Introducing the Board – 2016 Edition

In the off-season, a number of changes happen here in the PNW Cycling community – it’s that time of year trackies start the perilous path of “logging miles” (sitting on the couch wearing chamois with football on all while glaring menacingly at your long-dormant indoor trainer counts, or so I’ve heard). Perhaps most importantly for the MVA is the annual changing of the guard for our Board Members. This year, we see a few new faces join the ranks of several returning members hoping to make 2016 the best season yet at the newly-named Jerry Baker Velodrome. Let’s take a look at our willing and able leaders!

President – Kristian Miller, admin@velodrome.org, marketing@velodrome.org

Seen here meeting with another member of the board, Andrew Carlberg, president Kristian Miller is always on the job. Kristian serves on the Development Committee and the Marketing and Sponsorship Committee.

Vice President – Andrew Carlberg, racing@velodrome.org

Andrew will be serving on the Race Committee this year.

Finance – Nick Martinez, treasurer@velodrome.org

Nick Martinez began racing in 2012 for Seattle U and joined the Marymoor community in 2013. As a cat 3 with Broadmark Capital, Nick Martinez has quickly become a big part of the track scene here at the JBV. His favorite track race is the individual 4k pursuit. In his words, “Gotta love a niche event of a niche sport.”  Nick was asked to share a funny story in his racing career. What he divulged was actually a tale of great tragedy and sorrow, but I’ll let him tell the rest. “

One night in 2015 my buddy came out to watch racing and decided to bring his camping grill to tailgate. He set it up so the smell of bacon and hotdogs would carry onto the track… By the end of the night I’m exhausted and heading to the beer garden [when] I yell over to him, making sure he saved some food. He comes over for beer and assures me there’s plenty of bacon left. I’m so excited… then I look over to his grill to see a dog licking the skillet clean.” 

Nick is excited to help out even more around the track this year and is looking forward to another great season of racing at the newly renamed ‘Bakerdrome’!

Secretary – Ted Scott, info@velodrome.org

Ted Scott races in the Cat 1/2’s field (occasionally Masters) on the Broadmark Capital team. According to Ted, he has “been a cyclist for roughly 30 of my 42 years, starting with road racing in Minnesota after watching LeMond beat the Badger in 1986 (the photo is me in the 80’s).” He took a bit of a hiatus, returning to the sport “after moving to Redmond for Microsoft”, signing up in 2006 for his first season at Marymoor, all while racing “on a 23 lb. steel Motebecane Messanger with an 86″ gear”. The bike must have been the trick – he won his second night racing in the 4’s. His motebecane carried him through the Cat 4’s, into the Cat 3’s, and on to a brief and positive experience with the Cucina Fresca race team. After another short break, Ted’s back and has been racing since 2012 and working his way up. Ted is a second year member of the board and continues to serve on the Rider Development committee as chair and on the Race Committee as majority whip.

His favorite format? “Madison!! And you can race any other race format as a madison, so it is the clear winner”. 

When asked to share his a funny story from his racing past, Ted reaches back to his junior racing years. 

“While a junior, I attended a 7-11 junior talent camp in Wisconsin and they seeded us into groups based on a 10k time trial. I’d never ridden a time trial, but they said there would be a cone in the road and I would turn around it and come back to the finish. When my turn came up, it started pouring rain, with huge wind gusts, and I could barely see the road through my dirty Oakleys. I didn’t have a bike computer, so I just kept on riding until I came to an intersection. No one said we’d have to cross an intersection so I turned around and, of course, on my way back, I had to dodge an overturned cone that I’d missed. I came in dead last, but only by 10 seconds, even though I rode more than a mile extra.

For this year? Ted wants to “see our crop of regular junior racers grow.” Last year, his goal of a larger Cat 4 women field was a success – now it’s time to see the young ladies show up! Board Member – Jim Flynn

Jim currently is a Cat 1 racer and a regular for us at the JBV. He started his cycling career in earnest in 1987, when he began both road and track racing. By 1989, he was track Cat 2. He continues to race and compete to this day, but now as a Cat 1. You ask Jim what he’s proudest of? “I would have to say my biggest accomplishment… is the cat 1 upgrade at the age of 40 in 2010.” Jim also mentions a healthy collection of strong finishes and memorable wins in his career, including a silver medal in the team pursuit Nationals in 2012, lapping the field in the points race at that same Nationals, a silver medal in the points race in 2014, and winning the Redmond Derby in 2012. He is also no stranger to our biggest competition of the year, the Marymoor Grand Prix, having posted 10 or so victories at the major event of the last four years.

Not surprisingly, Jim is involved primarily with the Race Committee. When asked about his favorite event, Jim metions “the classic scratch race. I have a couple big sprints in me per race and once those are used up it can be over for me pretty quick… the scratch race allows me the best chance for a win.” 

Board Member – Ruth Gustafson, classes@velodrome.org

(She’s the green and blue rider with the white helmet near the front!)

Ruth started riding recreationally with CBC, eventually deciding to race and join Team Group Health in the fall of 2012. Shoulder surgery played a big part of keeping Ruth out of racing during the 2013 season, but it wasn’t able to keep her from taking a track class. She loved the class but only managed had time left for two Wednesday nights in 2013.  In 2014, Ruth’s racing season got a chance to take off, racing the full season on Wednesday nights, including Fred’s Race, the Husky Throw Down and Masters Nationals. Nationals was a particularly memorable experience for Ruth, noting that the race “gave me a chance to finally race other women in my age bracket. This year, I added Monday night sprints and did Fred’s again; and I’m aiming for Nationals again next year.” When asked about her favorite race format, Ruth gave me two answers – Sprints and Keirin. Speed, speed, speed. I like it! Ruth would like to see increased participation at the JBV this year, especially with women competitors.

Board Member – Gordy Morris, marketing@velodrome.org

Gordy is serving on the Marketing and Sponsorship Committee this year.

Program Director (not on the board, does the “grunt work”) – Amara Edwards, amara@velodrome.org

Web Admin and Tag-Along MVA Helper – Cory Edwards, webadm@velodrome.org

In her fourth year as program director, Amara is on the front-line of all things Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome related. She can be found M/T/W/Th/F all late-spring/summer at the track. She has her hand in just about everything that happens around the track, so feel free to contact her with question, ideas, concerns, etc.

In his fourth year as Web Admin (and occasional announcer/helper/waterboy), Cory tries to keep this hulking online presence of the MVA working and functioning as planned. Send any questions/comments/concerns regarding the website his way.