Sunday, September 25, 2005 -- Kanawha State Forest - Charleston, WV
Black Bear MTB Race - WVMBA Fall #7 Championship (iPO Event Id#: 6775)
Story and photos by Eric Anderson

[Details] [Coverage] [Overall Results] [Pic Set 1] [Pic Set 2] [Pic Set 3]

Past Black Bear Coverage: [1998] [1999] [2000] [2001] [2002] [2003] [2004]

Twice the fun - 2 WVMBA Series this year

The 2005 Black Bear Mountain Bike race in the Kanawha State Forest on Sunday was a tremendous success. The weather was unusually warm for a late September day, but things did not start really heating up until the riders got cranking. The event has a long history, with this being the 19th Annual race, it's reputation for being a great race is known throughout the state and beyond.

There were races for every level of rider imaginable. If a rider was just learning to mountain bike there was the Beginner level, and if one were a long time veteran, they could do the Pro Expert Race. All together, there was well over 100 riders in this years event. It also is the seventh race in the WVMBA championship series, and many riders had their game face on to increase their point standings.

Feeling the pain of the bear

In the Pro Expert Division, Eric Kriberney conquered the challenging course in 1:50:46. On the Pro Expert Division, Betsy Schauer destroyed the rest of the field and came in with a winning time of 2:16:50. The winner is the Beginner Men Division, Jeff Schott won with a time of 1:14:35, and on the women's side in the same division it was Keaton Broughton.

Some Parting Words from R.D. Steve Marshall...
Thanks to all the volunteers and riders who made the 2005 Black Bear Mountain Bike Race such a huge success. Steven Marshall would like to give his appreciation to all the men and women who helped with the markings of the bike trail, and the timing and all the planning that went into such a major event.

The kid's take a turn

Big thanks to Diane Clothier, Pat and Tracy McDonald, Steve and Sandy Childress, Herman and Patricia Nicely the LVFD and the Charleston Ham Radio Club. A big super thank you goes out to Melissa Nicely. A huge thank you to Elizabeth Shaffer Lilly at TV 8 for all that she did. Many thanks need to go out to the sponsors that made this race possible. There are many to thank, so give them a Big Ole' Thank You for making this one the Best Black Bear Races on record.

Thanks to the riders who came out to race. May you have a safe and well deserved restful winter. Keep on spinnin' and keep on grinnin'.