Race Report: Summit Shorty #3 STXC

Race: Summit Shorty #3 STXC - Men’s Class A

Date: April 1, 2026

AVRT racers: Michael Matthews

Top Result: 9th

Course: Marin's original weeknight short track XC race series for all ages and ability levels. Racers do 6 laps of the 1 mile course, which has a bit of everything from steep paved and dirt climbs to singletrack descents and switchbacks. It’s a compact and spectator-friendly loop at McInnis Park in San Rafael.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/17945167359

Nutrition: Little blast of sugar before setting off.

Event Recap: Lined up with the fast and young crowd to see how I could hang ahead of the US Pro Cup in Temecula. The next oldest rider was 18 years old! I learned just how critical placing is in these STXC races. I mean, I knew, but I hadn’t felt it yet. Wasn’t high enough in the ranks by the single track to make a difference and raced hard through the laps. Had a few good battles with the older crowd and some younger riders. There’s an off camber corner that I just couldn’t get right! I learned what STXC felt like and I’m glad I did this local race before heading down to SoCal for some more serious competition!