Featured Athlete - Jennifer Scott
Featured Athlete - Jennifer Scott
We are so happy that Jennifer Scott is back with us here at Norcal Velo after a few years of living and racing in Oregon! She started racing mountain bikes in 1999 before having foot surgery. “I only did a few races but a spark was ignited. Claire House talked me into doing my first road race in 2004. I was on Norcal Velo that year for a heart beat before I moved to Hood River, Oregon.” And not only are we happy, but it sounds like she is excited to be back with us as well! “I've acquired many good Nor Cal memories this year and they're kind of like a little video montage. If I started with one sequence I might not know when to stop.”
While Jennifer was “organically grown on the Sunshine Coast in B.C.” she feels like she really grew up here in Sonoma County. “I moved here when I was 18 by my lonesome. I live for a living and am constantly trying to find ways to do it better and in different ways.” Working in the exercise and health field for many years, Jennifer is now working on her MA in Kinesiology. Why does she like to ride bikes? Jennifer enjoys the excitement and adventure that cycling brings to her life. “My favorite part about cycling is the journey of the road or trail at hand and the one within and often times sharing those rides with others. You never know where a ride or race will take you. I found this great patch that says ‘My bike has taken me places that school never could.’ I really like that!” She likes all kinds of bikes too. “Mountain, road, tandem, touring with [her husband] Kevin, I love it all!”
Having completed two major stage races in Oregon, Jen has never shied away from tough events. “The Elkhorn Classic Stage Race in 2006 was probably the hardest race I've ever done mentally and physically. I hadn't ridden more than 60 mile rides that year and the road races were 70 and 100 miles. All of the women raced together. I was willing to do my share of the work and that offered me an opportunity to watch and learn from more experienced racers. I was 2nd overall in the cat 3/4 's by.1.13 seconds and I won the last stage. At mile 69 that day I felt like I wasn't even going to finish but at 94 miles I felt really good.”
This season, Jennifer chose to race both road and mountain bike events with Norcal Velo. “This year for me has been about trying it all and seeing which discipline I want to focus on for next year. I enjoyed racing at Boggs, the Old Caz Grasshopper Adventure race, Berkeley Hills and Pescadero!”
Not only does Jen enjoy racing and pushing her body to the limit, but she gets excited when there is local support for women’s cycling events. When racing the Elkhorn Classic, she recalls how, “Baker City has a real down home feeling and you really feel that the locals are happy to have you there; homemade cookies, women coming out of their houses early in the morning to thank us for coming to their town, (unheard of) local artisan made prizes, and a woman who owns the local coffee shop put up $100 primes in the women's crit. It was encouraging and really touching to feel that kind of support in a women's race.” And now here in Sonoma County she “was so proud to see so many spectators watching the first ever women's crit during the Tour of CA in downtown Santa Rosa. What a kick! It really opened up the floor for some dialogue about women's road racing and many of our sponsors (especially the folks at SMT) really got into it. It was great to share that enthusiasm with them and with our fellow teammates who were out there racing.”
She is happy to be back in Sonoma County and racing bikes. “It's been really exciting to come back to Sonoma County and be able to share a love of cycling with other women. Diamonds are good but a new, light wheel set will take you farther, not many women can relate to that. We encourage each other to become stronger athletes and share experiences and knowledge. The sponsorship this year has made our pursuit of this sport even more possible and I am very grateful for that support. It’s an expensive sport and every bit really does help.”
So what’s Jen’s plan for next year? “Next season I plan to do more road racing and stage racing, unless of course I fall madly in love with cyclocross this Fall. One thing’s for certain, I am looking forward to the MUD and learning from the cross experts on our team.” It sounds like no matter what discipline she races, Jennifer Scott with excel and do so with a smile across her face and a positive energy that will inspire the rest of us along the way! Thank you for being such a welcoming and encouraging teammate for me this season. I will never forget the wind, hail, and your supportive words during the Old Caz Grasshopper!
By Heather Cafferata
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Featured Athlete - Jennifer Scott
We are so happy that Jennifer Scott is back with us here at Norcal Velo after a few years of living and racing in Oregon! She started racing mountain bikes in 1999 before having foot surgery. “I only did a few races but a spark was ignited. ... read more
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