Courtney (Dimpel) Shipman ’05 is one of the newest members of the women’s racing team Vanderkitten-Focus. This famous international bicycle racing team showed up at Aptos High School in March with women from New Zealand, Australia, the East Coast, and the Bay Area. They have 25 members of the team representing them worldwide. The Vanderkitten-Focus claim to fame is not only their stamina and racing skills, but their popular line of sportswear. Cycling is one of several successful sports programs at Aptos High available to the students. This women’s pro racing team demonstrated to students that bike racing is not just for boys.
Courtney Dimpel, who graduated from Aptos HS and Santa Clara University has moved up from guest riding with Vanderkitten-Focus (VK) in 2011 to making the 2012 team roster.
The popular young Santa Cruzan has shown her hand at CX racing with Team Rambuski Law this winter, including multiple wins and podiums in NorCal racing, and top finishes at USGP and UCI events across the USA. Earlier in 2011, Courtney joined the Vanderkitten-Focus road program as a guest rider at Tour of America’s Dairyland in Wisconsin and Gateway Cup in Missouri.
“Even though selection for positions on the 2012 roster was a tough process, Courtney earned her spot by showing she is a valuable team member on and off the bike. Definitely a strong competitor on, it was the fact that several members of our team kept asking, “Will Courtney be on it?” that sealed her spot. She really is adored as a hard worker and motivating spirit to be with,” said Team Captain Jennifer Reither. Dimpel will be one of the locals representing Vanderkitten-Focus with 12 riders from four countries in the Scotts Valley Grand Prix starting May 20, 2012.
Courtney said, “This VK team is great. The girls are a real inspiration and push me to reach higher, dig deeper, and throw it all out on the table. I’m proud to be an official member, and have some big goals this year. I feel fortunate that I have a great mix of support not only from the team, but my family and close friends. Racing at this level requires a lot of support, and I’m thankful for those who have and continue to believe in me as a person and professional cyclist.”
For more about the team and its racing calendar, visit http://www.tpgonlinedaily.com/index.php/96-sports/amateur/167-vanderkitten-focus-racing-team-visits-aptos-hs