TWO GIANT EMPLOYEES WIN CA CHAMPIONSHIPS!
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;setCaption(document.image_thumb); "Giant employee Keith Ketterer (left) is the new SCNCA Individual Time Trial Champion, Men’s 50-54 Division")
;setCaption(document.image_extra_one_thumb); "Giant employee Gus Corona (center) is the new SCNCA Individual Time Trial Champion, Men’s 35-39 Division")
;setCaption(document.image_extra_two_thumb); "Gus Corona riding to a state championship on his Giant TT bicycle")
;setCaption(document.image_extra_three_thumb); "Giant Masters Team on its way to smashing the field in the Barry Wolfe Memorial Grand Prix")
The Southern California/Nevada Cycling Association Individual Time Trial championships took place over the Memorial Day weekend – and two people who work here at Giant and ride on the Amgen Giant Masters Team can rightfully be called “champions!”
Gus Corona won the Men’s 35-39 division with a time of 48 minutes and 24 seconds over the 40 km (24.8 miles!) course. That’s an average speed of nearly 31 miles per hour!! In the first photo above Gus poses with team mate Chris DeMarchi, to his left, who came in second. To Gus’ right is 3rd place finisher Eben Benade of Sho-air/Sonance. The next photo features Gus on course, riding his Giant TT bike. By the way, on this bike Gus beat the best time in the Pro/1/2 category by :23 seconds!
Keith Ketterer won the Men’s 50-54 division with a time of 49:26. In the 3rd photo, you see State Champion KK on the left, next to his team mate Eddie Morris who finished second. On the right is Michael Hines, of Team Ranchos, who finished third. Sorry, but I don’t have a photo of KK on course.
However, the next photo is from another event -- the Barry Wolfe Memorial Grand Prix, contested in Woodland Hills, CA on Sunday, May 24 (the day after the time trial!). The Amgen Giant players who make up the blue train on the front of this photo are: Keith Ketterer on the front, followed by Thurlow Rogers, followed by Chris DeMarchi, then Randall Coxworth. The blue helmet just off Randall’s left shoulder is Antony Galvin.
KK provides this play-by-play to the finish (and read this in your best Phil Liggett voice!):
“KK’s on the front with 2.5 laps to the finish, pushing the pace up to 30 mph for one full lap, then Thurlow Rogers takes over at turn three with 1.5 laps to go, rolling the speed up to 33 mph, for one full lap, dumping Chris DeMarchi off at turn three with half-lap to go, then Chris DeMarchi throttles the pace to a blistering 36-37 mph all the way down the back straight, through the final turn and all the way to the line. The only two guys able to come around Chris at this speed were our AMG Team sprinters, Randall Coxworth and Antony Galvin for 1st and 2nd with Chris holding onto 4th place. That’s what happens when a sprinter, Chris DeMarchi, hits the front of the race for the final lead-out leg in front of two other super fast sprinters. No one can come round for the win except our guys! It’s a lovely sight when it works!”
The Amgen Giant Team went 1st,2nd, 3rd, and 5th in the 45+ Race as well!
Amgen Giant – fastest team in the West!