Race Report: 2018 Sturdy Dirty Enduro - Tiger Mountain
The Sturdy Dirty is known as being a party masquerading as a race, and the final event of the 2018 Sturdy Dirty Women’s Enduro Series, presented by Liv Cycling, ended with a roar at Tiger Mountain, WA.
Not a tame kitty, the trails here boast some rugged and challenging terrain that can make even a skilled rider pucker. With two brand new trails in the mix, racers were treated to some steep, raw, flowy courses where they got to put their sturdiness to the test.
The race at Tiger also lived up to the title of the being all about Fun Zone Racing with rowdy, scantily clad volunteers, a tutu making party, and aid stations hosted by Giant Bicycles, Evo, Team Mayhem/Kirkland Bicycle, Evergreen Crank Sisters, and Epic Racing. Racers were treated to all kinds of delights such as carnitas tacos, slushies, chicken wings, fireball, and all the bacon a person could handle.
This was the 5th year of the Sturdy Dirty, and the 2nd year as a 3-race series. In an area where women typically make up around 14% of the participants at the local enduro races, averaging 30 women per race this year, it’s notable that nearly 200 women were registered for the Sturdy Dirty. Racers came from Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and Canada.
Ash Bocast of Roam Events, one of the organizers of the race series, takes in the crowd of racers.
Julie Crittenden of Sturdy B*tch Racing gives the racers meeting like a boss.
Shannon Sutherland is ready to party!
Alison Angione getting nice and limber.
Linnea Rooke will take her new Evil to a 2nd place finish in Pro.
Ballerinas, bunnies, or cyclists? Lydia Peters and Jo Peters brought their costume game. Jo took her costume all the way to a 2nd place win in Expert.
Julie Shonkwiler crushed the technical Tiger trails on her hardtail.
Autumn Parham is one to watch - at 16 she earned a 3rd place win in the pro category against some tough ladies.
Port Angeles' Team Lazer Kittens Tara Weber, Catharine Copass and Lusana Schutz with claws out ready to take on the Tiger.
Some racers opted to take advantage of Liv's demo fleet to borrow a brand new Hail Advanced for the race.
Hannah Underdahl is a badass mother racing with a newborn.
Emily Ford has a fierce tiger claw.
After a long pedal up to the summit, racers were treated to bacon, tacos and margaritas by Giant and Liv Cycling, as well as tutu making with SheJumps. What’s better than riding your bike super-fast down a hill in a colorful tutu after enjoying some frozen tequila?...
...Well, partying with a giraffe makes everything better.
While the PNW has been blanketed by smoke, the Sturdy Dirty lucked out with a window of blue skies timed just right for the event. Nyki Delorme and Mallory Nowels look like they are ready for fun.
This racer won the shirt of the day.
Haley Boscolo on the prowl.
MsFit Laura DeLong getting a taste of that downhill dirt.
Hannah Underdahl attacking any feature that comes her way.
Tara Moser being chased by a stray polar bear.
Running from these guys helped Sweetlines coach Elena Runyan score herself the top spot in the Expert class.
Kari Lio getting steazy on the log roll.
MsFit Thea Ruckhaus determined to not let anything ruffle her tutu.
Emergency Team Evo was fully staffed with a team of medical professionals and a sexy nurse Delia Massey to give everyone an injection of Breaking Bad Blue and Blood Red Jello shots.
Mere Crafton and Sami Ryan used Evo's medicine to help them shred the trail
Special guests from our favorite show, Baywatch, came to make sure everyone was safe as they went for a swim. When the racers were done drowning themselves in tasty chicken wings and Drinko games, they were resuscitated by half naked, mullet-donning lifeguards chasing them down the start of next stage.
Mallory Nowels screaming the Baywatch theme song at the start of her race run, which added extra stoke and subtracted precious time from her run.
Denise Schwend riding to safety with the help of lifeguard and volunteer of the year, Cameron Piercy.
The whole Blair Family Circus came out to the Sturdy Dirty. Mom Tana followed racer Molly all day while dad Johnny helped man the Baywatch aid station.
Although some racers found themselves distracted by the pool play, Chrissy Pierce is accustomed to these shenanigans from her husband.
The Baywatch boys were always ready to help the racers cool down.
At their aid station, the Evergreen Crank Sisters reminded everyone that we are ALL superheroes and role models.
The Crank Sisters aid station is one that everyone looks forward to each year.
Following the main event, the Mini Sturdies got to put their skills to the test in a fun parking lot strider race.
The next generation of shredders. Way to go!
The party continued with a huge, fast, and fun raffle. Theresa Roundy is SUPER excited about her raffle winnings.
Raffle items were donated by PNW Components, Bell, Evo, Outdoor Research, Platypus, Squish Dynamics, Club Ride, Dumonde Tech, Pedal Power, Dirty Jane, Dakine, GGR, and SRAM.
Yes, that's right, you just won a complete SRAM Eagle Drive Train!
Any time is a good time to hug it out!
Pippi Longstocking and Rainbow Bright are way cooler than we ever imagined.
PROS Anna Sullivan (Sturdiest), Linnea Rooke (Sturdier), Autumn Parham (Sturdy), Andi Zolton (4th), and Jocelyn Leiske (5th)
EXPERT MASTERS Cristine Smith, Bre Rue, and Dana Wolf
EXPERTS Elena Runyan, Jo Peters, and Mikayla Davis
SPORT MASTERS Janine Robinson, Kindahl Reed, and Cathy Gidley
SPORTS Andrea Nesbitt, Chelsea Stevens, and Nyki Delorme
SPORT JUNIORS Sascha Knight and Riley Amsbry
BEGINNER MASTERS Erica Whisenant, Jayme Hill, and Michelle Bostick
BEGINNERS Kelsey Tutt, Lya Macaya, and Carleigh Garrett
BEGINNER JUNIORS Emma Artz and Molly Blair
These badass women and Cheerleader of the Year attended all of the 2018 Sturdy Dirty races!
The Sturdy Dirty has donated $3,000 and organized three trail building days throughout the year. Thank you, Evergreen, and all the volunteer trail builders.
Sturdy B*tch Ady Bee Lane was presented with the original sketch of the Fun Zone Racing shirt design by artist Kristina Wayte of Sketchy Trails.
And that's a wrap! We can't wait to see what these Sturdy B*tches have up their sleeves for 2019.
Organizers Andi Zolton, Ash Bocast, Katie Jackson, Ady Bee Lane, Jessica Hatch, Julie Crittenden, and Anglea Sucich celebrate with the biggest of smiles.
Big thanks to the sponsors who make this all possible.
Race results can be found here.
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At the same time, it's not often that women who are wanting to pin it are able to compete against a field of 20+ women in their class. The sport 19-39 class had over 40 women! It means a lot more to say that you won your class when you're competing against 40 women than when you have a field of 5.
I'll also note that Canada has a similar race (HOYH) and they don't lack for top level talent!
Also, Jill Kintner. Kialani Hines. Both from the beautiful PNW.
I understand it is supposed to get more women cycling... which I am all for it, but it doesn’t need to embarass the country with all the frat party stuff... riding a bike should be fun for what it is... people that need to be at a carnival are not going to stick around in a long run. They just gonna move to the next popular thing to do involving a keg
On a personal level, Sturdy Dirty was a catalyst in overcoming some of my biggest fears when it came to challenging features on the trail (eh em, Predator). It also inspired me to cat up, compete in the Race Cascadia series, and most recently, complete the Trans BC. One thing that’s for sure though, those so called “frat parties” are put on by some of the funnest, most encouraging people I have had the honor of meeting, riding, and planning with. I hope that we can all have as much fun in life during our short time on this speck of dust.
Our society raises girls that turn into women that feel like they have to be perfect. Its a huge problem for most of us; somehow we get convinced its better to not try than to fail, and not being perfect is failure.
Events like this aren't changing cycling. They are changing the world.