Riders participate in the SoCalCross Santa Cross Weekend at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2023. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.
Sunshine, blue skies and warm weather accompanied this year’s SoCalCross Santa Cross Weekend on the Pierce campus, which took place Dec. 16-17.
Cyclocross races have been taking place annually at Pierce since 2002—with a break from around 2017-2021—and the door opened again when the Pierce College Foundation reached out, wanting to have more community events on the campus, said Race Director Dorothy Wong.
Cyclocross is about competition, not recreation, said Operations Director Jeff Herring, explaining that it centers around the tight courses, obstacles and features.
“The cross-country running track is a really great complement to this sport of cyclocross, where you get on and off your bike, you go as fast as you can, but you ride in control because the conditions are loose,” Wong said. “So it also gives you really good skills.”
The range of competitors included kids on the Kiddie Cross course, young riders in the Youth Division, and 70-to-80-year-olds racing.
“And then we have elite professional mountain bikers, road bikers, different disciplines that love cyclocross and it all happens in this venue,” said Wong.
Autumn Luciani (left) dismounts and carries the bike over an obstacle during the SoCalCross Santa Cross Weekend at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2023. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.
Young riders participate in the Kiddie Cross race at the SoCalCross Santa Cross Weekend at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2023. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.
David Morrison participates in the SoCalCross Santa Cross Weekend at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2023. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.
Josh Mckee, working at the neutral service booth, provides on-the-spot tune-ups and assists with mechanical issues at the SoCalCross Santa Cross Weekend at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2023. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.
Holiday-themed awards for the SoCalCross Santa Cross Weekend at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2023. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.
Riders participate in the SoCalCross Santa Cross Weekend at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2023. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.
