Head to Head: Giant Dual Slalom Photo Epic - Crankworx Whistler 2017
Under cloudy skies and light rain, the select 16 men and 8 women took to the slalom track through Whistler's infamous Boneyard to see who would reign supreme in the head to head format. The track itself may look familiar to you, as it is identical to the one run earlier in the week for Speed & Style with the only modification being the removal of the wooden ramps. And with less turns and a focus on rhythm sections, it seemed like a hybrid between a slalom and a pump track.
As always in gated racing, the start would be of utmost importance, and riders who were able to get the power down early were able to pressure the chasing rider into mistakes. Not surprisingly it would be the man with the most horsepower at Crankworx, Tomas Slavic who would come out on top in the men's race over the versatile skills of Bas van Steenbergen. And for the ladies, we would see a repeat matchup on last night's pump track between Jill Kintner and Caroline Buchanan. Only this time the result would be the opposite with Jill taking home gold.
As a result, Jill all but sealed the Queen on Crankworx crown on the women's side of things, while Adrien Loron wrapped the title up to take home the hefty cash prize for the men.
Barry Nobles might not have had as much luck as his Airborne team mates this Crankworx, but that won't be stifling his stoke.
Jacob Dickson and Mitch Chubey facing-off.
Steffi Marth and Bex Baraona going full enduro with their water bottle cages. Well, it's not always easy bringing multiple bikes to Whistler...
Dakotah Norton head to head with Tomas Slavik.
Slavik put the power down on everyone out of the gate and never looked back.
Slavik creeping away from Dakota Norton.
Ropo versus Kasper Dean in the round of 16.
It would be third place today for Mitch Ropleato.
Bas van Steenbergen dispatched of all challengers until he drew Slavik in the final round.
Dakotah Norton got caught out on one of the flat loose corners and threw away his lead over Slavik in the round of 16.
Cody Kelley rails one of the few banked corners in the round of 16.
Cody Kelley through one of the old school flat corners.
Strait and Cody Johnson duking it out.
Slavik ready to send Joey Foresta on his way.
Jill Kintner made quick work of her challengers in the first two rounds.
After taking the runner up spot last night, Jill would settle for nothing short of a win in dual slalom.
Ropo ending DH racer, Dickson's cross-over dreams.
Strait loves the slalom event and looked thunderously fast between the gates.
Nobles about to see off the 5-time Garbo champ.
Loron came close, but it was Strait who would move on.
Loron had a close battle with Kyle Strait in the round of 8.
Caroline Buchanan still thirsty for more after yesterday's late night antics.
Buchanan out front and all alone during the round of 8.
Strait versus Loron was a mighty tight match.
Adrien Loron was eliminated early on but he would take home enough points to seal the King of Crankworx title.
The rain kindly decided to call it quits before the semi-final got underway.
Kyle Strait came up against Mitch Ropelato in the small final but would have to settle for 4th.
Buchanan's insane gate skills already giving her the snap on Baraona.
It would be 4th on the night for EWS specialist Bex Baraona.
Nobles and Van Steenbergen both won their turns in the red lane, but Bas trumped Barry in the blue.
Kiliana Hines neck and neck with Caroline Washam, but losing out eventually.
Bas van Steenbergen won the tight heat against Kyle Strait to advance to the finals.
The semi final between Bas and Kyle was the closest match up, coming down to just 0.05 seconds.
Bas doing his best to spoil Kyle's evening.
Caroline Washam would take home bronze in the women's race.
Ropelato sent Strait packing in the pumptrack race last night and as much as Strait would have loved to take his revenge, it wasn't to be.
Good game, good game. Mitch takes the last spot on the podium after taking the small final win against Kyle.
How many Kinter-Buchanan battles have we seen already and how many to come?
Caroline Buchanan put the pressure on during the second run, but it was not enough to take down Jill Kintner tonight.
After losing out to Caroline in the pump battle last night, this was war for Jill.
Kintner with her eyes well fixed on the prize.
Caroline Buchanan's horsepower just wasn't enough tonight against her rival Jill Kintner.
High five on another fine day of being the fastest ladies in the world.
A very happy Jill Kintner after taking the win.
Bas was oh so close in the second heat of the finals, but the horsepower of Slavik proved to have no equal.
After losing out to Loron in the Speed and Style earlier in the week, this was Slavik's last chance to go for gold here in Whistler.
Slavik and Van Steenbergen went 1 and 2.
Victory horns for the Czech Republic's fastest export.
Bas van Steenbergen limbering up before the podium.
Slavik super stoked on his slalom successes.
The top three men and women in tonight's Crankworx Dual Slalom.
Slavik and Kintner make it rain from atop the podium.
MENTIONS: @GiantBicycle / @officialcrankworx / @natedh9 / @davetrumpore
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
8 Comments
- 2 1
mtbforlife4
(Aug 19, 2017 at 8:53)
Someone get Caroline some more powerful brakes so she can 1 finger brake, there are three pictures where she's pulling with 2 fingers!
- 2 0
pizzakoop
FL (Aug 19, 2017 at 4:00)
Caroline Buchanan was running a giant saddle? anyone know why
- 10 3
MmmBones
(Aug 19, 2017 at 4:28)
for her bootius maximus?
- 3 0
liamOenduro
(Aug 19, 2017 at 4:55)
She was also racing a polygon trid zz all stickered up with airborne stuff instead of a hardtail.
- 2 1
bcbud
(Aug 19, 2017 at 2:53)
Curious to know wheel size for the rider? 26" or 27.5"?
- 2 9
sharpiemtb
FL (Aug 19, 2017 at 5:52)
(Below Threshold)
26 is dead
- 3 0
davetrumpore
(Aug 19, 2017 at 8:03)
Bas on 26"
- 1 1
hfranklin
(Aug 19, 2017 at 9:37)
No love for past Queens. Only busted grills.
Login or Sign Up