In the photos above clockwise from the top: Riders line up for the start of the race; Overall winner Ben Cannon accepts his award; Rider Ron Perry of Oakley accelerates down Walnut Blvd. shortly after the start; 10-year-old Ethan Van Hook of Brentwood starts his race; Trish Pacheco accepts her award. Jessica Morre shot these photos. Here are some photos on Flicker
Updated on April 8, 2013
The 34-foot taller dam, and a longer course did little to slow riders at the Los Vaqueros Dam Trials Saturday.
In all, 39 riders from age 7 to 77 competed with Ben Cannon of Brentwood winning first place with a time of 11:06 over the 3.4 mile course. He is the fourth different overall winner in the four-year history of the event, and had a four second advantage over Craig Tanner of Benicia.
Trish Pacheco of Walnut Creek was the only woman entered, and she finished strong with a 13.04.
It was the fourth running of the event, which was on hiatus for two years due to the expansion of the reservoir. Riders are timed in a sprint from the entry kiosk on the North side of the watershed to the top of the dam. The weather was cool and pleasant, with some breezes.
Dam Trials Men's Winner Jeff Mapes just before climbing up the hill toward the dam.
Windy and cold weather dominated the third Los Vaqueros Dam Trials on Saturday, April 10, 2010, keeping times high.
Winds up to 35 mph roared right into the face of the riders and temperatures were below 50 degrees for most of day on the three-mile sprint to the top of the dam.
Jeff Mapes of Brentwood, topped men's the field with a 10:56.3, nearly 33 seconds ahead of second finishing Jeff Bilodeau, also of Brentwood.
In the Women's Division, defending champion Lindsey Moffett of Antioch made it two Dam Trials in a row and finished at 13:20.8, nearly three minutes slower than last year. She said the unrelenting wind cost her three to four minutes.
Jeff Samson of Discovery Bay, who won the inaugural Dam Trials in 2008, was seen to be pushed back and forth across Walnut Blvd as he battled the wind on his start. He finished fourth in his age group with a time of 13:28.4.
In all, 45 riders competed in the largest Dam Trials to date.
So Steve Ransom's course record of 9:12.9 -- set in 2009 -- still stands.
Jeff Samson of Brentwood charges
away from the start line to win the first Los Vaqueros Dam Trials in 2008 with a time of 10:08.
San Francisco's Steve Ransom won the 2009 LV Dam Trials with a 9:12.9, almost 20 mph.
72-year-old Dave Stoeffler nears the finish line in the 2008 trails. He was the oldest rider in the field and finished sixth overall with a time of 11:38. He returned in 2009 and finished with an 11:56. In 2010, Dave won his age group again.
