Race Report: California Enduro Series Finale - Ashland Mountain Challenge
Against all odds, the Ashland Mountain Challenge (AMC) went off without a hitch on a gloriously gorgeous weekend, wrapping up the abbreviated California Enduro Series 2020 season with a bang on October 3-4. The sold-out race was presented by Hope Technology and Ashland Mountain Adventures (AMA), and the event is a highly anticipated racer favorite year after year.
The COVID-19 pandemic had naturally turned things upside down … both figuratively and literally, as it turned out. Per US Forest Service permit requirements, this year’s AMC started AND ended at the top of Mt. Ashland. This meant riders raced their timed stages first, then tackled a mandatory climb all the way back to where they started.
The unconventional four-stage course was set entirely on Mt. Ashland's east side. It served up 4,800 feet of both downhill and climbing — same as past AMCs, only in a different order. In sharp contrast to the past couple of years, 2020’s course was ridiculously dry and slippery (think: minuscule ball bearings on hard pack) … just add FAST and you can imagine the challenging FUN racers were treated to.
To get to Stage 1, riders sent it down Upper Bull Gap, a primitive service road that’s being slowly but surely taken over by the forest … and plenty of loose, chunky rocks. Riders continued on to the start of Stage 1 with some muscle-warming cross-country pedaling on Lower Bull Gap singletrack.
The first stage of the day ran on Lower Bull Gap’s downhill section plus the upper portion of Missing Link and featured tons of rocks, roots, tight corners and flowy berms. This stage was the FOX Queen Stage, in which the racer from each category with the fastest time received bonus points toward overall ranking.
After a short uphill transfer, riders took on Stage 2, which ran on the lower part of Missing Link and the ever-popular Catwalk. This latter track starts off with a slabby rock garden, then segues into the furiously fast “freeway” and finishes with a zig-zag descent. Savvy racers shaved off time by setting up for full-on sprints out of the tight corners as they charged to the stage finish.
Another short transfer delivered racers to the top of Stage 3, which included Lizard, Caterpillar and Rabbit Hole. This stage was all about pumping and flow, keeping it upright on fast, dry corners and making the most out of rollers, tables, and banked berms.
From the bottom of 3, riders took on a longer transfer to their final stage, Marty’s. Racers were stoked for this stage as it was new to the AMC course. Adding to the stoke (and perhaps introducing a bit of trepidation for some), the stage delivered a particularly sketchy, techy, steep bit along the way. The dry conditions made this section even spicier… and as we all know, enduro racers live for spice!
But ... how ‘bout that pedal back up? Hehe, suck it up buttercup, this ain’t no DH race. From the bottom of their final run (Stage 4), riders made a mandatory 11-mile climb back to where they started their race — the Mt. Ashland Ski Lodge parking area — where a socially-distanced awards ceremony took place each day.
Pro Men, Pro Women, Sport and Beginner riders raced on Saturday; Junior Pro, Master Pro and all Expert riders took on Sunday. Both days being warm and sunny, the blue skies and fresh air were a sweet escape from the smoke-filled environment most racers had left at home.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the usual post-race feast couldn’t take place; instead, race organizer Ashland Mountain Adventures provided each racer with a meal voucher for Falafel Republic and a drink voucher for Gil's. Overall, riders welcomed the unusual “upside-down” day and had a blast racing with friends on an exciting course.
Huge thanks to Bill and Sue ‘n crew of AMA for yet another stellar event. With a season scattered with cancellations and postponements, it was great to wrap up the year on this incredibly positive note.
2020, take THAT!
Scroll down for more photos from the event by Bixxel Media. Check out full AMC race results and podium shots for all categories here.
Massive thanks from the CES crew to everyone who hung in there with us over this unpredictable and unusual season. We truly appreciate your commitment to the series — your passion and support inspired us to work hard to ensure the best series possible under even the most extenuating of circumstances!
2020 SERIES CHAMPS
A shout of congratulations to this season’s series champions Marco Osborne and Amy Morrison, with a special shout to Morrison for dominating the season by winning a whopping dozen of the 14 stages!
Joining Osborne in the top five Pro Men overall are Cody Kelley in 2nd, Todd Renwick in 3rd, Max Sedlak in 4th, and Dillon Santos in 5th.
Accompanying Morrison in the top five Pro Women overall are Porsha Murdock in 2nd, Essence Florie in 3rd, Isabella Naughton in 4th, and Erin McCaleb in 5th.
View series overall individual results for all categories here.
2020 TEAM CHAMPS
Congrats as well to Scotts Valley Cycle Sport and Team Midpack who tied for first place in the team competition. Team Mike’s Bikes took 3rd, while Summit/BLS/Deschutes and MTB Experience tied for 4th. Thank you all for racing!
View all team results here.
2020 FOX / RACE FACE STAGE WINS
In addition to the FOX Queen Stage that added bonus points to the series overall standings to the winner of the stage in each category, Race Face Performance Products awarded a winner’s choice bar/stem/grips combo to both the amateur male and amateur female racer with the most stage wins.
Hunter Preston won for amateur male with eight stage wins out of 14 stages that made up the three races of the 2020 CES.
There were two female racers, Daisy James and Hannah Spendlove, with the same number of five stage wins.
Congrats to Hunter, Daisy, and Hannah. View all FOX / Race Face Stage Wins here.
ENTER TO WIN A SPECIALIZED E-MTB OR MTB AND SUPPORT FIRE RELIEF EFFORTS
100% of the proceeds to benefit fire relief efforts, as well as trail projects in two of our beloved racing communities!
Thanks to this year's title sponsor Specialized, CES has two Specialized bikes to raffle off at the end of this unprecedented season.
The winning tickets for a 2020 Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon and a 2020 Specialized Enduro Expert will be pulled on October 31, 2020.
Proceeds from this raffle were originally slated to benefit the series — we're a 501(c)3 non-profit organization — as well as trail projects in two of the communities that host races on the series schedule: Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association (RVMBA) and Siskiyou Outdoor Recreation Alliance (SORA).
However, in light of devastating wildfires that have impacted many friends in the CES community, we at CES are donating 100% of our portion to fire relief efforts where it's most needed.
In addition to donating our portion of the Specialized raffle proceeds, CES is also donating 100% of the funds raised from this season's FOX raffles. Five FOX forks and four Transfer seatposts have already been raffled off — there's one more of each still up for grabs.
Raffle tickets are $5 each, or five for $20 and twelve for $40. You need not be present to win, and your prize can be shipped anywhere around the globe. Bike winners get their choice of frame size and color. Fork winners get their choice of a 36 or 38; seatpost winners get their choice of size.
Community is the heart of the California Enduro Series. Please help us help others and get the chance to win an incredible eMTB, mountain bike, fork or seatpost while you're at it!
Purchase tickets on-line here.
ABOUT CES
CES is a for riders, by riders non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting world-class enduro events that everyone from amateur to pro can enjoy, at a geographically diverse range of venues. Full CES schedule at californiaenduroseries.com.
CES is made possible by the generous sponsorship of industry and community businesses. The series is grateful for the continued support of title sponsor Specialized, official suspension sponsor FOX, Race Face, WTB, Voler, Cranked Naturals, Michael David Winery, Adventure Sports Journal, Intense, and Zodiac Lights. Plus, big thanks and a huge welcome to new sponsors SANS, User Testing, Galfer USA and GÜP!
Contact us at sponsorship@californiaenduro if you’d like to get involved and be part of CES’ 2021 season.
Words by Michele Charboneau Lamelin / Photos by Bixxel Media
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56 Comments
For example, course favorite Nathan Riddle (out this year with a broken collar bone), won on a SC Blur with the WTB riddler on front and rear last year. Albeit, the course was different last year and but gives you an idea of how important it is to have fast rolling tires and pedaling efficient bike!
Yup, and Joshua Kahn podiumed on Nathan's Blur in pro class a couple years ago.
1. Ashland isn't a bike park. They are just locally made and maintained trails that start at the ski hill parking lot.
2. You should look at a land ownership map of the Bay. Puts into perspective how hard it'd be to stuff in a bike park.
3. The Bay is great for xc mtb. Anything more rowdy (with very few exceptions) and you have to go into the Sierra's or SC
@Jimmy0 lol "state of jefferson" is even less feasible than socal breaking off.