The World of Vanderkitten

2009-12-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

Barb Howe was once Queen of the Galaxy and a top US cross racer. Then illness and injury took Barbarella out of the game. After representing the USA at the CX World Championships 2 consecutive years in a row she new she still had what it takes.

Barb worked hard to recover from a snapped Achilles, get back on the bike and race again! For Cross 2009, we teamed up with Barb to set a new course for Vanderkitten and get our brand back to the roots where it all began.

VK's Amy Wiliams recently caught up with Barb after her commanding win in Bend, Oregon to take the 30-34 Master's National Title!

Interview with Barb Howe
Winner, 30-34
USA Cycling National Cyclo-cross Championships
Dec 10-13, Bend Oregon

VK: Firstly congratulations on your win. A tough well deserved win.

BH: Thanks, I’m super stoked about the win. My head is still spinning. It was tough yes, they always are.

VK: So Barb, How did you get into 'cross and long have you been competing at the pro level?

BH: I got into cross when I sold my VW van and used the proceeds to buy a cross bike. I've been racing as a pro crosser since I started cross, I had been racing as a pro mtb so it didn't seem right to race as a B. My first cx race was in 2003 and I didn't finish the race.

VK: Your season this year has been pretty impressive, with a number of top 5 finishes. How did you feel going into this year’s Nationals?

BH: I felt like I had a chance but was up against some very fast women. As the season progressed I felt stronger and stronger.

VK: How were you feeling the morning of? Do you have any pre race rituals you go through?

BH: I had a headache the morning of; I think it was from being chronically dehydrated from the dry air in Bend. I always eat pasta and eggs with lots of salt before a race.

VK: You mentioned you ride well in the colder temps, what was the temperature on the day?

BH: It was in the low 30's and felt warmer in the sun. Balmy! We stood in staging for a long time and were lucky that the sun was out and it wasn't windy. I like the cold weather because I tend to overheat when it's hot. The heat is another story; I can get heat stroke in less than 20 minutes. You might not believe it but it's happened.

VK: What was going through your mind towards the end, when you realized you were leading and would win? Did you realize at all?

BH: Towards the end of the race I was smiling and heard lots of people yelling my name. You can't ever count on a win you never know what might go wrong. I had a good crash right before the steps on the last lap and plenty of lapped riders to sort through. I was worried from the start that a lapped rider might go down in front of me so I was playing it very carefully around them.

VK: Did you have a race plan? I guess you won, but did your race go to plan?

BH: My plan was to mark Andrea Smith because she's been riding really strong, I also had to keep an eye on Kari Studley and Dede Winfield, both of them are super fast and have beat me this season. Once it was down to Kari and me we started hitting lapped riders and I got in front to make sure I didn't get held up. From there on I just tried to take good lines in corners and not crash. There was some confusion at the end of the race, with one to go the announcers missed me and I never got a bell lap. They also missed me when I actually finished. I was confused and ready to do another lap but stopped when all the photographers and people standing on the course. There's a picture of me coming through the finish with the lap counter reading one to go and a guy ringing a bell. All of my winning photos show me looking very confused.

VK: How did it feel to get up there on that podium in 1st place?

BH: Really really good. It's been a long time since I've won a big race. It took several years to get over illness and injury and feel fast again. Ibis, my bike sponsor, was there and I was happy to show that the Hakkalugi is a worthy race bike. Dave was there as well and if it wasn't for Vanderkitten I wouldn't have been able to travel to races this season.

VK: What's next for a National Champ? (Race wise, fame, fortune, Christmas...?)

BH: Working and off season. I didn't work very much for the last few months so I have to make up for it now. It's also time to start contacting potential sponsors for next cross season and make plans for the upcoming summer. Also the Sierra's have been getting lots of snow so it might be time to go skiing!

VK: You see the same women at almost every race, are you friends or friendly with the girls you compete against?

BH: Yes, racing is a social event as much as a sporting event. It's kind of sad after nationals because I won't see most of the women again until next cross season. Many of us have been racing together for several years and keep in touch in the off season.

VK: Does it ever get nasty out there? Any trash talk?

BH: Generally it isn't too bad here in the US. The occasional bad word slips out and sometimes people get yelled at but it's usually followed by an apology afterwards.

VK: Have you ever given someone an elbow or knee or something? Or vise versa?

BH: Bumping happens now and again, usually it's accidental. Sometimes you get cut off in corners but that's racing. Euro women are much more aggressive and meaner. I've been yanked backwards on a run up over there hard enough to almost fall down. If someone did that to me here I'd file a protest.

VK: How did your Ibis handle?

BH: The Hakkalugi was phenomenal, it's light and easy to carry, and it felt solid in the corners and stiff enough to accelerate out of corners.

VK: Any scary moments in the race where you thought you might come off or go over the barrier?

BH: There were a few slick spots and my rear tire cut loose a few times in corners but I managed to stay upright. I fell on the steps on the first lap, they were very slippery and you approached them from an angle. After that I made sure to take the steps at a right angle.

VK: Did you have a big glass of wine or something to celebrate?

BH: I’ve been eating cheese and beer, kind of like wine only different.

VK: Congratulations again Barb.

BH: Thanks!

2009-04-22T11:08:00.001-07:00

2009-04-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

photo credit: ken conley (kwc.org)

SEA OTTER CLASSIC - APRIL 18, 2009

The Sea Slaughter 2009 Report: by Melodie Metzger

Every year this race invokes a strong love-hate response in me and this year proved to be no different. Love it because it brings together cycling enthusiasts from all disciplines and all parts of the world. Hate it because the promoters charge too much darn money. Love it because it was my first non-collegiate race back in 2001 as a mountain biker. Hate it because it is such a hard and relentless course that gets me every time.

This year the trip to Sea Otter was a quick one-day stop to represent Vanderkitten in Saturday's circuit race. The non-NRC status attracted a smaller-than-usual, but still powerful and talented field. Tibco and Colavita were the two heavy hitters, but Easton-Sugar CRM proved to be the most active early in the race using their numbers to hit the field with attacks on every part of the course. My thoughts were to try and get Vanderkitten in a break, but nothing was sticking. I was in one promising break for a few laps, but it was early and my break-partner didn't have the juice to keep up the pace necessary to stay away. I blew a few too many matches with this and a few other attempts and ended up running out of steam in the crucial last 5 laps of the race. A large group of 15 broke from the field and I failed to make it over the top with them. I finished 20th and Lizzer, Mary, and Virginia were not far behind.

I had a great time at the race, seeing old friends, hanging out with the team, checking in with our amazingly generous sponsors, and taking pictures with fans. All-in-all I walked away feeling happy that I went this year.

I look forward to cheering on the team from across the pond while they kick ass at speed week next week!

Thanks for reading,

M^2, P0, The Butcher

2009-03-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

VK's Melodie Metzger Takes 2nd at Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix!!

Photo: Kurt Harvey

VK's Melodie Metzger, Charlotte Hart, and Mary Maroon came out in force for the Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix on March 8th! With the help of her super awesome kitten teammates, Melodie took second to Tibco's Brooke Miller.

Below is race recap from VK's Charlotte Hart:

Considering I'm coming back from pulling my groin (long ski story) Menlo was a much better race for me than Merco. The pace was fast -- Sugar CRM was really aggressive launching attacks and of course Tibco was countering and covering everything. I tried to stay up front and go with moves, and at one point with Mel on the front I jumped to chase two girls off the front. A few laps later on the backside of the course I did the same for her and got in a nice block allowing her to open a big gap before the pack woke up. All in all, for only a three person team we were doing a good job of being defensive!

With three to go I moved up and passed Mel -- who I think grabbed my wheel and followed. But tunnel vision during racing always surprises me. Anyhow I was able to take Brooke Miller's wheel with 3 to go. I was ultra surprised! Then the elbows for her wheel in the corners started flying and I remember thinking, why are girls jabbing me? Oh, duh I'm on the WHEEL to have. Initially I knew Brooke would be plan B (insider's knowledge ha) and that they would try to get one of their riders in a break. However, since it was going to be a bunch sprint, plan A was to lead Brooke out. So I was in great position as the laps wound down. With one to go, Sugar CRM attacked forcing Brooke to chase. I followed in pursuit but the gap she opened was as big as the Atlantic Ocean. I bridged and then burned. The effort gassed me. But considering I've been training lightly it was no surprise. What was good is that the rest of the riders came across with me and I'm sure that helped Mel stay in perfect position to light the sprint up.

Below is a pic of Vk's Mary Maroon working the field!

Photo: Kurt Harvey

Next up for Vanderkitten Racing? Redlands Classic! Come out and support the super fast ladies of Vanderkitten Racing!!

2009-03-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

Vanderkitten Racing Kicks Off 2009 Season!

Photo: Kurt Harvey

Vanderkitten Racing kicked off their 2009 season on February 15th, during the Tour of California Women's Criterium!

Photo: Kurt Harvey

Below is race recap from VK's super fast Jenn Wilson:

The season has started! Though I thought I would be more prepared here it is and I am excited. Like last year, our first NRC race of the season was the Women’s Criterium at the Tour of California in Santa Rosa, CA. Lucky for me, my good friend and partner in crime, Jenn X is guest riding with Vanderkitten for this race so we drove up to Berkeley together on Friday morning. We left at 7am and made the customary stop at Starbucks in

Valencia

and off we went. The grapevine was open and the mountains looked beautiful with the snow on them. The iPod was hooked up and we were rockin’. We arrived in Berkeley at 1pm and promptly got dressed and went on a ride with some of the other VKs, Liz and Leigh. It was great to see them as I had not seen them since Vegas in September. We attempted to get an easy ride in to loosen the legs but the rain came and we jetted back to our hotel. We were treated in the evening to a team dinner at Dave and Jennie’s house which was magnificent. Thanks again for a great evening!

The next day we all drove to San Jose to do a local criterium to get the legs open for the BIG race the next day. Even though it was a local race, most all of the big teams were there doing the same as us. It was a course with quite a few turns and the wind was picking up. VK did a great job of making sure we were in nearly every move off the front and we were working well together. It was great to be back in the mix. Our “guest” rider Jenn X got a prime during the race. I got myself in 3 moves off the front but nothing stuck. Even though the sun was out we did experience a bit of rain which caused a crash; only a prelude to what we would endure on Sunday. I was feeling pretty good for my first race back with the “big” girls. With 2 laps to go I made a bad choice and took the wheel of some girls cookin’ up the inside to a turn which I had taken the inside of nearly every time during the race and found it to be the fast. However, this time was different and we got pinched and I had to ebrake. I spent the last lap fighting for position. Ugh! I bungled the sprint! The important thing was that I rode at the front and was able to position myself into moves.

The VK gang went out to dinner that night at the Pyramid Brewery where I enjoyed a yummy Kobe beef burger. It was great to be hanging with the gang again. After dinner it was back to the hotel to rest up and gear up for what was going to be a very rainy day if the weather channel was correct.

Typical Jenn X

Guess what? We awoke to gray skies and rain. We packed up the van and headed north for Santa Rosa. After a quick stroll through the vendors it was down to business. We had wonderful help from Emma and other Vanderkitten’s and it was great to be surrounded by so many well wishers. I got a good warm up in and somehow found myself rushing at the end trying to figure out where the time went. It turns out they were starting the race 10 minutes early, strange. And, of course as our race start came so did the rain in a torrential down pour. Because the race started early and we were unaware of this, we all started the race at the back of the pack. Not the best place to be when you have heavy hitters like Ina Teutenberg and National Champion Brooke Miller in the peloton.

Myself and Jenn X "racin" TOC 2009 photo courtesy Larry Rosa

The pace was pretty fast from the start though we were careful through the turns due to the rain. To add to the “fun” there were tons of bot dots on the course which you had to navigate even while turning. It took a little bit of time to get to the front of the race since I started way in the back. The only good news about starting at the back was that when Versus showed the seconds of coverage there was my butt. Hot! Within 12minutes there was a break from the pack. I was sitting on the opposite side of the peloton pretty boxed in when it happened. Twelve riders went free and I did a quick check, all the heads of state were still in the peloton: Ina, Gina, Tina, Brooke and LVG. There was a lot more time in the race and I thought for sure they would be brought back. Jenn X decided not to wait around for that and launched herself off the front. I was on her wheel and made the decision to sit up and let her go. In hindsight, it would have been nice to have 2 VKs in the

break to help each other. After killing herself she eventually bridged to the break, now they were 13. I stayed up at the front to monitor and block as best I could should anyone decide to take the leap. There were mini attacks and LVG was anxious to try and break free. I was on them all figuring if anyone was going to bridge they were taking me with them. The race organization started to give pack primes and after I realized that the break was going to stay away I decided to go for one. Lucky or unlucky for me the one I went for also appeared to be on Ina’s check list and I got second behind her. Bummer, but not bad considering she is such an animal. Next on the list was to prepare for the finish. Even though we were not sprinting for the win I knew it would be an all out sprint for the finish considering who I was with. The rain continued to come down heavy and it seemed to be getting colder.

How do I get so dirty? photo courtesy Dave Verrecchia

I really took to heart Jeff “Hoppy” Hopkins words of advice and was able to stay on Tina’s wheel through the last couple of laps and only started to lose it when Ina who was in front of her lit it up entering turn 4 and exploded away from all of us. I was pretty gassed at this point having done so much work to stay at the front and suffered during the sprint. It was so cold outside and I could not feel my fingers having no clue what lever I was hitting to select my gear. Jenn X did a great job in the break and finished 11^th. I held my own in the sprint and got 10^th in the field for a 23^rd finish overall. At least now I have more confidence in being able to hang with the top sprinters to the line.

Are we having fun yet? photo courtesy Kurt Harvey

Jenn and I went to the Russian River Brewery after the race to try and finish my gift card that I won last year in a prime. We did not do much damage because we were driving home. After a coffee at Peet’s (my favorite) it was back to the van for the long drive home. The iPod was roaring and the caffeine flowin’.

At least we didn't super size!

Vanderkitten Racing's next big NRC race will be the Redland's Bicycle Classic March 26th-29th. Come out and support the hottest team in women's cycling!

2009-02-12T14:23:00.000-08:00

Texas State Crit Junior Champ Madeleine McDuff Destroys Competition!

Madeleine McDuff, the reigning Texas State Junior Champion in Criterium, won both the Time Trial and Criterium during the Alsatian Country Omnium on Saturday, February 7th!

Madeleine not only took first place in the Time Trial Junior girls category, but also stood her ground against the fastest Junior boys in Texas with an overall top ten Time Trial finish!

During the criterium Madeleine raced against the top two Texas Junior male teams. She again showed the boys what she was made of, and ultimately ended up winning the Junior girls category!

Madeleine is a 13 year old Junior Track and Road Cyclist. She is a cycling leader in her community as she founded the Beckendorff Junior High School Cycling Club. With her season now underway, she is excited to promote both junior and women's cycling in her Vanderkitten kit.

2009-01-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

Introducing Millie "Milliegoat" Tanner

Vanderkitten is pleased to announce that SoCal's Millie "Milliegoat" Tanner will be rockin' the VK kit for the 2009 season! Millie is the current State Champion for both California and Nevada in Road Race and Time Trial in the 10-12 division. Millie is also featured in the Jan/Feb issue of Sports Illustrated KIDS special 20th Birthday Edition. At 11 years old, this impressive young rider is already a leader in the cycling community! She likes to go fast, enjoys suffering, and wants to inspire young riders to start cycling. She will, without a doubt, dominate the 2009 season! To visit Millie's official website please click here. To follow Millie's blog, please click here.

We look forward to seeing Millie kit up with Vanderkitten in 2009!

2009-01-18T16:30:00.001-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Berkeley , Calif. – January 18, 2009

On Saturday Jan 17th, Vanderkitten Racing Elite team member Liz Hatch was involved in a solo-rider accident whilst participating in the Benefit for Women’s ATOC Criterium and All –Sport Team Swift ride outside Santa Rosa, CA. Following a comprehensive examination at the hospital, she was released and is now recovering at home. We wish Liz a quick and healthy recovery.

The Vanderkitten Racing team/club rules state that all members MUST wear an approved helmet at all times. Liz’s helmet in this instance absorbed a majority of the force of her crash, and was destroyed. As always, safety remains our highest priority and hopefully all of us can walk away with a reminder that helmets do reduce injury and save lives.

Please direct any questions or concerns of Liz's recovery or Vanderkitten Racing to the Managing Director: Mark Zefeldt mark@vanderkitten.com

2008-12-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

CALLING ALL LADIES!!

Vanderkitten is pleased to announce that we are starting a nationwide Vanderkitten Club Team to cater to both amateur racers and avid recreational cyclists for the 2009 season!

We are now recruiting women with all levels of experience to join the club team. This includes Category 2, 3, and 4 women amateur racers, century riders, riders who ride for a cause (cancer, chronic illness fundraising events), spin class warriors, and women who are new to the sport and simply enjoy riding!

Why join Vanderkitten instead of your local club team? Because Vanderkitten represents so much more than your run of the mill team! The Vanderkitten club team specifically caters to women while providing the tools needed to help riders grow and excel in every aspect of cycling! Joining the club will help women cyclists meet and ride with other women on both a local and national level. By becoming part of the Vanderkitten club team you will directly impact the future of women's amateur cycling! By doing this, you will help the Vanderkitten professional team continue to change the face of women's cycling around the world! You will, of course, also receive amazing discounts and will be riding and racing in the most highly sought after women's team kit that is worn by the very high profile, hot ladies of the Vanderkitten professional team! Remember, it only takes one person to make a statement!

Vanderkitten is looking for strong, passionate women to represent us. If you are interested in joining the hottest club team in the nation or if you have prior experience and are interested in becoming a Vanderkitten Club area leader please contact emma@vanderkitten.com

Become a cycling leader in your community, ride for Vanderkitten!

2008-10-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

VK WINS USA CRIT SERIES TEAM TITLE CHAMPIONSHIP!!

Photo: Ken Conley

Vanderkitten won the USA Crit Series Team Title Championship on September 25^th in Las Vegas, NV! Below is race recap from VK’s Jen Wilson.

Vegas baby! The final race in the USA Crit Series and what a ride it has been. After racking up the airline mileage, suffering a concussion and getting a second row of stitches on my chin it is finally culminating. I have to admit that parking lot crits are not my favorite but off we went to defend our team lead in the crit series and my second place overall. After nearly taking out my eye running into a wire that I did not see in the in field, we all arrived at the starting line. Luckily since most of the VKs were sitting in the top ten, most of us got called up before the race which on this course was pretty important since the areas available to move up were slim with the barriers being on either side.

As it has been all season, the pace was fast from the start and did not let up. The big teams were in force, especially Colavita/Sutter Home and Cheerwine. As is typical of this course there were crashes in the first couple of laps and throughout the entire race. Luckily none of us were directly involved. The VK girls did a great job of staying up in the front and monitoring and dictating the race pace. It was great to see them doing their stuff and I felt that for a first year team we were given the respect of a more developed squad. I had to keep on eye on Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) and hope that something magical might happen for me today to overcome her 65 point lead over me in the series. It has been a season long battle with us trading off the top spot. The heat exhaustion I experienced in Charlotte, SC was where the tides switched and Kelly took the lead. It has been an uphill battle trying to gain points back on her. She is such a strong rider with a very strong team and I have learned a lot “battling” with them.

As we were getting into some type of rhythm on the course I saw an opportunity to attack through the chicane area. However, no one wanted to let me go. Jen McRae took off soon after that and was in a two rider break. She is so strong that she eventually dropped the other rider and soloed her way to the win. Colavitta/Sutter Home and Cheerwine chased hard but on this course a single rider has much more of an advantage than the pack. The team put in a good effort with about 4 laps to go and I was able to maintain my position in the top. We came into the sprint and I came in 8^th. It was over! We had done it and maintained our team overall lead!

For my first season on the national circuit it was great. Vanderkitten accomplished a lot in one year and it was exciting being a part of it and surrounded by such wonderful people; both the riders and management. In addition, it has also been great to have our sponsors believe in us especially since it was our first year and we had no track record. I am already looking forward to next season!

2008-10-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

VK Still Leads USA Crit Series After San Francisco Twilight Crit!!

Photos: Ken Conley

Vanderkitten raced a tough race at San Francisco's Twilight Criterium on August 13th. Below is pre race and race recap from VK's Liz Hatch:

After a year of traveling to every major race cross-country by plane or long distance drive I was really looking forward to the San Francisco Twilight as it's basically in my backyard. We rented a really cool apt in The Castro and had 6 of us share the space for the weekend. I've grown to love racing this year not just for the actual competition but for the time I get to spend with my teammates. For the majority of the past 5 months it's been the 4 core members, which include Leigh, Jen W., Melissa and myself, so it was especially nice to have Jenny Trew back with us along with a special guest, Jen Reither. Yes, half our team had some variance of the name Jennifer!

The night before the race we went to the Galaxy Club to pick up our race packets and number and have a beer, after which we went to a team dinner with Mark and Robin Zellner who has been guest directing for us to share a meal and some pre-race plans. Jen Wilson has been battling it out with Kelly Benjamin all year for the overall in the USA Crit Series and we as a team have had a narrow lead over Cheerwine for the top team in the standings so we were all feeling the pressure of the race on Saturday. Kelly has had a banner year and for that reason we knew it would be a tough road but not unthinkable. Jen is one of the toughest women I've ever met on a bike and if anyone could win the overall for our small team it would be her.

Race day came and proved to be quite chilly and windy as we woke early to put on a free clinic for women in the Bay Area looking to improve their bike skills and even a bit of mechanical training. A nice group showed up and we got to spend a couple of hours with them talking about A to Z bike stuff. A big thanks to Dan Horndasch for coming out and running the show as far as the bike maintenance went, he answered everyone's questions with patience and precise direction.

After a few hours of lounging around our condo we packed up and headed down to Union St. to the Pro Village. I have to stop here and give a huge round of applause to Ryan Dawkins and Webcore as well as the city of San Fran for allowing pro cycling to come back to the streets of San Fran. It's a huge shame that the SF Grand Prix is no more but this is a step back in the right direction. The whole affair was a joy to be present at and to race made it all the better. Thanks guys!!

We warmed up and got our pre race instructions followed by our callups. I think every member of Vanderkitten received a call up as we are all ranked in the USA Crits top 10 except for myself but since I'm a local I guess that was their excuse. I always feel a little awkward going wheel to wheel with girls like Kelly Benjamin, Laura Van Gilder, Kat Carroll or Christine Thorburn. I'm such a newbie but I hope to emulate their success on the bike at some point.

The race started out fast with me leading the first lap semi on accident. I've grown used to starting in the back out of personal preference but as I was at the line I decided to go out and dictate the pace for the first lap or two. From the gun it was fast and furious with a strong break getting away after about 5 or 6 laps which included all the heavies except on of us! NO GOOD!! Robin was sounding pretty stressed in our earpieces, of course. We worked hard the whole race to put things right and pull it back but for some reason we just weren't firing the way we normally do. It's been along year and the 4 of us have race so hard and perhaps we were a bit tired however there was no option to call time out of give up which none of us ever do anyway.

Kat Carroll put in an amazing solo attack hoping to repeat her win at Charlotte earlier this year but was pulled back with 5 or so to go and eventually the whole field, drastically reduced from the start, came back together. Next Meredith Miller made one last MONSTER attack which just shredded the field and made the final selection from which Shelly Olds would go on to win and Laura Van Gilder would take 2nd and Kelly Benjamin 3rd. Jen ended up 10th and the rest of somewhere behind. Personally the race was not my best, I could not seem to get the legs going until about 45 mins which was way too late. A shame too as the course had a nice rise on the back side which normally would suit me well. You win some you lose some, eh??

In the end Jen is in a solid second place overall behind Kelly and we sit as a team on the top over Cheerwine. Not bad for a ragtag first year team! And I say ragtag in the most loving and prideful way possible. We've bonded through good and bad this year and have really fought for our place in the top teams without having all the benefits of a bigger team. I'm really grateful to Mark and Dave for understanding what we are trying to accomplish here and supporting us. Next year will only be bigger and better!

Now it's time for Vegas and our last race so see you there! Lizzer

2008-10-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

VK's Jenny Trew Takes 6th At Women's Tour of Missouri Crit!

For the first time in history, a Women's Pro-Am Criterium took place in Kansas City September 8th during the men's international elite Tour of Missouri. Vanderkitten was represented by Jenny Trew, Liz Hatch, and Melissa Sanborn. Below is VK's Jenny Trew's recap of events leading up to the women's criterium:

I arrived in Kansas City, Missouri (after figuring out myself and then explaining to numerous parties that Kansas City is not in Kansas - at least not this one!) on Sunday afternoon to be greeted by Holly and Jeff - the friendly neighbourhood picker uppers. I felt particularly important as they stood outside the gate with a sign that read "Jenny Trew - Vanderkitten Racing" and that set the tone for the weekend. I have NEVER been treated so wonderfully at a race. The Tour of Missouri Women's Crit organizers thought of everything and managed to put on quite a show! Special props to Kelly Benjamin of Cheerwine Cycling who managed to do an incredibly job helping out with the organization AND race - it was pretty great to see one of the best riders in the country contribute back to the sport like that!

Sunday evening we had a rider's get-together where we were given food (the fastest way to my heart!) as well as goodie bags and a six-pack of Boulevard beer each (earmarked for the next evening!). Liz, Mel and myself were taken away with the hospitality and looking forward to the next day of racing.

I was woken up early on Monday morning to the crash of lightening and I briefly wondered if we were going to have a repeat of the storm and subsequent power loss in Tulsa. However by noon the weather had "cleared" to overcast but no rain - which was lucky as the final corner would have been really sketchy under less ideal conditions. Mel's client Rob took super care of us and gave my bike a brief tune up in the hotel parking lot the morning of the race - it must have been the extra care that helped me feel the love in the race!

Personally I was a little nervous about how I was going to feel once on the course as since our Track Nationals a week ago I had been taking it easy as I am fairly done from the season! However out on the six corner crit I was good to go. It was a fairly aggressive race and although there were only 40 or 50 girls present - it was the who's who of women's crit cycling in North America - so we knew going into it that it was bound to be a good day. Highlights of the afternoon included a magnificent attempt at the $1000 prime with 5 laps to go. Mel and Liz were perfectly positioned as they called the prime and Mel put in a spectacular sprint - taking it from the last corner about 350m out - only to get pipped at the line by Tibco's Amber Rais...definately painful. That having been said, we still had a decent payday as I crossed the line the final time in 6th behind double National Champion Brooke Miller of Tibco in first, Erica Allar of Aarons in second and Jen McRae in third. Liz added to the cash in twentieth while Mel rounded out the Vanderkitten crew in the pack - exhausted by her fantastic effort.

It's been awesome to be reunited with the VK crew and I know that we're going to lay it down in San Fran next weekend!!! Until next time! Jen :)

2008-10-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

VK Holds Strong At USA Cycling National Championships in Downers Grove, IL

Below is race recap as told by Vanderkitten's Melissa Sanborn:

This past weekend in Downers Grove, IL brought one of the fastest criteriums of the year. The US Criterium National Championship title was on the line and it was a big day for many teams as Vanderkitten fielded the strong core group of riders Jennifer Wilson, Liz Hatch, Leigh Valletti, and Melissa Sanborn. The VKats were primed to place at least one of their riders in the top 10 since they knew it was going to be a very tough race with the winners of the last five national crit championships present with full supporting teams along with recently crowned National Road Champion Brooke Miller in attendance as well.

The pace set off furiously with immediate attacks on the famed figure-8 course, which has been used for many years to decide the champion. As if the course’s technical and undulating terrain wasn’t challenge enough, the wind was also a factor. Several breakaway attempts were made and the VKats awaited the right combination knowing that, unlike the previous day’s warmup race, nothing was likely to get away with so many top sprinters in the race gunning for the championship. The 31 laps took their toll on the field, and the VKats were not immune. Melissa crashed with 6 laps to go but was able to get back into the race and take Jen as far as she could on the last lap. Liz unbelievably blew out both tires around 7 laps to go but was able to get back into the race to help lead the chase to bring back a late break. Leigh also had an unfortunate mishap, getting taken out on the last turn and crashing hard but got back up and finished the race. Jen was left to fight it out solo through the last 5 turns, a hard task to tackle while the strongest teams of the race charged to drop off their sprinters into the final turns to victory. Still, she hung on for a strong 11^th place.

The Vanderkittens still lead the USA Crit Series overall team competition and sprinter kitten Jen Wilson is just 16 points from the top spot in 2^nd. Come watch the team defend at the final two races of the series in San Francisco on September 13^th and Las Vegas on September 25^th!

Photo: Leonard Basobas, TripleCrankset.com

2008-08-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

VK'S Jenny Trew Makes Canadian History At Track Nationals!

Vanderkitten's Jenny Trew, teamed with Giant's Steph Roorda, and Laura Brown made history on August 27th by winning Canada's FIRST EVER Women's Team Pursuit. They are, by all accounts, the Canadian National Record holders! They beat out four teams for the Canadian National Record!

Below is Jenny's account of the event:

"Day one of Nationals started out with the men's individual pursuits and all the team pursuits. For the women, 2008 marked the very first time this event has been held in Canada, so it awarded the winners the National Record. For my teammates and I, this was a very enviable title. That having been said, our National governing body isn't exactly what you would call progressive, so it was not given the National Championship title but rather a "National Challenge Event." In all honesty, it's best that I don't get into that particular rant, especially since there were five women's teams in the competition and only four senior men's teams!

I rode the event with my two former teammates Steph Roorda and Laura Brown. We were hungry off the start. As the first team up, we were going to set the time to beat. We laid down a rather respectable 3:49.3 over 3km! After the next four heats our new Canadian Record held up as we beat the closest team by 15 seconds!

Next up was the gold medal final where we would be 2-up on the 200m track. We knew that we had room to improve as two team errors were made in qualifying by going too fast on my first lap (the second team lap) and by pulling up too late through my last pull which gapped me a little and slowed down the team.

Regardless, we headed into the final confident, but a little nervous and eager to best our ride from the morning. Right off the bat we were on form. The exchanges were smoother, the pulls stronger, and we were riding much faster that we had in the morning. Jeremy, our Coach, was calling out the splits and we knew that we were killing it! Halfway through we saw that we were catching our opponents (in a pursuit final, if you catch the other team/rider on the track you win the round). By this point we were really pushing it to catch them! Our pulls were strong and we were riding away from our schedule. With 1.5 laps to go we overtook the other team to take the gold!

All and all it was an exciting evening and a great way to kick off the National Championships! Today I get to lie low, but tomorrow evening will be my showcase event, the Points Race! I'm excited, but Nationals are always an exciting and weird event, so we'll see."

The 2008 Tim Horton's National Track Championships are being held August 27-31, in Burnaby, BC. To find out more about Canadian Track Nationals, check racing schedules, or view results please click here!

2008-08-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

Maroon Throws Down In Suisun! (Suh-Soon)

photo: Paul Doran

Mary Maroon is a Regional VK racer and represent the team and brand here in Northern California. She won the Suisun (Suh-Soon) crit on July, 17th 2008, putting Vanderkitten once again on the podium!

"Suisun crit was awesome. There were select riders from local teams, a kinda large-ish Touchstone showing, a small handful of a few other teams and a Code3 showed. There were a lot of team tactics by Touchstone, Metromint, and DolceVita. I made sure to keep the Vanderkitten logo very visible. I chased down most attacks, I got in all but 1 or 2 breaks (even though they didn't last long), I TT'd (time trialed) off the front for a little while, got us a prime and a first place.

I know Suisun isn't that big a deal except for it's a Calcup race. I know that If there wasn't a big fat NRC race right now it'd have been a little more challenging. But I also know that a win is a win, that this was pretty cool considering the heavy handed team tactics, and totally fun attacking the field with more than half a lap to go, into the wind, with some of our former teammates desperately trying to hang on. :) Someone asked me for an interview and I probably should have said no. I just hope I did an ok job!

I'm getting excited about the rest of the season."

-Mary Maroon

2008-08-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

VK ATHLETE KYM PERFETTO WINS S.B.C. RACE IN NYC!!

The second annual Susan B. Cruisin' race brought out women from all over the city. Beginning in Chinatown the race included two long fast sprints up to 118th and ended at Lakeside Lounge in the Lower East Side. Racers had to complete 6 checkpoints throughout the city, each planning out their own route based on speed/distance. Kym finished 1st after taking a spill on the pavement early in the race, with Britlee a close second and Grace in third.

It was the second all women's alleycat in NY this summer, following the HellCat.

"I decided not to psych myself out. I prepped well, rocked my Vanderkitten Jersey, stayed concentrated and raced well. And it worked!"

Kym was also featured in the September issue of Bicycling Magazine. You can check the article out here! Kym is not only a talented cyclist but also a personal trainer and spinning instructor. Keep kicking ass Kym!

Photos: Fred Askew

2008-08-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

Road Racing Diva Caves to Temptation

Believe it or not we get a few requests for sponsorship. We read every one, consider the resume and what the needs are , get stupid busy and forget to follow-up. Christie Cooley knows us all too well... Christie is a local Road Racer here in the Bay Area, is HOT, has a great sense of humor and FAST. She approached VK for sponsorship (or maybe we offered), and we never followed up.

Christie, on the other hand, was insistent upon making good on her end of the deal, and out of temptation put the super-hot VK stickers on her race bike and said, "See, I'm doing my job!". Of course, had she received the VK gear we had promised, she would have a super-hot VK shirt on in the photo!

So, Christie, thanks for representing Vanderkitten to the fastest 2-wheeled crowd in the world! You can check out Christie's racing at the next AFM event in Northern California in the 650 Twins class racing her Suzuki SV650!

2008-07-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

Flying Kittens!!

Up, up and away! Vanderkitten athlete and Velo Bella Pro MTB rider Rebecca Gross decided to add "Pilot" to her impressive resume! Here is an email she sent us with pics from her long-range solo flight.

Dear VK- Here are some pics from my uber solo xc flight today out to Burns, Oregon, John Day, Oregon and back to Boise. I almost got the flight service people out searching for me when I was two hours late to close out my flight plan. How can I help it if there are NO landmarks in east Oregon to keep me from getting lost?? And I don't know who decided in John Day, Oregon to put the runway on the top of a cliff but yeesh, that was an interesting approach. I did made it down on the second attempt ;-)

I should be a certified pilot by next week!!! Then I can FINALLY ride my bike again.
- Rebecca

Rebecca is wear the Leo T in pink. This design represents courage and strength and is one of our most popular T's. Check out the new for 2009 update in 2 colors on super-fine, peruvian cotton T's with a longer torso length!

2008-06-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

THIS JUST IN... MANHATTAN BEACH GRAND PRIX- VK's Sanborn 4th!

When you start out with the statement "changing the face of women's cycling" many are quick to judge your every move. Being a Vanderkitten is not easy, and from the beginning of the season we offered that it would be a hard road on this team because we were very serious about putting together the foundation for the next super-team. We've had some riders come and go, and we've picked up hot new talent, but all the while we have stayed true to our mission, true to ourselves and our sponsors.

I was writing an email to a very strong candidate for next year's team and the thing I told her, above all else, that was needed for success in this program is SACRIFICE. There is no way for a team to be a champion or a brand to sell millions of units without everyone willing to sacrifice, even a little, for the good of the overall goal. Those who can't make the sacrifice quickly find themselves struggling to catch-up. In a first year team, where nothing is perfect, sacrifice is a wonderful companion to patience.

On that note, here is a race report from Jennifer Wilson who perfected the art of sacrifice. Jennifer has given blood and flesh for this team enduring horrific crashes and amazing triumphs. Remember, it is rare that a first-year team, with no director, can achieve anything more than an "also-ran".... but today Melissa, Liz and Jen got it done, out numbered, out financed but not out classed!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICES!!

Manhattan Beach Grand Prix 2008

Photo by Ken Conley

Thank goodness for the ocean. The weather today was hot for the beach but much cooler than the valley where I live. The Vanderkitten contingency today was Liz, Melissa and myself. We felt very confident going into the race and knew that most likely it would come down to entering the last 180 degree turn first. For being an NRC race so far from the others at this time of year there was a good turnout of about 74 riders with Tibco and Cheerwine having 4 riders each and ValueAct bringing 5 riders. The New Zealand team Jazz Apple was in attendance with quite a few riders as well with the rest of the pack being represented with local riders.

Photo by Ken Conley

It was a typical Manhattan Beach with riders attacking off the front and eventually being caught. VK rode a very smart race and was attentive to moves off the front and made smart choices depending on who was in the break. Each of us at one point found ourselves in some move or another which was excellent. Liz and I did a great job near the end of the race patrolling the front. There was one move we missed and everyone was represented and Liz did a stellar move bringing it back. There were other attacks from Cheerwine and Jazz Apple and I went with Amber Rais to bridge to them. We were down to just 6 laps to go and we did not want anything to get away without a VK in it.

Photo by Ken Conley

Melissa and I had planned to attack and go all out on the hill on the backside. Rough to do today considering the heavy headwind but you have to take chances. I was on Melissa’s wheel on the last lap and she was doing an excellent job keeping us to the front. A surge came up on the right and I went with it. Eventually this would be a bad move. As I put my head in the wind to stay near the front waiting to launch my attack a surge of riders came up the right side and blocked us in. Then like lightening, Melissa was attacking on the right and flying. She was first into the turn and ended up 4^th overall. Great job! There was great VK team work during the entire race. As always Manhattan Beach is like gambling with trying to enter into the last turn first and it was great to have such wonderful teammates so that if something happened to one there was another who could accomplish the goal. Great job ladies!

1^st – Brooke Miller (Tibco)

2^nd – Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine)

3^rd – Jen McRae (Advil/Chapstick)

4^th – Melissa Sanborn (Vanderkitten Racing)

Photo by Ken Conley

2008-06-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

ONE MORE WEEKEND FOR GOOVALOO!

The REVOLUTIONARY dance performance from the streets has been extended ONE MORE WEEKEND!

GROOVALOO- A story of coming to be, expressing oneself... POWERFUL, energetic, groundbreaking!

Samueli Theater, Running through June 22nd! www.groovaloos.com

Check out Vanderkitten ViP "Lady Jules", Julie Urich!

Break Dancing is BLOWING UP!

2008-06-15T21:30:00.001-07:00

Break Dancing has never stopped growing even though it faded from the public eye in the late 80's, it made the transition to Europe and the inner-city asian cultures and continued to thrive.

In the late 90's it returned in full force, and in the new millenium we've seen dozens of movies highlighting men and women of all ethnicities, cultures from all over the world with powerful music and fantastic coreography.

We had the opportunity to get to know, and are continuing to get to know, Lady Jules, who purchased a VK cycling jersey from one of our retailers and invited us into the world of Hip Hop!

2008-06-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Track Racing is So Hot Right Now!

Maybe it's because it's an Olympic year, or the simplicity of the fixed-gear track bicycles, or maybe because the race offer NASCAR-like action, but Track Racing is the new CycloCross. I just said it, and for those of you who have NO idea what I am talking about, it's only a few Google searches away!

One thing that may Vanderfans don't know about is Vanderkitten's presence in regional track racing. Many of our riders race, and win, at their regional track events, and Tela Crane is former 2-event Jr. National Champion. The thing I'd like to say about track racing is there are a ton of events from Sprints, to Kierins, to Miss 'N Out's, etc. It sounds like a roller rink from 1982, but it's damn fun.

This is a Video from the end of May with Michael Hernandez promoting the Friday night races at Hellyer Velodrome in San Jose, Ca. I can't imagine any other racing event having announcing that is this animated! Check out Vanderkitten Mary Maroon and Unattached race Beth Newell in racing action down in San Jose!

2008-06-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

MORE COMING SOON!!

Coverage of Philly Week and Photos coming SOON! To get your FIXXX, check out NorCalCyclingNews.com for some awesome photography and GREAT coverage from Hernando and Sabine!!

Last minute adjustments before the gun! -S. Dukes

2008-06-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

The last week in May the team took off for the heart of the Mid West to Tulsa Oklahoma for 3 days of Racing and 3 days of brand promoting!

Valletti, Sanborn, Oliveira, Trew, Hatch and Wilson rolled into town to contest a great series of crits, with excellent prize money in a very cool city the is going through a major rebirth! Melissa Sanborn was the only VKitten who had been to Tulsa and it was on her recommendation that we took the trip across the country... which turned out to be awesome!

We recruited Nor Cal legend in cycling, promoting and fabulousness Michael Hernandez to bring the team together and work towards our end goal- Philadelphia's Commerce Bank Liberty Cycling Classic- The largest and best race in the USA.

The girls gelled with Michael awesome coaching and guidance and worked on race tactics and other top-secret warrior drills. The goal was to represent, race together and win some money. Cheerwine had a few excellent riders, stand-out Jen McRae was in the house, and our beloved VK's from Metro VW Cycling Jen Wilhite and Shannon Koch were there with a couple of teammates, plus wonder-woman Shelly Olds of ProMan, another NorCal team with some amazing talent.

The races were great, and I encourage you to check out the rider's blogs for more. It was hot, jungle hot, with rain, sun, thunder, sun, rain, sun... steamy!! Our awesome host Brent Baker gave us the full run of his house and garage, stocked with bike tools and stand! It was ultra generous and we gave him his and her matching Team Kits!

The thing I like about hitting the road is the chance to meet VK supports, customers and friends. We had Sushi with Tulsa local and VK friend Misty... yes, Sushi in Tulsa! It was good, but I think the octopus salad didn't quite sit well with me, although delicious the night before. =)

Here are some shots from TaosActionPhotos.com that were awesome!

Leigh Valletti off the front giving a handling clinic.

Check out more photos on TaosActionPhotos.com!

2008-06-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten Team Jersey Pre-Order

*ACTUAL JERSEY GRAPHICS WILL VARY SLIGHTY

In case you missed the subtle addition to the Vanderkitten webstore, we are now accepting pre-orders for our 2008 Team jersey. The jersey will be very similar to the current team jersey, but feature a hidden zipper, removal of sponsor logos and tag lines, and have a 3/4 length zipper.

These jerseys will retail for $89.99, but the pre-order special saves you 25% for a total of $69.99 plus tax and shipping! The estimated delivery of the jerseys is early July, just when you've gotten sick and tired of all of the new kits you bought in May.

Everyone who pre-orders a jersey will have access to another, super-hot, jersey design at and even more reduced price that will arrive at the same time. We are keeping that under wraps until it's here, and it will also retail for $89.99.

Check it out here: http://store.vanderkitten.com

2008-05-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

CHILLIN' 10th Anniversary!

10 years ago the beautiful Irene Hernandez had a vision- Turn a night club into a flea market for up and coming designers and artists to show and sell their wares in San Francisco. This wildly popular event became known as THE place to find the next hot art/design/music in San Francisco.

In the 10 years the show has moved location from 111 Minna to Mezzanine and even a huge event complete with fashion runway at Fort Mason. Vanderkitten has been part of several of these events over the years and we are now a proud sponsor of the events! This Saturday's event marks the 10th anniversary of Chillin' Productions and will be held at the awesome Mezzanine!!

60 Fashion Designers
100 Painters/Photographers/Sculptors
40 Filmmakers
Visuals by INSTA-ACTION (www.insta-action.com)
LIVE screen-printing by SAN FRANPSYCHO, bring a shirt or booty-shorts
Live Painting

Music by:
Dirtyhertz (www.dirtyhertz.com)
Taj (www.djtaj.com)
LARON (http://www.myspace.com/laronakaswan)
DJ SHON (gossip/cat club)
Russell Vargas (www.myspace.com/russellvargas)
KRIS (www.myspace.com/baydabreaks)
Dave Madix (www.kingkeymusic.com)
SCHATZ AKA Founder of Chillin' Productions
+ more

When: Saturday May 10, 2008 from 8:00pm-2:00am
Where: Mezzanine (444 Jessie Street, SF) www.mezzaninesf.com
Must be 21+ ID
Cover: $7 at the door

For more info about the show go to:
www.chillinproductions.com

I can't believe we are celebrating 10 years of working with the most
talented artists, designers, musicians and filmmakers!!!!! This show will be
incredible!!!!!!!!

Thank you to our great sponsors:
7x7 Magazine (www.7x7mag.com)
Planet Magazine (planet-mag.com)
SF Weekly (www.sfweekly.com)
UNSCENE urban navigator (www.unscene.com)
SF Station (www.sfstation.com)
Yelp (www.yelp.com)
Nitevive (www.nitevibe.com)
SAN FRANPSYCHO (www.myspace.com/sanfranpsychocrew)
Vanderkitten (www.vanderkitten.com)
Sake2me (www.sake2me.com)
Ipling (www.ipling.com)
LatinLounge.tv (www.LatinLounge.tv)
111 Minna Gallery (www.111minnagallery.com)
Spork Restaurant (sporksf.com)
Addiction Hair Salon (www.addictionhairsalon.com)
Lucid Beauty (www.lucidbeauty.com)
Hair Play (www.hairplay.com)
Access Institute for psychological services (www.accessinst.org)
The Innovative Fashion Council of San Francisco (www.ifcsf.com)
Style Industry (www.styleindustry.com)
Mosio (www.mosio.com)
Ladybrille (www.ladybrille.com)
Red Poppy Art House (www.redpoppyarthouse.org)
Mingle (www.mingleshop.com)
Mars Bar (www.marsbarsf.com)
Ovahere (www.ovahere.com)
Thread Show (www.threadshow.com)
RAG (www.ragsf.com)
Stitch Lounge (www.stitchlounge.com)
Dirtyhertz (www.dirtyhertz.com)
Primo Promotes (www.primopromotes.com)
Nofu ( www.nofu.com)
House of Dolores Moore
Hope Flight Foundation (www.hopeflightfoundation.org)
Nomadika (www.nomadika.com)
Fashionbliss (www.fashionbliss.com)
Jules Beauty (www.julesmakeupsf.com)
Blowfish Sushi (www.blowfishsushi.com)
Little Yellow Perfect (www.littleyellowperfect.com)
Porcelynne (www.porcelynne.com)

2008-05-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

Thursday – SE Crit Series Greenwood , SC
Nothing was getting away tonight! - Melissa Sanborn

Vanderkitten was active throughout the entire race making sure that if a break went, we were in it! That was the game plan!

We drove in a little early from Beaufort , SC and were able to check into our hotel before the race. We were joined by Leigh Valletti (The Machete) and Sonja Evers and it was awesome to them! Our race start was 5:30 and the temperature was warmer and thank goodness it wasn’t going to be dark like the last couple nights! The course was fast, had a good rise to the finish, and a chicane on the back side.

Vanderkitten was attentive at the front to make sure nothing would get away. Leigh brought her fresh legs and Melissa nearly got into a break with Cheatley, Powers, and a Colavita rider but unfortunately it was brought back. Jen Wilson found herself active and was twice in a good group up the road. However, nothing was going to get away tonight! Unfortunately the finish just wasn’t meant to be for Vanderkitten this evening but we persevered. Wilson with her ripped buckle was tentative to go too hard for fear that if she sprinted her foot would come out of her shoe!

As the lap cards went down, there was still a threat of a breakaway attempt since riders had gotten away late in the race last night. Jenny Trew raced an aggressive race throughout and we made an attempt to find one another at the end. Kele is recovering from her earlier crash and it was such a fast race tonight. That hill took its toll. We’re still finding our race legs but we just keep feeling better every day. Wilson, Trew, and Sanborn tried to hold good position beginning early with 7 laps to go and follow the leadout of Cheerwine but with 3 laps to go, 2 laps to go, 1 lap to go, it was a cluster in the chicane and in the end sometimes it’s just not worth it unless you are already in the top 5 at the front.

At the end of the day, we took 3 primes, sprinted our legs off, raced aggressively, and came in 14th, 15^th, and 16th. We did our best and achieved one of our goals: MAKING THE BREAK!

Tomorrow is another day and I hear the course is wild.

2008-05-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

The Kittens Go Back to School and Beaufort Race Report- Melissa Sanborn

School visit: Question and answer about helmets and safety and why we wear such tight clothing! Those kids were super cute and I am sure that we had some influence on getting them out there tonight for the kid’s race!

Our race tonight started at 6pm on the streets of downtown Beaufort , SC. With Vanderkitten Racing having Jennifer Wilson in one of the top 5 spots she got a call to the line. There were massive attacks from the gun and it was full gas for the first 10 laps as riders tried to establish a break. Some laps in, with VK rider Kele Murdin on the attack, Melissa Sanborn countered with a prime win and a break got away.

Unfortunately, it was the decisive move which included Tina Pic, Laura Van Guilder, and Rebecca Larson. Knowing this was a dangerous breakaway, Vanderkitten went on the attack to try and bridge and/or bring it back. The course was a semi-technical course with a narrowing first turn and a hairy turn out of corner three. The wind was slight and the conditions were ideal as riders tried to play their cards in what might have been a bring-back attempt in squelching the break. The break which had almost 35 seconds at the midpoint of the race, became 10 seconds in the final 3 laps of a 50 lap, 50 kilometer race. It was frustrating to watch!

The cards were not falling for us as they would in an ideal situation! Jen Wilson was having a spasm in her left side and was out of commission for much of the race. Kele had a broken saddle which was replaced quickly in the pit. However, Jenny Trew raced an amazing race and was aggressive throughout and was always on the hunt to bridge the gap that went away. Despite some of our misfortune we still placed 2 riders in the top 10 and grabbed a couple primes. Five more days of racing and we shall git ‘er figured out!

2008-05-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

ATHENS TWILIGHT RACE REPORT- by Jennifer Wilson

Luckily we raced at 7:45am tonight so we got to sleep in this morning. We were treated to a delicious pancake breakfast and yummy coffee thanks to Jason and Jennifer our hosts. After breakfast we hooked up with all of our teammates and went for a little spin to open the legs up. Jennifer, our host, is just getting into cycling and it was great that she went on the ride with us. We did a little out and back to Avondale Lake which is really cute. What is so cool about Decatur and adjoining towns is that there are actual little neighborhoods.

After the spin we all went home to relax as much as possible and get ready for our trip to Athens which is about 1 ½ hours from Decatur . We wanted to get to Athens early so we could get a good parking spot and eat some food. I knew the race was going to be crazy because the people were already starting to party and the streets were getting crowded. Just seeing all of the barriers being put up on the streets was starting to make me nervous.

Since I flew here I do not have a trainer but the guys from Kelly Benefits were kind enough to lend us a couple as our race started way before theirs, sweet! The SRAM guys were there for neutral support and I immediately took my bike over to Jeremy who I was told is a whiz with the zero gravity brakes. My rear brake was not re-centering itself and was rubbing the rim. He was the “man” and hooked me up with a quick fix of re-cutting my cable. I love those SRAM guys. Back to the car for the pre-race readiness and to start getting warm as if the hot humid air was not enough. When I finally got on the trainer I noticed that my headset screw had dropped down. My headset did not feel loose but Mandy (a friend of Vanderkitten) kindly took my bike to the SRAM guys again. They checked it out and I was good to go. At this point I was just trying to remain calm and relaxed. I did a quick warm up and then it was time to go to staging. I must say that coming from California it is weird to see so many people smoking and I found myself searching for fresh air while we waiting and watched the 5K runner’s race that was going on.

Finally it was our turn to go and as usual the typical fight to get to the front of the pack for the start. Each time we moved up a bit I seemed to find myself further back. I decided not to focus on this and just on the race. The whistle blew and we were off. The town was completely crazy and people were screaming. The pace was hot from the gun and as usual it seemed like it would never let up. Each turn was a learning experience as I was on my new BH. Since I now have a normal size stem I had to readjust where I put my weight in the turns. Quickly enough though I felt like I was one with my bike. I love the BH!

Jen Wilson taking a pull at the front- Photo: ThePicMan

Kele Murdin who is riding with us as a guest rider was aggressive from the start and got herself in a good break. They were working well together and then I looked ahead and saw Kele hit the pavement. Ouch! The pace picked up in the pack and we quickly caught the break just around the next 2 turns. I knew that another move was going to go and even though I was hurting I was being attentive. Soon enough on the back side, Rebecca Larson (Aaron’s Pro Cycling) took off. I was able to fight my way to Tiffany Cromwell’s (Colavita) wheel. There were five of us that made this group with Catherine Cheatley (Cheerwine) right on Rebecca Larson and Jacquelyn Crowell (Team Kenda Tire) joining. Once we realized who was there heads went down and off we went as the right teams were represented. Everyone was pulling hard and working together. There was a slight mix up with Kele Murdin and another rider getting put back into our break. Last that Kele knew she was in the break. She had no idea that the break she was in got caught when she went to the pits after her crash. The referees made a slight error in putting her in our break which did cause some confusion amongst us in the break. Kele did not work or do anything to help me in the break and just sat on the back which was the smart thing to do considering the situation. We definitely got clear pretty quickly from the pack as we were all pushing the pace. I was suffering but tried to pull as much as possible knowing that you have to pay to play. I knew too that it was only going to get harder as the laps trickled down from the 23 (?) to go when we got away to the finish. The crowds were going crazy and I was getting sprayed by beer several times as I went through the start finish because we would slightly hug the barriers. I knew at anytime that anyone of these girls could attack and I was just trying to be very attentive. Liz Hatch (Vanderkitten) was on the radio and was very helpful in boosting my confidence. With 5 laps to go my legs were screaming and I started to think of the finish. The girls kept rotating through and I knew it was going to be tough. Entering the last lap my heart was pounding and I wanted to do the best I could for the team. Right after the slight climb on the back side Rebecca took off with Catherine on her wheel. I booked it up the inside and was on Tiffany’s wheel through the last turn. I took the turn tighter than her and gave it everything I could in the sprint. I came in third and couldn’t believe it. I really wanted the win and in hindsight felt that I should have gone earlier. Every race for me is a learning experience and I consider this a huge one. I was very excited to get on the podium being the first podium finish for me in a pro race. Also, Athens is such a prestigious race so I was super excited for the team!!!

2008-04-30T10:10:00.000-07:00



	Divasonic Oakland, CA, US

	Electronica/Dance / Alternative / Pop Members: Lynda Arnold - Vocals, Flute, Keys, Programming; Dave Grossman - Bass; Jetman - Drums; Bekka Fink & Atiim Chenzira - Voc
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-Divasonic
http://www.reverbnation.com/divasonic

Hello Everyone!

I'm excited to announce that the latest Divasonic release, 'Girationz, Luv & High - The Remixes' is available now on Itunes, Emusic, Rhapsody, 'Changing Wind' SNOCAP Player and more.

Hear new interpretations of Processing...Luv, Girationz and I Feel High from Divasonic, Return to Mono, DJ F - Breakshop Studios, Harry O, Jaswho?, The Tunemaster (Dave Jones), Timmy Matrixx/Dappa Don and Gothboy. These mixes represent a wide range of tastes and styles - truly reflective of the Changing Wind album.

Processing...Luv (Diva's Respect Mix)
Processing...Luv (Return to Mono Mix)
Girationz (DJ F Mix)
Girationz (Harry O Mix)
I Feel High (Higher Gothboy Mix)
Girationz (Tunemaster Mix)
Processing...Luv (Jaswho? Thick Synth Mix)
Processing...Luv (Jaswho? Broken Soul Mix)
Processing...Luv (Timmy Matrixx/Dappa Don Epic Techno Mix)

There are samples of the tracks in the Divasonic Reverbnation player and a Fan Exclusive Download of 'Processing...Luv (Diva's Respect Mix)' Just for You.

Download it now!
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Click here to put our songs on your Facebook profile.

Upcoming Shows for Divasonic
04/30/2008 07:30 PM	New York, NY, US	Googie's Lounge (Living Room upstairs)
05/17/2008 09:00 PM	San Francisco, CA, US	Fat City
07/31/2008 08:00 PM	San Francisco, CA, US	The Retox Lounge

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Physical inquires can be sent to: 501 Washington St. Suite J, Durham, NC, 27701, USA

2008-04-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

2009 Products to Include Active Wear and Cycling Lines

Vanderkitten has just released a product overview for what to expect in 2009 from the hottest brand in cycling- ACTIVE WEAR. In addition to hot new jersey designs and our top quality casual wear, Vanderkitten will be adding jackets, hoodies, and performance athletic apparel suitable for B-girls, Yoginis, runners and outdoors enthusiasts.

"Our product development is focused on causal apparel with technical properties and exotic fibers including carbon, bamboo and recycled cotton and polyester. We will offer styles that will truly take you from the bike to the cafe to the mountains and perform under all demands," announced Vanderkitten's creator, David Verrecchia. "From natural, odor-neutralizing properties, to reduction of natural and man-made resources, to better performing and fitting garments, the 2009 Vanderkitten line will support active, feminine, fashion-forward lifestyles."

Our product-tester program will enable us to make garments for the future that fit a wide range of needs from mountain biking to yoga to dance. We will strive to add functionality to every garment we can without compromising style or wear-ability.

Also in development is a revolutionary cycling short design that will "greatly improve the fit and comfort of cycling shorts for women." If testing is successful, look for this feature to be an exclusive on all Vanderkitten shorts and related garments in the near future. "We still have a lot of development to do, but initial designs have us moving in the right direction" adds David.

2008-04-29T12:18:00.001-07:00

Vanderkitten Leads Speed Week Team Standings

Vanderkitten Racing leads the Speedweek team standings by over 100 points after Athens, GA. The current points standings are: 1st- Vanderkitten- 937 Points, 2nd- Cheerwine with 826 Points, 3rd- Aaron's with 794, 4th- Colvavita/Home Sutter with 627 and 5th is Team Kenda Tire with 562 points.

Tonight's Race- Beaufort Memorial Cycling Classic- Beaufort, SC

Check out the Speed Week site for more!

2008-04-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten Grabs Podium Spot at Athens!

After a strong reorganization of the road team, a change in focus and the addition of Jennifer Wilson from Southern California, Vanderkitten Racing set it's sights on the Southeast Crit Series, dropping out of the long, lonely, Tour de Gila.

Of course, whenever a big change is made, the talk is always that the team is for one reason or another not going to make it, etc... well, guess again.

After a long, VERY FAST Athens Twilight, Vanderkitten Jennifer Wilson sprinted to a 3rd place finish in front of 30,000+ spectators! The first podium came after very hard work from Leigh Valletti, Melissa Sanborn, Kele Murdin and Jenny Trew! Liz was wo-manning the radio on the sidelines and Mandy Lozano was cheering on her girls!

Congrats to the team for throwin' down!!!

2008-04-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

Freeride Foundation.com's Owner- Jackie Baker

Sea Otter Smiles on Vanderkitten

Vanderkitten arrived on scene at Sea Otter to showcase our new clothing, cycling team wear and support our Adventure Racing teams, Mountain Bike team and Road Team. Most people are unaware that our sponsorships run sie wide in the sport of cycling, but if you're gonna change the face of the sport, you need to do it on every front.

The weekend began under sunny, warm skies in Salinas and we were selling out of shirts the first day! By the end of the second day, it was back to Berkeley for a healthy restocking for Saturday's rush. In the women's pro short track, Patty Buerkle battled hard before being pulled just laps from the end. Lost Coast Brewery's Maureen Kunz, 3x 2007 National Expert Champ for Vanderkitten, rounded out the finishing field in 15th, the top Vanderkitten sponsored athlete.

The Adventure racing Team Racing With Giants/Vanderkitten swept the podium and gave us our first appearance of the weekend. That would be followed up by Amanda Miller's decisive victory for Vanderkitten in the 19-29 Women's Expert catagory finishing nearly 3 minutes ahead of 2nd place, with Emma Worldpeace of Lost Coast Brewery coming in a strong 5th.

The Road team was in town to promote our sponsors and work out the kinks leading into mid season. A tough, extrememly cold and windy race got the better of the Vanderkitten team, but redemption was just a week a week away in Athens at the twilight Crit...

2008-04-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten Racing in Athens and Ready for a Fight!

With some excellent training under their belts from Redlands and Sea Otter, Vanderkitten's sprinters have descended upon Athens, GA today for the Twilight Crit, part of the USA Crit Speed Week series in the southeast.

Liz Hatch, still recovering from a bad accident in Visalia, will not be racing for Vanderkitten this week in the Southeast, where she has a huge fan base. "Disappointed does not even come close to how I feel right now. The majority of my training has been focused on coming down here and doing well. The injury to my hip and lower back are worse than originally thought, so I am heading back to the Bay Area on Sunday for more treatment from Dr. Kano."

The remainder of the Vanderkitten Squad includes Leigh Valletti, Melissa Sanborn, Jenny Trew, Jen Wilson and guest rider Kele Murdin. The team will be contesting the Southeast Crits and look forward to a race report later this weekend from Athens!

2008-04-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

TEAM JERSEY PRE-ORDER SALE

"The hottest kit in cycling" is available for pre-order on the Vanderkitten store RIGHT NOW! Save $20 (25%) for pre-ordering the jersey and be the first on your ride to sport this racey, fashion-forward look. The actual jersey will vary slightly from photos- No additional sponsor logos, hidden zipper, vented side panels at the arm pits. This kit will rock! Retail $89.99, Pre-Order- $69.99 Limited production run worldwide, this WILL sell out.

Jerseys will be available in 6 - 8 weeks. Fit will be slim/race style cut.

2008-03-27T22:50:00.000-07:00

DRIVEN to Be Better

It only makes sense that the newest company in cycling partners with the newest component group in cycling: Driven.

Truly Champagne on an Belgian Beer budget, lot's of carbon, crisp shifting, light weight, ceramic bearings and price that will make Dura Ace owners feel like they got taken, Driven's initial offering of components have been used and abused and are hanging tough.

Oh, JORDAN!!!

Here is a pic of the full group (below, not above). Notice the gold anodized bits for a "Chi Chi", "Bling Bling" or "Straight Pimpin" look. Click on the pic to be jet-setted to Driven's parent company's new site.

2008-03-24T23:32:00.000-07:00

That's as good as money, sir. Those are I.O.U.'s.

Damn do I feel like Lloyd. It pains me to not make things happen on time and in the certain terms we've agreed upon. We're running low on inventory and we owe our good friends across the pond a boat load of Vanderkitten apparel... heck, they're winning BIG races with our logo on their kit, then left hanging in Apres-Bike wear!

CONGRATULATIONS TO EMMA POOLEY

CONGRATUALTIONS TO EMMA POOLEY, winner of the first UCI Women's World Cup race for Specialized Designs for Women Team. (photo- Cyclingnews.com)

Thank you all of the wonderful ladies on the team for choosing Vanderkitten for your off-the-bike wear and thank you for have patience and faith in our tiny little company to deliver over the top casual wear.

The track suits are about to leave for Europe!

2008-03-21T20:09:00.001-07:00

America's Next Top Vanderkittens

This post is LONG overdue. A couple years ago, we would put every picture sent to us on our Tribe.net photo page. Well, we are brining it back in April with the ViP Page, Very Important Pussycat.

My good friends Lauren and Page, West Chester, PA.

2008-03-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

Today's Lesson: Life is Not Fair

One of my mentors has instilled in me that life can lift you up and throw you down just as fast... the strong ones get back up to rise again, the weak take pity on themselves for their misfortunes.

Running a clothing company is hard work. There are always other companies to compete with, other designers that beat you to the market and trends that fall flat just as fast as they are hot. Usually, there is an element of prediction and trend analysis to mitigate the losses or changes in your business when the wave crashes. In cycling: Not so much.

Put this into play: We had a well organized team, whose equipment was working flawlessly, an incredible host house with the Brethen family, we got to the race early, set-up the EZ-UP, everyone was pumped... yet the wave crashed as fast as it rose, and all of the planning could not prepare us for what was in store: Disaster.

The race started out fast and saw Liz, Jane and Flavia working very hard at the front early on. On lap 14, about 30 yards from my communication post on the radio, Liz crashed HARD and most of the pack went down with her and on her. This caused some chaos as Jane and 2 other riders escaped the mele, only to miss the field neutralization and to be pulled from the race mistakenly... when they were actually LEADING THE RACE. In 4 laps we lost almost 50% of our team.

Flavia stepped-up and rode hard to challenge and battle for position. Heather was suffering from asthma issues, and Mary was sick. It was awesome to see Flavia step up and Heather and Mary doing their best. On the start of the 57th Lap, Flavia was in the ideal position, top 10. On the fina corner she was involved in a huge pile-up with most the the Aaron's team, Laura Van Gilder from Cheerwine and some other outstanding women athletes.

photo credit: Alan Birnbaum

We actually did not have one rider finish. This is what I call "LIFE". It just happened, and the real challenge now is to rise back up and not feel pity for ourselves. The best laid plans, the strongest effort and LIFE did not work out for us this weekend.

This week we'll focus on clothing, new designs for 2008-9, and new products. We'll also work on getting past this week and move onto the next race in great form! Heal fast Flavia and Liz!

2008-03-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

It's race day here in Visalia,Ca, the second stop on the NRC circuit. We arrived to a partly sunny, blustery day with about 55 degree temps. Liz, Flavia, Jane, Heather and Mary made the trip down to represent our team and are mixed with a plague of allergies and illness but are ready to leave it all out on the course! Right now the girls are warming up and I testing out the blogging ability of my new iPhone...

2008-03-12T15:10:00.001-07:00

But Your're Only a Cat...

How tough is a cat? Seriously, a "kitten" is not very tough... I mean, it's not like it could stand up to a Grizzly, right?

Don't push us... we get feisty!

2008-03-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Well, Since I Actually Rode Today...

We got home from the park with Raycer, where I spent most of the time strategizing on the new iPhone while Raycer did laps on the slide to be greeted by a box from none other than International fan favorite Christine Vardaros!

Well, the package had some weight to it... could it be, CHOCOLATE FROM BELGIUM?! I immediately opened this wonderous gift of caloric devastation and dug in!! There is Chocolate, a Flanderkitten TM flag, some biscuits and waffles! (Not as good as Cyclo Sportif's though).

I don't really eat too many sweets, but I LOVE chocolate... in fact, that's why Liz and I get along so well: She hates chocolate, I LOVE chocolate... so I get her left-overs.

Well, I am shaking from the sugar and realizing I should have eaten lunch first, but it's just too good!

THANK YOU CHRISTINE!!! =)

2008-03-05T13:30:00.003-08:00

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY- D-Store Sale in SF

Ok, this one is for women in the Bay Area! A One-Day sale on some of the finest equipment for women on 2 wheels in the business: Dainese! Check out the D-Store in San Francisco on March 8th for Motorcycle, Bike and Snow gear!

"The D-store is having an International
Women's Day sale this Saturday, March 8th from 10-6.
All women's gear on sale! There will be snacks!

Also, we are showing the Daytona 200 at 1pm, and
reshowing it on Sunday at noon before the first MotoGP
race at 3pm.

Stay late for Beers!!"

The D-store is located at
131 South Van Ness @ 12th st in San Francisco, CA

2008-03-04T18:04:00.000-08:00

The Best Birthday Present Ever

My good friend and Vanderkitten supporter Steve Letvin turned me onto this post from a first time racer and long-time Vanderkitten fan, Brittney Kolb in Arkansas. First of all, it blows me away that anyone outside of my neighborhood has heard of Vanderkitten, nonetheless found it to be an inspiration!!

On February 27th Vanderkitten Turned 3 years old. On Feb 27th, Britt posted to her blog about her upcoming first race... AND mentioned Vanderkitten's role in inspiring her... coincidence? We sent Britt a VK-birthday present as a thank-you for kicking ass and sharing her story. I don't want to spoil the surprise for her, so stay tuned for some pics and read a day in the life of Britt before her first race!

hopes flying high

The days are still cold, but about to warm up just in time for my first race. Doing all my laundry and getting things together today so then I will be ready to pack thursday night.. so I won't have to pack the night before. And I must get awesome sleep tonight just in case I don't get good sleep friday night.

I am so proud I have made it to my first race everrrRRrr! So many battles to get there and won't get any easier! YAY! haha! I already pre registered and there are 8 people in my cat 4 race! There are three newbies and myself.. and then the rest are women in there 40's which will be tuff cuz some look like they should of upgraded. I am pumped I would rather have a challenge and place last then have none and it be like an individual time trial and race against one other person.. how lame is that... but just saying I would be ok with last.. doesn't mean I want it ;) #1 baby~

Cousin Chad emailed me asking if my mom was going cuz his mom was wondering if my mom was going (his mom my mom sisters) and my mom asked me if his mom is going cuz if she is going then she will go.. SOOO I called my mom and she said she would call his mom and talk about tonight which most likely means they will go watch me and my cousin.. I REALLY HOPE SO! I will be less nervous with my mom there just cuz I have anxiety.. which really sucks but she really understands that with me and so I feel better when somebody truly understands like what I have and can see when I am hiding nerves like that and can keep me cool. Plus if she is there I would love to win in front of her to show her I love this sport and this is what I want to do. Even if I don't win I will give her a show :)

Feeling pretty strong this week. I am getting plenty of sleep even if my hours were late.. I slept late in the day so I have been getting like 10 hours of sleep a day. I rode 30 miles monday tuesday I bonded with the trainer for an hour then stretched.. oh and been stretching after every ride... and then I will also be bonding with the trainer today.. with blaring music... but thursday and then friday I will be able to get out.. very pumped for saturday plus I am glad my race doesn't start early in the morning like it starts at noon or something like that sooo it will be like almost 70 degrees in Little Rock, AR.

Last night was on the phone with Nate we started looking up who I was up against and who he was up against then what Chad was up against which is a big cat 5 field and then somehow we got on a conver sation on nic names and I said I will destroy the CAT 4RAHH and then I thought i need a better word than destroy so I got my thesarsus book thingy and looked up destroy then destroyer and my new nic name is the plague... HAHA THE PLAGUE! It was pretty funny cuz I found a song that says like plague rider at the end of it over and over.. So I'm the plague now and stickin to that one instead of chameleon. that kind of reminds me of a damn rapper or something.

I really like team Vanderkitten. I like them more than any other women's team because they focus on their women and promoting women's cycling. All the women have blogs and they have a main Vanderkitten blog. Which is awesome! Cuz they have like videos and stuff! And they also have the best style in my opinion.. I rate it super euro. I would love to be on that team someday. My favorite rider by a landslide has to be Liz Hatch just because well first off shes a sprinter! She kicks ass! And I like her personality! She is a good role model to me because she is real.. and real people in my book are the shizznizz~

Tailwinds,

-Britt"

2008-02-26T18:58:00.000-08:00

4:1- More than Just the Ratio of Men to Women at your Average Nightclub

There are TONS of electrolyte replacement drinks out there that work great... but there is only one with a patented 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio: Accelerade.

I used to use the predecessor to this awesome product called Endurox R4 as a recovery drink when I was in the game. Then they formulated a during-exercise, protein enhanced sports drink in powdered canisters, and now they have READY TO DRINK bottles popping up EVERYWHERE!

Stop by the Vanderkitten booth at Sea Otter and try out the new flavors and decide for yourself. I find the protein cuts the acidity, a problem I have when going all-out and needing a sports beverage. It also has some major advantages in recovery on and off the bike.

The appealing packaging is also preferred by Raycer, hands down.

2008-02-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

Team Camp Day 1

What a whirlwind! Just as I was relaxing from a long weekend of running bikes, frames and parts all over Nor Cal, I was at it again! Scott, Sandra and Cheez-It came in on Sunday and made it to the end of the race, Sunday night was a brief strategy session, picking up "The Canadians" and going to bed early... 1:45am.

One of the misconceptions of Vanderkitten is by "living life" we encourage the party first, train later mentality. Sure, we like to have fun because life is short, but as these girls were about to find out, when the racing is on, we're all business.

Monday I got to the house early and was swapping old tires for the new Kenda Kriterium and Ultra Light Tubes. We were doing some last minute fit adjustments on the BH's and getting ready to roll-out for an easy 65 miler.

Scott and I rode in the V70 wagon and munched on tidbits of racing strategy and honey-glazed pretzels while the girls and Dave (Cheezit) handily dropped us in down town Walnut Creek. We finally found them and offer we went. There were some zigs and zags, uncertainty about the route, but we made through Alamo and Danville and out to a winding, country road.

The girls were taking turns at the front and the pace was about 20-22 on the flats. Jenny Trew got a flat, and we got her going again in fine fashion and motorpaced her at about 28 up to the rest of the group. Not bad for a girl with a cold the rest of the house would soon catch!

The day concluded with a stop at Pegasus Cycles and Coffee at Peet's. The coffee was a bit strong for the like of Moriah and Heather, who are self-proclaimed Peet's addicts, so I steered clear and got an iced latte.

The girls took off without the Volvo SAG wagon and we took Flavia back with us to Walnut Creek so she could get to class.

That evening we worked on bikes, adjusted shifters and swapped out bars, stems, etc to get the fits dialed in. It was early to bed for another long day in the saddle. Light's out at a very un-party like 9:45pm.

2008-02-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

Christine Vardaros on CTodd

For those of you who don't know, there is a better place to go for a laugh when you want to see a video than You Tube... CTODD. CTodd is a bike racer that brings you current events, news and side splitting laughs on his Video Blog (there is a cooler name for it, but I just don't know it). I first heard of CTodd from my Bestest MANDY LOZANO then from artist and bike racer Kim Blodgette.

This month, CTodd interviewed Vanderkitten's Belgian kitten Christine Vardaros. Christine piloted our foray into Cyclocross racing in Europe on the World Cup before her season ended with a string of head knocks and a serious concussion!

Here is an awesome interview where we all get the opportunity to learn just a little bit more about Christine Vardaros, an American in Belgium.

Caution, this is a PG-13 Video as some of the impersonations in this clip use profanity.

2008-02-23T13:29:00.000-08:00

She's My Cherry Pie... Camp Day -1 (that's negative one)

There is little room for lampooning hair metal when it comes to bike racing. But, there is room, so we need to put a shout out to the organizers of this race in Napa as a tribute to one of hair-metal-pop's worst bands: WARRANT.
When I heard the winners of this race got a Cherry Pie, I was hoping the band at least autographed the LP. To my relief, the only Cherry Pie getting won here was fruity and delicious... I'll give WARRANT the former, but certainly not the latter.

So, if there is ever a plan for cycling ours is to control the media. Here's the basic equation: great athletes + media coverage=sponsorship $$. Plain and simple. Another way we like to roll is to keep other teams on their toes. We are not all that secretive as much as everything is just beginning, so there are no real secrets... except for out kits. I keep the kits as a source of pride and protect the designs with guns and rabid, malnourished bunnies.

We decided to pay tribute to the cross and mountain girls who will be wearing the dark-chocolate and pink plaid kits by kicking off the 2008 Racing season by putting our roadies in them for the Cherry Pie crit. It's also important for everyone to match, we're Pro afterall...

Jane looked happy to be out representing Vanderkitten for the first time ever, and she was joined by Liz, Melissa, Mary Maroon and Flavia Oliviera. Secretly, our team director Scott Gross was hoping to make it in time to see how the girls raced together naturally.

If you are looking for a play by play, I can tell you Liz went off the front in typical Liz style, and then Kelly Murdin from ProMan was out there, way off the front for a while. TIBCO's Brooke Miller was always sitting Lance Armstrong style in the top 8-10 riders ready for anything.
In the end, everyone was keyed on Liz which opened the door for Melissa to jump around for 5th, Jane 7th, Flavia then Liz and Mary. It was a great race and fun to watch. Keeping in mind Melissa had not even had her bike for 24 hours, it was great to see how easily she cam up to speed with the new shifting, etc.

2008-02-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

Team Camp, Day -2

What a ride! On Feb. 9th Mark picked up Heather Sborz and Melissa Sanborn from the Oakland airport and stopped by with them on their way to Martinez to join Liz and get settled in. Heather, figuring her flight and drive from the airport was not long enough, elected to keep me company and drive up to Petaluma to our sponsor shop Bici Sport. (Bee-chee Sport)

Jerry was busy putting together our bikes, which Andrew had asked to give them 4 days to do... but in typical fashion, parts were being delivered on Thursday afternoon for bikes needed Saturday. We hovered over Jerry and his side-kick Colby for a while and he finished up our new BH Connect bikes. I had purchased a new team car a few nights before, a 1999 Volvo XC Wagon, and we were piling on the miles quickly... I bought it with 91k, and by the end of camp it would show 94k just 2 weeks and several tanks of gas later!

The first thing we noticed was how light the complete bikes were. We are still waiting for some chi-chi wheels from Spinergy, but the stand in DT Swiss wheels had Melissa's bike close to the UCI minimum!! HOT DAMN! Heather loved the look of the bikes and was stoked to be the first to ride.. but no pedals meant she was waiting til we got back to Mark's house in Martinez to meet up with Liz.

Liz rode her custom Ahrens and the girls went out to get used to the new shifting of the Driven components . The goal was to build only the bikes we'd need for the girls coming into town and get the show going for the Cherry Pie crit in Napa the following day. I threw some new Kenda Kriterium tires on Liz's bike as well for the race.

This whole team thing was unfolding as a reality so fast I don't think Mark and I had a chance to digest all that we were about to experience trying to herd our "VKats".

2008-01-29T23:06:00.000-08:00

Vanderkitten's Robyn Sheedy Takes Beantown 16-Miler Victory

Robyn Sheedy, one of our Vanderkitten multisport Athletes, competed in a 16 mile (running) road race this past weekend. "I ended up winning my age group (30-39). It was a pretty hilly course and it was in the middle of a snowstorm to boot! But all in all it was fun and good training for Boston [Marathon]. I ended up running a 2:00:20 which breaks down to 7:32/mile. Given that I had ridden a hard 3 hours on Sat. I was pretty happy with the result."

"More importantly, I got a big-ass beer stein for my efforts and was wearing my VK wear at the awards ceremony. So attached is a photo of me getting my (empty) beer stein (which was filled later) with the race director. Unfortunately the glass is blocking the VK logo! I did, however, get some questions from people about what the deal is with "that cat" and I was quite pleased to inform them of Vanderkitten"

Thank you Robyn for the race update and pic! Although it is quite a large stein, we are sure your Vanderkitten Post Race Training enabled you to down that one with no problem!! =)

Through out 2008 we will be bringing you updates and stories from Robin Sheedy as she travels the globe racing bikes, running and swimming to spread the good word of Vanderkitten!

2008-01-27T18:07:00.000-08:00

CYCLE TO.com

We are very excited to be participating in this hot new site for Cycling Freaks! Take a look inside the lives of Elite Women Racers. Share the cheers and tears and see what life is like for these emerging athletes.

You will get a unique opportunity to get the inside scoop on products, racers, lifestyle, events, etc. Results only tell a small portion of the story, now get the rest!

2008-01-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

I Hate You for Being Hot, and Fast!

There are more and more girls out in the world not playing by the rules, embracing their beauty AND kicking ass! Introducing Emily Phillips. You heard it here first, Emily is going to be a household name in a couple of years.

Emily contacted Vanderkitten last year in suggestion that she too kicked ass on 2 wheels. The only difference is her 2 Wheels have engines and up t0 35 HP. Emily races Motocross, and when she's not racing, she is going to school and modeling.

Emily is making the trek out to NorCal from her current home of Texas (she is a So Cal Native) this week to me her extended Vanderkitten Family of Jennie, Dave, Mark, Liz, Hanan and Flavia. Check back often to see what trouble we can stir up with the hottest girls in Cycling AND Motocross!

2008-01-02T00:50:00.000-08:00

With All of this Talk About Equality...

Maybe the UCI, the international governing body of cycling, made a New Year's resolution to equally compensate women professional athletes in prize money... but most likely they didn't.
Mountain biking phenom and current MTB National Champion Georgia Gould created a petition to the UCI that has been wildly broadcast to increase female prize money to match that of men. There are few professional women's sports that have achieved this, and we need to look no further than Tennis to see this gap closed.

A more likely achievement would be to garner compensation and endorsement packages like the surfing and snowboarding/skiing industry have. But where will the money come from?

Let's look at the numbers for a minute. There are 1.7 Million men, women and children in the USA who SURF, yet SURFWEAR is a multi-billion dollar industry. In fact, 95% of all of the people who own clothing or accessories from a "surfwear" company will never, in fact, surf. The cycling industry boasts amazing numbers in comparison. There are 44 million women in the USA who ride bikes, yet professional women make a FRACTION of what a professional female surfer earns. So, when we want equal pay... where does the money come from?

Cycling is ready for a MAKEOVER in a BIG WAY!

I love the sport, but it's been dorky at best over the last decade (save for the gravity girls). The cost of entry is extreme compared to a lot of other sports, the fashion is very far behind (see above), and the image is not one that marketeers find, well, marketable (see above). The age of people making decisions in the cycling industry is increasing, and the touch with todays trends is far removed. But cycling has something no other sport has- the ability to do it anywhere, in practically any weather. There is no Powder Day there is no Big Swell. There is not that one thing you wait for everyday of your life, that makes the attainment of said condition prestigious and godlike. Does this limit Cycling's allure? Can we shoot videos of the perfect road descent?

If any of you have ever surfed, you know you can get to the beach to find it flat, blown-out, overly crowded, choppy, glassy or perfect. The reality is that perfection is always being chased because the sport is 100% dependent on a perfect combination of being in the right place at the right time. On any given day, there is no surf. On any given day, there is always cycling. The lifestyle of being laid back, waiting for surf, is very appealing to us all. Surfing is natural, powerful, amazing. I feel the same way about skiing: I can hit speeds over 50 miles an hour on a piece of wood wrapped with some fiberglass- No wheels, no shifting and the only thing with mechanical workings are my bindings, and that's just so I don't break my legs! Everytime I go, it costs A LOT of money to ski.

So, why then is cycling not of interest to the public at large? Its the largest recreational fitness activity in the US next to WALKING! I think cycling needs a make-over. The button-up, corporate racer drone doesn't vibe with the public at large who buy the products and services bigger sports promote. What if cycling was presented in such a way that it is accessbile, causal, exciting and beautiful?

Cycling is HOT

Leah is a professional bike racer from Canada. She is one of the young women that is changing the face of the sport. She is fast, wins big races and looks like a supermodel.

Liz is hot, she is real, down to Earth, a crowd favorite. She does not look like your female cyclist of the 90's, and she is arguably much tougher, too.

Mandy stops grown men in their tracks. She is sassy, classy, intelligent, FAST and beautiful. She is fast, fun and promotes women's cycling all day long!

Flavia is a dynamo on and off the bike. She speaks her mind, is confident and focused. She knows what she wants from life.

Leigh is hard working, fashionable, fast and wide-smiling. She and her pro-boy know VK is the new hot thing in cycling. Her hard work has made Vanderkitten Racing a reality for 2008!

These are just some of the fast women who are changing the face of Women's Cycling with Vanderkitten Racing in 2008. You will get to know them all over the coming weeks. We are excited that we can bring the level of fashion, excitement, talent and personality to the sport of cycling that does not exist. In fact, many call Vanderkitten "the Roxy of cycling"... I can't think of a more flattering compliment.

2008-01-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2008 presents another year of endless opportunities for Vanderkitten! To the right is a poll for you to fill out! The idea is to help us identify the products YOU want most! We have all of these items in development, so it's just a matter of prioritizing them for delivery!

Thank you for taking a minute to select your favorite items!!

2007-12-31T21:31:00.000-08:00

It's been 3 years since I made the first Vanderkitten branded T-shirts, before we ever even started this business. Over the last 3 years we have learned more than I could have ever imagined! We've been inspired by unlikely people, had uncanny experiences, met amazing people and have made more new friends than a grade schooler!

We entered into the "Cycling Industry", won 3 National Championships, designed our own bikes, kits that got people talking (good and bad)... but people took notice, YOU took notice.

There is nothing esoteric about Vanderkitten. There is nothing fake, phony, empty or contrived. What we offer is a concept that is REAL. It is real, it has not been articulated and developed as a brand like we've done it, and it has been widely praised for it's forward thinking.

Cycling goes Argyle, we go plaid. Cycling goes white, we go black... and guess what? You the people LOVE IT, and we love you!

One comment I received from one of my mentors was that Vanderkitten did not have enough of my voice. In fact, I've helped and guided him in building a very successful new business... he said I gave his business a voice! I have often heard the sentiment that Vanderkitten is a company much larger than it actually is. It's the result of 3 people's passion, skill, determination and inspiration.

For 2008 I want to give Vanderkitten the voice it deserves. As the creator of the business, I suppose that would be mine... and as the inspiration, perhaps it will be Jennie's or as the make it happen guy maybe it's Mark's. I am rewriting the Vanderkitten story, the way I would tell you why I started the business if you asked me. On the new website, it will be my story, our pictures and this journey that includes YOU!!

Every design we do has relevance, and inside "secrets" for design inspiration. Some you will be shocked by, some you will laugh at, some may make you cry. Next week I will tell you how I became inspired to start Vanderkitten, leave a great income and work endlessly into the night, every night...

2008 is going to be an AMAZING year. A year of TRUTH, a year were we stop compromising and start making every move we make count, and every action speak... I hope you join us for this ride, it is going to be unforgettable.

Happy New Year!!
Dave Verrecchia
Creator/Designer
Vanderkitten- Clothing for Women Who Kick Ass

2007-11-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

CHILLIN' at Mezzanine, December 1st!!

This event is probably the best of it's kind anywhere. Chillin' Productions packs Mezzanine with Art, Design, Fashion, Ready to Wear, DJ's and DRINKS!! It's an AWESOME event, THE PLACE TO BE SEEN, and... you can pick up some unique gifts just in time for the holidays!

Vanderkitten will be there with some of our new stuff and mostly limited edition, hand printed T's and such. We'll have special deals if you mention you saw this bulletin!

Come support the up and coming artists, photographers, designers, DJ's at this truly AWESOME event!!

2007-11-23T23:32:00.000-08:00

We Skipped Black Friday!

Look, why try to compete with every other retailer out there in the world to offer special savings for one measly day? That's not the VK way! We are jamming new product onto the webstore with SUPER EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED EDITION T-Shirts, JACKETS and Sweatshirts!!

Here's the deal: We will be offering our exclusive WORLD TOUR T-shirts for sale, TO YOU! These are hand printed by Dave himself, with riveted tags and printed labels. Strictly BAD ASS, Vintage cotton, ready to ROCK! Will these be on sale? No. Can you use you discount code for them? Nada. Will you see your self coming and going everywhere you look in these T's? NOPE!

Exclusiveness has a small price of only $38.99... Pretty bad ass? Yes indeed.

Other stuff coming out:
More hand printed, limited edition T's! We'll save you a trip to the boutique!

Get on the email list for the announcement!

2007-10-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

WORLD CUP FLASHES!

Here is a very well done video of the Kalmthout World Cup Cyclocross race! For those of you not familiar with Cyclocross, this will give you a great idea of the mixture of terrain and speed. This is a more technical course, IMHO!

2007-10-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

Mandy Rules!

The word is out that Mandy is fast, fast, fast on her new Vanderkitten/Ahrens cross bike! Here is a shot last week from Virginia, lookin' good! She is helping build the Vanderkitten onslaught of racing and promoting VK while in Grad School full time!! She is a living example that life can be lived to the fullest!!

Thank you Mandy for keeping the dream alive!!

2007-10-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

Christine RAWKS the NEW VANDERKITTEN CROSS KIT in BELGIUM!!

The HOTTEST kits in Cross made their debut at the UCI Word Cup in Belgium this weekend! Vanderkitten partnered up with Belgian team wear manufacturer extrordinairre, BioRacer.

Christine Vardaros reports the kits are the best looking and best feeling kits she's ever worn (and she's been at this on 2 continents for a dozen years!!) How do YOU get one? A VERY LIMITED number will be available for public purchase with proceeds going to Vanderkitten Racing to help fund our cycling team!

Check out Vanderkitten webstore the first week of November for more!!!

2007-10-18T19:27:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten's Christine Vardaros named to US Squad for UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup.

From USAcycling.org

USA Cycling announced today the seven athletes that will represent the United States at the upcoming UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Kalmthout, Belgium on October 21. Four men and three women were selected to the squad that will compete in the first of nine UCI Cyclo-cross World Cups this season.

Ryan Trebon (Ventura, Calif./Kona Yourkey), Jonathan Baker (Boulder, Colo./Vitamin Cottage), Jonathan Page (Northfield, N.H./Sunweb Projob) and Ian Boswell (Bend, Ore./Hagens Berman) will race for the men, while Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Spike Shooter), Christine Vardaros (Mill Valley, Calif./Vanderkitten) and Sarah Kerlin (Capitola, Calif./HRS- Rock Lobster) will compete in the women’s race.

Christine will be riding the Reynolds equipped Ahrens "Whole Shot" Cyclocross bike in special Vanderkitten-created livery. The Whole Shot is a prototype bike that features Ahrens' signature ride-tuned yoke system that also provides the benefit of extra mud clearance. The added secret speed ingedient on the bike is achieved by the plaid custom graphics and matching team kits to be unveiled at the opening UCI round. This kit and bike are unlike anything to come before it!

2007-10-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

Berkeley, Calif. (October 15, 2007) -

Vanderkitten announces the establishment of Vanderkitten Racing, an experienced and talented team of Elite Women cyclists contesting the NRC Road circuit in 2008. Growing on the success of the one-woman team of Liz Hatch in 2007, Vanderkitten will be fielding a 6-woman elite team as well as developmental and regional support riders. "Our success in sponsoring Liz Hatch in 2007 has convinced us that Vanderkitten and cycling go hand in hand. Our focus next year will be the majority of the NRC calendar, and to that effect we have signed 4 immensely talented girls with another 2 athletes to be announced shortly" says Vanderkitten's Mark Zefeldt.

The current roster includes Leigh Valletti of Atlanta, GA, Mandy Lozano of Charlottesville, VA, Christine Vardaros of Mill Valley, CA, with Liz Hatch of Delray Beach, FL returning for another season. The team is accepting resumes and is in serious talks with several bike companies and corporate sponsors.

"Vanderkitten is thrilled to support these hard working, vibrant athletes and the sport of Women's Cycling. We're all looking forward to the upcoming season with great anticipation. Vanderkitten's mission since its inception is to create a long-term relationship with cycling and raise the bar of sponsorships for women athletes. High-profile athletes provide a tremendous marketing value to all parties associated with their image. Women influence both female AND male purchasing decisions. Why, then, have women typically earned less than 10% of most pro male athletes salaries?" asks Vanderkitten's founder David Verrecchia of Berkeley.

Vanderkitten introduced a line of clothing and cycling apparel at Interbike whose proceeds go directly to build the cycling program. For more information please contact dave@vanderkitten.com or mark@vanderkitten.com

2007-10-04T15:57:00.001-07:00

Interbike – Las Vegas

Attention to detail aside, and of all the wise tales and past experiences shared, please remember this……. ‘sleep is not a requirement to function in Las Vegas’.

Vanderkitten’s 1st Interbike was truly a success. Did you happen to stop by booth #158 (the one with the pink plaid sign)? Chat with Dave or Mark, hang with one or more of the smile filled girls……Liz, Mandy, Leigh, Jackie, or Jen?

We would like to thank everyone who made it by to say Hi, Introduce themselves, Congratulate the women, or to place an order for some Kick Ass apparel. I speak for all of us when I say we were pleased to meet you and spend time sharing the Vanderkitten story.

Of course any posting wouldn’t be complete without a few road time antics (pictures).

2007-09-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

Destination- InterBike/Las Vegas
Est. Time of Departure- 10 a.m. Monday 24, September
Est. Drive Time- 11 hours
Est Time of Arrival- Ummmmmmm????
Est Amount of Fun- LOADS!

InterBike is upon us. We are feverishly working to finish the prep work and get on the road Monday a.m. in order to make it to Vegas by nightfall. We being, Dave, Mark, Liz and Jackie.

InterBike promises to be an adventure as it always is when you take Vanderkitten on the road. The excitement has been building for ages and it's about to explode. Weeks of hard work have finally been realized and now it's time to see the fruits of our labor. If you've never been to InterBike the best way I can describe it is like a Star Trek convention for bike geeks. We're really no different if you think about it... All the tight shiny lycra and whatnot.

This morning we attended our last CA road race for the 2007 season in Chico and to say we had a favorable outcome is perhaps an understatement. Liz took every prime and won the race outright so it couldn't really have gone better!

As well as the industry show there are two races with Vanderkittens looking to make their marks . Wednesday night Mandykitten Lozano will be showing her stuff at the UCI C2 Cross race. She is sure to have a large cheering section and we wish her the best! The following night is the final leg of the USA NRC Crit series which will deliver high excitement, even more than normal due to the debut of Ms. Leigh "Machete" Valletti. If you are in the area come out and cheer for Liz and Leigh and meet the crew! The race is being held at the Mandalay Bay Casino to be followed by a night of end of season fun.

We'll be sure to document the whole trip in pictures followed be a post trip report so be sure to check back in!

VK, Out!

2007-09-06T14:42:00.000-07:00

September Already?

Time flies when you're having fun (and kicking ass) as they say! September is well under way which means the 2007 road season is almost in the books and what a season it's been. We lined up at our first start line back in May and have been steadily making a name for ourselves across the country with our one girl team. The future looks even brighter for Vanderkitten as we build the 8 woman team for next year. The response that Vanderkitten has received from women, and men for that matter, of all ages has been overwhelming and tells us that we are doing something special. We've been spending countless hours working on the new team and making preparations for InterBike in Las Vegas at the end of this month to ensure that 2008 will be the year of the Kitten!

The Vanderkitten cyclo-cross team is warming up with the first few races of the year and we could not be more excited to have Christine Vardaros in our kit for the 07-08 season. Christine brings with her a vast knowledge of cross and is an invaluable source of experience that she will share with the team. Her love for the sport is infectious!

We'd like to thank all the women that have supported Vanderkitten by purchasing tees and cycling kits, spreading the Vanderkitten message and having the time of their lives doing it. Keep kicking ass and inspiring us ladies!

Talk soon!

2007-08-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

New Jerseys for the Garden State and Beyond!

Is it really possible to make a jersey that is exciting, fashionable and fun to wear? Well, we have 6 of them coming out for 2008 that will rock your world, whether you ride a fixie or a hybrid! Let's face it, 2 wheels are 2 wheels, and you're gonna sweat and want to look your best in the process!

We can't quite let the cat out of the bag yet, but 2008's new designs feature color that POPS, designs the ROCK, and quality that SHOCKS. Stop by the Vanderkitten booth (158/160) at Interbike to make sure and get your order in before the product is sold out!

2007-08-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten Signs Christine Vardaros to 2007 Women's Cyclocross Team

08.08.07 - Berkeley, California

Vanderkitten, Clothing for Women Who Kick Ass, announces the signing of UCI Elite cyclocross athlete Christine "Peanut" Vardaros to lead its newly-established women's cyclocross team. Christine will fly the flashy new Vanderkitten colors – a standout pink-plaid team kit – while piloting a Vanderkitten team-edition Ahrens Whole Shot cyclocross frame in World Cup, Superprestige, and US National Series races. The Mill Valley, CA native who spends much of her season based in Leuven, Belgium finished last season ranked 22nd in the world, earning herself a spot on the US National Team for the 2007 World Championships.

"We are thrilled with the opportunity to work with Christine," says Vanderkitten co-founder Dave Verrecchia. "Having a top-level racer who's dedicated to sharing her knowledge and experience with her teammates and other female cyclists of all ability levels is invaluable to our growing cyclocross team. Christine doesn't just race – she's a journalist, a cycling rights advocate, and an animal rights advocate as well. Her community involvement lines up with Vanderkitten's goals to do some good in the world while having fun on bikes."

Christine will provide mentorship and support to the women of Vanderkitten's cyclocross team, which is a grassroots team open to cyclocross racers of any ability level. With Christine's help, Vanderkitten hopes to bring more women into the sport of cyclocross – whether they come from road-riding, mountain-biking, or non-cycling backgrounds.

Says Christine, "I chose to ride for Vanderkitten particularly because of what it stands for – permission for women to be athletic while retaining their femininity. Vanderkitten not only encourages women like me to play rough and dirty, but also provides us with feminine clothing so we look sexy as we sprint through the mud. Vanderkitten sends the message to women around the world that it is possible to be powerful and athletic while maintaining poise and grace."

Vanderkitten is currently looking for US riders of all levels to race in the team kit, and take advantage of stellar team pricing on the hand-built Ahrens Whole Shot frames. Complete bikes are also available at team pricing for a limited time, thanks to Vanderkitten sponsors FSA and Reynolds. More information can be found at http://www.vanderkitten.com/.

To join Christine on the Vanderkitten cyclocross team, or to inquire about frames and team kits, email Dave Verrecchia at dave@vanderkitten.com.

2007-08-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

MAUREEN KUNZ -2007 NATIONAL CHAMPION!

Maureen rocked Vermont! She won the XC on her sick Ahrens bike, the DH, and the Super D!

Per Mo: "I won the DH by default cuz no one else was brave enough to try the gnarly course.But the XC and Super D were hard-fought battles! It was a blast--super muddy, rocky, roots, trees, steep climbs, fast corners, and lots of FUN!"

Congratulations to Maureen's podium filled season. Stay groovy! Always a Vanderkitten.

2007-07-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten - Liz Hatch Blog

It's up! Follow Liz through the rest of the season!

http://vanderkittenliz.blogspot.com/

2007-07-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

Emily Phillips

Emily (from TX) has bee attacking the dirt this season......with some Vanderkitten style on her KX250f. Check out her custom VK graphics! Definitely someone to keep your eye on as she continues to excel with every ride.

Some of Emily's successes this season include: Racing Loretta Lynn's area qualifier and qualifying for the regional. In the regional she was doing extremely well but cased a triple and had a pretty nasty wreck, picked the bike up and finished 15th. That finish obviously did not get her to Lorettas although that was out of 280 riders to compete in her region! She raced Ponca City Qualifiers and placed 2nd and 5th where the top 12 qualified so, it's off to Oklahoma next. Last weekend she raced a Texas series called the Lone Star series and placed 2nd there also. Saturday Emily raced a night race in the Texas Night Track series, so hopefully all goes well! We'll be sure to post her results!

2007-07-11T08:22:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to some Vanderkittens!!!

Cougar Mt Classic, July 7-8 2007, Sonoma California – Results

Maureen Kunz – 1st Expert Women’s MTB (Cross Country)

Liz Hatch – 1st Women’s NRC Road Criterium Race, 1st Women’s NRC Road Circuit Race

2007-06-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

Street Bike Stunter

Shauna (Krazy8z) (w ww.myspace.com/krazy8z) from Renton WA loves motorcycles. Enough that she has a Honda CBR600rr Street and Stunt bike. Shauna, you can only ride one at a time! Whether out for a casual ride or pullin’ the front wheel off the ground for some circles, Shauna has proven that she is a huge proponent of female riders…...as is Vanderkitten. Along with full time work and full time play, she is also an officer to her local chapter of Chic Riders (http://www.chicriderswashington.com/). Check them out! Chic Riders is more than just a motorcycle club! They give back to their communities by organizing fund raisers/rides to benefit charities. Getting the community involved and making them aware of the "cycle world", having fun, they ride!

2007-06-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten Introduces 2007 Athletes and Products

For Immediate Release
Berkeley, CA
June 11, 2007

Vanderkitten, Clothing for Women Who Kick Ass, supports women’s creative and athletic endeavors in music, cycling, motorsports, and snowsports. Women can wear Vanderkitten clothing while on or off the bike and exude strength and style. The cycling-inspired clothing company, established in March 2005 by the husband-and-wife team of Dave Verrecchia and Jennie Vanderlaag, recently unveiled a new website complete with its 2007 product line.

Says Verrecchia, “Cycling is a way of life for many women, including the couriers and that inspired the cycling caps and Fixies T-shirt design. Women ride bikes everyday, in any number of ways, and we have a design for each of them.”

Unique graphics play a leading role in the 2007 product line. In addition to casual tops, hoodies, and hats, Vanderkitten offers technical cycling shorts and jerseys in bold, yet feminine prints. Ophelia, the sassy snaggletooth kitty of the Vanderkitten logo appears in only a few of the new designs. Ophelia, by the way, is alive and well-pampered in Berkeley, CA. Vanderkitten graphics adorn limited-edition Team Ahrens bike frames, as well as Emily Phillips’ 2007 KX250F dirt bike and the Les Schwab-outfitted Vanderkitten dune buggy. The full 2007 product line and specialty graphics can be viewed at Vanderkitten.com.

Vanderkitten is committed to helping women achieve their athletic and artistic goals. This spring, Vanderkitten helped skier Didi Lawrence fulfill her dream of skiing first descents in Nepal. The brand sponsors the Kona Velo Bella cycling team, and was the title sponsor of the 2006 Surf City Cyclocross series women’s races. For the fall of 2007, Vanderkitten is piloting its own women’s cyclocross team. Vanderkitten supports an ever-growing list of established and up-and-coming athletes and artists through its Very Important Pussycat (ViP) program. Women interested in joining the cyclocross team or becoming a ViP should send resumes to ViP@vanderkitten.com.

2007 Vanderkitten ViPs
Rachel Pearl: Singer, Songwriter: rachelpearl.bandsites.com
Divasonic- Lynda Arnold: Singer, Songwriter: divasonic.com
Velo Bella Kona Cycling Team: velobella.org
Cal Cycling Team, U.C. Berkeley: calcycling.org
Mandy Lozano: Road, Cyclocross
Liz Hatch: Road
Leigh Valetti: Road
Cara McCauley: Road
Jenny Willhite: Road
Mary Maroon: Road, Track
Maureen Kunz: XC Mountain
Emma Worldpeace: XC Mountain
Jackie Baker: DH Mountain
Didi Lawrence: Ski
Emily Phillips: Motocross
Shauna “Krazy8z” Young: Motorcycle Stunt

For media inquiries, contact Jackie Baker through Jackie@vanderkitten.com. For sales inquiries, contact Dave Verrecchia through sales@vanderkitten.com.

2007-06-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

Two Wheels – With an Engine!

John Zamora, Associate Editor @ Super Street Bike has gotten his hands on some chic Vanderkitten apparel. Check out page 106 of the current issue (June 2007 – on sale now) for the full review!

“We’re not too sure what a cute kitty has to do with an action lifestyle, but Vanderkitten claims that its clothes are for girls who “kick ass.” So, if you’re a lady who kicks ass, you are entitled to sport an outfit from the Vanderkitten line……..”

2007-06-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

Yaris! Yaris! Yaris!

This year, to help curb the depletion of fossil fuels, the staff at Vanderkitten has equipped themselves with some fuel efficient Toyota Yari (Yaris). With and EPA rating of 40mpg, we’ve more than halved our fuel consumption. Of course we did have to put some VK style into them (not currently offered by Toyota USA). Keep an eye out for the Yari! I feel a track day coming soon! Are you interested in joining us? Let us know!!!

2007 Toyota Yaris

Weapon-R http://weapon-r.com

Megan Racing http://www.meganracing.com

Les Schwab Tires http://www.lesschwab.com

317 Graphics http://www.317graphics.com

Walnut Creek Toyota http://www.toyotawalnutcreek.com/

2007-05-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten Cycling

This season we are sponsoring a number of cyclists, competing across several disciplines, from professional to beginner! Being a "Vanderkitten" in not about being the best in the world, it's about being the best in your world. Finding your inner limits and pushing beyond them.

Liz "Roubaix Girl" Hatch- Elite Road

Maureen Kunz- Expert MTB
Emma Worldpeace (Lost Coast Brewery)- Expert MTB

Our latest racing program is Cyclocross! Our goal is to have the black jersey a top the podium across the country all Cross season long while putting the smack-down in Europe as well! If you are serious about developing you Cross skills, would love the opportunity to get your hands on a UCI level race machine at an incredible price, and have access to top UCI talent to mentor you, you need to email us!!

Our program includes:
Ahrens/Vanderkitten Team Frame/fork/headset at a special price.
Special pricing on cross components from top US companies.
The most talked about team kit in women's cycling.
Access to top UCI pros for mentoring .
Exclusive cross clinics in Northern California

Are you ready to achieve your dreams and beyond? Unleash your Vanderkitten TODAY!

2007-04-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

AND WE'RE OFF!

Sea Otter Classic 2007 has ended, we're back in Berkeley resurrecting our blog after a quick website update and photoshoot last night! With 2 dozen new items for Spring and Summer, we've been VERY busy!! Our Vanderkitten riders kicked ass in Expert and Semi-Pro ranks, and helped make our weekend managable and a HUGE success!

A special thanks to Tsering, Emma and Temba for holding down the fort between races and deluges of water! Our gal-pal Liz Hatch is in town showing off the new team Road bike and kit. It looks AWESOME and will be available for sale to the general public late spring!! Maureen Kunz, the first member of the Vanderkitten MTB team kicked some big-time ass!!

Pictures and more coming tonight!!

2006-12-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

What are little girls made of?

These 2 cutties were spotted last fall in Watsonville at the UCI cross race. Vanderkitten's in training, indeed!

Wait, where did they get the kids stuff? Will there be more coming? Where can I get it?

In March we'll be unveiling a bunch of new prints for the Vanderkitty's. Limited supply available, so contact us and we'll see what we have!

2006-12-28T01:21:00.000-08:00

FRESH!! Delicious!!

So, you wanna be famous, and model for a company that changes people's lives everyday? A company who realizes the sky's the limit? You know if you have what it takes, and we are ready to listen.

Drop us a line if you will be in the San Francisco Bay Area in March of 2007 and we'll keep you in the loop for our 2007 catalog: Delicious.

2006-12-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

ALOHA!!

Jennie says ALOHA while rockin the new ZEAL AIRSTEAMS at the Kona Airport. The TSA officials tackled me while trying to snap a picture of the plane, so this had to do.

Jennie is 5 1/2 mos pregnant and the baby is finally starting to have (its) way with her 6-pack and a little pouch is showing. We are so excited! We finished the Vanderkitten mountain bike justi n time for her to not be able to ride it, we got her ROCK LOBSTER road frame repainted to match just in time for her to go on one ride and say "I'd rather go to spin class", and, well, at least she's ready for the spring and early summer to get back in action on the 2-wheelers.

2006-12-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em

One of our bestest friends, Mandy, lives the Vanderkitten dream. She focuses her energy on bicycle racing while preparing to attend UVA for her MBA. She's balance in motion.

Mandy has a thirst for life and finds refreshment in meeting new people along her path. Check her out in 2007 riding for Team Target Training and BE SURE to check out her blog!!

She just nabbed 2nd place at the National Cyclocross Championships in Rhode Island in the Master's 30-35 division. CONGRATS BABE!!!

2006-12-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

The Word On Tha Street Is... DIVASONIC

More and more people email us thanking us for introducing them to Divasonic, based right here in Oakland, CA. A unique, sultry blend of beats, grooves, flutes, piano and virtuosity make her work stand out from the rest. Get your dance on!

If you want to get a quick fix, check out her MySpace page with her latest Music pumpin' http://myspace.com/divasonic

Tell her Vanderkitten sent you, and enjoy the ride!

2006-12-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

Hot Off The Press:
Queen of the Galaxy Barb Howe takes you inside Vanderkitten like never before! Who's behind this thing, and what's the cat all about? Learn answers to this and more in Barb's diary on Cycling News.com!

We've already started getting orders from around the globe! Do you feel it about to launch? We do, and it's going to be one hell of a fun ride!!

2006-10-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

The Store List: Vanderkitten is available online through our website, and through a growing network of independent stores and lifestyle shops. Check out the list or RECOMMEND A STORE NEAR YOU!

We've moved the retailer list to its very own Blog to accomodate its exponential growth!

2006-10-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

Very Important Pussycats- The Velo Bella's!!!!
October 15th is the first SURF CITY CYCLOROSS race in Soquel, CA. We're sponsoring the Women's A's race with cash and prizes. This is a group of hard working ladies that make the sacrifices in life to stay competitive! Come see our Velo Bella Kona race girls in action! Check out the Velo Bella website for more!!!

JUST ANNOUNCED: SUPER-ULTRA LOW PRICES ON VANDERKITTEN APPAREL AT EVERY RACE!! HOW LOW? Email Us to find out!

2006-09-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

AHRENS BICYCLES

Our friend Mike Ahrens has been designing custom mountain bike frames for over 10 years. His frames manage to handle amazingly with a ride quality that is unmatched! We thought it was time to bring these bitchin' frames to masses and get some women who ride to take notice!

ENTER THE APEX W. I am not actually sure what this thing's called, but I know it starts out as a lightened version of the venerable Apex Hardtail. If you want to geek out, instead of the normal frame construction, Mike designs and makes "yokes" for the rear of the bike to control stiffness, ride quality and give his frame a unique look!

ENTER VANDERKITTEN. We decided Ahrens needed some more feminine appeal, so in a pseudo self-serving move we offered to come up with a special graphics kit for his women's frames! His frames are not "smaller guys frames" ladies, these take into account our need for more stand-over clearance, our lower center of gravity and for many of us a shorter reach to the bars. Make no mistake, these kitties are no slouch, these are fully competiton-ready handbuilt framsets.

We have a few frames being produced now that we'll have at the SurfCity CX series. One will be a complete bike you can come and ride! (Gotta warn you: it's Jennie's frame, she's 5'9"). Emma Worldpeace (that's her name, don't wear it out!) will be riding a steel is real rendition with the VK graphics. Emma is an expert woman on the Cal Cycling team. She is the VP of the team and does A TON of work getting cycling to the people! (See picture of her biting seat below).

If your intersted in a frame, check out http://www.ahrensbicycles.com or send us an email and we'll get you lined up!

2006-09-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

Fall is an exciting time for Vanderkitten! We are busy planning products for 2007, getting ready for the Surf City Cyclocross series with Velo Bella Kona cycling team, and trying toget everything done!

We recently moved to Berkeley, and everything is still in a small state of flux. We'll have more room, and 2 new people helping out, Emma and Tsering. Mark Zefeldt, who came aboard mid-summer will continue to work the business angles, and Jennie is always testing new products!

We have an ever-growing list of retailers in the Bay Area, sacto and as far North as Bend Oregon! It's awesome to expand and get the message out!!

2006-04-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Vanderkitten, Clothing for women who kick ass!

We design hip, causal and active apparel and accessories for self-assured, stylish women of all ages!

Vanderkitten is derived from the Dutch- "van der" meaning "of the", and "kitten" meaning "young cat usual marked by it's frisky, adoable nature."

We are one year old as of March, so the excitement is just beginning!