Team Oh Boy Oberto/Redline woke up Sunday morning, April 1st, hoping the weather was just another April Fools Day Joke! Instead, the team basted their way through the Indie Series Race # 2 mud in Capitol Forest and posted top junior results as a team. The team took 2 first place positions and many more outstanding results.

In the beginner men 12-14 category, Colin Krebsbach took an early lead and never looked back. Colin ran away with the win and posted his second 1st place position in the series while giving notice that he is the one to beat this year. Colin was never challenged and finished with a commanding lead over 2nd place. Also racing in this category was Zach James, new to the team, who posted a solid 5th place. Colin is leading the series with a perfect 200 points. Zach has moved into 6th place.

The Junior Sport Category was filled with talent and was sure to be an exciting race. Taking an early hole shot was Team Oh Boy Oberto/Redlines own Alex Brockway. Heading into the single track found Zach McDonald (Oh Boy Oberto/Redline) out front with a fast Clayton Cummings (Ragnorock) chasing hard. Zach McDolnald was more than up to the challenge pushing out a commanding lead crossing the finish line in first with no challengers. Following close behind and placing 3rd was Team Oh Boy Oberto's Alex Brockway with Cole Cutright and Brandon Fishel in 4th and 5th. Alex Brockway departed the race with 1st overall in the series. Brandon Fishel sits 2nd, Zach McDonald tied for 3rd, and Cole Cutright 7th.

Bryen Graver and Johnathon Skeehan lined up in the Junior Expert Category. This group raced the longest and hardest course of the day. They would climb into falling snow and then decend a fast, rocky, slimy, technical single track. Going over the top, Bryen Graver (Oh Boy Oberto/Redline) sat in third with a Johnathan Skeehan (Oh Boy Oberto/Redline) and Brian Klingele (RAD Racing) sitting 4th and 5th and right on Bryen's wheel. Disaster would strike soon after the 3 entered the single track downhill section. Johnathan Skeehan would experience a flat and then have his pump break and only allowing 20 pounds of air pressure in his tire. Johnathan would limp back to camp finishing a solid 6th place. Bryen Graver would continue his battle with Brian Klingele eventually dropping him and placing a solid 3rd! Bryen currently sits 3rd in the series with Johnathan 4th.

The season is young, but the team has served notice it is ready to challenge any race they enter!

Team Oh Boy Oberto/ Redline had two riders compete in the Frostbite TT in Everett on Sunday, February 25th, 2006. They were the only juniors in a race with well over 100 participants. Chariot start with holder, out to turn-around and back, 8 miles total distance. Typical chilly winter conditions with a headwind on the way out, tailwind on the return. Temperature was in the high 30's. It was raining intermittently, and the course was slick.

New team mate Bryen Graver, a junior A, raced at 9:08 AM. Bryen managed to hold his position and was not passed by any of the adult riders, finishing with a very fast time, 21 minutes and change, without tt bars or an aero helmet.  True to form, race officials did perform a rollout test for these two juniors. Good thing Bryen had his gears blocked out before the start!

Max O'Neal, a junior D, had a late start position due to registering on-site. Max went out number 104 at 10:44 AM. Before the race he had plenty of time to warm up under the Starbucks team tent with friends from the velodrome. He posted a time of 24:26.

It was a good day. No accidents, no problems. Our riders managed to avoid some broken glass on the shoulder and a bass fishing lure that's now part of our tackle box.

Website for Frostbite TT, link.

A few team Oh Boy Oberto/Redline riders decided to tackle the first West Side Mountain Bike Series race at South SeaTac Park February 11^th. Their main goal was to use the race as a training ride ramping the intensity up a little without pushing too hard.

Johnathan Skeehan entered his first Junior Expert race with some fitness left over from a long season of wrestling. Johnathan had a great start and was running in the top 5 for the first lap before limping to the truck with a flay tire. Jonathan’s brother swapped tubes and sent Johnathan back out just before losing a lap. Johnathan would end up losing a lap to the overall sport winner but eventually brought home first in the junior expert category.

There is a new rule change for 2007 that affects ALL riders who are in the Junior age bracket, whether they are racing in Junior races or not (e.g., an 18 year old racing in the Cat 3 race). The rule change, along with an explanation of how this will be handled by the officials, and the reason behind the rule is given below. Please read this in entirety, and inform any riders you know who fall into this age bracket of the change. You can expect this at every race in the country.

Regards,

Dot Abbott