Photo Recap: Kamikaze Pro GRT - California
The Kamikze Games Pro GRT was a race filled with steep rocky chutes, lots of loose dirt and some big drops. Mammoth has really stepped up the course for this year, with riders dropping in on Pinball trail. This newly resurrected track was one of the most challenging courses on the circuit and it put the riders through the ringer. Rumor has it that Mammoth might be putting their name in the hat for bringing a World Cup back to US soil, and this track was set to show off what they could provide. At the end of the day Aaron Gwin took the win for the Elite Men with Bubba Warren finishing just a couple seconds behind. The rest of the men's field was stacked with many of the usual Pro GRT riders who put down impressive runs with a surprisingly small amount of carnage. On the women's side, Camila Nogueira took first with a massive lead of nearly twenty seconds. Samantha Soriano and Amanda Wentz rounded out the Women's Elite top three.
There was an easy ride-around to this drop, but launching it saved precious time.
Lift up, push out
Folks riding the gondola were treated to some pretty good views of the course.
It was great to see so many of the women competitors hitting this feature.
Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
The downhill course had no shortage of steep and rocky.
Cole Suetos was the fasted junior on course today and finished five seconds ahead of his next competitor.
The views aren't too bad around here'
Practice train.
Clean and clear skies, despite the small fires burning in the area.
The final drop on Pinball was one of the gnarlier looking feature on the course and...
...Some riders had some trouble in this section.
Samantha Kingshill, navigating the tech
Samantha Soriano finished second in Elite Women.
Camila Nogueira was the fasted Elite woman of the day.
Solo lift rides.
Looking toward the top of the downhill course.
Jeff Leishman, entering the start of the steep section on Upper Velocity.
Tyler Ervin, riding through the gauntlet.
An alternative line.
Believe it or not, this section didn't cause as many crashes as you may imagine.
Second place Cat 1 Junior Men, Dante Silva.
Third place Cat 1 Junior Men, Spencer Ervin.
Your on-course announcer for the day.
Goggles optional.
Shane Leslie on course.
Christian Gonzalez.
Even on the rocks, traction was hard to come by.
Mikey Haderer, warming up before his tandem run down the Megakami.
Logan Binggeli, adding another good result to his Pro GRT season.
Unicorns are real in Mammoth.
Santa Cruz rider Kiran Mackinnon.
Bubba Warren took second place for Elite Men, only 2 second behind Gwin.
No surprise here, Aaron Gwin for the win.
Women's Elite podium.
Men's Elite podium.
Results
Men
1st. Aaron Gwin
2nd. Austin Warren
3rd. Charles Frydendal
4th. Nikolas Nestoroff
5th. Steven Walton
Women
1st. Camila Nogueria
2nd. Samantha Soriano
3rd. Amanda Wentz
4th. Heather Munive
5th. Tasa Herndon
Click Here for Full Results
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29 Comments
- 33 0
gumbytex
(Sep 25, 2018 at 12:06)
Gwin's eyes are focused farther down the track than anyone else's eyes that you can see.
- 35 0
acali
(Sep 25, 2018 at 13:46)
Some say he was looking all the way to Mont Sainte Anne.
- 1 0
ShempHoward
(Sep 25, 2018 at 15:38)
Gwinnin yeaahh, that track looks like mega fun.
- 1 0
lyleo
(Sep 26, 2018 at 9:33)
that you can see... theres a lot of tinted googles
- 17 1
Aikow
(Sep 25, 2018 at 12:35)
Mammoth would be great to host a WC. I would be fun to see the reaction from the WC riders to starting a race from 11,000 feet (3300 meters)!
- 4 2
siderealwall2
(Sep 25, 2018 at 16:13)
World Cup on DC-10 would be the race of the decade. Main problem is that Mammoth is 5 horrible hours of driving from the closest International Airport.
- 15 0
suspended-flesh
FL (Sep 25, 2018 at 16:30)
@siderealwall2: I just drove there from the Bay through Yosemite - not horrible more like epic.
- 4 2
siderealwall2
(Sep 25, 2018 at 16:36)
@endlessblockades: Talking about LAX, Route 395, but Route 120 from the Bay is an absolute treat.
- 1 1
suspended-flesh
FL (Sep 25, 2018 at 16:57)
@siderealwall2: You're right, they'd probably fly into LAX. San Jo or even SFO would be better but yeah.....120 was sweet and so is 108. Love going to Mammoth this time of year.
- 5 0
mtb-mech
(Sep 25, 2018 at 18:34)
@siderealwall2: Reno claims to be an international airport. More like 2 to 3 hours.
- 9 0
Stevenwalton206
(Sep 25, 2018 at 21:48)
@siderealwall2: only 5 hours from the closest international airport? Sounds a lot like Fort Bill, or numerous other WC’s. I don’t think it’d be an issue at all
- 1 1
dangry
(Sep 26, 2018 at 11:26)
@siderealwall2: It's like a 45 minute flight from LAX to MMH (Mammoth Yosemite Airport - 10 minutes from town). United flies that route commercially year-round.
- 13 0
mtbingpctpc
(Sep 25, 2018 at 13:12)
Over at VitalMTB they have a raw video of this race and it’s absolutely insane
- 8 0
suspended-flesh
FL (Sep 25, 2018 at 13:42)
That is worth watching - lots of rodeo riding!
- 10 0
preach
(Sep 25, 2018 at 12:32)
mammoth has some incredible terrain, but I swear the top 20% of the mountain is like riding on the moon.
- 1 0
joedave
(Sep 25, 2018 at 23:14)
As in antigravity or moondust or both? Either way I vote for a DHWC race here... chyeah, um dudoy!
- 1 0
mfoga
(Sep 26, 2018 at 20:36)
@jdsusmc: more like kitty litter.
- 6 0
gumbytex
(Sep 25, 2018 at 12:25)
NOBODY TOOK THE DOLLAR?!
- 1 0
theronsta
FL (Sep 25, 2018 at 19:39)
Anyone else noticing Gwin’s cockpit only has two cables (left and right brakes) and it appears the shifter housing is much larger than a regular one..could Trp be developing a wireless dh drivetrain?
- 4 0
leafyboss
(Sep 25, 2018 at 20:00)
Rear brake line looks a lot thicker than the front line, I bet the derailer cable and brake housing are combined into one.
- 3 0
siderealwall2
(Sep 25, 2018 at 22:47)
@leafyboss: Very common trick in DH racing is to use electrical tape and wind the two cables together and over the crown steerer so the derailleur hose doesn't rub the plate.
- 2 0
SonofBovril
(Sep 26, 2018 at 0:51)
There is definitely a shifter cable there.
- 2 0
Robrobot
(Sep 25, 2018 at 13:35)
I would like the see the Kamikaze as a WC downhill again but with a four racer at a time format.
- 2 0
hgrenade
(Sep 25, 2018 at 12:21)
Awesome coverage Trevor _\m/
- 2 0
unloadingsomuch
(Sep 25, 2018 at 18:48)
These pics are great, but vitalmtb.com's Raw video is insane!
- 2 0
Edwardsjr1
(Sep 26, 2018 at 5:58)
The course was gnarly. I fell
- 1 0
legitamrerican
(Sep 25, 2018 at 12:35)
Gwin's Eyes are hAunting the trail ahead!
- 1 0
theronsta
FL (Sep 25, 2018 at 19:40)
Never mind I can barely see the separate cables
- 1 0
coffeemakesroll
(Sep 25, 2018 at 15:44)
sandbagger hehe
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