Yonah Nature Preserve Trails hosted the East Conference Georgia Cycling Association Championship Oct. 19th.
Team Cartecay traveled with 16 well-prepared athletes ready to tackle the fast and undulating Conference Championship Course.
The day began with near freezing temperatures to greet the intrepid middle school racers.
Team Cartecay’s eighth graders set the pace for the day with courageous finishes. Nicholas Cianciolo landed on the podium for the second time of the season with his fourth-place finish, while Miles Slemons placed in the top 10 with his ninth-place finish. Justice Giet and Beau Tate posted strong finishes in 21st and 30th.
Among the female eighth grade racers, Lucy Nell Alonso came in 11th, while in her debut race, Elayna Broyles just missed the podium with her sixth-place finish.
The team’s lone seventh grader, Blain Farrow, completed his race in 25th. Sixth grader Leo Alonso landed on the podium for the second time this season with his fifth-place finish. Harvest Giet raced to sixth place in the sixth-grade girls’ division.
As the sunshine warmed up the venue for the high school races, the boys battled in the largest and most difficult heats. Freshman Calvin Bash finished his laps in an impressive 27th place. In the JV-2 boys division, Micah Slemons placed 46th, while Lazarus Alonso completed his race in 65th.
The JV-1 girls put in impressive performances with Isabella Cianciolo coming back after a first lap crash for a fifth-place podium finish. Senior riders Clare Moore and Evangelina Giet posted sixth- and eighth-place finishes, respectively. Jubilee Giet, in the JV-2 girls category, also rode to a commendable sixth-place finish.
The team earned a fourth-place finish for the day, capping off the East Conference point series ranked fifth. Top 10 conference point series winners in their respective divisions were Isabella Cianciolo (third), Clare Moore (sixth) and Evangelina Giet (ninth)Lucy Nell Alonso (ninth), Nicholas Cianciolo (fourth) and Miles Slemons (10th).
Peach State Championship qualifiers were Lazarus Alonso, Clare Moore, Evangelina Giet, Micah Slemons and Isabella Cianciolo.
Also, Calvin Bash, Nicholas Cianciolo, Miles Slemons, Justice Giet and Lucy Nell Alonso.