Dual Slalom Finals in Photos - Sea Otter 2015
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 With no rain anywhere near the forecast conditions were dry and loose. |
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| It was hot as Africa out there in the baking heat, and riders were taking every opportunity they could to hide from the merciless sun. |
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| There were some close races today on the course. Andrew Neethling and Luca Shaw. |
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| Lopes, as serious...and competitive as ever. 2nd in qualifying. |
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| Katie Holden kicking it at Sea Otter. |
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| Jill Kintner with some fresh Crank Brothers Ink. |
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| Cam and Kyle, neck and neck until the end. |
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| The field in the final was so fast, that even Kyle Strait could only pull off twelfth place at this years Dual Slalom. |
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| Two of the most stylish riders out there; Mitch Ropelato and Cam Zink. |
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| Zink checking out the course and where to find some extra time to knock off. |
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| Luca Shaw boosting out of the turns, first qualifier of the day. Bit of a bummer to not see the young kid higher up in the ranks today. |
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| Mitch Ropelato against Alex Marin. |
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| Luca Shaw getting a bit of the African heat from Neethling. |
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| Luca Cometti had a disappointing crash on the loose conditions, and finished unlucky thirteen for the day. |
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| Neethling in the gate. |
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| Bryn Atkinson |
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| In the legends category, despite overwhelming public support, it was Eric Carter putting the wood to Shaun Palmer. |
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| You might call this 4X |
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| "Just the Tip, just the Tip, just the Tip!"... |
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| The pressure was on for Cody Kelley. |
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| Cody Kelly, winner of last year's Sea Otter Dual Slalom, was rocking the new camo print TLD kit, but was unable to advance. That set the tone for the evening with multiple favoured riders upset in the early rounds and relegated to the sidelines. |
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| Bria Lopes and Cedric Gracia |
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| Mitch Ropelato |
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| Kyle Strait |
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| Ropelato |
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| Jill Kintner far ahead of the curve. |
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| Maes and Ropelato head to head during the first round of finals. |
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| Wheelie fast times here. |
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| Jill Kintner |
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| Walker Shaw has been putting in some fast times lately on his pumptrack back home and nailing a solid result at the Crankworx Pumptrack Challenge in Rotorua. |
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| Jill Kintner perfected form. |
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| Mitch Ropelato and Martin Maes tearing down the home stretch. |
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| Final stretch of the last heat with Maes just above the curve on Ropelato. |
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| Emilie Siegenthaler narrowly missing the podium and finishing forth overall. |
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| Cody Kelley won this event last year. This year it was a different story. |
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| Martin Soderstrom came out to play today, but was knocked out early. |
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| Cam Zink was pitted once again against his best bro Kyle Strait early on in the finals. Would have been cooler to see them meet much later. |
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| It was a dusty one out there today. |
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| Eric Carter looking fast and fit as ever. First in the Legends class. |
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| Andrew Neethling--new kit, new bike, but same deadly skills on the dirt. |
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| Bernard Kerr was merciless in working his way almost to the top of the list today, and he didn't do a single stoppie. |
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| Mitch Ropelato and Bernard Kerr had some fierce battles on course today. But the final tally was Ropelato in second and Kerr in third. |
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| After racing for this long at this high of a level, Anneke Beerten has no problem displaying perfect form 100% of the time. |
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| If you looked at Shaun Palmer's eyes behind those goggles, you would see the same fierceness as when he was kicking ass at almost every sport back in the back in the day. |
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| Jill Kintner just can't lose at Sea Otter. |
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| 2015 was the year of close finishes. Here's one of them. |
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| Despite her time away from gated racing, Jill Kintner was unstoppable against Anneke Beerten. |
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| Nothing like a great battle between awesome ladies. |
 | I love to battle with Anneke Beerten whenever we have a chance to race head to head - Jill Kintner. |
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| Jill Kintner getting showered in stars and stripes showing her America pride. |
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| Martin Maes turning it up to 11 during the second round of the finals against Ropelato. |
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| Martin Maes once again showing how deep his talent goes, and how deceptive dual slalom is--in the finals against Mitch Ropelato, Rope a Dope looks way ahead, but Maes edged him out for the round. |
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| Hug it out. Mitch Ropelato and Martin Maes. |
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| Martin Maes. Eighteen years old. He was leading the 2014 EWS tour up until the end of the season, and he won the Jr. DH World Cup at Fort William. Now he can add the Sea Otter Classic Dual Slalom win to his variety of cycling discipline victories. |
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| Winner, winner, chicken dinner. |
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| The men's podium: Andrew Neethling (4), Mitch Ropelato (2), Barnard Kerr (3), and Martin Maes (1) |
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| The women's elite podium: Emilie Siegenthaler(4), Anneke Beerten (2), Jill Kintner (1), and Claire Buchar (3). |
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| Half full, half empty, Sea Otter is what you make of it. |
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| Goodnight from the Otter. |
MENTIONS: @Specialized, @GTBicycles
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I was there on Saturday, when it was warmer than Sunday (the day this article was about) and it was anything but hot.