Southridge Winter Series Race Report: Kim Finch

RL Policar-Kim Finch is one of our most talented racers on the team. She’s was the Triple Crown Champ for XC and also won a number of Championships for 2008 at Southridge. With that in mind, I present to you Kim Finch’s race report.

Well, a fresh new season has begun with the Fontana Winter Series! This season appears to start off with as much fun and excitement as last season ended. I always love riding in Southridge’s races because it is always challenging and the people such as Donny & his crew are fantastic!

Well, this year I am trying to string all three races together but for this first race I went with the XC race and my first downhill race. The wind was the MAJOR challenge for the XC race. The course was cut short for this race as Donny was still working out permits which he will have resolved next race. So thinking I would get a break on a short course and can then try my hand at DH practice I heard the announcement “2 LAPS”! Man I really didn’t want to hear that as that front section has majority of the climbs and now I had to do it twice?

Well, hanging out at the start line is always fun to chat with those around you as it helps me stay calm. Always answer questions about my “Ellsworth PINK Truth”and all the PINK I can handle! The wind was cold and I wanted to just get moving! Then before long Donny is counting down, and were all off in a large group! The first turn up my fellow riding gets cut off and down she goes..I swerve and cut around the two downed riders give a quick yell then kept going. The course was much nicer due to all rain we had which in itself was fantastic except for the wind! I made it through the first lap with no problems. RL was there with my water & Priscilla was there cheering me on. When it came to the second lap I noticed how much traffic the course had. At one point Eric “The Animal” Hunner passed me only to yell back and tell me to come on, while waiving his “GUNS” forward for me to catch him. The single track sections had been really cleaned up by Donny and his crew which made them that much more exciting to see if I could go faster. I finished my 2nd lap to see Priscilla cheering me along! I took 2nd place

Off one bike and then onto my Ellsworth Moment to try my hand at the downhill course for practice. Wow, now there are two different rides! Tony was at the top to meet me & help guide me through my first attempt. The wind at the top was brutal. I made it through the first few turns and even the little rock droppers then a left turn that lead into a dropper/roller that had an off camber right turn…well let’s say Kim did not make the turn very graceful.

As a matter of fact I rolled down the hill further then my bike did! Got up dusted off listened to Tony’s pointers on that turn and headed for the bottom. Now the lower rock garden…well first try..NOPE..second practice run YES!! I was so excited I made it without killing myself. This section always scared me even as a spectator. My second practice I decided that the turn was not going to get me..but the funny thing was two turns earlier I didn’t lean right or the wind got me off line and over I went!! Pride and dust really nothing more.

Race Day: Hanging out up at the top with RL, Tony, Moe & Joe seemed like forever. We chatted with all those we knew and we talked about the course. I personally got tips from Tony as well as John Seacor who races against Tony in their category. They both told me to find the line which would be grooved due to all the prior racers and stick to it! This was very helpful for me as I was a ball of nerves by this time. I talked to myself and thought of different rides I had done and how points on this course was just like riding the trails! This also was a huge help for me. I made it through the whole course and the lower rock garden without a crash. I got to the famous “WALL” used my Gravidity Dropper to pop my seat up and peddled like a mad woman right into the head wind!! I pulled 2nd place! I was thrilled!

I want to thank to the whole team for all the support and the food we shared on Saturday! The whole team did an awesome job! Next race I will join up with Joe & Moe for the Super D race as well!

C-ya at the races