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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, May 7, 2004

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ATHLETES
Kane'ohe motocross rider No. 1 in his class

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Advertiser Staff

MARK STULTZ

Fresh off back-to-back national titles, Kane'ohe's Mark Stultz, 19, has vaulted to No. 1 nationally in his class in motocross competition.

"Feels good. A lot of hard work went into that," said Stultz, 19, who won the 250 modified novice class in national competitions in Forth Worth, Texas, in March and Las Vegas in April.

The Las Vegas competition featured 50 racers in the novice class from Japan, Canada and throughout the United States.

Stultz is ranked No. 1 in the 250 Novice Division by Grand National Championship and National Motocross Association.

Motocross competition involves riding motorcycles on an off-road, uneven terrain that includes turns, hills, jumps and straightaways.

"Everyone thinks it's an easy thing, but it's pretty intense, training-wise," he said. "Some of the pros run 12 miles a day and then do a three 45-minute motos (races on the track). When you're done with the moto, you're dead tired."

Stultz, who was home-schooled and received his high school diploma in 2002 from Kailua Christian Academy, rents a cottage from his grandmother in Redlands, Calif.

He said he practices riding and trains by doing an hour of cardio, followed by rowing, abdominal, leg and upper body workouts.

"It's supposed to be the second-most physically demanding sport in the world, next to soccer," said Stultz.

Stultz said he started riding when he was 4 with encouragement from his father, Blair, a motorcycle enthusiast.

"I just progressed as the years went on and started riding at Kahuku Motocross Park," Stultz said.

He won his first national title in Texas his senior year.

"I actually missed my senior prom for that," he said.

His two recent national titles were his first since then.

Stultz will compete next in California May 22-29 and in Oklahoma in July.

He plans to compete in the intermediate level next year and eventually turn pro.

GYMNASTICS

• All-Americans: Rebecca Cardenas placed fifth all-around (fourth on bars and ninth on beam) and Megan Harada came in ninth all-around (ninth on bars) at Level 10 during the USA Gymnastics National Championships in Orlando, Fla.

The competition took place April 30 to May 2.

Gymnasts who place in the top 10 are considered All-Americans. Level 10 is the highest level of Junior Olympic (or non-elite) competition.

In the Western Regionals in Seattle, Becca Pang came in sixth all-around at Level 9 (third on bars and fourth on beam).

DIVING

• Top diver: Aleia Monden of St. Andrew's Priory finished in the top 20 in last month's West Indoor Junior National Diving Championships in San Antonio.

Monden competed in the 14- to 15 age group. She finished 14th among 32 competitors in the 1-meter competition and 18th among 31 competitors in 3-meters.

The West region comprises 21 states.