Race Report: NW Cup Round One, Port Angeles, WA

Apr 27, 2016 at 21:30
by Eric Ashley  
NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Adam Woodhouse tackles the slippery steep shoot on Queen Diamond during his race run on Sunday. Earning him second in his category. (Cat 1 Men 19-29)

On an average week in Port Angeles you’d have a hard time finding the trails at Dry Hill unless you asked a local for directions, but if you visit during a NW Cup race, all you would need to do is swing by a drive-through or the Walmart parking lot to find a bike-laden car to show you the way. This weekend, an influx of riders showed up to enjoy some of the best downhill riding in Washington and to kick off the new season of racing.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Kent Billingsley delivers a much sought-after whip over the road gap - the spectators were well-pleased.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Dry Hill is never a let down when it comes to views.

Dry Hill is the customary host to the start of the season due to its low elevation, moderate weather, and aggressive descents. The courses typically follow well-established routes, but the network of closely crossing trails allows for variation between each event. This setup strikes a pleasant blend between the familiar and different, allowing repeat riders to warm up to courses from years past.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Back again this year was a fleet of six moderate-sized Uhauls to keep the lines running as quick as possible.

This year, however, additional changes were at hand. A lot of dirt slinging lead into the weekend, which brought a new start platform and reroutes to many of the courses. Most notably, the infamous root section on White Knuckle was replaced by a large table-top that sends riders soaring above a picturesque view of the San Juan Islands. With the site of so many crashes removed, it opened up new options for Cat 3 riders who skipped the Muffin Top trail for the first time in a long while. The Motoguzzi trail also received a reworking for Cat 2 riders, exposing a nest of roots and adding new drops to spice things up.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Clean practice lines from Michael Buckley (Cat 2 Men 15-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  The newly constructed start-platform had a well-received debut over the weekend.

Although Dry Hill’s name suggests an area devoid of rain, the weather is always a wild card for races. Weather during Friday’s practice was reportedly lousy, but Saturday took a turn for the better with the occasional patch of sun. These favorable conditions translated into fast seeding times with Luke Strobel leading the pack for Pro Men, Jaime Rees taking the top for Pro Women, and Jason Eiswald setting a fast time for Juniors that would have scored him a fourth place seeding time in Pro Men.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Ian Carpenter takes the inside line during practice. Carpenter finished fourth on Sunday (Cat 2 Men 15-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  West Coast Racing had a strong weekend, bringing home six top-ten finishes.

Plenty of moisture on the trails made for sloppy conditions come Sunday, and the riders took things less aggressively. Fortunately, the rain only came in faint showers, so spectators were out in strong numbers to cheer the racers on. The riders didn't disappoint, particularly at the large hip-jump on Lower Pro that was the bottom of the course for Cat 1 and Pro Riders. The most impressive stunt of the day went to Daniel Shaw who barely managed to pull back from a solid over-the-bars.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Max Suffin going all-in on White Knuckle (Cat 2 Men 0-14).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Carter Russell (Cat 2 Men 0-14).

At the end of the race, the top three Pro Men times fell within a second. Luke Strobel maintained his lead, Magnus Manson moved up the ranks to take second, and Weston Potter came in barely behind to take third. Jaime Rees dominated the Pro Women's field, and Lauren Heitzman-Patterson edged out Britney White to come in second. Simon Tellier beat Jason Eiswald by a very close .06 seconds for Juniors, while Blake Bunting secured third. Full Results Here.

Spring is officially here and the PNW race scene is off to a great start for the seasons of 2016. The NW Cup returns to Dry Hill next month for the Pro GRT. Come face the trails, dry or not, or settle back for an entertaining weekend of spectating and heckling.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Out with the old and in with table tops with spectacular views. This new jump replaced the infamous roots section on White Knuckle.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  This catch-berm on Queen Diamond quickly filled with muck and loose rock, which made the safety netting a welcome addition. Ian Robinson (Cat 1 Men 19-29).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Eric Meza (Cat 1 Men 19-29).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Bob Stenson leads the group in a game of where's the photographer.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Jason Eiswald (Cat 1 Men 0-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Nick Tuttle finished his run on Sunday with a lead of over 10 seconds (Cat 1 Men 40+).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Rail the corner hard enough and they will cheer. Rye Livingston (Cat 1 Men 19-29).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Aaron Buck catching air on the hip-jump on Lower Pro (Cat 1 Men 30-39).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Corey Craig playing low-and-mean in a dicey corner (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Others didn't fare so well, but a little work to the brake lever and things were running soon.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Matt Orlando sent things a bit too deep and ended off the mark (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Kent Billingsley (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Jake Grob in line for another run before seeding (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  This is Dry Hill!

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Seeding time in the PNW. Cam Quadrille clearing the deep double on the top of Queen Diamond (Cat 1 Men 0-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Jacob Stefiuk holding a fast line on Queen Diamond (Cat 1 Men 0-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Jason Eiswald put in the fastest Junior's seeding run with a time of 02:37.43; a time that would have earned him fourth in Pro Men (Cat 1 Men 0-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Damon Sedivy put together a clean run to finish third for seeding (Cat 1 Men 0-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Kjersti Christensen finished third during seeding but was pushed back to fourth come Sunday (Pro Women).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Adam Ransavage (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Magnus Manson landing on the middle at the bottom of the Pro Course. Manson seeded 9th (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Top: Kevin Littlefield (Pro Men). Bottom: 3,2,1 - last year's overall top three riders wrap up seeding for Saturday. Luke Strobel put in the day's fastest time at 02:35.57 (Pro Men).


NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Good times ahead.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Nick Lerma (Cat 2 Men 19-29) and Sarah Olsen (Cat 2 Women Open).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  The birthday girl, Molly Blair, waiting for the shuttle (Cat 3 Women 0-10).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Left: tools of the trade keeping the Uhauls running smoothly. Right: Shimano was on site all weekend helping to keep riders racing their steeds.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Short push to the start gate.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Sunday's conditions were variable.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Practice laps had a bit more slip than on Saturday.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Eyewear was a good investment for Sunday's mud flinging. James Jacobson (Cat 2 Men 40-49).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Time for one last course-slide before racing began.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Left: Overnight a new grid appeared on the start ramp for added traction. Right: Things were quickly underway after some technical difficulties.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Craig Folsom heads to a first place finish (Cat 1 Men 19-29).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Halvor Norris battling the mud and dark on Queen Diamond (Cat 1 Men 19-29).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Spencer Baldwin laid down a tidy run to take fourth (Cat 1 Men 19-29).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Left: Sandy Densmore (Cat 1 Women Open). Right: Kialani Hines takes the stars and stripes on a ride to victory (Cat 1 Women Open).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Dilion Smith sizes up the patch of freshly unearthed roots on Motoguzzi (Cat 2 Men 19-29).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Chase Peart hits Motoguzzi's signature stump drop (Cat 2 Men 19-29).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  George Peck (Cat 2 Men 30-39).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Doug Park headed for fourth place (Cat 2 Men 40-49).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Gary Goodspeed catches one of the morning's first rays of sun on White Knuckle (Cat 2 Men 50+).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Will Stevenson sporting the custom bar attachments (Cat 2 Men 50+).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Sarah Olsen (Cat 2 Women Open).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Andrea Johnson (Cat 2 Women Open).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Susan Walsh brought her game face Sunday (Cat 2 Women Open).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Jackson Zechnich loses control on White Knuckle (Cat 2 Men 15-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Maximus Fray (Cat 2 Men 15-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Gideon Bender on upper White Knuckle. Bender finished second (Cat 2 Men 15-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Sweetlines Jr. Racing member, Nyla Stephens receives a pre-race high five from coach, Kat Sweet (Cat 2 Women 0-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Brian Stanton headed for first on a very slick Bobcat trail (Cat 3 Men 40-49).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Cam Gibb (Cat 3 Men 11-14).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Mathew Mangano still found time for style during his winning run (Cat 3 Men 11-14).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Monica Keen kept things aggressive earning her a third place finish (Cat 3 Women Open).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Austin Lancaster shaved seven seconds off his seeding time to come in sixth on Saturday (Cat 1 Men 0-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Close Lines. Simon Tellier edged out Jason Eiswald by .06 seconds to take first (Cat 1 Men 0-18 ).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Linnea Rooke makes her way back on track after a tumble past the safety net sent her into the woods (Pro Women).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Britney White (Pro Women).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Lauren Heitzman-Patterson moved up the ranks to finish second (Pro Women).

Jaime Rees Pro Women .
  West Coast Racing's, Jaime Rees lead the pack by six seconds (Pro Women).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Kris Christensen nearing the bottom of the course (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Carson Eiswald put in a solid run for eighth, but it only left him hungry for more at the next race (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Bob Stenson riding clean and pleasing the crowds (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Always remember to stretch kids. Daniel Shaw manages an amazing recovery over the hip jump on Lower Pro (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Alec Watts (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Kevin Littlefield and Nic Rodgers (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Magnus Manson was on point Sunday, cutting six seconds from his seeding time to take second (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Luke Strobel held the lead Sunday, riding his Wreckoning to victory with a time of 02:37.04 (Pro Men).

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Junior Podium: Simon Tellier, Jason Eiswald, Blake Bunting, Damon Sedivy, and Josh Gibb.

Jaime Rees Lauren Heitzman-Patterson Britney White Kjersti Christensen and Kerstin Holster Pro Women .
  Pro Women Podium: Jaime Rees, Lauren Heitzman-Patterson, Britney White, Kjersti Christensen, and Kerstin Holster.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
  Pro Men Podium: Luke Strobel, Magnus Manson, Weston Potter, Kevin Littlefield, and Nic Rodgers.

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA

NW Cup Round One Port Angeles WA
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MENTIONS: @Specialized / @foxracingshox / @shimano / @Fox-Head-Inc



Author Info:
ericashley avatar

Member since Oct 16, 2010
60 articles

39 Comments
  • 33 0
 Great photo recap, as always. Thanks Eric!
  • 3 0
 Well done Eric! Thanks
  • 1 0
 Had the same sentiment, amazing photo coverage, thank you!
  • 13 0
 Awesome write up and photos Eric! This was my first time racing in a NW Cup, and being from Colorado I wasn't quite use to the variable conditions. But the other racers were super friendly and the venue was awesome! I really wish I could race a full NW Cup series this summer.
  • 15 1
 Best write ups in the industry. I feel like I was there! Eric should be at Uci races
  • 9 0
 seriously. The photos are outstanding and he includes all participants. Always look forward to Eric's reports.
  • 15 0
 Was that a win on a... 29er??
  • 5 1
 Yes. Evil Wreckoning with a prototype fox 40.
  • 3 0
 @jjalessi: not really a prototype, appears to be a modified 650b lowers if you zoom in on photos.
  • 4 2
 I don't think that's a prototype. Fox leaves much more tire clearance than that on all their other forks.
  • 3 1
 @cmkneeland: it was a proto, evil said so on their fb page
  • 5 1
 It's a proto, looks like close clearance because of the mud guard he's running. That thing is even more beautiful in person, drool worthy...
  • 8 1
 Would Luke Strobel be competitive at the WC level? And what happened to Ropaleto? Does he not race anymore?
  • 8 0
 And what happened to charlie sponsel?
  • 5 0
 He used to race on the WC circuit. Wouldn't be one of the protected riders, but his results were decent. Who knows how he compares now though.
  • 2 2
 I believe Mitch is riding for Specialized still but focusing on Enduro.
  • 4 0
 He could race at the WC level but i'm not sure he would ever podium. He's still crazy fast and probably one of,if not the fastest in the Northwest,which is saying something. Ropelato was at last years GRT in PA and i'll bet he'll be back at next months GRT in PA. He raced at sea otter DH this year too. He fast and stylish but the big dogs are on another level...
  • 7 0
 With a name like Gary Goodspeed the guy was meant to be a racer.
  • 5 0
 Great pics and write up @ericashley. You always give the NW Cup great coverage.
  • 5 0
 Big, happy dude is an inspiration!
  • 3 0
 Big happy dude is kinda a big deal, you'd be happy to know him, and can usually find him helping out. Behind the scenes winning is so big at these events.
  • 5 0
 I'm so glad it's pajama suit season again!
  • 4 0
 The personal touch to the photos with comments about who they are is dope. Good stuff!
  • 1 0
 How varied are the skills of those racing? Like how many people are racing for the fun of it but aren't near a competitive podium pace?
  • 2 0
 Good times and great write up...
  • 1 0
 Where would I go to find all of the pictures from the race? Looking for me and my girlfriend. @ericashley
  • 1 0
 There are a couple links on the NW Cup facebook page
  • 4 2
 1st pic of article should be of luc.
  • 1 0
 @ericashley *Jim Jacobson
  • 1 0
 Jimmy Jay
  • 2 0
 Good times!
  • 1 0
 This thread is missing a video!
  • 1 1
 When is Luke gonna start rocking the world cup circuit?
  • 3 1
 I PREDICT 2009.
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