Three-time US cyclocross champion Clara Honsinger marked her first win of the 2023-2024 season in an electrifying duel against Canadian junior world champion Isabella Holmgren. The race, part of the Kings CX Day event held in Mason, Ohio, saw Honsinger representing Team S&M CX pull ahead on the uphill finish. Holmgren, not far behind, secured second place, affirming the two as the dominant forces in the field. Lizzy Gunsalus crossed the line nearly two minutes later, claiming a solo third place.
Meanwhile, the men’s event was also seized by a home favourite. Curtis White, the current US elite men’s cyclocross champion, recorded his first win of the season. Canadian Ian Ackert came in second, narrowly fending off a sprint challenge by Marcis Shelton, with both trailing White.
On the technical side, light rain showers added an extra layer of complexity to the off-camber grass sections on the circuit at Kingswood Park. The venue hosted the 14th annual Cincinnati Cyclocross Festival, providing a weekend packed with UCI contests, including a C2 race slated for Sunday afternoon.
In previous outings, Honsinger had settled for respectable finishes—fourth and seventh—but this victory represents a significant boost for the reigning American champion. She outpaced Holmgren, the current junior world champion, by 2:25 on a muddy course, indicating a strong start to her cyclocross campaign.
(Photo credit: Bill Schieken/CXHAIRS Media)
As for Curtis White, the victory adds to an already impressive season record that includes seven top-10 finishes in nine UCI race starts. Currently, he holds the fourth rank in the US Cyclocross Series. The men’s race had a tight competition for the podium but eventually saw Ackert and Shelton settle for second and third, a full 32 seconds ahead of Scott Funston, who led the chasing pack.
2023 King’s CX 1 Women result
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2023 King’s CX 1 Men result
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Main photo credit: Bill Schieken/CXHAIRS Media
