NORBA US national series #1 - 2

Fontana, CA, USA, May 5-7, 2006

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Race 4 - May 6: Mountain cross

Gerrard, Rando win MX

The second day of the opening round of the 2006 National Mountain Bike Series at Southridge Park concluded with top seeds Jared Rando of Australia and Leanna Gerrard (Lake Tapps, Wash./Bear Naked-Cannondale) winning the respective men's and women's' titles in the pro mountain cross finals Saturday night.

Rando hopped to the front of the pack early, avoiding a crash in the second corner that left 20th–seeded Garrick Anderson (Poway, Calif./Avent-Bombshell) and third-seeded Rich Houseman (Golden, Colo./Yeti-Fox Racing) out of contention. New Zealander and 11th-seeded John Kirkcaldie narrowly missed the tangle to ride into second.

“I was just looking for the finals from the start, so I protected all of the inside lines and it's just a matter of getting a good start most of the time,” Rando said. “It was pretty tight racing; everyone was getting pretty aggressive; it was just a matter of staying out of trouble.”

Great Britain's Dale Holmes won the small final to secure a fifth-place finish.

In women's action, Gerrard took the lead in her field early and held on for the decisive win. Second-seeded Joanna Petterson (Folsom, Calif./Morewood Bikes) finished second, with third-seeded April Lawyer (Bend, Ore./Maxxis) and fourth-seeded Wendy Reynolds (Moab, Utah/Bear Naked-Cannondale-Sport Legs) rounding out the field.

“I was sitting in lane one, which is inside and a very good gate to have on this course, and I wanted to get a good gate – fortunately I did,” Gerrard said. “I pretty much just fired it down the first straight. The girls were pretty even with me to the first corner and I just railed it through the first corner and didn't see anyone else the rest of the way.”

South Africa's Anka Martin won the consolation round to place fifth and complete the women's podium.

Results

Pro men
 
1 Jared Rando (Aus) Giant/Michelin                             182 pts
2 John Kirkcaldie (NZl) Team Maxxis                            172
3 Garrick Anderson (USA) Avent/Bombshell                       163
4 Rich Houseman (USA) Yeti/Fox Racing Factory Team             155
5 Dale Holmes (GBr) KHS Bicycles                               148
6 Mike Haderer (USA) Foxshox/Yeti/Easton/Michelin              142
7 Sean McClendon (USA) Aventcycles/Bombshell/Smith             137
8 Robin Baloochi (USA) Commencal                               132
9 Brian Schmith (USA)                                          127
10 Lars Sternberg (USA) Fluidride/Ironhorse                    122
11 Amiel Cavalier (Aus) Giant/Sram/Rockshox/Smith              117
12 Des Curry (NZl) Odi/Smith/Romic                             114
13 Geritt Beytagh (USA) Morewood                               111
14 Ian Odom (USA) Chumba Racing                                108
15 Jeff Evans (USA) KHS/Utopia                                 105
16 Jonathan Neethling (USA) Morewood                           102
17 Cody Warren (USA) C-Dub Racing                               99
18 James Schwanke (USA) Kenda Utopia Sdg                        96
19 Christopher Herndon (USA) Cane Creek                         93
20 Mike King (USA)                                              90
21 Ryan Condrashoff (USA) Planetx/Michelin                      87
22 Cole Bangert (USA) Morewood Bikes                            84
23 Max Nelson (USA) Odi Southridge                              81
24 Sven Martin (RSA) Homda/Ironhorse                            78
25 Sean Methven (USA) Turner/661                                75
26 Curtis Zamora (USA) Romic/Downfast                           72
27 Steve Wentz (USA) Turner/Wahoos                              69
28 Daniel Umland (USA)                                          66
29 Jonathan Canfield (USA) Honda/Ironhorse                      63
30 Orlando Martinez (Cub) Go Bis                                60
31 Drew Powers (USA) Staats/Gamut                               58
32 Kyle Adams (USA) Odi/Southridge                              56
 
Pro women
 
1 Leana Gerrard (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale MTB                182 pts
2 Joanna Petterson (RSA) Morewood Bikes                        172
3 April Lawyer (USA) Maxxis                                    163
4 Wendy Reynolds (USA) Beqar Naked/Cannondale/Sport Legs       155
5 Anka Martin (RSA) Honda/Ironhorse                            148
6 Jessica Vogt (USA) Turner/Wahoos                             142
7 Carmen Marin (USA)                                           137