– By looking at the  photos coming back from Iowa it looks like a bunch of CCC regulars had a great showing at this year’s Jingle Cross. Congratulations to everyone who braved the cold and mud and bikinis to get in 3 more days of CX racing! Full results are here.

– The 2009 CCC Awards Banquet will be held at EJ’s Place in Skokie on Sunday January 10th 2010, most likely from noon to 4pm (so we can have the entire restaurant). We’ll have a tasty buffet along with a cash bar and door prizes… and of course the Individual and Team Series Awards presentations. Please save the date now. Tickets will be $30 for adults and $15 for Juniors in advance (on BikeReg). More details coming soon.

– This Sunday is our 10th and last race of the 2009 season at Montrose Harbor. Host Turin Cycles is pulling out all the stops including some fantastic extra prizes for this year’s race. Come back Friday morning to find out all the juicy details! Remember online pre-reg closes this Thursday night at midnight (don’t get stuck waiting in the cold).

– Our USAC officials have asked when pinning your number to your jersey at Montrose this weekend that you position them as in the photos below. Since the officials are NOT on a platform or stage they can’t read your number if its high up on your back (or on the wrong side). So please help the officials out so they can score everyone correctly. Thanks!

– The CCC and more specifically the 4B’s recently got some press in CX Magazine here. We thought the 4B’s were called “The Carnival”… but “The Circus” works just as well. Big thanks to Julie Popper for writing the article.

– The CCC has officially reached its goal of raising $1,000 through direct donations on BikeReg.com… but that’s no reason to stop giving! If you haven’t yet registered for Montrose, please donate a buck, or two, or twenty when singing up.

– We’ve closed down the t-shirt sales on BikeReg. If you ordered a shirt online we’ll have it for you at Montrose somewhere around the start/finish/registration area. Please pick up you shirt(s) at the race as we will NOT be shipping the shirts. If you can not (or forget to) pick up your shirt(s) please email us at [email protected] to work out a hand up in Wicker Park. If you didn’t order a shirt online and still want one, limited quantities will be available at The Pony Shop, MOX Multisport, Main Street Bicycles, and Tati Cycles.

– Speaking of Tati… you still have a few days left to take advantage of their Cyclocross Season Pass Promotion.

– As promised, Liz Farina Markel of Tipping Point Photo has updated her website to include info about purchasing digital files and prints from the 2009 CCC. Here’s a link to the page: http://www.tippingpointphoto.com/TippingPointPhoto/chicrosscup09.html. However, it’s not accessible via the rest of her website navigation, so you’ll have to bookmark this link. If you haven’t been following the comment sections Liz is also working with Luke Seemann and Chip Williams (both of whole we’re sure would be happy to sell you their photos as well) on a 2009 CCC coffee table book. Look for more details soon.

– While we’re all racing here in Chicago this weekend, a big GOOD LUCK to all of you heading out to Portland to swim in mud. We know of at least two guys heading out that way. Have fun and show all those west coasters what they’re missing here in the mid-west.

– Even though the “Official” end of the CCC season is this Sunday at Montrose, there’s no reason we all can’t still get together and have a good time. CCC Cat 3 stud Newt Cole’s band Los Borrachos are playing  Dec 19th at Elbo Room in Lincoln Park. Imagine… Black Sabbath, Van Halen, and AC/DC all in Mambos and Sambas in Spanish… good times indeed. We’ll consider this event, the “Unofficial” end of the CCC season for 2009 (at least until the Awards Dinner in January 2010). Newt is trying to work out discounts at the door for racers and love ones… and a drink deal (oh my!).

– And finally… those Dane’s really know how to light up a tree! We wonder if Joachim Parbo will help out?