UA dominates SW conference crit championships

By Jennifer Olson

While most collegiate conferences are still kicking off their road seasons, the Southwestern conference was awarding its conference criterium championships this weekend, and the University of Arizona was taking the title.

As the team with the strongest showing at Saturday’s ASU Sundevil Criterium, UA held the top spots in both the Men’s A and Women’s A races and demonstrated a strong presence in both B races.

This potent team may showcase its riders’ strengths this coming weekend as competitors battle the clock in the season’s first time trial. The upcoming Lobo Classic, hosted by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque,  includes a hilly 7-mile individual time trial and a 35-minute criterium.

Course conditions

Challenges presented during Saturday’s race failed to faze SWCCC teams, as the race began under cloud cover and in heavy wind then finished during a downpour. Gusts wailed on the back curve of the D-shaped course, testing riders as they looped half a mile around a river park. In these unusual Phoenix weather conditions, the races began.

Race rundown

The Men’s A group rolled out 30 seconds before the Men’s B race and one minute before the Men’s C race. All three women’s groups began together once the last men’s group rolled from the starting line.

UA led the peloton throughout the Men’s A and B races, but a sole UNM rider led the Men’s C race.

Matthew Jones, Michael Sencenbaugh and David Glick — all of UA — earned the top three places in the Men’s A race. Their teammates Aaron Finkelstein, Paris Humphrey and Shane Durkin ruled the Men’s B podium. Mitchell Maestas (UNM) won the Men’s C race, while Benton Leither (UA) and Ethan Powers (NAU) took second and third respectively.

Three UA Women’s A riders led out the women’s field in an effort to pull their Women’s B teammates, and those dropped from the lead peloton formed a chase pack.

UA riders Chloe Foresman, Melanie Meyers and Judy Jenkins, the only Women’s A riders, took the podium. Erin Lauterbach secured first place in the Women’s B race, while Kupri Gonzales (ASU) won second and Katya Hafich (UNM) earned third. An NAU rider scored first place as the only Women’s C racer Saturday.

Jennifer Olson is on the University of New Mexico team.

FILED UNDER: Collegiate / News / Road