NORTHWEST CUP
PORT ANGELES
~ Every time you attend a downhill race in person - not only via a live stream - you will be stoked on the speed all the pros laying down on the track. If you stay for the whole weekend and see the progress from training to qualification all the way to the race you want to quit biking because you never thought it would be even possible to clear this gap or go through your nemesis corner that fast without sliding out. This was my impression on the three days in Port Angeles. ~~ A lot of racing categories went down this weekend, balance bikes aren't included though. Yet. ~~ In case you didn't know already... Your bike sucks. There was some very special encouragement from the side of the track. Getting the flashes out at a race is a hassle but the patchy light meant it was necessary sometimes. Somebody had a rough day in one of the open corners strewn with loose rocks. ~~ The waterfall section required some serious compression damping and strength to hold on. It's a tradition up in the North West to dress up (or down) in a proper manner for the heckling. Drunk cyclist or drunk horse? ~ ~ Sending it into the mossy trees. The groms rode a slightly different course to the adults, but were still getting after it...their speed down the last straight was still pretty serious. ~~ After a gnarly crash in his race run Mitch Ropelato had to roll down besides the track with a pretty battered knee. He was in a brace after the race. Get well soon! ~~ HECKLE THE GOAT! It's all about getting through the green tunnel as fast as you can. This kid not only can do sick whips - Finn Iles ended up on the junior podium as well. ~ ~ The track was tight - sometimes almost singletrack like. Sending the big root gap. Not many riders cleared this one without using all of their travel. After a huge crash in training Emilie Siegenthaler maybe wasn't on top of her game but still held it together for 5th place on the podium. ~ ~ Vaea Verbeeck looked super smooth on this section but ended up 5 seconds off the win. Happy Birthday to you! Not quite a song you would expect from the hecklers but they sang Claire Buchar a birthday song. Unfortunately she couldn't get back to the first spot she took in qualifying, finishing 3.5 seconds back. 0.12 of a second back... Miranda Miller must have been scratching her head about the blink of an eye which dropped her to the second spot. Jill Kintner on the winning path! Coming off wins in the slalom and the downhill at Sea Otter she clearly had the confidence to put it all together up in the northwest and take her third victory in two weeks. ~ ~ Remi Gauvin pressing down hard all the way over the finish line, it was good enough for 5th. Bryn Atkinson on his way to a solid 4th place. ~~ Luke Strobel was the fastest of the local riders, three seconds off the win for a more than respectable third place finish. Canadian young gun Mark Wallace shaving 0.19 of Strobels time to grab the second spot. It's a wrap. Fearon put every body else into place. ~ ~ It was a strong weekend for Connor Fearon. After setting the fastest time in qualification he backed it up with a dominant race run, nearly three seconds clear of the rest of the field. His time was fast enough to beat the 2.20 mark laid down by Steve Smith on this track last year, a full six tenths clear of the 2013 World Cup title holder. Connor put it all down on the track today. The spoils of victory. ~ ~ The competition was kept to the track. Good vibes all around. Finn Iles was clearly enjoying how it felt to stand on the junior podium. ~~ Claire and Emilie having a good time on the podium. That top step must feel quite familiar to Jill Kintner right now. Miranda Miller 2nd and Claire Buchar 3rd. The mens podium - 1st Connor Fearon, 2nd Mark Wallace, 3rd Luke Strobel, 4th Bryn Atkinson, 5th Remi Gauvin. ~Photos: Jens Staudt and Jonathan Lamb
MENTIONS:
@Lambchopsphoto
I think it's time you do a little picture-show of Fearon's bike.
You've pretty-much showed everyone else's, and this dude seems to be getting a lot of pub because of his great finishes.
How 'bout it!?!?
It's a Kona Operator with 27.5" wheels too for Crissakes!.
As an owner of an Operator, I'd like to see how it was done.