10-17-07 // Events: Singlespeed Cyclocross World Champs

Leave it to the single-speeders of Portland, Oregon, to dream up the newest entry in the category of unofficial world championship events: the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships (SSCXWC), scheduled November 10-11 in Portland.

Held in conjunction with a Cross Crusade race that weekend in Portland, this unofficial official event is a call to single-speed ’cross riders worldwide. Hosted by the Portland Single Speed Collective, the event promises mud, camaraderie, beer and, of course, the requisite winners’ tattoos. Instead of rainbow stripes, winners of the SSCXWC will be presented with world champion Speedos.

Singlespeed cross racers portage over the barriers in a recent Portland Cross Crusade event.

The concept was inspired by the success of recent single-speed mountain bike world championships. And while a ’cross championship for cyclocross-riding single-speeders may appear to be residing on the outer fringes of a fringe sport, remember, this is Portland. At a recent Cross Crusade event, the single-speed category had 88 entrants.

“It was crazy, insane,” said Dani Dance of the Portland Single Speed Collective. “We expect this to be pretty big. Everybody’s saying they want to do it, and a lot of the A racers will probably be racing twice that day.”

SSCXWC World Championships
Saturday November 10: Time trial qualifier, with creative intermediate time bonuses. Following the time trial there will be a last chance wild card race. A mass start for those who did not qualify during the time trial for 10 reserved spots.

Sunday November 11: The Big day. The Championships will be a one hour cross race in the notorious Estacada Timber Bowl. Mud guaranteed, rain highly likely, more spectators than a Belgian Cross race and almost as much beer. Laps will roll through the beer garden and crowds will be heckling. Only one man and one woman will leave as the Single Speed Cyclocross World Champion.

Prizes: Vanilla Bicycles and Ahearne Cycles have signed on as major sponsors. Expect a custom built Vanilla frame (vanillabicycles.com) for the men’s winner and custom-built Ahearne frame (ahearnecycles.com) for the women’s winner. There will also be a custom-made world championship Speedo and of course, tattoos.

For more information, check out sscxwc.com. Event registration is at bikereg.com.