Too Short

As I was surfing the internet and reading emails this weekend, I came across these two tragic events.

As part (and one that was none too significant as it was my first year in organized racing) of the xXx Racing-Athletico family last year, I can only imagine how the team is feeling after this weekend (story by Mark Zalewski, Cyclingnews.com).The second story I came across on the Vanderkitten website (the story is a mashup from Vanderkitten and Corrine's Caring Bridge website).

Although I didn't know either personally, as part of the cycling community these types of events seem to affect us all. To those who had raced with or against these ladies, and to their family and friends, consider this a global condolence from all of us in cycling.

Beth Kobeszka 1983-2007

A 24 year-old first-year racer was killed Saturday when a passing truck struck her while competing in the Proctor Cycling Classic in Brimfield, Illinois near Peoria. Beth Kobeszka (xXx Racing-AthletiCo) from Chicago was competing in the women's category 4 road race when she was reportedly bumped into the path of the truck pulling a horse trailer.

Witnesses of the accident reported that riders had crossed the middle yellow line as the pack of about 25 to 30 crested a small hill four miles from the race finish along Brimfield-Jubilee road. The truck was headed in the opposite direction legally as the race was operating under the 'yellow line rule.' The police report said that Kobeszka was bumped into the path of the truck by another racer.

"There had been some girls passing on the left several times and the lead car came back to tell people about the yellow line rule," Katie Haft (Morris Trucking Velo), who was racing in the event, told Cyclingnews. "We came up the crest of the hill and I don't know if people were passing or if they were bumped if while a truck pulling a trailer was coming the other direction."

"I just saw people getting tangled and one woman fell into the side of the trailer and it rolled over her," Haft said.

"A few on the front kept going but a lot of people stopped. People were really unsure of what to do. I stopped for a while and the follow car in back stopped but there was probably nothing I could do."

Kobeszka was transported to a local hospital with multiple injuries and was pronounced dead later the same day.

The police report said that the truck was driven by Thomas S. Milligan, 48, of Quincy, Illinois and that he stopped immediately after the collision.

"Our prayers and thoughts are with the family of the young lady," Milligan told the Peoria Journal Star from his home Sunday. "I've got two daughters and I can't even imagine what they're going through. It was a tragic thing. It's just a shock."

No charges are expected in the case, according to police.

Kobeszka was new to the xXx team but was a part of its women's development squad, headed by Randy Warren, which focused on racing. "She graduated from Northwestern University and was a runner there," said Warren. "She was was relatively new, joining the team this year, but was pretty gung-ho about racing. She was part of the women's development program which means signing agreement to race, and she won the Cobb Park criterium last weekend."

The already scheduled July 2 team meeting has been transformed into a forum for team-mates to deal with the tragedy. "One of our members is also a chaplain and will lead us in grief counseling," said Warren. "We are working with her mum to decide where to have a memorial fund set up. The funeral will be this week."

Warren also said that the team's August criterium in Chicago might also serve as a memorial. "We are thinking of naming the women's race after her."

MORE:
-- Chicago Tribune - Cyclist Aiming for Another Win Killed in Race

Corrine Crawford 1980-2007

Sunday, June 24th Corinne was struck by a car while stopping at a red light at Olympic and Newell Ave in Walnut Creek, CA. She was on her way home from a bike ride up Mt. Diablo on a clear, sunny day with her good friend, Christian Claussen. They were stopped at a red light when a car in the cross traffic lost control and struck them. Corinne sustained major head trauma and is not expected to recover. Christian suffered a concussion and numerous abrasions but he is ok.

Corinne was taken off of life support the evening of Tuesday, June 26th. Corinne donated her organs to those in need so that they could have the gift of life.

Corrine lived an incredibly full life filled with loving, caring and supportive friends. She was an inspiration to everyone she knew, whether it was her martial arts expertise, her studies at Cal, graduation from Harvard at age 20 with her B.A. and M.S., her excellence in cooking or her love of the bike.

Twenty-six is too young for such a gift of life to be taken, and it is with glowing memories and celebration of her life and spirit we will remember Corrine. She embodied the spirit of Vanderkitten, as told to us by Emma Worldpeace of Cal Cycling:

"Corrine was an AMAZING woman! Brilliant (graduated Harvard at age 20 with her BA and Master's), extremely kind and caring, kickass (she was a WA's bike racer and a red belt in Yongmudo, Korean martial arts), a dedicated teacher, a radical feminist, a gifted cook, and a great writer... There is no doubt that Corrine would have accomplished many more great things in her lifetime. She was a Vanderkitten in every way possible. She loved her VK track jacket and the idea of a clothing company for kickass women."

We wish to use this site [Corrine's Caring Bridge site] to celebrate the life of our wonderful friend. She exuded energy and enthusiasm whether she was discussing ancient roman graffiti or tackling a mountain on her bike. She is something different to all of us: sister, daughter, teammate, colleague or simply friend. Help us to get to know all of these sides of her.

Corinne's classics department has put together a story of her academic life. Please CLICK here to read it.