by Jacob Fuhrer |
She began the race just like any other, tempering her expectations and remembering to pace herself for the long haul. This wasn’t just any race. This was nationals.
What started years ago for freshman Clara Honsinger as casual mountain bike rides with her dad had given way to the intense sport of cyclo-cross — where high-speed bicycle racing meets challenging obstacle courses.
After breaking away from the pack, Honsinger maintained a lead on her opponents at the Women’s Division II Cyclo-Cross Race in Asheville, North Carolina earlier this month. She finished first with a time of 37:15, a full minute ahead of the next closest competitor.
“This was my first collegiate race I’ve ever done,” Honsinger said. “Crossing the line at the national championship in first was like ‘Wow, is this really happening?’”
But what shocked Honsinger was no surprise to Erik Tonkin, owner of Sellwood Cycle Repair in Portland, who sponsors her races.
“She should have won that race and she did win that race,” Tonkin said.
However, Tonkin added that it’s very easy to underperform and lose cyclo-cross races because riders can fall and lose time.
“What’s really unique is her physical ability is pretty stellar,” Tonkin said.
When she first began racing during high school in Ashland, Oregon, Honsinger’s parents were hesitant about her newfound interest, seeing it as another expensive, time-consuming hobby. Honsinger says it’s clear now that she’s truly invested in the sport.
Janet Reavis, Honsinger’s mother, said Clara’s interest began as uncharted territory.
“Nobody in the family had been competitive cyclists,” Reavis said. “My husband and I weren’t familiar with competitive cycling or that whole world at all.”
Reavis was also the first person Honsinger told the good news to after winning the race. After hanging up the phone with her daughter, Reavis said she couldn’t stop crying.
“I was kinda just like ‘I can’t believe you won a national title,’” Reavis said.
Honsinger, who has been practicing cyclo-cross for four years now, enjoys the challenge that the sport poses both physically and mentally.
“I like how you need to be really strong … and really technically skilled,” Honsinger said. “It really selects the best racer.”
But it’s more than just a sport, more than her recent title.
Honsinger says practicing for races provides a chance to clear her mind and focus on something other than schoolwork. She spends around seven hours a week practicing for cyclo-cross, while also working towards a biochemistry degree.
But despite her success outdoors, Honsinger remains committed to academics. She said she doesn’t see women’s cycling as a viable career option, but would be interested in doing professional cycling on the side.
Honsinger and her mom are on the same page when it comes to the future.
“She and I agree that your brain is your most important resource,” Reavis said. “It could be a really unique and fun experience for her but not necessarily a livelihood.”
Tonkin said Honsinger should have been qualified for an even more advanced race, given her athletic prowess. He suspects that University of Portland’s athletic department will step in to provide Honsinger assistance to get to nationals if she chooses to compete.
Honsinger is not the first competitive cyclist to come from UP.
Alumnus Sean Babcock (‘06) gained notoriety in 2009 after his win at the Cross Crusades cycling series in Portland. Alum Russell Cree, who began competitive cycling in 1994, connected Honsinger to Tonkin.
“It’s satisfying to work with someone who is so mature,” Tonkin said. “She has a truly promising professional career ahead of her.”
Jacob Fuhrer is a reporter for The Beacon. He can be reached at fuhrer17@up.edu.
