Bicycle Race Scores Big Win for Location

Arms outstretched and smiling after a grueling 37-mile race, bicyclist Norm Carter celebrated his victory in the Ventura Cycling Classic, a high-speed competition that packed downtown Ventura on Sunday morning.

Carter, 22, won the 50-lap race in just under 90 minutes, pacing a field of about 60 amateur bicyclists from across the nation. After leading the race in the first few laps and then falling into the pack, Carter made a dramatic comeback in the last third of the race.

“I felt really good,” the Redlands resident said after the race. “It was a great course.”

Organizers said the race itself was a winner Sunday, drawing a large crowd and raising an estimated $7,000 for Ventura-based Youth Employment Services, a nonprofit agency that helps find jobs for young people 13 to 25 years old.

Several local groups coordinated the event, including the Kiwanis Club, Gold Coast Velo bicycle club and Wells Fargo Bank. The event was the Ventura-based bicycle club’s first in downtown Ventura.

There were two races Sunday: one for cyclists who have earned the designation of class 1, 2 or 3, and a 22-mile Master’s Race for bicyclists 35 years old or older. Roger Worthington won the latter race with a time of 56:44.

Event organizer and Gold Coast Velo member Paul Loufek said the approximately 100 participants were overwhelmingly excited about the race for its difficult downhill and uphill terrain and its downtown location.

“The racers have universally given us good feedback,” he said. “I’ve had racers come up and say they’d like to have the national championships here.”

Bicycle enthusiast Skip Garrett of Ventura, one of about 150 people lining the race course, said he enjoyed the event.

“Those guys were moving fast,” he said. “It was impressive.”

Carter said the downtown location was exciting, especially in contrast to competitions usually held in isolated areas.

“It’s nice to have a course downtown,” said Carter, one of several members of the Balance Santa Barbara Bicycle Club who participated. “It makes it a lot more fun and inspiring when everybody is out there.”