For the second time in three years, the Washington State Cyclocross Championships came back to Fort Flagler State Park, Marrow Stone Island, on November 12. After a week of rain in Western Washington, the weather was mercifully dry for the riders who traveled to Fort Flagler Saturday. With the Emerald City Cyclocross Series race the next day, over a hundred racers made arrangements to spend the night in the area to make it a double weekend of cyclocross.
In the Elite Women's Championship race, Ann Knapp (Kona) took command of the race early on and strung the field out along the course. Setting a blistering pace, the only rider in site of Knapp was Kristi Berg (Bicycle Centers). With the Washington Championship secured after a few laps attacking into the wind alone, Knapp started catching and passing riders in the Men's B field, which started a minute before the women. "Every race now counts as we get closer to Nationals [with the traditional Wednesday Night workouts at the Grouphealth Velodrome cancelled cue to construction] the only practice is racing" said Knapp. When asked if she had a plan for the race, Knapp replied "No plan. [I was] just going hard, thinking when you're with the best in the nation can you let up?" Silver medalist Kristi Berg reflected on the race, saying, "It was a great race. It's a lot harder racing it than riding it." On Knapp, Berg said, "She gets stronger and stronger every race...I tried to hang with her to get away from everyone and then hang on...with Ann, I'm always happy to hang with her." Closing out the medal count for the elite women was Jadine Riley of Team Grouphealth.
