Thursday, 4/17/97 Club Corner
UCLA Cycling Reaching speeds of up to 100 mph, quickly cornering
on crowded city streets, dodging ditches, traveling down paths full
of rocks and trees, the ground racing by only inches away while you
are kept off the dirt by just two tires. This is UCLA cycling. "It
is a high just like a surfer dropping in on a huge wave in
Pipeline," cyclist Keith Henderson said. With the mountain bike
season over, the Bruins are focusing on road racing. Henderson, the
1996 National Criterion Champion, has led the Bruins to a hot 10-1
start of the season. Backing up Henderson on the men’s Team A are
Lane Packwood, Larry Brill and John Nobil, who on March 30 became
the first-ranked rider in the state. Not to be outdone is the
women’s A Team which is anchored by graduate student Virginia
Parks, currently fourth-ranked in the state, and Kelly Stock. Parks
has earned a medal in every race she has been in and is a contender
for the May national championships. The top four racers for the
club have all been among California’s best. "I have been racing for
six years and I have never seen a team trade No. 1 position among
themselves since I have been here," Henderson said. "We are
amazingly consistent." On Saturday and Sunday, UCLA will host a
road race at Cal State Long Beach and Antelope Valley, in which the
Bruins are planning to continue their West Coast dominance. The
cycling team is not just composed of pro racers – like Scott Evans
– and lifelong riders; there are also brackets for beginners. "We
offer all levels of riding. People start the season barely knowing
how to ride a bike but at the end of the year they are getting
medals," women’s mountain biker Judy Hue said. "We especially need
women to race because women count as half of the point total for
the races, so if we don’t have enough racers we lose out on a lot
of points." Last year the club set new records when John Nobil made
nationals and earned a world record time for the Paralympics’ 1-km
tandem bicycle time trial. This year, the cycling team is stronger
and many of the racers are expecting to make the nationals in
Colorado this year. This weekend will only be a stepping stone for
the UCLA powerhouse. It should provide the racers a chance to show
the nation that many UCLA racers will try for national champion
status this year and in the future. UCLA Crew This weekend the
Marine Aquatic Center will host UCLA’s crew tournament. With only a
few tournaments left in the season, this competition will be
crucial for the Bruins’ postseason chances as they strive to reach
the playoffs. The crew team has established itself as a strong
contender this year, winning five of its last six races. The Bruins
are a strong favorite to win this tournament. UCLA Men’s Lacrosse
Sunday the playoff-bound lacrosse team will travel to Whittier and
open the postseason by playing the top-ranked team in the West. "It
is going to be a tough game since they beat us already," senior
Rocky Choi said. "We have players that can play with their top
players but the only way we can beat them is if we play as a team."
With active recruitment, players from Canada and the East Coast and
fully-funded status as a Division II team, Whittier is a likely
favorite to beat the Bruins. Underdogs can win any day, however
(take a look at the NCAA basketball champions). "We have to play
the best game of our lives and play as a unit," junior Dustin Mark
said. "Whittier should not even be in the league. They destroy
teams. But there is always a chance for upsets and we have the
heart to perform it." If UCLA wants to continue its dream season it
will need to knock off a Goliath bigger than any David ever had to
face. But the Bruins play with their hearts on the line. "We are
the Bad News Bruins," Mark said. Come Sunday, the team hopes it
will be bad news for a particular West Coast powerhouse – such news
as would shock the country. Compiled by Rocky Salmon, Daily Bruin
Contributor.