Western Spirit Cycling AdventuresWhat do you get when over 100 women tackle the Earth’s funnest and toughest 8-hour endurance race? A masterclass in resilience, teamwork, and what it means to get a whole hell of a lot done, with the right pit crew, the right partners, and a course that feels as wild as life itself.
First Time, Full Heart: Racing Wente for the First Time & Finding Strength in the Women Who Showed Up Together
There’s something unforgettable about doing something for the first time, especially when it challenges you, humbles you, and fills you with pride. This May, I raced my first-ever Wente 8-Hour Endurance Race, and it left a mark on my heart and legs that I won’t soon forget. What made it truly special wasn’t just the miles—it was the women. More than 100 of us showed up on the trails of Mendocino with different stories, strengths, fears, and reasons for being there. Together, we made it something bigger.
I’d heard stories about Wente from friends on my team, Hella Mello Racing. Many of them had raced it for years, but this was my first time. I wasn’t sure I belonged. I didn’t grow up racing. I wasn’t in my peak shape. But I trained hard, leaned on my teammates, and reminded myself that showing up as I am was enough. And it was.
Wente is more than a race. It’s a weekend-long celebration of endurance, grit, and community. It’s made possible by an incredible network of volunteers, nearly 150 strong, and organizers like Bike Monkey. Whether you’re grinding out solo laps, riding with a relay partner, or cheering from the pit zone, you feel it: you are part of something meaningful.
The trails were challenging but stunning, with swooping switchbacks, sun-dappled mossy forests, and that constant give-and-take between effort and flow. But the real story was the women—riders in their teens, their 60s, and everything in between. I met first-timers and seasoned pros. I saw women fixing each other’s chains, cheering strangers at the transitions, and pushing through lap after lap with dusty smiles and fierce focus.
Off the Podium, On the Map: A Last-Minute Change Made This An Unforgettable Wente
My team this year was Girl Scouts Gone Wild, and we were originally signed up as a three-woman relay. But the night before the race, everything changed. Our teammate Tiffani Canevari had to rush her two-year-old son to the ER in the middle of the night after what we now call his first “gravity drop.” He cut open his forehead in two places and needed urgent care. That left Carly Wegren and me to regroup and race as a duo in the hyper-competitive 2-Women Relay category with 19 teams on the roster.
I’ll admit, I had dreams of getting us on the podium. I even joked that we might end up on the cover of this magazine if we pulled it off. In the end, we finished 8th. But standing there, surrounded by hundreds of racers and teammates with the iconic Wente lake behind us, I realized something bigger. In my heart, we were all standing on that podium—stretching across the entire meeting grounds. Every woman who showed up, supported her teammate, pushed through a lap she didn’t think she could finish—that’s what makes Wente unforgettable.
“I didn’t know if I had it in me to race every other lap for eight hours. But we adapted. We stayed calm, stayed positive, and focused on one lap at a time.”
How partnering well turned a challenging race into a fun race.
I didn’t know if I had it in me to race every other lap for eight hours. But we adapted. We stayed calm, stayed positive, and focused on one lap at a time. When it came time for the final lap, Carly and I made the decision to ride it together, and it ended up being the best lap of the day. We laughed, we soaked in the views, and we reminded ourselves why we ride—not just to push ourselves, but to be in the moment, together. And this is where one of my 23 Principles of Mountain Biking really came into play: Partner Well.
The Heart of NorCal Racing: How Hella Mello, Local Legends, and Behind-the-Scenes Heroes Help Keep the Spirit of Wente Thriving
Hella Mello has raced big national events like Sturdy Dirty and the Leadville 100. But it’s the local series—Wente, Boggs, Dirt Crits, Grasshoppers—that hold our hearts. They build confidence, invite community, and let riders show up as they are.
At Wente 2025, Hella Mello showed up strong, with nearly 20 team members competing, supporting, and cheering each other on. The impact they’ve made on NorCal’s race culture is undeniable: more women at the start line, more smiles at the finish, and a clear path for the next generation of riders to follow.
Wente wouldn’t be what it is without the women behind the scenes. From Julie Goldzman’s leadership of Hella Mello Racing to women mechanics in the Pitzone, first-aid volunteers, and bike support crews, the event ran on passion, organization, and a whole lot of heart.
And I have to give a huge shout-out to my boyfriend Kamahl, who volunteered to be our pit crew all day long. He cleaned bikes, checked chains, filled water bottles, and gave pep talks every time we rolled in from a lap. Volunteers like Kamahl, Max, my teammate Sue’s sister, and the dozens of people working quietly behind the scenes are the backbone of this event.
The Wente 8-Hour was originally created in 2017 after fires canceled the Boggs race. Nine years later, it has grown into one of the most beloved endurance events in Northern California. And in 2025, it became a powerful moment of community and connection for women in mountain biking.
This year proved what we already knew: Women belong here. Not just on the trails, but at the center of the story.
Want to See the Full 2025 Results?
Check out the official Wente 2025 race results on the Bike Monkey website: www.racewente.com/results
