National Mountain Bike Series #4 (NMBS) - 1

Deer Valley, Park City, Utah, June 27-29, 2008

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Race 4 - June 28: Elite Women Cross Country

Nash gets first cross country win

By Dave McElwaine in Park City

Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB) winning
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine

Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB), a frequent visitor to the second step on the podium, finally beat out her powerful Luna team-mates to win her first National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) cross country race. Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB) rode in third position for much of the race, but nailed down second place with a massive surge on the last lap.

"I've been riding well," said Nash. "I just tried to be patient. I was climbing well and it just all came together. It was a good day.

"Catherine let me take the lead on a downhill and she made a small mistake [behind me]," she added. "From that point on I just tried not to make any mistakes."

Luna's Women
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine

Catherine Pendrel (Luna Women's MTB) led for much of the race, but finished third after over-shooting a corner on a fast descent. The Luna Women are the top ranked women's team in the world, due to strong World Cup performances this season.

"On the climb after the feed zone it started breaking up and Katerina and I were rolling off the front," said Pendrel. "I was feeling good so I went to the front on the climb and was going to let Katerina lead on the descent because she was descending better than me.

"I actually made a mistake on the descent," she added. "I was hoping to put in a strong last lap but Georgia put in a stronger last lap."

Many of the racers, including the Luna squad, traveled back from the World Championships in Italy this week. It was uncertain how everyone would respond to racing so soon. The question was answered in the few seconds of the race as Pendrel and Gould shot to the front and led the entire field up the mountain in a side-by-side effort.

How it unfolded

The womens field head up
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine

At the end of the first lap the Luna women descended the steep switchbacks to the start/finish riding in a tight formation 15 seconds ahead of a chasing Heather Irmiger (Subaru/Gary Fisher), and a surprisingly strong Pua Sawicki (Ellsworth). On the second lap, the race blew apart as Nash came through first, followed by Pendrel 20 seconds back, and Gould a further 20 seconds back.

At the end of two laps Irmiger trailed the Gould by 90 seconds, while Sawicki was an additional one minute behind. At this point they virtually had the fourth and fifth spots on the podium locked up as the gap to their rivals increased.

"Fourth place this year felt a whole lot better than fourth place last year," said Irmiger. "I was really surprised on the second lap…I could see them on the climb and they seemed really close, then suddenly the gap was two minutes. There was no real attack."

On the last lap Gould closed down a 15 second gap to Pendrel and passed her. "I am like diesel engine," said Gould. "It takes a while to get going."

For Nash, the Czech National Champion, the victory was sweet after some disappointment this season. At the NMBS race in Fountain Hills she sustained a knee injury that resulted in her narrowly missing out on a chance to represent her country at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China this August. Both of her team-mates made their respective teams - with Gould set to represent the United States of America while Pendrel will represent Canada.

Nash will maintain her lead in the NMBS Cross Country Series as the series heads east to Windham Mountain in New York for the next round.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Dave McElwaine/www.trailwatch.net

The Kenda/Titus women's team warms up.
Deer Valley race conditions were perfect with a 76 degree temperature.
Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB) is the defending NMBS series champion.
Kathy Sherwin (Sobe/Cannondale) crashed out of the race but was unhurt.
Luna's (L-R) Catherine Pendrel, Georgia Gould, and Katerina Nash.
Trek/VW's Emily Batty and Mical Dyck
Catherine Pendrel (Luna Women's MTB) leading the start.
Luna's Georgia Gould (L) and Catherine Pendrel (R) lead the women uphill.
The womens field head up to 9000 feet.
Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB) leading her team-mates after lap one.
Catherine Pendrel (Luna Women's MTB) chasing team-mate Katerina Nash.
Heather Irmiger (Subaru/Gary Fisher ) riding well in fourth place.
Pua Sawicki (Ellsworth) riding to her best XC finish ever.
Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) riding in eighth place would have her best finish of the year.
Mical Dyck (Trek/VW) descending in seventh place.
Jenna Zander (Sobe/Cannondale) chasing the leaders in 11th place.
KC Holly (Subaru/Gary Fisher) going on to finish an amazing 15th in her first pro race.
Heather Holmes (Kenda/Titus) went on to finish 14th.
Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB) winning her first NMBS XC event.
Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB) poured on the coals to move up to second place.
Podium (L-R): Heather Irmiger (Subaru/Gary Fisher), Catherine Pendrel (Luna Women's MTB), Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB), Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB) and Pua Sawicki (Ellsworth).
Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB) was pleased with her win at Deer Valley

Results

1 Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Womens Mtb Team                 1.50.53
2 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens Mtb Team                    0.25
3 Catherine Pendrel (Can) Luna Womens Mtb Team                1.31
4 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher                    2.48
5 Pua Sawicki (USA) Ellsworth                                 4.19
6 Jennifer Smith (NZl) Trek/VW                                7.39
7 Mical Dyck (Can) Trek/Terrascape Racing                     7.40
8 Chloe Forsman (USA) Luna Womens MTB Team                    9.04
9 Judy Freeman (USA) Tough Girl/Contessa                     10.18
10 Amanda Riley-Carey (USA) Kenda/Titus/Hayes                10.46
11 Jenna Zander (USA) Sobe Cannondale                        11.50
12 Nina Baum (USA) Sobe-Cannondale                           12.36
13 Emily Batty (Can) Trek Bicycle Store Toronto              13.35
14 Heather Holmes (USA) Kenda/Titus/Hayes                    14.13
15 Kc Holley (USA) Subaru/Gary Fisher                        14.48
16 Caitlyn Tuel (USA) Trek/Vw /Rocky Mountain                14.58
17 Krista Park (USA) Kenda-Titus-Hayes                       14.58
18 Patricia Buerkle (USA) Vanderkitten                       16.14
19 Jennifer Hanks (USA) Revolution/Peak Fastners             17.21
20 Sarah Barber (USA) Teambobs-Bicycles.Com                  17.36
21 Zephanie Blasi (USA) Kenda Titus Hayes                    18.25
22 Jana Repulski (USA) Team Tamarack Resort                  18.44
23 Jennifer Tilley (USA) Velo Bella/Kona                     19.06
24 Sonya Bugbee (USA) Yeti Beti                              20.30
25 Stacey Scanlan (USA) Team Tamarack                        21.32
26 Theresa Richardson (USA) Sobe Cannondale                  22.44
27 Becca Blay (USA) Sobe/Cannondale                          23.29
28 Shannon Edson (USA) Velo Bella                            23.52
29 Lindsey Bishop (USA) Mafia Racing/Felt                    25.53
30 Joy Duerksen (USA) Cole/Marten Transport                  26.27
31 Heather Ranoa (USA) Intense                               26.50
32 Sonya Looney (USA) Sobe Cannondale                        36.19
33 Kathy Bodie (USA) Gu                                      36.56
34 Rachel Throop (USA) Devo                                       
DNF Kathy Sherwin (USA) Sobe-Cannondale                           
DNF Kyia Anderson (USA) Ekho Hrm/Cannondale                       
DNS Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher                       
DSQ Barbara Kreisle (USA) Magura/6C