THE INDEPENDENT

The Latest

Cycling Builds Temporary Slalom Course on Chapman Hill

Cycling Builds Temporary Slalom Course on Chapman Hill

By: Lea Leggitt Indy Staff Writer

Author: Bodine, James/Wednesday, September 25, 2019/Categories: Home, Campus, Sports

Rate this article:
No rating

 

The Fort Lewis College Cycling team started building a temporary dual slalom course on Chapman Hill on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

It was built in preparation for the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships on Oct. 10-13 in Big Bear Lake, California.

Chapman Hill is located below the FLC campus featuring the Flow Trail and a small ski operation in the winter. With the help of the cycling team, Honnan Equipment and AJ Construction construction of the track was completed Sept. 19. 

“We need to practice for mountain bike nationals,”  Dave Hagen, Director of FLC Cycling said. “We are fortunate enough to have the city of Durango to this whole thing we have going on here.”

A dual slalom course consists of two people racing at one time on two tracks with berms (banked turns), jumps and other features all lasting under a minute, Hagen said.

“I’m super stoked to have this five minutes from my house,” Cole Fiene, a sophomore and FLC gravity racer team member, said. “It’s pretty special.”

The cycling team competes in five different disciplines: track, mountain bike, cyclocross, BMX and road, according to the FLC Cycling Team website. The team has been ranked USA Cycling’s number one Division I team in the nation four times and has also won the National Championships over 20 times in mountain biking, cyclocross and road racing.

The City of Durango approved the project and will be reusing the dirt once snow falls to return the hill to a skiable condition, Hagen said.

This dirt is already reused from an old construction project on campus and will be enough to complete the course, Hagen said.  Along with reusing dirt, the team recycled old hoses and siphoned water from a natural spring, located just up the Flow Trail on Chapman Hill, to shape jumps and other obstacles.

Although this course is temporary, Hagen has high hopes of one returning next year, he said. 

“They plan to incorporate the skiing operations into it,” Hagen said, referring to the City of Durango and Chapman Hill. “It would really be good for the community.”

The team plans to host a local competition on the new track at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. All FLC cycling athletes and all local cyclists are welcome to attend and participate.

Print

Number of views (13191)/Comments (0)

Tags: athleticsbikingCampuscyclingdevelopmentFLCcycling
Please login or register to post comments.

All News

A Look at the Campus Composting System A Look at the Campus Composting System

A Look at the Campus Composting System

By Ethan Hale Indy Staff Writer

After students have stood in line, eaten their meal and disposed of the leftovers in the San Juan Dining Hall, a process starts to turn that waste into new life.

After students have stood in line, eaten their meal and disposed of the leftovers in the San Juan Dining Hall, a process starts to turn that waste into new life. Jerritt Gibbons, Campus Dining supervisor, showed off the system that most students don’t get to see. Behind the spinning mechanism where diners place their dishes lays a trough leading to a vat that is a little larger...

Read more

FLC Instructors Take over Brad Clark’s Courses

By: Kim Cassels

Fort Lewis College administrators placed Brad Clark, an associate professor of political science at FLC, on administrative leave after his arrest Oct. 6. 

All five of Clark’s courses will be taught by FLC faculty for the remainder of the fall semester, Justin McBrayer, the department chair for philosophy and political science, said. 

Fort Lewis College administrators placed Brad Clark, an associate professor of political science at FLC, on administrative leave after his arrest Oct. 6.  All five of Clark’s courses will be taught by FLC faculty for the remainder of the fall semester, Justin McBrayer, the department chair for philosophy and political science, said.  McBrayer searched for substitute...

Read more

FLC develops resources for low income students

By Ethan Hale Indy Staff Writer

Fort Lewis College will begin to offer a tuition payment that will cover all expenses for families who make less than $60,000 a year starting in fall 2020, said Crystal Fankhauser, associate director of the FLC financial aid office.

Fort Lewis College will begin to offer a tuition payment that will cover all expenses for families who make less than $60,000 a year starting in fall 2020, said Crystal Fankhauser, associate director of the FLC financial aid office. This payment is made by the college, and will only cover the difference between the total tuition and any amount earned from outside scholarships. The payment...

Read more

The Real College Survey analyzes food and shelter insecurity

By Taylor Hutchison Indy Staff Writer

Across the nation, the Real College Survey started Fall 2019 ending Oct. 31, and collected data from colleges such as Fort Lewis College. The survey is a national benchmark survey conducted by the Temple University Hope Center regarding food and shelter security for college students.

The Real College Survey Across the nation, the Real College Survey started Fall 2019 ending October 31, and collected data from colleges such as Fort Lewis College. The survey is a national benchmark survey conducted by the Temple University Hope Center regarding food and shelter security for college students. Student Body President Cody Stroup sent an email on Monday asking students to...

Read more

Student artists create aquatic life in the art courtyard Student artists create aquatic life in the art courtyard

Student artists create aquatic life in the art courtyard

By Charlotte Williams Indy Staff Writer

Aquatic creatures line the brick walls of the art courtyard as a result of a project for a communicative design class from Oct. 28 through Nov. 15

Aquatic creatures line the brick walls of the art courtyard as a result of a project for a communicative design class from Oct. 28 through Nov. 15.  Using wheat paste, students paste online illustrations they’ve created on printer paper onto the walls as a fast means of communication, Anthony Carton, digital media professor in charge of this project, said. Students within the...

Read more

First2425262729313233Last