Mudslinger MTB Race - 2008

A week prior, Oregon was experiencing some fabulous weather with record high temperatures and abundant sunshine. Fast forward one week, and things were a little different...

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail could stop the members of the Collins Cycle Team from getting out and racing their hearts out at the 22nd Annual Mudslinger mountain bike race, held in Blodgett, OR, last weekend.

Racers who traveled to the event were greeted by 1" of fresh snow and big flakes dropping from the sky at the start of registration. But,the clouds blew off and the sun rays appeared to make things seem almost perfect come race time. Perfect, that is, except for the cool temperatures and ... MUD! Shortly after the race began, the foul weather returned and riders hunkered down while a heavy hailstorm pelted them repeatedly. Just the kind of weather that makes a person want to stay indoors under a blanket with a bowl of hot soup. Fortunately for racers that attended the Mudslinger, a hot bowl of soup and Great Harvest bread awaited them after the finish line.

The Collins team had a successful weekend, piloting their Specialized bikes to many top placings. Congratulations to Andrew Bennett, who stood atop the podium winning the Junior Expert category. Miriam, racing in the mud for the first time, discovered how much fun it can be, crashing, but still smiling! Chris raced on his new Specialized 29er and was impressed with its handling in the sloppy conditions.

Team Results:
Andrew Bennett: 1st - Expert Junior
Chris Brandt: 12th - Pro/Semi-Pro Men
Miriam Gillow-Wiles: 4th - Sport Women
Mike Adams: 7th - Expert 40+ Men
Justin Thayer: 7th - Singlespeed
Carl Gurney: 8th - Singlespeed

More team race photos HERE and HERE.