NORBA series #5 - NE

Snowmass, Colorado, USA, July 21-24, 2005

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Race 1 - July 21: Marathon

Jay Henry wins Snowmass marathon

By Steve Medcroft

Jay Henry (Ford/Specialized) won the Snowmass NORBA National Series marathon race on Thursday, finishing fourteen minutes and two placings ahead of marathon-series leader Chris Eatough (Trek/VW).

"It was a great course; a lot of really fun single track," Henry said on Friday about the dusty, hot, high-altitude Colorado terrain. "I wanted to do well here because this feels like a home course for me (Henry lives near Vail, Colorado). I love the conditions around here."

The win, Henry's second NORBA marathon victory in a row, pulls the 30 year old pro to within seven points of Eatough in the series with three races left to run. But Henry says he's out of contention for the series. "I did originally want to try and win the series, but I'm going to skip the West Virginia race and go to Marathon Worlds instead."

Since racers contesting the series overall must start every event in the series, Henry had to make the choice; represent the U.S. in World Championships competition or stay home and fight for the series. "It's a shame you can't drop one race," he says. "But it's okay; I'll focus on the Mammoth U.S. Championship instead."

Henry, who has raced cross-country at an elite level in the U.S. for eight seasons, is looking forward to the Lillehamer, Norway Marathon World Championship (August 20, 2005). "It's going to be a tough race. The top 30 will look like a World-Cup cross-country race." The U.S. hopeful first faced international marathon competition in Canada. "At the World Cup Marathon in Quebec City (June 18, 2005), we saw a lot of World Cup cross-country racers and some international guys who focus on the marathon (like current marathon world champion Massimi de Bertolis) in the field. And it was a tough race."

The draw to the discipline, Henry says, is that marathon races are both within reach of the current cross-country field but also can be fun for average racers. "It's still a cross-country event. You race a little differently because of the distance but we start out so much mellower and you don't need the high-end speed you need for cross-country that marathon's are within reach of more riders. "

Henry says he'll prepare for the World Championships by competing in the 100-mile Beaver Creek Ultra race and the NORBA marathon in Brianhead, Utah.

Results

Pro Men
 
1 Jay Henry (USA) Ford/Specialized    3.38.01
2 Travis Brown (USA) Trek/Frs            0.44
3 Chris Eatough (USA) Trek/Vw           14.11
4 Michael Janelle (USA) Tokyo Joes      16.18
5 Andrew Lee (USA) Crocs Gran           17.09
6 Charles Storm (USA) Inlandcons        21.28
7 Jason Tullous (USA) Voodoo Cycles     32.45
8 Nat Ross (USA) Subaru- Gary Fisher    35.16
9 Kip Biese (USA) Cannondale            39.13
10 Arlo Buijten (USA) Titus/Schw      1.02.25
DNF Theodore Fleming (USA) Beaver Creek      
DNF Clint Muhlfeld (USA) Big Mtn Mo          
DNF Aaron Potts (USA) Colorado               
DNF Kevin Willson (USA) Wienerstub           
 
ProWomen
 
1 Monique Sawicki (USA) Team Mata     4.38.22
2 Monique Merrill (USA) Tokyo Joes       6.05
3 Jennifer Wilson (USA) Titus           19.38
4 Laura Anderson (USA) Bicycle Jo       26.32
DNF Kristi Henne (USA) Mtbchick.Com