Charlotte clarke kicks off her US racing season at Sea Otter
Sea Otter is the largest consumer bike expo in North America. It is a whole festival of family fun activities alongside amateur and elite level racing, over the four days, in Monterey, California.
It’s also the official start to the Life Time Grand Prix Series, which is a six race gravel/mountain bike Elite race series, where athletes compete for a share of the $350k end of season prize purse, the series winner taking home $50k. The Grand Prix consists of three gravel events and three mountain bike events, where the best five results of a ride will count towards the series.
Each women’s and men’s field features 25 athletes selected through a refined, performance-based process.
· The top five overall finishers from the 2025 Grand Prix
· The top U23 from the 2025 series
· A minimum of 16 selected athletes
· Three Wild Card athletes chosen following Life Time UNBOUND Gravel 200.
Charlotte Clarke, a gravel rider from New Zealand, joined Parcours this year, and also secured a Wild Card for the Life Time Grand Prix series. We caught up with Charlotte to find a little more about the Sea Otter Classic, racing, Wildcards and more! 
What is Sea Otter?
The Sea Otter Classic is a 90-mile gravel race held in Monterey, California. The course consists of three laps of a 30-mile circuit that really has a bit of everything. It’s the first stop of the Lifetime Grand Prix, a six-race series, and it also hosts one of the world’s largest bike expos. That makes it a true destination race - not just for Life Time Grand Prix (LTGP) athletes, but also for other professionals attending for sponsor commitments - so the field is always deep and competitive.
What’s the vibe and energy like?
If I had to sum up the vibe in one word, it would be exciting. There’s a real buzz as it’s the first major race of the season for many riders. The expo adds another layer of energy, with new product launches, group rides, events, and plenty of chances to catch up with friends - both old and new.
What race did you do?
I raced the Elite 90-mile event.
The Course
The Elite race covers 90 miles, made up of three laps of a 30-mile circuit, starting at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. It kicks off with a short but steep one to two minute climb on the track, followed by a long, loose descent. From there, the course rolls through a mix of punchy climbs and winding straights across both gravel and tarmac. About, halfway through each lap, there’s a short section of flowing singletrack to keep things interesting. The race then builds toward the iconic Lookout climb - a roughly ten-minute effort that begins on a sealed road before pitching up into a steep, rutted double track. The finish brings riders back onto the raceway, with one final effort up the Corkscrew climb, followed by a sandy descent and a tight corner into the finish line.
Race Dynamics
Going into the race, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. It was my first time racing in the USA and my debut in the Grand Prix series. The start was fast and aggressive, but I managed to position myself well over the opening climb and into the first descent. I felt a bit nervous heading into the early technical sections, but quickly found my rhythm and confidence. Those sections actually became an advantage, helping me to carry speed and move up through the peloton. After the first pass through the singletrack, I found myself on the wrong side of a split, but was able to chase back on. Heading up Lookout, I found myself out of position and on the wrong side of a split again. I started to close the gap to the front group, but just couldn’t quite make contact. From there, the next two laps turned into a grind - alternating between solo efforts and working with different chase groups.
How did your race go?
My race went really well. I finished 23rd and I’m currently sitting 2nd in the Lifetime Grand Prix Wildcard standings (with the top three after Unbound Gravel earning a spot in the series). It felt great to tick off my first-ever race in the USA and I learned a huge amount from the experience.
LTGP Wildcard Ranking System
The Life Time Grand Prix is built around a core roster of invited riders, but there’s also a pathway for those who missed selection, or just want to take a shot, through the Wildcard system. Across the opening rounds - Sea Otter Classic and Unbound Gravel - non-roster riders compete for points on a separate Wildcard leaderboard. After these two events, the top three men and top three women in the Wildcard standings earn a place in the Grand Prix for the remainder of the series. It makes those early races especially important - not just big results on their own, but a real opportunity to ride your way into the series. My big goal this year is to earn a Wild Card spot and ride my way into the Lifetime Grand Prix!
Where does Sea Otter fit in your season?
Sea Otter was my first major gravel race of the year, as well as my first international race - and my first Grand Prix event. Along with Unbound, it’s a key race for me as I work toward qualifying for the Grand Prix through the Wildcard pathway.
Next up is Unbound Gravel - a crucial one for holding onto a top-three spot in the Wildcard standings. I’ve briefly returned home to New Zealand for a short training block ahead of the race, making the most of the lovely autumn riding conditions. In three weeks, I’ll head back to the USA for Unbound and the rest of the season.
I raced on the Parcours FKT wheelset. I set these up with a Panaracer DriverPro 2.2 tyre on the front and a Panaracer X1 50mm tyre on the rear. I was really happy with this setup!
