When Bryan and Brent first began developing the ElliptiGO just over five years ago, their dream was not just to create a revolutionary fitness product, but to launch a new competitive sport. On November 13th, their dream became a reality as eighteen athletes gathered at the base of Palomar Mountain in San Diego County for the inaugural ElliptiGO Founders’ Cup—The World Championships of Elliptical Cycling.
The competitors were chosen based on their athletic accomplishments and demonstrated prowess on the ElliptiGO. Because one of the best things the ElliptiGO 8S does is climb, we chose the toughest climb in San Diego for the championship course — Palomar Mountain. With an average grade of almost 7%, the ride up Palomar climbs more than 4,000 feet in just 11.7 miles.
The Men’s Division
In the men’s division, the battle for first and second place was a heated contest to the finish line. Damian Barlow (an Australian native and former competitive rower) who edged out Carl Yee (a San Diego resident, former competitive rower and cyclist) to clinch the overall championship title and establish the course record with a total time of 1:25:14. Both spectators and fellow contenders noted how Damian “seemed to effortlessly power up the mountain with incredibly smooth form” and throughout the race rode as if he “owned the mountain.” Barlow was enthusiastic after the race. “I came to have fun. It was a great ride!” Yee finished 2nd with a time of 1:25:36 and ElliptiGO co-founder Brent Teal placed third with a time of 1:26:37.
The Women’s Division
The women’s division ended in a similar duel between two contenders. Anna Bradley, a pole vaulter from San Diego State, led the way for a large portion of the race, but Angela Shartel, an ultrarunner from San Diego, eventually edged past Anna to claim the women’s title and women’s course record with a time of 1:41:32. Shartel explained, “Anna was setting a fast pace in the beginning and I tried to follow her closely. I didn’t want to make my move too early because once I passed her I knew that would be it.” Bradley finished second place in the women’s division (and 11th overall) with a time of 1:42:29.
Celebrating the Victories
Athletes, spectators and volunteers gathered immediately following the race at a nearby brunch spot on the top of Palomar Mountain. In an intimate ceremony on the restaurant’s back patio, ElliptiGO distributed finishers’ medals and presented the Founders Cup to Barlow and Shartel whose names will be inscribed on the cup which will be on permanent display at ElliptiGO headquarters.
The Growth of the ElliptiGO Community
Anamaria Nino-Murcia, ElliptiGO’s Director of Marketing who organized the event, emphasized how the completion of the race represented a significant milestone for the company. “In the early days of snowboarding and mountain biking, enthusiasts hosted their own unofficial events by bringing together a small group of dedicated athletes, a few stopwatches and a few volunteers. There were no sponsorships or media coverage—just a group of people who were passionate about a revolutionary new way to compete and engage in outdoor sports. Today—ElliptiGO has taken a similar step towards our dream of launching a new competitive sport. We look forward to the growth of ElliptiGO and the whole elliptical biking community in the years to come.”
ElliptiGO would like to recognize all the Founders’ Cup volunteers and event staff: Aaron, Adam, Chris, Dave, Nick, Karen, Liv, Jim, Kathryn, Susie and Tiamo. Without your unflagging support and enthusiasm, we could not have hosted such a fun, safe and successful event. Thank you!
Feeling inspired to train for the next world championship event? Visit the Elliptical Cycling World Championships page to learn more about qualifying.
2010 OFFICIAL RESULTS
Place Name Time
1. Damian Barlow 1:25:14
2. Carl Yee 1:25:36
3. Brent Teal 1:26:37
4. Greg Fitzgerald 1:28:57
5. Brian Pilcher 1:29:44
6. Bryan Pate 1:32:02
7. Matt Fitzgerald 1:33:12
8. Chris Branson 1:35:57
9. Simon Gutierrez 1:36:33
10. Angela Shartel 1:41:32
11. Anna Bradley 1:42:29
12. Zack Simkover 1:46:44
13. Bryce Whiting 1:49:43
14. Roland Sunga 1:58:35
15. Brent Drown 2:01:51
16. Ken Hanes 2:17:23
17. Erin Whiting 2:17:24
18. Jenny Hadfield 2:17:26
