONE!!

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Sunday January 27th ~ Lightning Velo’s Winter Classic Track Race will be this coming weekend. It is the first race of the 2008 Track Season. The morning onmium begins at 9AM and will include separate race divisions for Women 35+, Women 45+ and beginning Women Cat 4. The afternoon omnium begins at 12:30 and includes separate race divisions for Women Cat 3-4 and Women Cat 1-2.

For more information see the LA Velodrome’s website.
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Sunday January 27th ~ Lightning Velo’s Winter Classic Bike Swap and sale will be held at the LA Velodrome in conjunction with the Winter Classic Track Race. For more information, please visit the LA Velodrome’s website.

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Saturday February 2nd ~ The 8th Annual Boulevard Road Race
Presented By UCSD Cycling. The first road race of the 2008 race season is here! Master’s Ladies: you will notice that this race offers a WCat 3-4 & a W35+ category in addition to a WCat 1-3 event. http://scnca.org/2008%20Race%20Flyers/Blvd.pdf

The entire 2008 SCNCA Racing Calendar is now available.

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The February Ladies Only Track Session (LOTS) date will be announced as soon as the date is confirmed!

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Have a super week Ladies!!

Julia