SLV Rattlers compete at state

DURANGO — The San Luis Valley Rattlers High School Mountain Bike Team successfully finished their third season in Durango at the 2019 Colorado Championship races.
Kaden Tolsma started on the first race of the weekend, finishing in 145th place out of a championship field of 154 Freshmen boys with a time of 1:15:49. Marian Kidd also raced on Saturday in the JV girl’s race, completing twelve miles in a time of 1:28:36, coming in at 76th place out of 88 riders. Kristin David, racing this year as an independent racer finished the JV race in a time of 1:20:32 for 61st place. Sunday morning, Sydney Crowder, racing with 71 Sophomore girls, finished in 58th place with a time of 1:27:31. The Rattlers’ first Varsity Boys racer, Cameron Roberts, blazed to a 22nd place finish in the state out of 88 riders. Racing for 24 miles, Cameron finished in a time of 1:52:27.
The San Luis Valley Rattlers were awarded the south division All-Star plaque and Chase McGee was awarded one of the TrailBlazer awards for his courage in participating with the team while battling cerebral palsy. Last year coach Brian Stevenson received the South Division Trail Blazer Award for his promotion of the Rattlers mountain bike team.
The team is composed of the following riders: Chase McGee, Monte Vista Senior, Obed Perez, Center Senior, Marian Kidd, Sargent Junior; Cameron Roberts, home-schooled Junior; Landon Tolsma, Monte Vista Junior; Sydney Crowder, home-schooled Sophomore, Sebastian Steffens, Del Norte Sophomore, Cairn Pike, Moffat Freshman, Kaden Tolsma, Monte Vista
Freshman, and River Randolph, Del Norte Freshman, and Christian Ronquillo, Center Freshman. Coaches include Brian Stevenson, team director; Larry Roberts, head coach; Kathy Daley, Mark Skinner, & Paul Steward, assistant coaches.
The Colorado High School Mountain Bike League provides racing venues under the auspices of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). The Colorado League races provide student-athletes an arena in which to set and accomplish competitive goals, to achieve their personal best. The fall race series consists of 4 conference races and a state championship race. Professional race promotion, timing, course preparation, and risk management guarantee every participating student-athlete is given a fun and fast environment to compete.