2023 classic
27th annual
Conducted on April 30, 2023, this is the first time in resent history that the race was conducted as a stand-alone without a time trial or trail run on the same weekend. The trails were mostly dry and there was a brisk cool wind that intermittently kept spectators bundled or huddling around the cabin. The turnout was 107 with 12 in the free kids race. The course was altered from previous years due to the ongoing reclamation of the landfill, and a little shorter at 8.6-miles. Starting from the cabin, the race entered the trails at Rick’s Trail following a path through the field mowed specifically for the race. The finish stretch exited the trail just prior to Rick’s Trail and took a path along the dirt road and pine trees back to the cabin. E-bike racers numbered seven this year, and completed two full laps.
Young rider, Colin O'Neil from Williamson County TN, was in the lead at the end of the first lap. He held the lead by 52 seconds over next place 19 year old Samuel Mayer, also from Willamson. Full Results
2022 Classic and time trial
26th Annual
We liked conducting the race in May in the prior year for the first time, and so we decided to stay with it for 2022. This race was again chosen as TBRA’s state championship. The turnout was 129, which is down from 166 in the prior year, and the decline was not related to weather since the trails were dry and there was little threat of rain. E-bikes were introduced, and they started in the morning, 15 minutes after the Cat 1 race start, and they completed 1.5 laps.
Carson Beckett’s talent has escalated over three years since he completed this year’s event in 1:53:25, which is a minute faster than his 2019 time when the race course did not include the Death Ditch, Corkscrew and Bigger Mountain. Simon Lewis was probably his nearest challenger, but he DNF’d, and I don’t know what happened there. For second place, there was apparently a battle going on between Joseph Dabbs and Mason Dumanski, because Dabbs finished in 2:07:02 and Dumanski in 2:07:04. The officials had trouble with the software the results ended up not having times.
The Time Trial on the 24th had 28 racers. Simon Lewis had the fastest time of the day with 13:57, with next fastest racer being junior racer, Joseph Dabbs in 14:33. Nicole Blom was the fastest female in 18:55. Classic Results Time Trial Results Pictures
2021 Classic and Time Trial
25th Annual
We skipped the 2020 races due to COVID. In early 2021, COVID was still prominent but vaccinations gave us hope that we could conduct the race later in the year, and so we moved it to May. Good thing too, because the usual date would have had to been canceled due to major flooding at Chickasaw. This change also allowed us to be chosen as the state championship. During the COVID period volunteers spent over 2000 hours updating the trails, altering and adding the Caterpillar Bridge, Death Ditch, Corkscrew, Bigger Mountain, Sweet Sixteen, Go Bigger, and Roller Coaster.
The morning Cat 1 races (3-laps) include the Corkscrew and Bigger Mountain that are not included in the afternoon races due to its difficulty for beginners. The updates to the trail added more distance and climbing from prior years. Simon Lewis finished first in 2:05:04 in the Men’s Pro/Cat 1 field earning a paycheck of $405. Ben Linderman was second in 2:06:14. In the women’s Cat 1 race, Kim Linderman completed the afternoon two-lap course in 1:38:45 with Tara Hileman placing second in 1:48:42. The total race participant count was 166.
We had a time trial count of 63 for the 2021 event. Unfortunately, the results for this race seemed to have escaped from USAC and TBRA’s website, and therefore I have no stats or links to share. Classic Results Pictures 14 and Under Pictures Kids Pictures All Others
2019 Classic and time trial
24th annual
We conducted our first Time Trial on Saturday, 2:00 on March 30th and 53 participants. The course was 4-miles starting at the MTB parking pavilion and pulled out of the trails at the RC Car track and finished at the cabin. Carson Becket of Benton KY had the fastest time of the day with 13:20 and Simon Lewis of Franklin TN was next with 13:43. Dina Greer of Pleasant View TN was the fastest female of the day with 16:55. The course was mostly dry, but a few sprinkles came while some were on the course.
Carson Becket finished first in the Men’s Pro/Cat 1 field for Sunday’s Classic with a time of 1:54:12, and Simon Lewis was next with 2:01:55. The traction on the trails were in top condition helping Carson surpass last years’ time by 14 minutes. Dina Greer topped the women’s two-lap race with 4 ½ minute lead over Caroline O’Neil of Franklin. Pictures Classic Results TT Results
2018 Classic
23rd annual
Continuous rain in the month leading up to this race caused flooding over several portions of the trails and hindered people getting ready for the race. A portion of the River Trail collapsed into the river and CCC members made a re-route nine days before race day. Nonetheless, attendance was better than the previous three years with the biggest gains coming from the juniors as a result of NICA and Hub Youth organizations.
The trails had recovered from the flood in time for the race but rain occurred the day before and the morning race of Cat 1 racers had a slick run. For the third year in a row, Carson Beckett of Benton Kentucky topped the Pro/Cat 1 Open men’s race. He had a six minute lead over second place which was Andrew Dillman of Fairdale Kentucky. Teen standout, Harrison Klapheke of Kingston Springs TN, placed third for the second year in a row. There was only one Pro/Cat1 Open Women racer. The Cat 2 Women racers were faster with Sarah Moore of Nashville finishing 2 minutes ahead of second place Meredith Sierpina of Louisville. Pictures1 Pictures2 Results
2017 classic (22nd annual)
Trails were a little slick for the Cat 1 morning race, and almost dry for the rest of the field at 1:00. Carson Beckett’s laps were two minutes slower than last year, but some of this is attributable to a longer starting area in the grass. Cory Rimmer was again the second place challenger, but Cory was running two minutes slower than per lap than Beckett this year. Sixteen year-old standout, Harrison Klapheke, finished 45 seconds behind Rimmer for third in the Pro/Cat 1 Men’s Open. In the Cat 1 women’s race, Mary Penta of Bloomington Indiana carried a comfortable lead for the win, with Jessica Edens placing second. Pictures Results
Classic 2016 (21st annual)
Rain stayed away this year and the trails were dry and fast. The competition in the Pro/Cat 1 15-39 was steep with most of the 25 competitors wanting to get into the trails first and most running sub 42 minute laps. Chris Tries of Johnson City was in the lead at the end of the first lap closely followed by last year’s winner, Robert Rimmer of Friendship TN, and also Carson Beckett of Benton KY. At the end of the second lap, the three were still riding together clocking a 38:45 lap. Beckett and Rimmer picked up the pace to battle for victory in the third and final lap, knocking off two minutes from the previous lap. Carson Beckett prevailed by 20 seconds. In the Pro/Cat 1 Women’s race, AnnaJean Dallaire of Georgetown IN pulled ahead of Sydney Wenger of Orrville OH early on, but then Wenger came back within range on the second lap. In the third lap, Dallaire pulled away again to win by two minutes. Pictures1 Pictures2 Results
2015 Classic (20th annual)
The 20th annual race on March 22, 2015 had some slickness on the trails but Robert Rimmer of Friendsville TN was four minutes faster than last year’s dry trail, and he prevailed in the men’s Pro race by almost four minutes over second place Elliott Baring of Banner Elk, NC. Jenna Blandford of Louisville KY was first in the Women’s Pro/Cat 1 event by a margin of one minute and forty-one seconds over second place Jessica Christensen of Kingston Springs TN. Pictures1 Pictures2 Results
2014 CLASSIC (19th Annual)
The 19th annual race on March 23, 2014 had dry trails and cool weather for the 151 racers. Kenneth Hall of Germania, Pennsylvania topped the Pro men’s race by one minute and twenty-one seconds over last year’s winner, Robert Rimmer of Friendsville, Tennessee. There were only two racers in the Cat 1 Women’s race. Race official, Frank Mackzum asked them on the starting line if they wanted to race just two laps instead of three, and they accepted the offer. Shannon Mathis of Nashville was the victor over Jennifer Morehead of Jackson, TN. Pictures1 PicturesCat1 PicturesAwards Results
2013 classic (18th Annual)
The 18th Annual on March 24, 2013 was a mudfest with rain coming down during the Cat 1-2 race. Attendance was down to 127 racers attributed to the rain and a conflict with the Hell of the South road race that was held on the previous day. In the pro races, Robert Rimmer of Friendsville, TN, had a four minute victory over nearest competitor, Craig Evans. Anna Jean Dallaire of Georgetown, Indiana, won by one minute and fourteen seconds over second place, Jill Dugan of Midway, Pennsylvania. Kiersta Tucker of Louisville came in third. Pictures Results
2012 Classic (17th annual)
The 17th Annual on March 25, 2012 was a rebound for the race thanks to good weather and the partnering with a new sponsor. Harpeth Bicycles became an exclusive bike shop sponsor and its team helped to promote the event in a broad way. The swag for Cat 2 was twice the usual and racers were also treated to a free lunch from Whole Foods. Harpeth and MOAB jerseys dominated the day in quantity but Team Bikers Choice carried the first three positions in the Men’s Pro race: Teammates Craig Evans (Hendersonville TN) and Kyle Taylor (Nashville) raced the third lap together. At the finish stretch Evans appearing to allow Taylor the victory. Anna Jean Dallaire and Kiersta Tucker, both of Louisville KY, were first and second in the Cat 1 Women’s race. There were 201 racers and 28 in the kids’ race. PicturesAwards Pictures2 Results
2011 Classic (16th Annual)
The 16th Annual on March 27, 2011 experienced a big drop with only 93 racers. The rain threat was small; the trails were a little slick. We were not included in Gone Riding’s SERC series this year. Vicki Mackzum scored the race. Duane Leach took over as director. The course started in front of the cabin, took the steep hill toward the convenience center and entered into the woods at the nearby graveyard sign. Nathan Guerra of Oconomoc, Wisconsin prevailed in the men’s pro race by 16 seconds over Cory Rimmer of Friendville, TN. Kiersta Tucker of Custer, KY was the lone racer among Cat 1 women. Pictures Results
2010 Classic (15th Annual)
The 15th Annual on March 28, 2010 was another mudfest. The rain came down relentlessly the night before the race and the trails were even muddier than the 2008 race. Racers were covered in mud. There were 191 in attendance which was the lowest in six years. Thomas Turner of Canton, Georgia topped the pro men’s race with a time of 2:16:24. He finished 5 minutes ahead of second place, Seth Kemp, and 7 ½ minutes ahead of third place, Alex Ryan. Turner was the winner of this race in 2007 as well. Kim Flynn of Chattanooga prevailed by 2 ½ minutes over teammate Anina Aaron of Oak Ridge, NC, in the pro/Cat 1 women’s race. Pictures Results