Record number of bikers participate in Great Deer Chase
Over half of registered racers under age 16
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CALUMET -- More than 180 mountain-bike enthusiasts descended upon the Swedetown trails Saturday for the annual Great Deer Chase race series. The exact number was 183 registered riders according to race coordinator Kris Anderson.
"That broke our previous all-time record of 179 racers and topped last year’s number of 150," he stated.
Ever more impressive were the number of youth involved in this yearly fundraiser, which is sponsored by Cross Country Sports.
"More than half of the racers were in the under-16 category," said Anderson. "That is great to see and is a testament to all of our sponsors, who have offered a ton of prizes to this age group. We have seen so much growth in the youth riders, and that is so encouraging."
He cited the two "youth races" as big draws. These included a 15-and-under four-mile trek and a 12-and-under three-mile race.
Twelve-year-old Lilly Shebby, of Calumet, was the top-female finisher in the Rhythm Bike Shop’s youth long race (four miles). Her time of 36:27.9 was roughly seven minutes behind the top finisher Brooks Bussiere, of Chassell (29:37.2). Her strategy was a simple one - push through it.
"I tried to dodge the loose rocks," she said, "and pass (other riders) on the ski trails."
Winning top spots in the other youth race were Daniel Schuett, of South Range, and Islay Van Treese, of Houghton. Schuett was the top-male finisher in the Level Up Branded Apparel Specialists' three-mile race with a time of 14:02.3. Van Treese was the top-female finisher of this race with a time of 18:04.8.
Anderson added that all the money raised from this August event goes back into the Swedetown trail system. The longest race of the day was a 20-mile trip around the trail system and was sponsored by Onxy Racing Products. The first-place finisher for that race was Joel Bretzlaff, of Highland, Michigan. He crossed the finish line with a top time of 1:45:00.4. Winning first place for the women in this distance race was Megan Broeders, of Negaunee. Her time was 1:59:45.9.
Kody Nutting, of Kalamazoo, took first in the 13-mile Down Wind Sports medium race with a time of 1:04:11.8.
"We (Nutting and his wife) came up to do the Ore to Shore mountain bike race in Marquette last weekend and decided to stick around to do this one," he said. "This was a fun ride. It was a great course -- fast and well marked."
Coming in first in this one for the women with a time of 1:09:55.7 was Kaytlin Roell, of Marquette.
Winners in the short eight-mile race sponsored by Level Up Branded Apparel Specialists included Renn Taivalkoski, of Calumet with a time of 39:51.7 and for the females, Becca Subert, of Hancock (46:04.7).
While she came in last in this short race, 66-year-old Diane Harris, of Milwaukee, wasn’t complaining.
"I am just happy to finish and not fall off my bike," she quipped. "Bike riding keeps me healthy, and I like the challenge of these races."