Oregon Cycling Magazine

by Mark Lansing

It is long past time for a YHIHF tribute to Candi Murray.  Her service to cycling, as head of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association for 25 years, defies description—thus accounting for the delay.

Anyone who raced here between 1982 and 2007 remembers her.  Fondly.  Early on, the U.S. Cycling Federation monopolized the market on “sanctioning” races.  Though it is not clear how that protocol was established, it is clear that the USCF was an overpriced, bureaucratic regulator that did more to stifle Oregon bike racing than it did to promote it.  Led by Candi and others—notably, her husband Mike shouldered a lion’s share of the load —Oregon bid farewell to the dark ages of USCF rule.

Under Candi’s watchful guidance and time-consuming effort, OBRA flourished.  I remember getting tongue lashed by a USCF official for rolling to a registration table without my helmet, and that was the closest thing to a nice thing any of them ever said to me.  Not so with Candi.  During the middle of one race, I limped into the staging area at Portland International Raceway with a flat tire.  Candi was there.  Without comment, she popped the front wheel off her own bicycle, helped me switch it and shoved me back into the fray (in a time that would make a NASCAR crew chief proud).

She treated everybody like that.  She made a point of getting to know everyone’s name, always ready with a kind word, rarely an obnoxious one (and the latter only when it was well deserved).
A recent newspaper article about her retirement expressed surprise that she did all of this for an annual salary of $18,000, but the truth is that she donated most of her time for free.  She was an expert organizer and official—you always knew that race grievances would be handled fairly.  You also knew that the races would start on time (usually), and that you were going to be adequately directed (i.e. not going to get lost) on the course.

YHIHF staffer Dave Campbell, now a top-level triathlete who was once crowned Best All-Around Rider in Oregon, holds undisguised affection for Murray.  When asked for a story about her, he particularly remembered the consoling hand she extended to him during a low point in his racing career.  “That is Candi in a nutshell,” he says.  “Keeping track of everyone.  We are the Lost Boys and she is our Wendy.  What an angel!”

For Kenji Sugahara those were very large shoes (or in this case, wings) to fill.  Few held out the hope that he could do the job as well as Murray, when he stepped in as she retired last year.  But lo and behold:  reports indicate that he is up to the task, and in some cases has even made improvements.

When we caught up with him, Kenji was gearing up for the state road racing championships to be held June 14 near Rainier.  Not only does he perform an oversight function for every race sanctioned under the OBRA umbrella, he is also an accomplished rider in his own right.  Racers are divided into five categories, with category 5 being the entry level rank, from which racers can advance if they consistently perform well in their field.

When we spoke to him, Kenji had just received a category 2 upgrade.  Translation:  this guy is one fast little bleeper.  His wife Tessa also competes (we didn’t ask how fast she is).

Sources say that Kenji brings to the director position a rare combination of enthusiasm, know-how and the right attitude.

He wants to make it OBRA’s business to promote cycling for everybody, not just competitive riders.  The more people that ride, he reasons, the more people that will race.  This constitutes a savvy bit of public relations for bicycle racers, who over the years have fostered an image as elitists that take their riding too seriously.  He wants to get more people involved by expanding the rider base and then, when those riders start thinking “next level,” offering them race events that focus on fun first.  Brilliant.

As for Candi, Kenji says she still helps at the races.  The word “retirement” apparently means different things to different people.

YHIHF may be emailed at lansingatlaw@rvi.net.  It also welcomes Candi Murray and Kenji Sugahara to the YHIHF staff—make yourselves at home.  Readers can learn more about racing in Oregon (and related subjects) by going to www.obra.org or Kenji’s blog at www.obra3.com.

Possibly Related

• June 2008: Hero Worship
• November 2007: Dead right hook
• June 2007: Between the lines
• January 2007: The farm pedaler
• March 2008: BMX racing: a rider's perspective