Local mountain bikers continue to impress in regular season finale

By barstoolfanatics on May 4, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Submitted photos – HCMTB coach Errin Odell, who served as race course marshal this past week, with with Eureka High exchange student Itsuki Kitayama from Japan.

A brief but busy regular season wrapped up for the Humboldt Composite Mountain Bike Team (HCMTB) in Petaluma this past weekend, with Hailey Kroeker once again leading the local charge.

Kroeker has been the team’s most consistent rider this spring and capped a strong campaign by placing fourth overall in the varsity girls season standings.

Having honed her skills while training on the steep hills of the Arcata Community Forest, Kroeker placed sixth in Sunday’s race in windy conditions.

Several other HCMTB riders also impressed in Sunday’s finale, capping another big regular season for the team, which is made up of riders from multiple different local high schools.

In the boys freshmen race, HCMTB’s Dinon McIntosh battled sickness on his way to finishing 23rd, while teammate Sawyer Katri impressed his peers after fighting his way from the back of the pack of 65 riders on his way to finishing 31st.

In the freshman girls race, HCMTB’s Evelyn Seemann had a good day, passing several competitors with an outstanding second lap on her way to placing 15th, while in the JV girls race, her teammate Sasha Love placed 39th

In JV boys action, a pair of HCMTB riders impressed, including Itsuki Kitayama who finished strong on his way to placing 30th out of 72 riders, while teammate Nico Costanzo was not far behind and placed 41st.

Some of the riders described the course as grueling, but that didn’t deter any of the younger competitors.

In sophomore boys action, HCTMB’s Nolan Kavanaugh was 32nd and teammate Ranger Code 37th.

With the regular season compete, the local riders will now turn their attention to the NorCal championships, which will take place at the Six Sigma Vineyards in Lake County this coming weekend.