Cannonball Cross 2017

Last night's Chamois Time Cyclocross Race provided a great warm up for the start of the season. The mid-week "practice race" -- part of the Chamois Time series from the Women of Iowa City Cycling Club -- drew 68 racers to Iowa City's Upper City Park. The beautiful weather didn't exactly feel like cyclocross, but ready or not, here comes the cx season...
 
Mason City's Cannonball Cross
This weekend North Iowa Spin's Cannonball Cross is held in Mason City's beautiful East Park. The fast, rolling course features an off camber switchback and a short steep hill -- both up and down -- and this year they've added a flyover and a flight of stairs.

photo courtesy of North Iowa Spin

Mason City is a hike from Iowa City -- over two and a half hours of driving -- but the competition makes the trip worth it, last year drawing racers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Meanwhile the venue itself couldn't be more inviting to families, with plenty for kids to do in the park, many options for food and drink around Mason City, and even camping just to the north across the Winnebago River in MacNider Campgrounds.
 
According to Race Director David Delperdang, "This is the second year for Cannonball Cross. We've been having cyclocross practice in East Park for quite a few years and last year we decided to see if the city would allow a race in the park. A little to our surprise, they agreed. The city has been very supportive and helpful."
 
​The competition may be fierce, but North Iowa Spin will keep it fun, too: “After the races Saturday we're holding a free “klunker cross” race where we provide the bikes. It'll be ten riders doing one lap with a LeMans start and racers get to choose which bike they'll ride when they get to them. That should be a lot of fun!”

photo courtesy of North Iowa Spin

​Cannonball Cross has already proven an instant classic, but Delperdang and North Iowa Spin continue to see it in the context of the state and regional cyclocross scene: "One of the reasons we decided to put on the race last year was Jingle Cross becoming a World Cup race and moving to September. There needed to be another race to get ready for that and for Waterloo, Wisconsin's Trek CXC Cup. This year, besides kicking off the cyclocross season, Cannonball Cross will also kick off the new Iowa Cyclocross Series."
 
IACX, the Iowa Cyclocross Series, boasts 17 races for the 2017 season. After opening with two days in Mason City with Cannonball Cross, the series continues in Knoxville the following weekend with an old favorite, the Dirty Wooden Shoe. Check it out at http://iowacx.com.

John Stonebarger
Originally published by Goosetown Racing Club