Submitted Photo

One race remains in 2019 season

LIBERTY – The Galena Growlers traveled down to Liberty on Saturday, June 1 for the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) race number four of the five race series. The race itself took place on the morning of June 2 with some excitement in store for the Growlers’ riders.

A total of 14 riders, eight high school and six middle school kids, made the trip down to represent the local mountain bike team. To kick things off on Saturday, there was the well-organized event – the Girls’ Riding Together (GRiT) ride. The all-girls social ride drew a great number of girls from every team in order to get #MoreGirlsOnBikes.

Following Saturday’s scheduled events, the rain rolled in and made Sunday’s race greasy and full of muddy spots on the course. “This made for some exciting racing throughout the field,” said Rob Baker, the Galena Growlers head coach.

Competition was strong throughout the field because it was the fourth race, the last before the state ride and teams were working on their position in the overall standings.

In the morning races, the freshman boys and girls went out on a two lap race on the near five-mile long high school course. Then rolling off the line were all the middle school races to take on the approximately two-mile long course for three laps.

The Growlers came away with five riders making the podium – the top five racers to place.