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NORBA Series #5 - E1
Durango, CO, USA, August 16-17, 2003
Main Page Results Previous Race
Race 4 - August 17: Downhill
Peat's crash doesn't stop him, Griffiths conquers
By Kristy scrymgeour
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Fionn Griffiths (Foes Azonics) and Steve Peat (Royal Orange) won the downhill events at today's final event of the NORBA series, a race that was almost cancelled due to rain and a very wet course. The downhill course was a steep 1.6 miles and included three drop-offs and a gnarly rock section mid way down the course. In the practice earlier in the day a lot of the riders were crashing due to the slippery, wet track.
In the women's race Griffiths' fast time of 4'27" was enough to give her the win and the series overall. Coming in second today was Missy Giove, followed by Tracey Mosely. Former leader of the series Marla Streb came in sixth today losing the series title from Griffiths but still taking home the National Title.
Cyclingnews caught up with race winner Griffiths at the podium who was very happy with her Series win. "I liked the race today. I am from England and it's always wet so in a way I was actually hoping for rain today. I knew what I had to do this weekend. I knew I had to win so I'm happy with that."
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Streb wasn't quite as happy. "I was disappointed but I executed what I was trying to do today and that was to ride a clean, conservative run. I was hoping Fionn would get second or less but it didn't work out like that. It was a slippery course out there today and I stayed on my bike and got 6th so I'm happy with that. I was really hoping for the overall but I got the National title so I'm happy with that."
In the men's race Steve Peat (Royal Orange) won the event despite his crash midway down the course. He was up in no time and finished the course in a time 3'42". Peat only competed in two NORBA events this year due to a crash at the first NORBA at Big Bear. "I chipped a bone at Big Bear and hurt my ankle. In fact I tweaked my ankle injury again in my crash today. I was happy with today though, I ride good in the wet," Peat said after skulling a bottle of champagne on the podium.
Coming in second behind Peat was Greg Minnaar who's placing put him on equal points with Chris Kovarik who placed third today. Minnaar took the series win today because his final result was better than that of Kovarik.
At the end of the day the overall series was filled with one South African and four Australians and it was 7th place in the overall series Eric Carter who took home the National Champion Title. "Seeing five non-Americans on the podium was a little disappointing but that's the way it is. Hopefully that will change next year and more young guys come through. I was happy with my ride today. The course was slippery and when it's like that, those younger guys just go so much faster. It's a shame about the weather, but that's mountain biking."
Photography
Images by Beth seliga/www.3catsphoto.com
- Henry O’Donnell (ITS/Santa Cruz) showed some style for the spectators
- Mick Hannah (Haro-Lee Dungarees) lands on the way to sixth place.
- WTB’s Curtis Keene qualified well, but came across in fourteenth place
- Dave McLaughlin (Yeti/Oakley) got plenty of air coming down the track.
- Ross Milan (Yeti ) showed some of the best moves for the crowd
- Steve Peat (Royal Orange) crashed within sight of the finish, but managed to recover and still take the win.
- Steve Peat (Royal Orange) regained his composure to take first place by a slender margin.
- Marla Streb (Luna Chix), calm and smiling before receiving the National Champion jersey.
- Rich Houseman (ITS/Santa Cruz) was the best American finisher in fifth place.
- The women’s downhill podium Kathy Pruit (Luna Chix), Tracy Moeley (Kona-Clarks), Fionn Griffiths (Foes Azonic), Missy Giove (Foes), and Sabrina Jonnier (Intense).
- Steve Peat (Royal Orange) gets ready to shower the men’s downhill podium with champagne: Rich Houseman (ITS/Santa Cruz), Chris Kovarik (Intense/Fox/Spy), Peat, Greg Minnaar (Haro-Lee Dungarees), Cedric Gracia (Siemens Cannondale).
- A young fan charges away with a race souvenir: Peat’s empty champagne bottle.
- Missy Giove (Intense) shows the mountain bike world what they’ll be missing now that she is retiring.
- The women’s downhill series podium Melissa Buhl (KHS), Tracy Moseley (Kona-Clarks), Fionn Griffiths (Foes Azonic), Marla Streb (Luna Chix), and Mio Suemasa (Trek/VW).
- The men’s downhill series podium : Nathan Rennie ( Iron Hose/Mad Catz), Sam Hill ( Mad Catz/Iron Horse), Greg Minnaar ( Haro- Lee Dungarees), Chris Kovarik ( Intense/Fox/Spy), and Joel Panozzo ( WTB/Santa Cruz).
- Marla Streb (Luna Chix) shows off the National Champion’s colors
- Eric Carter ( Mongoose-Hyundai) scored a National Champion’s jersey for the downhill to go with his Mountain Cross jersey from Saturday.
Results
Pro men 1 Steve Peat (GBr) Royal Orange 3.42.76 2 Greg Minnaar (RSA) Haro Lee Dungaree 3.43.64 3 Chris Kovarik (Aus) Intense/Fox/Spy 3.51.21 4 Cedric Gracia (Fra) Siemens Cannondale 3.51.71 5 Rich Houseman (USA) Its/Santa Cruz 3.52.64 6 Mick Hannah (Aus) Haro Lee Dungarees 3.53.08 7 Colin Bailey (USA) Maxxis Tires 3.55.15 8 Liam Panozzo (Aus) Santa Cruz 3.55.31 9 Eric Carter (USA) Mongoose/Hyundai 3.55.39 10 Bryn Atkinson (Aus) Iron Horse/Mad Catz 3.55.48 11 John Kirkcaldie (NZl) Maxxis 3.55.51 12 Nathan Rennie (Aus) Iron Horse/Mad Catz 3.55.72 13 Julien Poomans (USA) Foes Azonic 3.58.37 14 Curtis Keene (USA) Wtb 3.58.86 15 Ross Milan (USA) Yeti 3.59.49 16 Joel Panozzo (Aus) Wtb/Santa Cruz 4.05.18 17 Todd Leduc (USA) Odi Southridge 4.07.86 18 Dave Mc Laughlin (Aus) Yeti/Oakley 4.08.61 19 Sam Hill (Aus) Madcatz/Ironhorse 4.08.62 20 Jared Rando (Aus) Giant/Pearl Izumi 4.08.83 21 Lars Tribus (USA) Chumba Wumba 4.09.71 22 Chris Del Bosco (USA) Romic Oakley 4.10.00 23 Jeff Evans (USA) Intense/Romic/Bolle 4.10.83 24 Justin Havukainen (USA) Yeti/Oakley 4.11.49 25 Bas De Bever (Ned) B1 Mountainbike 4.11.54 26 Mathieu Laurin (Can) Balfa/Rock Shox 4.11.83 27 Matt Timmerman (USA) Michelin 4.12.27 28 David Klaassenvanoorschot (USA) Intense/Spy 4.12.44 29 Robin Baloochi (USA) Sobe Cannondale 4.12.76 30 Henry O'Donnell (USA) Its/Santacruz 4.16.21 31 Brian Long (USA) Final Cause Racing 4.17.32 32 Andrew Neethling (RSA) Global Racing 4.17.44 33 Luke Strom (Aus) Yeti/Zeal 4.17.52 34 Adam Dussetor (Aus) Add Racing 4.19.14 35 Eric Rasmussen (USA) Khs 4.19.33 36 Aaron Chase (USA) Sobe/Cannondale 4.19.50 37 Kain Leonard (USA) Astrix Sports 4.19.62 38 Ryan Sutton (USA) Astrix 4.19.72 39 Ben Cory (Aus) Tioga Orange 4.19.97 40 Travis Collins (USA) Maxxis 4.20.16 41 Kyle Ebbett (USA) Iron Horse/Madcatz 4.20.94 42 Shaums March (USA) Red Bull/Chumba Wumba 4.20.98 43 Geoff Pendrel (Can) Balfa 4.21.17 44 Christopher Odriscoll (USA) Azonic/Oakley 4.21.91 45 Aaron Peters (USA) Wtb/Superheros 4.22.83 46 Will Clifford (Aus) Yeti/Dragon 4.24.34 47 Judd De Vall (USA) Schwinn Usa 4.25.11 48 Bernie Fredrick (USA) Lenz Sport 4.25.45 49 Troy Heflin (USA) Fast Times Racing 4.25.78 50 Will Corry (Ire) Norstar Foes 4.27.02 51 Riley Donaldson (USA) 4.27.31 52 Matt Thompson (USA) Big Crank Racing 4.28.26 53 Marc Fontaine (Can) Intense Canada/Truvativ/Maxxis 4.34.37 54 Nathan Rankin (NZl) Tioga Orange 4.34.81 55 Alex Morgan (USA) Bcdbcd.Com 4.36.47 56 Todd Bosch (USA) Chumba Wumba/ Bcg 4.38.98 57 Karl Rogne (USA) Wtb/Eam/Karpiel 4.39.78 58 Daniel Umland (USA) Odi Southr 4.44.26 59 Dave Ziegman (USA) Big Crank Racing 4.48.88 60 Lou Deangelis (USA) 10 10 Prod 4.51.89 61 Seth James (USA) Gravity Wa 4.54.59 62 Chris Rowen (USA) Great Adve 5.07.46 63 Gene Hamilton (USA) Betterride 5.13.56 64 Mike Moga (Rom) Big Crank 5.42.55 65 Jamie Green (Aus) Giant Australia 5.58.77 DNF Chris Van Dine (USA) Astrix/Hassle Free DNF Orlando Martinez (Cub) Rotec Cycl Pro women 1 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Foes Azonic 4.27.90 2 Missy Giove (USA) Foes 4.31.00 3 Tracy Moseley (GBr) Kona Clarks Fac Team 4.35.30 4 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Intense 4.37.00 5 Kathy Pruitt (USA) Luna 4.38.30 6 Marla Streb (USA) Luna Women Mtb 4.39.10 7 Mio Suemasa (Jpn) Trek-Volkswagen 4.49.60 8 April Lawyer (USA) Maxxis Tires 4.52.20 9 Anka Martin (RSA) Turner/Honda 5.24.90 10 Holly Kuhn (USA) Zoo York/Voodoo X/Eclipse 5.47.30 11 Dawn Bourque (USA) Dried Plums/Orbitz 5.55.20 12 Leigh Fiedler (USA) Rapid Descent Racing 5.57.90 13 Gale Dahlager (USA) Astrix Poison Spider 5.58.20 14 Melissa Buhl (USA) Khs 6.07.40 15 Michelle Rivera (USA) Arrowlenz 6.18.00 16 Emily Johnston (USA) Velocity Smith Troy Lee Designs 6.22.20 17 Lisa Myklak (USA) Astrix Sports/ Smith 6.24.40 18 Tai-Lee Muxlow (Aus) Tioga Orange 7.14.20 19 Kristina Martinez (USA) Rpm-Yeti 7.31.70 20 Sara Johnson (USA) Intense Spy 8.17.00 21 Jessica Vogt (USA) Team Rpm/Yeti 9.03.60 Final overall standings Men 1 Greg Minnaar (RSA) Haro Lee Dungaree 820 pts 2 Chris Kovarik (Aus) Intense/Fox/Spy 820 3 Sam Hill (Aus) Madcatz/Ironhorse 722 4 Joel Panozzo (Aus) Wtb/Santa Cruz 712 5 Nathan Rennie (Aus) Iron Horse/Mad Catz 696 6 John Kirkcaldie (NZl) Maxxis 678 7 Eric Carter (USA) Mongoose/Hyundai 664 8 Jared Rando (Aus) Giant/Pearl Izumi 648 9 Rich Houseman (USA) Its/Santa Cruz 636 10 Cedric Gracia (Fra) Siemens Cannondale 584 11 Mick Hannah (Aus) Haro Lee Dungarees 582 12 Colin Bailey (USA) Maxxis Tires 574 13 Shaums March (USA) Red Bull/Chumba Wumba 510 14 Todd Leduc (USA) Odi Southridge 508 15 Julien Poomans (USA) Foes Azonic 496 16 Bryn Atkinson (Aus) Iron Horse/Mad Catz 494 17 Gary Houseman (USA) Its/Santa Cruz 494 18 Chris Del Bosco (USA) Romic Oakley 462 19 Lars Tribus (USA) Chumba Wumba 458 20 Curtis Keene (USA) Wtb 452 21 Henry O'Donnell (USA) Its/Santacruz 436 22 Dustin Adams (Can) Giant/Pearl Izumi 436 23 Christopher Odriscoll (USA) Azonic/Oakley 428 24 Bernie Fredrick (USA) Lenz Sport 416 25 Ben Cory (Aus) Tioga Orange 408 26 Andrew Neethling (RSA) Global Racing 404 27 Steve Peat (GBr) Royal Orange 396 28 Aaron Chase (USA) Sobe/Cannondale 396 29 John Waddell (Aus) Its/Santa Cruz 390 30 Kirt Voreis (USA) Team Allride 386 31 David Klaassenvanoorschot (USA) Intense/Spy 382 32 Nathan Rankin (NZl) Tioga Orange 378 33 Chris Van Dine (USA) Astrix/Hassle Free 372 34 Aaron Peters (USA) Wtb/Superheros 366 35 Fabien Barel (Fra) Kona Clarks Fac Team 366 36 Robin Baloochi (USA) Sobe Cannondale 354 37 Ryan Sutton (USA) Astrix 350 38 Mathieu Laurin (Can) Balfa/Rock Shox 314 39 Matt Timmerman (USA) Michelin 312 40 Dave Mc Laughlin (Aus) Yeti/Oakley 290 41 Will Corry (Ire) Norstar Foes 284 42 Jason Codding (USA) Team Tld/Turner/Honda 284 43 Jeff Evans (USA) Intense/Romic/Bolle 242 44 Peter Weir (USA) Hopey Dampers 220 45 Matt Johnston (USA) Go Ride/Lost Art Tatto0 214 46 Justin Havukainen (USA) Yeti/Oakley 198 47 Eric Rasmussen (USA) Khs 198 48 Greg Smith (USA) Foes/Poison Spiders 198 49 Judd De Vall (USA) Schwinn Usa 192 50 Ross Milan (USA) Yeti 188 51 Eric Goss (Can) Giant/Troy Lee/Smith 182 52 Waylon Smith (GBr) 176 53 Todd Bosch (USA) Chumba Wumba/ Bcg 172 54 Travis Collins (USA) Maxxis 170 55 Luke Strom (Aus) Yeti/Zeal 168 56 Kyle Leduc (USA) Odi/Southridge 164 57 Geoff Pendrel (Can) Balfa 162 58 Sven Martin (RSA) Turner Honda 162 59 Will Clifford (Aus) Yeti/Dragon 160 60 Jared Graves (Aus) Mad Cats Iron Hrse 150 61 Liam Panozzo (Aus) Santa Cruz 140 62 John Percy (USA) Karpiel Design 134 63 Jamie Green (Aus) Giant Australia 132 64 Kain Leonard (USA) Astrix Sports 130 65 Hugo Donais (Can) Norco Factory 126 66 Matt Thompson (USA) Big Crank Racing 122 67 Derrick Nobman (USA) Intense/Racers Edge 104 68 Bas De Bever (Ned) B1 Mountainbike 102 69 Brant Lyon (Can) Giant Tm Canada 92 70 Brian Long (USA) Final Cause Racing 90 71 Sebastian Vasquez (Chi) Svracing/Cl/Scott 88 72 Mike Jones (Can) Norco Factory Team 88 73 Adam Dussetor (Aus) Add Racing 84 74 George Ryan (USA) Be One Bikes 84 75 Darrell Young (USA) Arrow Racing 80 76 Dave Ziegman (USA) Big Crank Racing 78 77 Karl Rogne (USA) Wtb/Eam/Karpiel 76 78 Ian Richards (USA) Rpm/Yeti 74 79 Fred Belanger (Can) 72 80 Kyle Ebbett (USA) Iron Horse/Madcatz 70 81 Jiro Nakamura (Jpn) Wtb 68 82 Lee Trumpore (USA) Transcend/Orange 64 83 Sebastien Thauvette (USA) 62 84 Darren Brown (USA) Dh Zone/Intense 60 85 Nicholas Jewett (Can) 60 86 Nicole Giancola (Can) Dm Cyclosport/Dhracer.Com 58 87 Byron Hills (USA) Fast Times Beyond Bikes 58 88 Marc Fontaine (Can) Intense Canada/Truvativ/Maxxis 56 89 Troy Heflin (USA) Fast Times Racing 54 90 Mark Weir (USA) Wtb 54 91 Diego Echeverria (Chi) Chile 54 92 Alex Morgan (USA) Bcdbcd.Com 52 93 Alan Crisp (Aus) Balfa 52 Women 1 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Foes Azonic 878 pts 2 Marla Streb (USA) Luna Women Mtb 864 3 Tracy Moseley (GBr) Kona Clarks Fac Team 820 4 Mio Suemasa (Jpn) Trek-Volkswagen 770 5 Melissa Buhl (USA) Khs 698 6 Kathy Pruitt (USA) Luna 696 7 Dawn Bourque (USA) Dried Plums/Orbitz 686 8 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Intense 634 9 Anka Martin (RSA) Turner/Honda 620 10 Holly Kuhn (USA) Zoo York/Voodoo X/Eclipse 606 11 Leigh Fiedler (USA) Rapid Descent Racing 600 12 Tai-Lee Muxlow (Aus) Tioga Orange 582 13 Emily Johnston (USA) Velocity Smith Troy Lee Designs 570 14 Kristina Martinez (USA) Rpm-Yeti 562 15 Jessica Vogt (USA) Team Rpm/Yeti 530 16 Missy Giove (USA) Foes 514 17 Gale Dahlager (USA) Astrix Poison Spider 506 18 Hiroko Inomata (Jpn) Foes/Credit 386 19 Lisa Myklak (USA) Astrix Sports/ Smith 354 20 Kristin Powers (USA) No Brakes 334 21 Lisa Sher (USA) Chumba Wumba 326 22 Tara Llanes (USA) Giant Pearl Izumi 282 23 April Lawyer (USA) Maxxis Tires 280 24 Claire Buchar (USA) Balfa Cycles 264 25 Kathi Krause (USA) Avalanche/Arrow 242 26 Allie Rau (USA) Velocity Racing 232 27 Michelle Rivera (USA) Arrowlenz 212 28 Bernardita Pizarro (Chi) Chile 140 29 Maxine Irving (USA) Eco Lips 132 30 Michelle Dumaresq (Can) Santa Cruz 130 31 Caroline Milot (Can) Laferte Bike Shop 128 32 Laura Johnson (USA) Bicycles Butler 118 33 Patricia Loureiro (USA) 114 34 Sara Johnson (USA) Intense Spy 112 35 Carrie Cleeton (USA) Foes/Azonic/Maxxis 110 36 Carol Gibbs (USA) Bonebreakers 110 37 Tammy Pickerrell (USA) Romic 110 38 Laura Pochmara (USA) Rapid Descent Racing 108 39 Paula Santerior (USA) Karpiel/Michelin 100 40 Gina Barbosa (USA) Azonic / Specialized 98 41 Ryoko Hattori (Jpn) Fumayokohama 94 42 Darcy Turenne (Can) Kona/Smith/Luck Shoes 92
