NCS Finals Mount Snow

The 2002 NCS finals wrapped up this weekend in Mt Snow, Vermont with John Kirkaldie and Sabrina Jonnier taking the overall downhill titles. In the mountaincross, it was Brian Lopes and Katrina Miller winning the overall titles. Roland Green took his seventh straight NCS win in the men's XC to secure his place in history with the most consecutive wins. Canadian Dustin Adams finished third in the overall DH standings behind young Aussie Mick Hannah.

After qualifying first, Lopes easily advanced into the finals on the tough, contact filled course that claimed many victims including Eric Carter who suffered a mild concussion from his crash. Lining up against Lopes in the finals was Haro teammates Mike King and Mick Hannah, and newcomer Chris Powell. The riders finished in that order giving Lopes the first ever NCS Mountaincross Title.

Mountaincross Final Standings

MEN
1. BRIAN LOPES, 680 POINTS
2. WADE BOOTES, 520
3. MIKE KING, 440
4. ERIC CARTER, 380
5. THOMAS ALLIER, 360
6. BRIAN SCHMITH, 280
7. CEDRIC GRACIA, 260
8. NATHAN RENNIE, 220
9. RICH HOUSEMAN, 200

10. JARED RANDO, 160

Katrina Miller, Sabrina Jonnier and Tai-Lee Muxlow filled the top 3 spots on the podium and Miller looks ready for the Worlds coming up in Kaprun where she'll have to face perennial favorite Anne-Caroline Chausson. With Tara Llanes out of the picture after Durango's crash that broke her collarbone and some ribs, it was eventual fourth place finisher Melissa Buhl taking home the US Mountaincross title.


WOMEN
1. KATRINA MILLER, 620 POINTS
2. SABRINA JONNIER, 600
3. MELISSA BUHL, 440
4. TARA LLANES, 380
5. TAI-LEE MUXLOW, 360
6. JILL KINTNER, 340
7. DIANA MARGGRAFF, 280
8. VANESSA QUIN, 280
9. GALE DAHLAGER, 240
10. MIO SUEMASA, 220

In the downhill, Kirkaldie and Chris Kovarik entered the race tied for the overall lead meaning top finisher here would take the crown. Kirkaldie suffered a flat in qualifying and was forced to pass 2 slower riders on his race run into 4th spot, but it was Kovarik's race mechanical that relegated him to 49th for the day. Johnny Waddell of SunRace/Santa Cruz had his best ever finish on top of the podium while Mick Hannah and Dustin Adams finished 2 and 4 seconds back respectively. Eric Carter recovered enough from Saturday's crash to finish 14th on the day and take the US Downhill title narrowly besting Colin Bailey in the standings.

Mt Snow Downhill Results

MEN
1. JOHN WADDELL (AUS), SUNRACE/SANTA CRUZ, 4:00.2
2. MICK HANNAH (AUS), HARO LEE D, 4:02.5
3. DUSTIN ADAMS (CAN), GIANT BICY, 4:04.4
4. JOHN KIRKCALDIE (NZ), MAXXIS, 4:05.5
5. JARED RANDO (AUS), FOES/AZONI, 4:05.6
6. MARKOLF BERCHTOLD (BRA), GLOBAL RCG, 4:07.2
7. KIRT VOREIS (USA), HARO LEE D, 4:07.6
8. GARY HOUSEMAN (USA), TEAM HOUSE, 4:08.9
9. MYLES ROCKWELL (USA), GIANT BICY, 4:10.9
10. TODD LEDUC (USA), FOES/AZONI, 4:13.0

In the Women's downhill, it was Tracey Moseley outriding Jonnier by 4.32, finishing with a mark of 4:37.69. Missy Giove, Marla Streb and Tai-Lee Muxlow rounded out the podium. Lisa Sher's 6th place finish on the day was enough to give her the US Downhill title, the Chumba Wumba rider's first such finish.





WOMEN
1. TRACY MOSELEY (GB), TEAM KONA, 4:37.7
2. SABRINA JONNIER (F), INTENSE, 4:42.0
3. MISSY GIOVE (USA), GLOBAL RAC, 4:42.3
4. MARLA STREB (USA), LUNA WOMEN, 4:44.7
5. TAI-LEE MUXLOW (AUS), DIRTWORKS/, 4:46.9
6. LISA SHER (USA), CHUMBA WUM, 4:48.7
7. KATHY PRUITT (USA), SUNRACE/ S, 4:50.4
8. VANESSA QUIN (NZL), INTENSE CY, 5:03.0
9. DIANA MARGGRAFF (ECU), ROYAL ORAN, 5:05.3
10. MELISSA BUHL (USA), ODI SOUTHR, 5:07.9

FINAL OVERALL STANDINGS

MEN
1. Kirkcaldie, 850 points
2. Hannah, 808
3. Adams, 792
4. Rando, 746
5. Kovarik, 740
6. Waddell, 712
7. Carter, 708
8. Rockwell, 658
9. Rankin, 636
10. Voreis, 634


WOMEN
1. Jonnier, 928 points
2. Moseley, 910
3. Sher, 830
4. Streb, 786
5. Pruitt, 724
6. Quin, 706
7. Lawyer, 702
8. Buhl, 656
9. Irving, 642
10. Bourque, 638

Racing gets back under way at the Worlds in Kaprun on August 28th.