Jill Kintner preparing for yet another victory at Sea Otter.
Andre Pepin getting after it on his race run but 90th on the day means no chicken dinner. But racing against the big dog has its own rewards.
Mike Day of BMX fame is turning it up--4th on the day and only four seconds back on Gwin.
Thibault Ruffin lamenting the fact that he brought a full DH bike to this track vs his Meta AM enduro rig.
Marco Osborne punishing his lefty fork. I have to say the forks ride amazingly well, but the single leg still kinda freaks me out.
Chris Kovarik keeping it low and fast.
Gwin it to win it...
Mike Day contemplating... a beer after a long weekend of racing at Sea Otter.
Smiling big always says confidence; Jill Kintner was definitely feeling it today.
Claire Buchar charging into her race run.
Jill Kintner doing it a bit more aggressively than any of the other female pro racers.
Anneke Beerten was picked as the biggest threat to Kintner for the win here at the Sea Otter and she almost pulled it off, coming home only a second and a bit back.
Jill and Bryn just bought a new place...hopefully one with room for a lot of medals. Jill Kintner first place in the Sea Otter Classic DH.
It makes my eyes bleed and I cannot unsee it.
CG's bike skills always amaze.
Kirt Voreis blowing up the first berm--a loose, sandy, excuse of a berm... but that's what you get after 3 days of training on a short track like this.
How loose? Oh, just a wee little bit.
Mr Style, Iago Garay, throwing the whiptastic machine into hyperdrive.
Even big mountain legend: James Doerfling, came out to race the Sea Otter DH.
Anneke Beerten will just have to resign to the fact that Jill Kintner is un-beatable at Sea Otter.
Kyle Strait going full gas, but ten seconds back behind Gwin means no chance at all of a podium for the one time World Cup DH racer/two time Redbull Rampage winner.
Gwin: full gas.
Josh Carlson of Giant has served notice that he's back up to pace after a couple injury plagued seasons of EWS racing.
Could this be the year of Gwin? It certainly is starting to look that way.
Annke Beerten fast on the heels of Jill Kintner. Second overall for the day.
Cody Kelley won for most stylish person on the track.
Gwin is back.
Another weekend of racing and raging is in the books.
@RatHunter83 the thing is he may have won at lourdes because it was such an intense track, something he excels at when others fail. he was able to find lines, power through things and kill it all over the place and make up a magical 5 seconds because it was SOOOO gnarly. maybe in a more mellow course things will a bit tighter time wise.
Has He won the first race of the season every year since 2011? The second race might be more telling of his form for the year... I think he'll win it and then just keep winning regardless of the track. If he has a bad result... maybe not
I think Laguna Seca Raceway can probably lend a water truck for half a day. Although, considering the condition of the course this year... that's an unrealistic expectation.
I was in the wrong place to get that shot, epic78, as was Margus. To tell the "story" of a race means moving around the track during the race and planning on where to be to get the shots. We have a start sheet and make a plan accordingly. If we just stay in one spot to shoot the entire event, it'd be a pretty dull post.
Meagerdude,
Great quality shots across the board. I know you can't be everywhere at once.
I just thought that with Tippy and the camera crew close by it would have made it in or a mention of it.
There were some pretty big falls for the ladies in the blown out off camber section lower down as well.
Keep up the great shots!
I can't believe the lack of coverage for Powell. 8th place in Dual Slalom and 13th in DH less than 1 second off the podium. All this from a guy that is a full time attorney and has a wife and kids. #gentlemanracer FTW!
People that hate on races for not being "real" DH races are outing themselves as non bike riders. To those i say, you are at the wrong website, knitting is the second door on the left.
For those you are saying, "Not one pro used a DH bike". There is nothing wrong with that at all because there is a reason. You don't need an 8" DH bike for Sea Otter, the terrain isn't super gnarly and pros can go faster with less suspension soaking up pedal strokes and small bumps that can be soaked up through the body. It's almost like DH racing here in Michigan, even a 7" can be overkill on most trail. Many guys use endure bikes or something 5-7"
But that's the problem (it looked like a lot of fun tough) - I might be old-school on this one - but, was it really a DH-race? Single crown and 6" travel bikes? DH just doesn't seem to be the appropriate term...
@ bikeeagle: DH means downhill. Down the hill. Going down with a bycicle. Even if it's a bike with no suspension at all. 6" though, is already a lot. The first Boxxers had 6" of travel, double crowns and 20mm axles. But I guess those were all mountain forks, by your definition.
is he putting more weight over the front bars to prevent the front tire from washing out? i've always been taught heavy feet, light hands, but recently have been told that on loose corners, you need to lean forward to get more weight on the front tire to give it more traction, i'm wondering if that's what he's doing?
And that mindset is why Palmer doesn't have a rainbow jersey. If he'd worn a skinsuit he would have beaten Nico at Cairns.
I'd prefer to win and look stupid.
so Palmer didn't win, because he didn't want to look stupid? Doesnt sound like Palmer. I thought his hunger for victories had put him over such things as being ashamed of "looking stupid".
So. The Sea Otter doesn't present itself as lift-assisted WC DH race. It is what it is: a short track, BMX style quick DH run. Why is everyone so bitchy about it? Sea Otter is really just a industry trade show for the public with a few races scattered around and a party. Sea Otter weekend is a blast. Have fun, ride your bike. There are plenty of other "real" DH races out there.
blurp, I don't know anymore, according to some smart people vertical stiffness of a wheel with alu rim and carbon rim is nearly identical. BTW I gotta go, I have a medieval wheel to tension, Mavic ex325 rim, 720 grams for 25 internal width, some do it in 420 grams these days, and I mean alu. But I paid 10Euro for it! I will also put a slow rolling, heavy minion dhf tyre on my carbon rim to ride xc with it. I hope that makes sense.
These next world cups will be good. I wonder what Gwin has in store for us this year
www.pinkbike.com/photo/12139800
is he putting more weight over the front bars to prevent the front tire from washing out? i've always been taught heavy feet, light hands, but recently have been told that on loose corners, you need to lean forward to get more weight on the front tire to give it more traction, i'm wondering if that's what he's doing?
www.pinkbike.com/video/400504
I think its to help throw the back wheel around when in a turn
DH racing: No