Race Report by Kaz Shimizu
Asian Junior Championships since the first mountain bike. KAZUKI SHIMIZU (JPN) AKI Factory Team DH 1st.
Rain leading up to the race during the week made for a half-dry and partially muddy conditions. Warm sunny day during practices turned several sections into peanut butter…..but, there was a good amount of traction and I felt satisfied with the tires I used. The course varied for example, one part was gently sloping and another climbing up hill. I was able to keep both wheels on the ground and blaze hard.
A handful of Kona employees/racers and Kona athletes made their way to Portland last weekend because they didn’t want to miss the “cross event of the millennium” (plus this was the 3rd and last year it was in Portland)…next year Seattle (who won a hard fought battle with San Francisco) gets to host and try to match the over-the-top bar that has been set by the Portland crew. 
Giro & Webcyclery present the world premiere of THE CYCLOCROSS MEETING
, a film by Brian Vernor, Saturday, December 12
at the Tower Theatre
in Bend, Oregon
. 
2009 marked Iron Biker’s 17th edition, repeating the circuit of the last edition from Mariana to Ouro Preto, in Minas Gerais. 
