W o m e n ' s   C y c l i n g


The WSBA is committed to developing and supporting new bike racers and improving the quality of women's bike racing in the Pacific Northwest. Many activities throughout the year focus on helping women to build their racing skills and find a team for training and racing.


Völkl Cat 4 Women's Race Series

The Völkl Cat 4 Women's Race Series features a variety of races throughout the season and generous sponsorship. For detailed information, see Women's Race Series.

Beginner Women's Race Series

Three events early in the 2013 season allow true beginners to race with their peers.  For detailed information, see Women's Race Series.

Developing Skills


TIME TRIAL CLINICS  
February 17: Professional cyclist and time trial specialist Rhae Shaw (Vanderkitten) will give a free time trial seminar (60 mins) for cat 4 women cyclists at 4 pm at The Polka Dot Jersey bike shop in Seattle's Leschi neighborhood.  Rhae will cover time-trial specific details such as equipment, position, nutrition, warm up, start, pacing, and turnarounds and will save time for Q&A.  Space is limited and available on a first come, first-served basis.  RSVP to Gina Kavesh (gkavesh@gmail.com).
February 23: A post-race clinic will be held by former pro cyclist Jennifer Wheeler (Apex) after the Frostbite Time Trial in Carnation to follow up on topics covered on February 17.  Jennifer will also share her own tips on time trialing for riders looking ahead to the Ice Breaker TT on March 2.

POST-RACE COACHING/MENTORING CLINICS
Coaching clinics are sponsored by the WSBA at early season races specifically to help cat 4 women build their racing skills and understanding. Local coaches and expert riders will carefully watch the race (from the lead car in road races) and then offer post-race feedback on the elements of the race, including team tactics, bike handling, and other components that make up the race. The 2013 schedule of clinic dates and leaders (who will enlist help from their teammates so racers hear multiple viewpoints) is:
March 10: Mason Lake Road Race #2: Michelle Kautzmann and Jennifer Burtner from the Olympia Orthopaedic Associates Cycling Team
April 6: Vance Creek Road Race: Annette Williams of the Slalom Consulting Team and Amara Edwards from Gregg's Trek Racing Team 

Come hear the advice and insights these experienced local racers and their teammates offer about the action in the cat 4 races on these three different courses. Cat 4 women should watch for information posted at these races and/or announced on the start line for the exact location and time for these free clinics, which will be held immediately after the races finish.

SKILLS CLASSES
CycleU (Seattle) and Emde Sports (Spokane) (among other resources in Washington) offer classes that teach everything from the basics of bike handling to advanced racing skills and time trialing. The registration fee at these two facilities for the Women's Racing Fundamentals and Upgrade Class is partly subsidized by the WSBA, and clinic participants receive FOUR (4) cat 3 upgrade points. Classes will be offered several times in the late winter and spring at each facility. Please check their websites for more info on these classes and when they are scheduled.

Limit: one subsidy and one set of upgrade points per rider; you may take the clinic as many times as you wish, but the WSBA will not subsidize more than one clinic per rider, and you may not earn more than 3 points for the upgrade to cat 3 no matter how many clinics you take.

Finding a Team

Meet the Team Rides:  Local teams organize rides each autumn to help new riders find teammates with compatible goals and interests. Rides are scheduled from September through November in Seattle and other locations. Watch this page in late summer for complete information on ride schedules and locations.

Intro to Women's Cycling and Racing Teams: In late summer and early fall, a combination of women from many of the local racing teams will host rides similar to the Meet the Teams rides, with the exception that this ride is for women only, and each ride is hosted by women representatives from multiple teams. If you are new to the racing community, looking to strengthen your riding skills, thinking about racing, or looking to speak with other women about local racing teams or riding opportunities, this ride's for you!

Other Women's Racing Opportunities

The Marymoor Velodrome is another great place to develop racing skills. Please see velodrome.org for a list of classes and the calendar of events at the track. Bike rentals are available, but you must take the introductory track class prior to participating in any other sessions on the track.

Women interested in cyclocross can find Washington Women of Cyclocross on Facebook for the latest news in the 'cross community.

Get the News

Subscribe to the WSBA women's email newsgroup for the latest announcements about women's racing.  And be sure to join the main WSBA listserv for all the news about racing and cycling in the region.