With a weekend full of fierce competition for Cyclocross World Cup points, there is another side of Jingle Cross that might go unnoticed — the Grinch’s Kid Races.
The youth races took place Sept. 24 during the World Cup. The ages ranged from 18 months to 9 years old. They were divided into three divisions: 18 months to 3, 3 to 5, and 5 to 9 years.
Jingle Cross has held the kid races since 2006, and there is no cost to participate. Even though kid races can be found at other courses, none can compare to Jingle Cross.
“For us, it is a major event that we want to make sure is well-attended,” executive race director John Meehan said. “Usually, you’ll have a kids race and maybe see 10 kids going around a tiny little thing, but we make it such a focus with the bears, and the Grinch, and all that kind of stuff, so people really get around and really like it.”
Meehan said 60 to100 kids compete every year in the kid races, and in the last few years, it has been consistently had 100 kids.
For racers in the youngest category, most of them had balance bikes and few with pedals. Balance bikes are designed without pedals to help young kids work on the basics, such as balancing and steering. The middle category was filled with a mix of kids with and without training wheels. Almost all of the kids in the oldest category were biking without training wheels.
The young racers duked it out on a short lap course. The course is typically shorter than a couple hundred yards, Meehan said.
Each race was led by Meehan dressed as Dr. Seuss’ Grinch; he has dressed as the Grinch for 13 years. The costume left some children crying, while others put on a face of determination to defeat the Grinch.
Parents and spectators bring a lot of energy to the races by cheering loud as the racers charged around the course. One was Iowa City native Ben Swenka, who now resides in Hudson, Wisconsin.
Swenka has three children, and two of them, 9-year-old Ethan and 8-year-old Jack, competed. Ethan was one of the top finishers in his division.
“It was fun,” Ethan said. “I like mountain biking, lacrosse, hockey, and sports.” When asked if he wanted to be a cyclocross racer when he is older, Ethan responded, “Maybe.”
Swenka has done a couple of cyclocross races himself. When he was younger, he competed in BMX races. Having a bike racing background made cyclocross an easy sport for him to get into.
“I love the spectators, the vibe, and the competition, but it’s friendly and fun … whether it’s rain, shine, mud, or sand, they’re out there doing it,” he said. “I also like how mountain bikers and road bikers can come together and have fun on common turf.”
Swenka’s children compete in mountain bike racing in Minnesota. This was their first time competing in a cyclocross race and the first time at Jingle Cross. It may not be their last time, either.
“Think of all the cycling disciplines for kids; it’s probably the most kid-friendly, just with all of the fun stuff going around,” Swenka said. “We haven’t been here with the snow, so we want to come back next year now and see the snow part of it.”
Each kid racer received a Build-A-Bear for competing in the race, Meehan said.
“It’s a ton of fun,” he said. “For me doing it as the Grinch, it’s the highlight of the weekend and always is the best part.”