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National Mountain Bike Series #2 (NMBS) - 2
Fountain Hills, Arizona, USA, April 4-6, 2008
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Race 4 - April 5: Short Track (all categories)
Nash back on top
By Dave McElwaine in Fountain Hills, Arizona
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NMBS short track series champion Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB) resumed her winning ways at McDowell Mountain Park on Saturday. Despite often resembling a cyclo-cross race Nash was able to work her magic to beat her powerful team-mate Georgia Gould by 12 seconds. Della Star (Dales) out-sprinted Kona's Wendy Simms by inches to take third place, 20 seconds behind Gould.
The course was a typical short track except for one short, steep, sandy hill that forced all the women off their bikes. Gould, Nash, and Simms all have extensive cyclo-cross experience and it showed. The dismount and run-up separated them from the pack. (Simms is the current Canadian National Cyclocross Champion). The rest of the course included a rutted downhill, two sandy washes, a long section of uphill singletrack (where it was next to impossible to pass), and a run-in to the finish on hard-packed fire road.
"It was kind of like cyclo-cross with that little run-up....then Wendy crashed so it opened an opportunity for two of us (Nash and Gould) to get away. I had just one good attack and took it to the finish" commented Nash after the race.
When asked about the crash that gave the Luna women a gap, Simms reported "I looked over my shoulder to see where Georgia was and I just buzzed Katerina's rear tire. It was my own fault". Simms suffered only minor scrapes and was able to continue racing.
After the crash Simms rode with an impressive Dellys Starr for a couple laps. They both sprinted for third but Starr won in a photo finish. Lea Davison (Trek/VW) brought her best ever early season fitness to the NMBS series this year and it showed at Fountain Hills. She rode at an even tempo and never seemed to labor like so many of the women. She finished fifth, less than a minute behind the winner.
Also impressive was Willow Koerber (Subaru/ Gary Fisher) who finished sixth. "I felt really good. I had to go really hard to get up to the top three girls. Then when they went I didn't have it. But, that's the point of doing these races, to torture yourself. So, I did that," commented Koerber after the race.
Gould had taken the opening round of the NMBS short track series last weekend in Fontana, California. The same three women battled back and forth until Gould got away. It would seem the these three are destined to compete for the top podium spots the rest of this NMBS season.
Absent from the event in Fountain Hills was US National Champion Mary McConneloug who is representing the United States at the Pan American Championships in Venezuela.
Kabush confirms top status
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Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis) rode a very tactical race to beat Barry Wicks (Kona) at the line by less than a second in the men's short track. Kona team-mate Ryan Trebon hung on for third and was 25 seconds behind the leaders. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru/ Gary Fisher) was fourth, followed by Carl Decker (Giant).
The course featured "The Hill", a steep, loose, sandy climb that separated the field quite quickly. Cyco-cross racers Kabush, Trebon, and Wicks were simply faster off their bikes than anyone else. They all made attempts to ride the hill as well and were often successful. Very few other racers who made the attempt were able to ride to the top.
Kabush lead early but after a bobble on "The Hill" Wicks and Trebon managed a team breakaway. They were caught within one lap by Kabush. Behind them Horgan-Kobelski and Decker seemed settled into the fourth and fifth positions that would stick until the finish.
Mid-race, Trebon had a momentary problem at "The Hill" and was dropped from the group. From that point on both Wicks and Kabush led, each measuring the other. The last lap slowed as they both knew the race would come down to a sprint. Kabush rounded the last 180 degree turn first and went on for the win with less than a one second margin.
"Geoff was riding super light tires and was able to accelerate faster than me out of the turns" commented Wicks after the race.
In post-race comments Kabush said "the hill was definitely a critical part of the race... it definitely decided the front group. Once we got off the front we had to be smooth on the hill and not out-think ourselves."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Dave McElwaine /www.trailwatch.net
- Katerina Nash (Luna) leads Wendy Simms (Kona) , Georgia Gould (Luna), and Willow Koerber (Suburu/Gary Fisher) up a steep sandy climb that nearly everyone had to run.
- Katerina Nash (Luna Womens MTB) riding a solo breakaway through the desert flowers.
- Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis) and Barry Wicks (Kona) battled for several laps.
- Kona riders Barry Wicks and Ryan Trebon had an early gap on the field.
- Kona team-mates Barry Wicks and Ryan Trebon talking at the front of the race.
- Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis) leading on uphill single track.
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) rode a very strong race.
- Giant team-mates Adam Craig and Carl Decker working together.
- Carl Decker (Giant) leading Ross Schnell (Trek/VW) on uphill.
- Sam Schultz (Suburu/ Gary Fisher) riding in the top ten.
- Bryan Fawley (Texas Tough) mid-pack.
- Carl Decker (Giant) and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Suburu/ Gary Fisher) ride "The Hill".
- Wicks (Kona) leading Kabush (Maxxis) with one lap to go.
- Kabush (Maxxis) gets around the last corner first for the win.
- Former World Champion Alison Dunlap watching the race (Luna Women's MTB).
- Willow Koerber (Suburu/ Gary Fisher) concentrating on the race ahead.
- NMBS series champion Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB).
- Kona's ace team mechanic Bassman stays cool with an ice bag.
- Mical Dyck (Trek/VW) has been very impressive so far this season.
- Wendy Simms (Kona) with Kathy Sherwin (Sobe/Cannondale) in the background.
- Australian national champion Dellys Starr (Dale's Pale Ale) gets the hole shot.
- Georgia Gould (Luna) leading Wendy Simms (Kona).
- Lea Davision (Trek/VW) leading Catherine Pendrel (Luna Women's MTB).
- Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB) riding the uphill singletrack .
- Nash looking at gap back to team-mate Gould (Luna) with one lap to go.
- Kelli Emmette (Giant) leading Catherine Pendrel (Luna) through 180 turn.
- Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB) takes the victory by 12 seconds.
- Starr out-sprints Simms by inches to take third place.
Results
Pro women 1 Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Womens mtb team 30.21 2 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens mtb team 0.13 3 Dellys Starr (Aus) Dales pale ale/spot brand 0.32 4 Wendy Simms (Can) Kona 0.33 5 Lea Davison (USA) Trek/VW 0.46 6 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 0.59 7 Catherine Pendrel (Can) Luna womens mtb team 1.07 8 Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant mtb team 1.17 9 Mical Dyck (Can) Trek/Terrascape racing 1.35 10 Jenna Zander (USA) Sobe Cannondale 1.39 11 Monique Sawicki (USA) Ellsworth 1.44 12 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 2.00 13 Kathy Sherwin (USA) Sobe-Cannondale 2.00 14 Emily Batty (Can) Trek Bicycle Store Toronto 2.01 15 Heather Holmes (USA) Kenda/Titus/Hayes 2.03 16 Sue Butler (USA) Monavie/Cannondale 2.24 17 Chloe Forsman (USA) Luna Womens Mtb team 2.24 18 Catherine Vipond (Can) Norco 2.25 19 Carolyn Popovic (USA) Cicle/Bear Valley Bikes 2.25 20 Melanie Mcquaid (Can) BMC/Natures Path 2.39 21 Melanie Meyers (USA) Specialized Designs 2.58 22 Amanda Riley-Carey (USA) Kenda/Titus/Hayes 3.07 Lapped 23 Kyia Anderson (Can) HRM/Cannondale 24 Nina Baum (USA) Sobe-Cannondale 25 Maureen Kunz (USA) Lost Coast Brewery 26 Krista Park (USA) Kenda-Titus-Hayes 27 Judy Freeman (USA) Toughgirl Cycling 28 Amanda Sin (Can) 3 Rox Racing 29 Stacey Scanlan (USA) Team Tamarack 30 Jennifer Tribe-Wilson (USA) 31 Caitlyn Tuel (USA) Trek/VW /Rocky Mountain 32 Emily Van Meter (USA) Sobe/Cannondale 33 Joy Duerksen (USA) Cole/marten Transport 34 Megan Monroe (USA) Dales Pale Ale 35 Heather Ranoa (USA) Intense 36 Shannon Gibson (USA) Velo-bella/Kona 37 Jennifer Tilley (USA) Velo-bella/Kona 38 Erin Huck (USA) Tokyo Joes 39 Jamie Dinkins (USA) Devo 40 Jana Repulski (USA) Team Tamarack resort 41 Jennifer Sica (USA) Schampa 42 Theresa Richardson (USA) Sobe Cannondale 43 Sonya Looney (USA) Sobe Cannondale 44 Melissa Buhl (USA) KHS Bicycles 45 Rachel Throop (USA) Devo 46 Paz Bash (Isr) Spider-Kona DNS Kimberly Flynn (USA) Vantaggio/Specialized DNF Mikaela Kofman (Can) 3 Rox Racing DNS Christie Pleiss (USA) Cicle/Bear Valley bikes DNS Danae York (USA) Velobum.com/Turner Suspension bikes DNF Jennifer Gersbach (USA) Dales Pale Ale/Spot brand Pro men 1 Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis 26.08 2 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona 0.01 3 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona 0.25 4 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 0.39 5 Carl Decker (USA) Giant MTB team 0.42 6 Ross Schnell (USA) Trek/VW 0.48 7 Liam Killeen (GBr) Specialized Factory team 0.49 8 Adam Craig (USA) Giant MTB team 0.53 9 Sam Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 1.05 10 Adam Morka (Can) 3 Rox Cycling 1.29 11 Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona Les Gets 1.41 12 Chance Noble (USA) Calif. Giant Berry farms 1.46 13 Troy Wells (USA) Tokyo Joes 1.47 14 Kenji Takeya (Jpn) Specialized Japan 2.03 15 Andy Schultz (USA) Kenda Titus Hayes 2.04 16 Charles Pendry (USA) Inland - BTD 2.06 17 Damian Calvert (USA) Sobe Cannondale MTB team 2.07 18 Eric Batty (Can) Trek Bicycles store team 2.08 19 Kamden Reedy (USA) Four Unity racing 2.10 20 Mitchell Peterson (USA) Monavie/Cannondale 2.11 21 Robert Marion (USA) Kenda Titus 2.27 22 Mike Phillips (USA) Alterra/Specialized 2.34 Lapped 23 Jeff Schalk (USA) Trek VW - east 24 Stefan Widmer (Can) Rocky Mountain 25 Mitch Hoke (USA) Tokyo Joes 26 Dana Weber (USA) Trek VW/westcoast 27 Christian Helmig (USA) Pivot/Mad Duck 28 Jay Henry (USA) Tokyo Joes 29 Rotem Ishai (Isr) Spider-Kona bikes 30 Travis Livermon (USA) Kobold Watch 31 Bryan Fawley (USA) TX tough/Hotel San Jose 32 Ryan Woodall (USA) Industrynine/Powerbar 33 Sean Donovan (USA) Cytomax/KHS 34 Brett Morgan (USA) Sobe/Cannondale 35 Manuel Prado (CRc) Sho-air/Rock n road 36 Peter Glassford (Can) Trek bicycle store toronto 37 Eric Salstrand (USA) Bicycle haus/Oakley/Specialized 38 Adam Snyder (USA) 3-D Racing 39 Daniel Sessford (Can) Blue competiton cycles 40 Yuki Saito (USA) Fuentes Design/Walt works 41 Brian Bain (Can) CMC/Bow cycle 42 Tad Elliott (USA) U23 national team 43 Dylan Stucki (USA) Mafia racing 44 Kyle Douglas (Can) 3 Rox racing 45 Trevor Downing (USA) Devo 46 Jake Wells (USA) Mafiaracing.com 47 Michael Lee (USA) Trek/VW west coast 48 Amon Pease (USA) Team lost coast brewery 49 Matt Rotroff (USA) BTD/inland construction 50 Ken Onodera (Jpn) Subaru-Gary Fisher 51 Ethan Gilmour (USA) U23 National MTB team 52 Scott Keller (USA) Schampa/Tribe 53 Ben Thompson (USA) Sobe-Cannondale 54 Matthew Hadley (Can) Xprezo 55 Chad Wells (USA) 3D Racing 56 Chris Peariso (USA) Adventure 212 /Titus 57 Travis Woodruff (USA) BMC/Momentumendurance 58 Nat Ross (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 59 Nate Whitman (USA) Hammer nutrition 60 Kelly Magelky (USA) Trek-VW 61 Lucas Livermon (USA) Inland Construction 62 Kevin Smallman (USA) Sobe Cannondale 63 James Williams (USA) Sobe Cannondale 64 John Salskov (USA) Team bicycle haus 65 Evan Plews (USA) Scottusa/CSC 66 Michael Mccalla (USA) Spinner/Waltworks 67 Cameron Jette (Can) Trek bicycle store 68 Paul Freiwald (USA) Titus cycles 69 Chanoch Redlich (Isr) City cycling 70 Paul Hanson (USA) Sobe Cannondale 71 Steve Kinney (USA) Steven K sports 72 Alex Ryan (USA) Kobold/cannondale 73 Alex Howard (USA) 74 Cody Peterson (USA) Scott Bicycles DNF Derek Zandstra (Can) 3 Rox Racing DNF Joshua Powers (USA) Shampa DNS Leonardo Sandoval (USA) DNF Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Team Maxxis DNS Nicholas Stevens (GBr) Orbea USA DNF Robert Herber (USA) Intense DNF Tim Allen (USA) Voodoo DNS Tim Olson (USA) Trek/VW westcoast DNS Travis Brown (USA) Trek/FRC Semi-pro men 1 Thomas Bender 26.30 2 Ward Baker 0.02 3 John Nobil 0.04 4 Jan Koles 0.06 5 Kyle Reedy 0.07 6 Justin Raynes 0.13 7 Kent Mcneill 0.15 8 Mimmo Futia 0.31 9 Romolo Forcino 0.45 10 John Curry 0.45 11 Justin Maka 0.47 12 Santiago Chavez 0.49 13 Benjamin Portilla 0.52 14 Jason Siegle 0.57 15 Bryan Mickiewicz 1.05 16 Chris Crosby 1.06 17 Aaron Elwell 1.08 18 Benjamin Webster 1.09 19 Drew Edsall 1.10 20 Sean Sindt 1.17 21 Dean Poshard 1.25 22 Brett Racine 1.26 23 Michael Viertel 1.27 24 Matt Chaney 1.35 25 Lyle Warner 1.41 26 John Sawasky 1.45 27 Jim Hewett 1.48 28 Jeff Herrera 1.51 29 Matt Ohran 1.56 30 Andrew Rigel 2.01 31 Tsering Alleyne 2.07 32 Rob Dillion 2.09 33 Chris Suter 2.09 34 Ryan Clark 2.11 35 Damien Fraser 2.16 36 Luke Rozanski 2.21 37 Jeremy Torres 2.21 38 Marcus Hayward 2.41 39 Tom Sharp 2.45 Lapped 40 Eric Hanzel 41 Dax Kastrin 42 Art Nelsen 43 John Davis 44 Kenny Deemer 45 Raymond Caballero 46 Brandon Frazier 47 Taylor Foss 48 Steve Sanchez 49 Foye Troute 50 Rich Weis DNF Travis Mcmaster DNF Thomas Covington DNS Zack Heim DNS Taylor Lideen DNS Alexis Seletzky DNF Richard Hull DNF Sebastien Rousseau Jr expert men 18 & under 1 Rob Squire 27.36 2 Adam Parke 0.23 3 Nate Byrom 0.24 4 Ben Kraushaar 0.33 5 Cody Cox 0.34 6 Jamie Knight 0.52 7 Brae Patten 1.32 8 William Curtis 1.55 9 Zach Patterson 2.17 10 Kevin Kane 2.56 11 Bryce Gordon 3.43 Expert men 19-24 1 Matthew Connors 30.50 2 Sem Gallegos 0.13 3 William Ross 0.59 4 Michael Cronin 1.03 5 Kevin Montgomery 1.31 6 Katriel Statman 2.13 Expert men 25-29 1 Nicholas Cirincione 30.31 2 John Barbachano 0.01 3 Wesley Reutimann 0.02 4 Brian Tolbert 0.54 5 Michael Riley 1.21 6 James Koch 1.41 7 Paul Rahn 1.59 8 Ryan Krusemark 3.11 DNS David Janowiec DNS Tomas Petricko Expert men 30-34 1 Tony Smith 26.37 2 Chad Harris 0.46 3 Danny Mcnaughton 1.04 4 Evan Ellicott 1.12 5 Henry Szczypiorski 1.36 6 Kyle Ashton 1.40 7 Robert Snyder 1.51 8 Tom Torrance 2.09 9 David Sheek 2.23 10 Nathan Wood 2.30 11 Mike Cline 2.32 DNS Jay English DNS Tony Torrance DNS Clayton Goldsmith DNS Jonathan Hunter Expert men 35-39 1 Michael Pastore 27.21 2 Mark Faulkner 1.02 3 Joe Chalmers 1.41 4 C.Todd Branham 2.07 DNF Michael Heindel DNF Jay Chesterman DNF Michael Holk DNF Barrett Brauer DNF Chris Capages DNF David Reid DNS Linde Smith DNF Greg Rogers Expert men 40-44 1 Tim Zandbergen 27.14 2 Tim Butler 0.02 3 Stephen Jarrett 0.05 4 Alexander Rouch 1.29 5 Mike Rosson 2.18 6 Trever Bushnell 2.52 7 James Cross 3.17 Lapped 8 Carlos Zamora 9 Jaime Valle 10 James Knight 11 Gary Hall 12 Mark Fasczewski DNF Dave Miller DNS Bobby Lincoln Expert men 45-49 1 Bobby Langin 27.09 2 Craig Raney 1.54 3 Gregory Shimonek 2.37 4 Peter Tempest 2.54 Lapped 5 Robert Letson 6 Manny Ortiz 7 David Stowell DNS Alan Rishel Expert men 50-54 1 Dean Swank 29.51 Lapped 2 Steve Bent 3 Charles Patterson 4 John Fitzer 5 Kelly Reedy DNS Pete Stewart Expert men 55-59 1 Paul Zarubin 2 David Mcelwaine DNS Eric Storm Expert men 60-64 1 Stan Ford Expert men 65 + 1 Jurgen Leiser 1 Frederic Schmid 3 Ron Riley 4 Brian Kiniry DNS Terry Dahl
