JUNE 3NORBA 24-HOUR NATIONALS
JUNE 3NORBA 24-HOUR NATIONALS
Round and Rounds Rounds the Clock 24 Hour Event at Riverside State Park, Spokane WA was the official venue of the NORBA National 24 Hour Championships. There were many classes but only the national titles were awarded to the single men, solo women, and the four-person elite male, female, and master classes. Here’s Monique Sawicki’s story about winning her first national title.
NORBA 24 HOURS NATIONALS
Ron Sawicki, Warriors Society
This year, two things were different from last year’s 24 hour NORBA Solo Championships. The course was longer, and the temperature was constant at 101-105 degrees throughout the day. Monique started fast and settled in a rhythm for the remainder of the race. She followed her plan to the letter. She quickly gained the lead, and lap after lap she was able to beat Christina Begy by 5-10 minutes. The Pro men were pushing themselves too hard, battling in the heat all the time. We were approached by the Trek and Gary Fisher camps and they asked us who we were and for whom she rode. It was great to share our knowledge with them! Monique would be beaten by one of the pro men at the end.
By 12 midnight Monique lapped Begy. Begy followed Monique for one lap more and then quit. We turned Moniques’ attention to the men at this point. Tinker had already left because of the heat, and Chris Eatough had taken over second place. Monique was steady as a rock throughout the night, but the male field experienced major changes. Monique saw Chris riding his bike up a hill, and he soon dropped out. Many of the men had fought so hard in the heat that they didn’t have any power in the late hours.
Monique completed 19 laps and travelled over 270 miles. (Not sure how far she was yet). She finished 5th in the men’s National Solo Championship class, a good margin of 4-5 laps. We are going to the Worlds but don’t know how. We can help you find the way.
Husband Ron
1. Starbucks Doubleshot4 Person Master (NATIONAL CHAAMPIONS)2
11. Pend Oreille Caterin5 Coed220. Cameron Chambers (Nat Champ)Solo2 22. Speedy-Reedy4 Pers2 23. Bicycles NW2 Pers2 28. Seattle PolicePoliceFireMilitary2 29. Sloane AndersonSolo2 32. Mario CorreaSolo2 32. Starbucks Doubleshot (Nat Champ),4 Pers Wmn2
