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PEEKSKILL – The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) New York mountain bike league’s second race was held on April 28 at the Blue Mountain Reservation in Peekskill.

The Galena Growlers made the three-hour drive down with 16 kids – seven middle school and nine high school riders – racing in the cold, wet, and muddy conditions on the 3.37 mile race loop.

Overall there were 230 riders made up the 20 teams that competed for the Blue Mountain races for the event. The Growlers high school team returned home in 10th place for the season standings and laced 12th for the day while the Growlers middle school team finished the day in fifth place, resulting in seven spot for the current standings.

The race course was a mix of open double track, tight switching single track and park roads with lots of rocks and because of the wet conditions, lots and lots of slick, soupy mud. For the morning races, the middle school and freshman raced two laps.

The later afternoon racers, the sophomore and junior varsity racers rode three laps, with the varsity girls’ running four laps, and the Varsity boys racing five.

“Just finishing the race in these conditions, making it around the course without a mishap today is an accomplishment,” said Rob Bakers, Growlers head coach. “Having two riders make it to the podium is just icing on the cake.”