Team Houseman Racing Clinics

National Mountain-Cross Champion Rich Houseman will be teaching 4-Cross/Mountaincross skills clinics during the 2009 Southridge Winter Race series in Fontana, California. The clinics will take place on Saturdays before the 4-Cross event. Rich will be teaching race fundamentals on the Southridge race course, such as starting gate technique, cornering, jumping, passing and more. The skills clinic costs $75 per person, and is limited to a class of 10 riders. The Southridge Winter race series begins January 10, 2009.

Visit www.southridgeusa.com for directions and race info.  Visit www.teamhousemanracing.com for clinic registration and information.

Aussie National #3 - You Yangs

Elite Men
1. Cavalier, Amiel 2:26.63
2. Kelly, Brad 2:28.67
3. Rischbieth, Will 2:28.93
4. Boyer, Rick 2:29.17
5. Button, Joshua 2:29.69
6. West, David 2:30.29
7. Bell, Ben 2:31.68
8. Yates, Craig 2:32.41
9. Swann, Alex 2:33.04
10. Oien, Brad 2:33.05 (USA)

U19 Men
1. Oconnor, Shaun 2:30.43
2. Gower, William 2:30.60
3. Murrell, Tamryn 2:32.32
4. Willemse, Rhys 2:33.93
5. Moore, Antony 2:34.56

Elite Women
1. Whiteman, Claire 2:52.39
2. Macleod, Sheryl 2:57.78
3. Douglas, Leigh 3:01.44
4. Smith, Cara 3:03.57
5. Lewis, Emma 3:09.84

Full results here

Nathan Rennie Leaves SantaCruz Syndicate

SYNDICATE THANKS NATHAN RENNIE FOR FIVE GREAT YEARS!

December 11, 2008
Santa Cruz, California

The Santa Cruz Syndicate would like to announce the departure of Nathan Rennie from the squad as he looks to competing in 2009 with a new team (to be announced soon), and express our gratitude for the five years he raced for us from 2004 through 2008. His three year contract with Santa Cruz was up and he has explored other options moving forward in his career and has chosen to race for another team. His big presence and sense of humor will be sorely missed as well as his powerhouse performances on the racetrack. We wish him well on his new team and will continue to be proud of him and his efforts.

Through the five years on the Syndicate Rennie has been the foundation of the squad. He brought so much laughter and story telling to the group along with many crazy beard configurations and horrifying haircuts for our entertainment. I don't know how Josh Bryceland will be able to fill in, he barely has a whisker! Seriously though, Rennie climbed the podium 40 times in the five years for us, was twice Australian National Champion and earned a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships and helped the Syndicate earn the #1 UCI Downhill Team Championship in 2008 while wearing the Syndicate colors.

Rob Roskopp remarks about Rennie, "An incredible rider, comedian, good friend and all around great man.... Rennie will be greatly missed. We wish him all the best moving forward"

Steve Peat says, "I would like to thank Nathan for all the fun times we have had together over the last three years I've been on the Syndicate. He was the King Pin when I joined the Syndicate and I learned lots from him. He always has the best stories and is always good fun to hang out with. I can't wait until "Renoir's Memoir's" hits the newsstands. He is an asset to any bike company and a great friend to me. All the best with your new ride, mate!"

"I have known Nathan two years now but only properly since I have been on the Syndicate with him. He is a great teammate on and off the track and he had me in stitches all year long. I know Nathan will fit right on to any team with his personality and I wish him all the best in the future. It was a pleasure doing business with ya Renoir!" says Josh Bryceland.

Greg Minnaar congratulates Nathan on his new ride and says, "I have always looked up to Nathan as one of the best downhillers in the world, so to finally be able to see the "Beast" manhandle that V10 in person definitely amped me up every time we rode. Good luck bud, I hope this new change brings a fresh spark to your racing."

In conclusion Nathan has this to say, "I just want to thank everyone involved with the Santa Cruz Syndicate including everyone back in Santa Cruz. All I can say is that I'm a little lost for words. For some time now I have needed some change in my life, on and off the bike. I feel a change for me is for the best in all aspects. I am looking forward to getting back to my best and having the right outlook to better myself, and the new people around me.

I have so many people to thank so of course, in true Rennie fashion I would like to thank the gift that we can all agree on which is the creation of the "wheel". Myself and the wheel have a love hate relationship, but it always seems to keep turning.
I'm going to keep this short and sweet because it's not like I'm losing any friends with my choice to change, it's only giving myself a chance to shine like the kind of red Ozzy kid I am. I look forward to seeing you all at the races same as any year.
Keep it real, from your mate Nathan. Lots a love."

I'll have to cut the apron strings and let my boy move on, but Nathan will always be a family member to all of us on the Syndicate and at Santa Cruz Bicycles. Thanks for the memories Nathan!!

THANKS TO THE SYNDICATE SPONSORS:

Santa Cruz Bicycles
SRAM
RockShox
Truvativ
Avid
Maxxis
DT Swiss
WTB
Crankbrothers
Lizard Skins
Clif Bar
Troy Lee Designs
Chris King
Five Ten

Brian Lopes Chooses WTB

We are proud to announce a new partnership with legendary mountain bike racer Brian Lopes.

Lopes will be riding and racing exclusively on WTB’s high-end saddles. Each of Lopes’ team-issue Ibis race bikes will be outfitted with WTB’s Silverado SLT saddles.

“I am stoked to ride WTB for a couple of reasons,” Lopes stated. “First, the Silverado is the most comfortable saddle I’ve ever used: It felt great straight away and I haven’t had a single issue. I’m also excited to work with such a great company,” he added. “The folks at WTB are not only cool guys, they’re bad-ass cyclists.”

Lopes is the most successful mountain bike racer in world. The 37-year-old American has four world championship and nine national championship titles to his name and has won 25 world cups in a range of disciplines including four-cross, dual slalom, downhill and BMX. Lopes has been inducted into both the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame as well as the BMX Hall of Fame.

And the fiercely competitive athlete still has something to prove. Lopes’ goals this upcoming season are to win more races in a wider range of disciplines. “I want to show everyone how well-rounded I am,” he stated. “I like to do it all.” In just the past three weeks—the off-season for most pros—Lopes has raced elite-level BMX and cyclocross.

Welcome to the team Lopes!

Panaracer Partners w/ Cedric Gracia!

Panaracer and racer Cedric Gracia have signed a multi-year contract to develop and market a line of Cedric Gracia branded tires to be sold starting in 2010.

“Panaracer has long been known as a market leader in the mountain bike market and joining forces with Cedric will help take us to the next level," said Jeff Zell, Panaracer head of global marketing. "Cedric is a world champion and brings years of riding experience in all phases of the sport that is invaluable to us. Combine that with our worldwide R&D team and the results should be spectacular. Needless to say, we’re thrilled to be involved with a rider and person of Cedric’s caliber.”

“I’ve learned a lot about tires after riding all these years on all kinds of terrain," Garcia said. "When Panaracer approached me to make my own line of tires I knew this was my opportunity show what I’ve mastered over the years. I won my second MTB ever on Panaracer and I’m looking forward to getting back on the podium with Panaracer again. You’ll get the coolest and most competitive tires ever from me."

Jeep 48Straight Cancelled?

Jeep has pulled their title sponsorship from the 48Straight series (formerly 'King of the Mountain'), effectively cancelling the Winter series. Unless another title sponsor ponies up, this looks to be the end of the Jeep series!

Kovarik & Buchar Win Aussie National Round - Illinbah

courtesy of Farkin.net

With heavy rain the night before, the Illinbah national came down to taming the beast that was the tree section; a crazy combination of off camber roots in the worst places imaginable, rocks of doom and more mud than you can throw at your neighbors cat. In the end Kovarik re-stamped his authority on the Gold Coast course with Josh Button a credible 5 seconds behind.


Elite Men
1. CHRIS KOVARIK 3:46.73
2. JOSHUA BUTTON 3:51.57
3. DEON BAKER 4:02.23
4. RICKY BOYER 4:05.37
5. JAMES MALTMAN 4:07.97
6. AARON BASHFORD 4:08.46
7. RYAN ANDREWS 4:09.33
8. SHANE WODE 4:11.53
9. DARCY MURRELL 4:12.62
10. STUART MALDONALD 4:13.22

Under 19 Men
1. TAMRYN MURRELL 4:00.00
2. SHAUN O'CONNOR 4:04.61
3. RHYS WILLEMSE 4:08.58
4. HANS HADLEY 4:18.64
5. BEN BARRETT 4:18.72
6. LAURIE DINHAM 4:19.32
7. WILLIAM GOWER 4:20.82
8. ADEN WYBER 4:21.38
9. MARCUS FAIRBANKS 4:32.79
10. ANTONY MOORE 4:34.81

Elite Women
1.CLAIRE BUCHAR 5:35.63
2. LEIGH DOUGLAS 5:40.12
3. CAROLINE BUCHANAN 5:41.82
4. CLAIRE WHITEMAN 5:53.71
5. SARAH BOOTH 6:21.23
6. CARA SMITH 6:31.33
7. EMMA LEWIS 6:35.07
8. SHANNON CHUGG 6:53.80
9. JAYNE RUTTER 7:29.38
10. SAMANTHA GAMBRILL 7:34.54