Agreed Upon History?

Mark Lathrop was Co-Owner of Moonlight Bike Shop & Founder of Swamis Cycling Club (est. 1989)

1989 founding members are: Mark Lathrop, Dano Rock, Charlie Meredith, all working at Moonlight Bikes. Dan Jenkins, Adrew Lee (owner of Adams Avenue Bikes ), Pete Tholl, Steve "Zoomer" Zumaras, "Marine Dan", Steve Quartz, Eric Baker (who designed our first jersey) & Steve Hughes . Any others??

Oldest continuing Sponsor
-Furgerson's Garage - supporting Swamis since 1992

Oldest returning Sponsor
Steve Hughes with Crown Circuits ('90) and now Hughes Circuits ('08)

First time "Gurus of Cycling" coined
First Version:
-Swamis first UCSF event was a track event at the SD velodrome in 1989. At that race, Ralph Elliot was providing the Start/Finish. Hearing from Mark that the name of his team was Swamis, Ralph starting commenting about Swamis over the PA. He announced to the crowd that Swamis was the “Gurus of Cycling” and that “they did their winter training at the Taj Mahal.”1989 was the first year of the CA lottery, so primes were lotto tickets, and were announced as “4 Million Dollar Primes”

Second Version:
-Mark Thomas, Dougie Pomeranz, and Hylton Murphy sitting somewhere in Solana Beach. Mark looks around with that big smile on his face and said “You know what we are? We are the gurus of cycling” (1993?)

Charlie Meredith started the now famous Swami Ride. The ride was originally called The Horny Toad Ride. The Horny Toads were a clan of runners, triathletes, cyclist that were strong athletes in the 70s & 80s.

In ???? Swami Henry Chang steals one of UCSD's Fred Jerseys and Swamis starts its own tradition of the famous Fred Jersey and abuses Swamis members ever since.

Swamis First Fred Award

-Many European riders rode with Swamis through the years. Axel Merckx rode a lot with us and was a good friend of John Edwards. After winning at Belgain Championship, Axel gave John his winning jersey. John proud of the gift, road the Saturday Swami ride with the jersey on and on the way back on Del Dios, hit a broom stick went down and ripped Axel’s Jersey.

John’s ripping Axel’s jersey also won him the Fred of the Year award in the next hear. With this John was the first Fred winner and the only Fred to win the award two years in a row.

Jim Durbin has been designing the Swami Jersey since the 1994 McDonald's Jersey

First sighting of Swami Temple on Jersey
-'95 AMC Jersey

First sighting of "Gurus" on a Jersey
- '96 Jane Jersey
- Still need picture documentation

In 1996 Jane Cosmetics (Howard Katkov) becomes the title sponsor and brings Swamis to a new level of competitive cycling with the Women's Team into the next century.

In 1999 Jenny Eyerman, becomes the Collegiate National Criterium Champion.

In 2001 several Swamis branch off to start Island Boy Racing
- They are sad to find out they are still Friends of Swamis (FOS)

In 2001 Jenny Eyerman, racing for Jane Cosmetics/Swamis wins Irvine Pro Cycling Event.

Swamis participates in the first 24 hour RAAM in 2005 and racks up more penalties that any other team in history

Raceplan working with Swamis starts the Del Mar Crit Series in 2006

Marc Yap & Chris Daggs starts the Swamis Developmental Elite Team in 2008

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Eyerman wins Pro Cycling event in 2001

Mercury Cycling Classic of Irvine

Carney, Eyerman win one for the 'little guys' at Mercury Cycling Classic of Irvine

By John Alsedek - Cycling News Sept 2001

Prime Alliance's Jonas Carney and Jenny Eyerman of jane Cosmetics took advantage of golden opportunities to win the Mercury Cycling Classic of Irvine. With the Saturn Cycling Team virtually absent from both the Men's and Women's events, it opened the door for the duo to pick up the biggest victories of the season for their respective teams, and led to some highly exciting race action in the process.

The inaugural Mercury Cycling Classic of Irvine featured all the ingredients necessary to make it an immediate success: great weather, enthusiastic crowds, and, of course, a venue worthy of a Pro Cycling Tour event. Held on a 1.5-mile loop at the Irvine Spectrum - one of the most popular shopping areas in Orange County, attracting 35,000 visitors a day - with the Start/Finish area located in front of Mercury's newly-opened International Headquarters, the race course included nine turns and an out-and-back section each lap.

(I cut away the men's discussion - Dave C)

The absence of Saturn was felt more strongly in the Women's event, given the way that the women in yellow have dominated the 2001 Pro Cycling Tour from the very beginning. While the field wasn't quite as strong as usual, the racing was far more open, as there was no clear cut favourite for victory. The smart money was riding on the upstart Procter & Gamble squad, coming off a strong second in the San Rafael Grand Prix, to move one step further up on the podium.

However, with no breakaway attempt gaining more than a few seconds before being reeled back in, it came down to a group sprint - which meant it was anyone's race. While Procter & Gamble did a good job of setting up team sprinter Joanne Kiesanowski, the young New Zealander, still recovering from a recent crash, wasn't quite able to hold off the 25-year old Eyerman. Eyerman, the 1999 Collegiate National Criterium Champion, was almost in tears after the finish, as she celebrated the biggest victory of her four-year racing career.

"I don't know what to say! I've come close in a couple of big races this year, but to win a Pro Cycling Tour event.....it's just awesome! I'd like to thank my sponsor, jane Cosmetics, for making it possible - they've been a great benefactor to women's cycling."

Temecula native Sarah Hammer (Zero Wait) was third, with Pam Schuster (AutoTrader.com) and Theresa Nugent (South Bay Wheelmen) taking fourth and fifth.

There were no changes in the overall Pro Cycling Tour standings, as Men's leader Trent Klasna (Saturn) and Women's leader Anna Millward (Saturn) both retained their orange hats of series leadership. The 2001 Pro Cycling Tour concludes on October 22nd with the Miami Cycling Classic in Miami, Florida.

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