Fred loaded with gold and bronze hardware, what a haul!
Here's what Fred had to say about his recent adventures at the Huntsman World Senior Games:
Dear Friends,
It's been a whirlwind of racing lately. After finishing 8th in the Duathlon Worlds Championships in Concord, NC, it was a two-day drive home. Then three days at home, and off again on another two-day drive to St George, UT for the Huntsman World Senior Games (HWSG) Oct 5-9. HWSG involves two weeks of sporting events catered to senior 50+ with 27 sports to pick from. I was joined by my wife, Jody, and our youngest daughter, Chrissy. Participation each year is typically around 9,000. Over its 23 year history, athletes have been represented from 60 different countries. It's a beautiful drive, but winds were gusting to over 50 MPH when we arrived on Sunday. Monday was check-in and a mandatory cyclist meeting in the evening to go over the rules and regs. The cycling competition involves a total of four consecutive, brutal events. Each race awards 6 places per 5-year age group, in three Divisions (all annual licensed riders are considered Division I). In addition to nice medals and ribbons awarded six deep, points are awarded for each event. At the end, top riders are awarded their coveted HWSG Yellow Jersey.
STAGE 1: Tuesday morning was in the low 50's (as it was every morning). The winds had subsided for the 5K Hill Climb up Snow Canyon with a 900' gain. Riders were sent off 30-seconds apart in this timed event. As most riders, I decided to ride my road bike. I rode a 13:15, and not only won the gold for 55+, but had the fastest time of all age groups by a full minute. The brutality of this course takes its toll. The climb has 10% and 11% grades and it's all uphill with no breaks in the terrain. If that doesn't get to you, then the dry, cold air that burns the lungs has most of us coughing and hacking long after the event is finished.
OPENING CEREMONIES: Tuesday evening was the Opening Ceremonies mirroring the pomp and circumstance you see at the opening of the Olympic Games! The HWSG really puts on a spectacular program at the Dixie College stadium. Athletes parade in by their sport in alphabetical order. They have hundreds of dancers, singers, performers, etc. They feature flag-bearers for all 60 countries that have participated over the years. Three skydivers land on the field, one bearing a huge USA flag as they make perfect landings. They include keynote speakers and one of the most spectacular fireworks displays at the conclusion.
STAGE 2: Wednesday was the 40K Time Trial (race against the clock) near the entrance to Zion NP, a very hilly and unforgiving course with virtually no flat sections. It's a fulltime effort with riders again being set off in 30-second increments in this race against the clock. You're also sharing the road with high speed traffic, which fortunately was fairly light. I finished with a 55:01 (26.5 MPH ave), and again won gold for 55+. I also set a new course record for 55+ (by 21 sec), and had the 3rd fastest time of the day (one of the Canadian 60+ riders had a better time!).
Stage 3: Thursday afternoon was a 45 min Criterium (mass start lap race) in St George. They combined the 55-59 and 60-64 groups of riders for my race. By this time I was a marked man, and so had difficulty making a successful breakaway despite numerous attempts. I thought the 60+ riders were more aggressive! I won all three premes (special prizes given to the first rider across the line - these are awarded with the ringing of a bell on random laps). Probably not a smart thing to do, as I should have been conserving my energy, but riders were staying glued to my wheel so I just decided to go for it to see what would happen! The finish came down to a mass sprint finish. I accelerated enough near the last turn to be the first rider into the turn. It was a long, two block run to the finish and I poured it on early. At the last few seconds I got passed by two others in my age group (not to mention several of the 60+ riders). The guy that won gold in 55+ was from Barbados, who had literally sat in the very back of the pack the entire race, and never did an ounce of work in the pack! I thought he had been dropped, but he came flying by! I ended up with the Bronze, but still had the overall points lead.
STAGE 4: Friday AM was the final event, a 37 mi Road Race with lots of rollers and several long, challenging hills and descents. About halfway through the course is what officials refer to as "The Wall" - a 1.1 mile climb that hits 11% grade. There are also a number of unprotected cattle guards that must be crossed. Towards the end of this course, you actually descend the same 5K portion that you had raced up during the Hill Climb on Tuesday. The pace was relatively slow, as everyone was feeling the past 3 days effort, and were conserving their energy for what would become the "race" at the base of "The Wall". I accelerated hard at the base of "The Wall" and slowly pulled ahead. Near the top, I had a 20-30 second lead, but to my dismay there was still a huge pack of around 40 riders staying together! A 50+ rider joined me after the top and I motored for the next three miles to the Highway while he essentially drafted me. We started working together for the next 12 miles on the Highway. We could see the ever growing pack getting closer to us at times. We maintained a 30-40 second lead, and felt that if we could make it to the top of the Snow Canyon descent, we'd be home, as that portion had a tailwind which would make for an extra fast descent! Well, we later discovered that although our pace had not slowed, the sharks in the pack had tasted blood, and a pursing group of around 15 riders engulfed us just before the descent!
A lot of these guys are from mountain states, so fast descents down twisty-curvy hills are nothing new to them. For me, it was like descending the 1/2 mile downhill towards Dodge Park on the Wednesday night Trek ride. Despite my bike computer hitting 44 MPH, I started to fade, but rejoined the pack towards the bottom with less than 3 miles to go. Every year cyclists go the hospital due to bad crashes on this stage. The only fatality in this event occurred in 1998 when a senior died from complications after crashing on this very descent. It became a sprint-fest again, and I ended placing 3rd for another Bronze medal. But I had retained my lead to win the yellow Jersey!
BANQUET: That evening the HWSG puts on a great dinner buffet and Awards Banquet when the overall Championship Jerseys are awarded. It was an honor to receive this coveted jersey and inspirational to have participated in all the events surrounded by so many gifted and energetic seniors, up to the age of 80+.
Fred Galata
Velo Veloce Cycling Club
It's been a whirlwind of racing lately. After finishing 8th in the Duathlon Worlds Championships in Concord, NC, it was a two-day drive home. Then three days at home, and off again on another two-day drive to St George, UT for the Huntsman World Senior Games (HWSG) Oct 5-9. HWSG involves two weeks of sporting events catered to senior 50+ with 27 sports to pick from. I was joined by my wife, Jody, and our youngest daughter, Chrissy. Participation each year is typically around 9,000. Over its 23 year history, athletes have been represented from 60 different countries. It's a beautiful drive, but winds were gusting to over 50 MPH when we arrived on Sunday. Monday was check-in and a mandatory cyclist meeting in the evening to go over the rules and regs. The cycling competition involves a total of four consecutive, brutal events. Each race awards 6 places per 5-year age group, in three Divisions (all annual licensed riders are considered Division I). In addition to nice medals and ribbons awarded six deep, points are awarded for each event. At the end, top riders are awarded their coveted HWSG Yellow Jersey.
STAGE 1: Tuesday morning was in the low 50's (as it was every morning). The winds had subsided for the 5K Hill Climb up Snow Canyon with a 900' gain. Riders were sent off 30-seconds apart in this timed event. As most riders, I decided to ride my road bike. I rode a 13:15, and not only won the gold for 55+, but had the fastest time of all age groups by a full minute. The brutality of this course takes its toll. The climb has 10% and 11% grades and it's all uphill with no breaks in the terrain. If that doesn't get to you, then the dry, cold air that burns the lungs has most of us coughing and hacking long after the event is finished.
OPENING CEREMONIES: Tuesday evening was the Opening Ceremonies mirroring the pomp and circumstance you see at the opening of the Olympic Games! The HWSG really puts on a spectacular program at the Dixie College stadium. Athletes parade in by their sport in alphabetical order. They have hundreds of dancers, singers, performers, etc. They feature flag-bearers for all 60 countries that have participated over the years. Three skydivers land on the field, one bearing a huge USA flag as they make perfect landings. They include keynote speakers and one of the most spectacular fireworks displays at the conclusion.
STAGE 2: Wednesday was the 40K Time Trial (race against the clock) near the entrance to Zion NP, a very hilly and unforgiving course with virtually no flat sections. It's a fulltime effort with riders again being set off in 30-second increments in this race against the clock. You're also sharing the road with high speed traffic, which fortunately was fairly light. I finished with a 55:01 (26.5 MPH ave), and again won gold for 55+. I also set a new course record for 55+ (by 21 sec), and had the 3rd fastest time of the day (one of the Canadian 60+ riders had a better time!).
Stage 3: Thursday afternoon was a 45 min Criterium (mass start lap race) in St George. They combined the 55-59 and 60-64 groups of riders for my race. By this time I was a marked man, and so had difficulty making a successful breakaway despite numerous attempts. I thought the 60+ riders were more aggressive! I won all three premes (special prizes given to the first rider across the line - these are awarded with the ringing of a bell on random laps). Probably not a smart thing to do, as I should have been conserving my energy, but riders were staying glued to my wheel so I just decided to go for it to see what would happen! The finish came down to a mass sprint finish. I accelerated enough near the last turn to be the first rider into the turn. It was a long, two block run to the finish and I poured it on early. At the last few seconds I got passed by two others in my age group (not to mention several of the 60+ riders). The guy that won gold in 55+ was from Barbados, who had literally sat in the very back of the pack the entire race, and never did an ounce of work in the pack! I thought he had been dropped, but he came flying by! I ended up with the Bronze, but still had the overall points lead.
STAGE 4: Friday AM was the final event, a 37 mi Road Race with lots of rollers and several long, challenging hills and descents. About halfway through the course is what officials refer to as "The Wall" - a 1.1 mile climb that hits 11% grade. There are also a number of unprotected cattle guards that must be crossed. Towards the end of this course, you actually descend the same 5K portion that you had raced up during the Hill Climb on Tuesday. The pace was relatively slow, as everyone was feeling the past 3 days effort, and were conserving their energy for what would become the "race" at the base of "The Wall". I accelerated hard at the base of "The Wall" and slowly pulled ahead. Near the top, I had a 20-30 second lead, but to my dismay there was still a huge pack of around 40 riders staying together! A 50+ rider joined me after the top and I motored for the next three miles to the Highway while he essentially drafted me. We started working together for the next 12 miles on the Highway. We could see the ever growing pack getting closer to us at times. We maintained a 30-40 second lead, and felt that if we could make it to the top of the Snow Canyon descent, we'd be home, as that portion had a tailwind which would make for an extra fast descent! Well, we later discovered that although our pace had not slowed, the sharks in the pack had tasted blood, and a pursing group of around 15 riders engulfed us just before the descent!
A lot of these guys are from mountain states, so fast descents down twisty-curvy hills are nothing new to them. For me, it was like descending the 1/2 mile downhill towards Dodge Park on the Wednesday night Trek ride. Despite my bike computer hitting 44 MPH, I started to fade, but rejoined the pack towards the bottom with less than 3 miles to go. Every year cyclists go the hospital due to bad crashes on this stage. The only fatality in this event occurred in 1998 when a senior died from complications after crashing on this very descent. It became a sprint-fest again, and I ended placing 3rd for another Bronze medal. But I had retained my lead to win the yellow Jersey!
BANQUET: That evening the HWSG puts on a great dinner buffet and Awards Banquet when the overall Championship Jerseys are awarded. It was an honor to receive this coveted jersey and inspirational to have participated in all the events surrounded by so many gifted and energetic seniors, up to the age of 80+.
Fred Galata
Velo Veloce Cycling Club
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