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NORBA national series #1 (NE)
Big Bear, California, May 10-12, 2002
Day 2 - May 11: Dual
Bootes and Chausson take last-ever NORBA duals
By Rob Karman
As the UCI World Cup is switching to the four rider format, NORBA decided to have one last traditional Dual Slalom at Big Bear and it served as the one race national championships instead of the former season long series format.
In mens racing action, former World Champ Wade Bootes (TREK/VW) won the last NORBA Dual slalom ever by besting California resident Kirt Vorheis (Haro/Lee Dungarees) in a close final race. Vorheis was crowned National Champion as the top US finisher and gave Bootes a run for his money by winning the first run by .311 seconds. However Bootes made up the deficit with little trouble and took home the top honors.
It comes as no surprise that the womens race was won by World Champion Anne Caroline Chausson (Volvo/Cannondale) of France. It was an all French final as Chuasson battled with Sabrina Jonier (Intense) with the consolation round between Tara Llanes (Yeti/Pearl Izumi) and Melissa Buhl (KHS/ODI) being for the US National Championship. Llanes won to finally take the National Championship that has eluded her for many years.
Photography
Images courtesy of Rob Karman
- Anne-Caroline Chausson (Volvo-Cannondale) took an almost-predictable win in the dual
- Anne-Caroline Chausson works the berm on her way to yet another victory
- Wade Bootes (Trek/VW) powers to the win
- Tara Lanes (Yeti/Pearl Izumi) landed the national championship at long last
- Tara Lanes takes to the air to escape from Melissa Buhl (KHS/ODI)
- Kirt Vorheis (Haro/Lee Dungarees) is the final men's Dual national champ
- Former downhill champ Greg Herbold now gets his speed thrills by remote control
Images courtesy of Clifford Eveleigh
- Brian Lopes - guiding his trusty steed through a corner
- Blinded by the light
- About as horizontal as you can get
- Even more horizontal - really pushing the limits
Results
Men 1 Wade Bootes (Trek/VW) 2 Kirt Vorheis (Haro/Lee Dungarees) Women 1 Anne-Caroline Chausson (Volvo/Cannondale) 2 Sabrina Jonier (Intense) 3 Tara Llanes (Yeti/Pearl Izumi) 4 Melissa Buhl (KHS/ODI)
