Between the season opener at Pineapple Crush and the big Carpenter and Rochester weekend, a couple of Vulcan riders pointed their wheels toward Portland, CT for the Belltown Throwdown — a two-day Project Mayhem CX weekend of fast, twisty, early-season racing.

Day 1 – Saturday, September 12
Nora Phillips lined up in the Junior Open 9–12 field and put down a solid ride for 8th on a deep, competitive course. Dylan Duerk stepped up into the Open Cat 4/5 / Junior 15–18 field — a tough, older group — and battled all the way to 16th, banking valuable experience against bigger, more seasoned riders.

Day 2 – Sunday, September 13
Nora was right back at it on Sunday, digging in for 9th in Junior Open 9–12 after another hard effort on a course that only got more demanding the second time around.

Team Takeaways
Two days, two riders, and a whole lot of grit — exactly the kind of early-season racing that pays off when the season heats up. Big congratulations to Nora and Dylan for lining up and battling all weekend, and thanks to the families who made the trip to Connecticut. More cross is coming — onward!