2012 World Championships Spectator Photo Recap
A last minute decision to attend World Champs while on my way to moving to Taipei meant no press pass and very little camera gear. The result is World Champs as seen from a spectator's perspective, behind the tape and amongst the crowd.
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 The story of practice was rain, and lots of it, creating a track much better suited to crowning a World Champion. |
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| The mud didn't stop riders from smashing out runs |
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| Marcus Pekol winning practice on Friday |
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| This corner had two options: cut inside between the rocks or boost a transfer to right over the roots. |
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| Spagnolo chose the latter option |
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| Great seeing Matti back on his bike after some nasty early season injuries |
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| Luke Strobel of the USA looking like he was right back home in the Pacific Northwest |
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| One year out of Junior and Troy is already teaching the kids a lesson |
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| No shortage of patriotism here - special one-off bikes for some of the riders. |
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| Team Iran |
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| Hopping fences for a better vantage point, I learned quickly that not all of these were turned off. |
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| Old School making short work of a mach speed wall-ride |
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| World Championship scenery |
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| A nagging back injury kept Rachael from riding at full pace. She'll aim her sights at the World Cup overall next week in Norway. |
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| Justin Leov raced World Champs for the last time. Cheers to a great career. |
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| Andrew was on a burner until the wall ride tried reached out and grabbed his front wheel at full speed. |
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| Checkers or Wreckers. Unfortunately for Bryceland it was the latter this weekend. |
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| Sam Hill was looking on form and fast. 3.5 seconds back and a fifth place for the Aussie. |
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| One of the greatest riders of the modern era - it had been nine years since Minnaar's last World Championship win. |
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| For Gwin, an issue with his brakes means he'll have to wait to next year in South Africa to win his stripes. |
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| 4X World Champs were on Saturday night, but given its absence from the World Cup circuit, it felt a bit like a side show. |
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| With the racing over, the mechanics took the stage for bragging rights at BoXXer Worlds. Duncan Riffle sets the course. |
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| Not a man to be shy about lube, Rob Warner made a guest appearance. |
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| Even a crazy German photographer couldn't break Evan's concentration |
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| To the victor go the spoils |
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| So long from Austria |
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*Race shots were nice also
And I don't know if its just me but didn't it appear to be Neethlings rear wheel that rolled over on the wall ride? Either way I don't blame him if he pooped his pants.
This is the worst PR for any company in the history of World Championship's DH racing, and the media pretends like it's just another day in the office, just "testing". Test your brakes in the off season, dumb-asses! This is not justifiable and Shimano deserves more heat than a 160mm can deliver on an all day descent! It's especially devastating since Gwin has given high publicity this year to his close working association with Shimano. All of that false advertising hype can now be flushed down the toilet, along with the prototypes! Shimano owe's Gwin, American DH racing fans, and God-fearing Christians world-wide, a huge public apology.
Every podium definitely needs some champagne... too serious! What are they supposed to do with these flowers?... smoke it?
Nuclear weapons : iran- on the way , israel: nukes, where?
guess in some areas iran is ahead of israel!
a great world champs! , and what a champ, go minnaaaaaaaaaaar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!