Video and Race Report: Eastern States Cup Showdown - Powder Ridge, CT
The second race weekend of 2021 brings us to central Connecticut ski area Powder Ridge. We started racing here last year while looking for alternative venues and racers loved it so much we're back twice this season. Normally a Box Components Showdown weekend would consist of practice Saturday, Enduro Sunday morning and Downhill Sunday afternoon. This weekend things were a bit different, the Maxxis ESC teamed up with Outbound Lighting to host their first ever night Enduro race. The Enduro racers usually heckle on the DH course after their race is over but this time the tables were turned and DH racers could be heard cheering on their pedaling counterparts late into the night. On the Enduro side, it was Steve Estabrook taking gold with Rachel Pageau securing the double victory and sharing the DH top spot with Max Morgan Sunday afternoon. Riders in the Northeast are itching to get back between the tape, with over 200 Enduro entries and one of our biggest DH fields ever with 310 riders dropping in. It was great to see the community back in full force, see old friends and do what we all love. Definitely one of those weekends you replay in your head for the rest of the week at school or work.
Outbound Lighting Night Enduro
Where's Chris Gilbert? Somewhere in there conducting a riders meeting.
Riders got three stages covered before firing up their lights after sunset. Marley Reed has had an amazing start to the season with back to back wins in the 19-29 men's class.
Six pedal transfers up Powder Ridge's retired water slide, three before sunset, three more after dark.
Racers would run Sasquatch for both Stages 1 and 4, although it looked a bit different the second time around.
No time for Trevor Zartan to enjoy the sunset, he rounded out the U15 Boys' top ten.
What came first, the kit or the night race?
Airing back into the base area to chip out and start another pedal transfer.
Foot out, flat out into the final grass corner of the race at the bottom of Wild Turkey.
Matt Sebas proving the consistency of his speed, third place for the Pro Men after winning the season opener. Definitely a top contender for the Enduro overall.
Styling into the sunset by Titus Nicholson, Pro men's class runner up Saturday and fourth place Sunday.
Defiant Racing 1-2 with Steve Estabrook coming out on top, clean sweep of all six stage wins. "I ride with headlights quite a bit in the summer after work, so I was excited to hear of a night race. Everyone was having a good time on the transfers, DH racers were on the hill hollering, I would definitely do one again!"
Kale Cushman improved two places from last race to finish third for the Pro ladies.
Seems Mazie Hayden has been putting in time on the trail bike down south, second place in the Pro women's class with a stage win.
Rachel Pageau didn't have a trail bike after coming back from the NW Cup National race, so she ran what she brought. Five stage wins and a 30 second win margin say it worked just fine.
Intense Downhill
Most of the rock features are toward the top of Wild Turkey, Spoke Apparel's Jack Zenoni makes quick work of this one on his way to secure the U15 boys class win.
Salvatore Martelli risks it for the biscuit and comes out with second place for the Expert 30-39 Men.
First Maxxis ESC race, first place in the Amateur women's class for Killington Mountain School's Lenci Bogdan.
The transition from bright ski trails to dark woods can be tough on the eyes at race speed. ProBuilds rider Jason Beckley bested the Expert 40+ Men by over 2.5 seconds.
After a couple years off from racing, Ian Scaglione came back strong to take the Expert 30-39 men's win.
Old guys can send it too! Craig Riley came for redemption after finishing second here last year, mission accomplished as he took the Amateur 40+ win by .35 of a second.
Chaingang Racing's Cooper Pleva moved up to the Expert 19-29 men's class this year and seems like he'll do just fine, third place and 1.25 off the win.
Defiant Racing's Mazie Hayden rounded out the Pro women's class top three, a solid start to the season but the 2020 series champ will be looking for more speed and a longer track next round.
Racing at Windrock early season has Riley Miller well prepared for chunky, rock filled terrain. Just .28 off the win this weekend.
Despite being up late the night before riding the Enduro race, Rachel Pageau powered through to take the win Sunday afternoon with a final race time of 1:46.72. "It was a super fun weekend, was happy to be back at the Eastern States Cup after almost a year. Very tiring weekend with the heat, Enduro and DH practice and night time Enduro! It was hard to get out of bed (my sleeping bag) on Sunday morning but glad I managed to take the double W nonetheless!"
DH Pro Women: 4th - Kristin Lenart, 2nd - Riley Miller, 1st - Rachel Pageau, 3rd - Mazie Hayden, 5th - Isabel Georgian
Steve Estabrook letting the mullet get some fresh air, third place in the Pro men's class.
ProBuilds Racing's newest recruit and 2020 DH series champ Matt Driscoll is feeling right at home on the TR11. He put together a wild run, missing gold by .61 of a second.
Max Morgan recently moved to Vermont and decided to make the short trip down to Connecticut. He would secure the win with a final race time of 1:30.03, seven seconds faster than last year's winning run. "With limited racing happening last year, it felt great to get back in the swing of things this weekend at Powder Ridge. The shorter track made for some tight racing and left no room for mistakes. I was happy to take the win and can’t wait to get out to more events the rest of the year!"
DH Pro Men: 4th - Titus Nicholson, 2nd - Matt Driscoll, 1st - Max Morgan, 3rd - Steve Estabrook, 5th - Jack Dichiara
The first Box Components Showdown champion of 2021, Brennan Delphia took the night 30-39 men's Enduro win and sixth in Sunday's DH.
A quick reminder that a bad day at the races is better than a good day at work. See you all at the next one!
Words and photos: Andrew Santoro
Video: Jason Scheiding
Full DH Results
Full Enduro Results
Easternstatescup.com
2021 MAXXIS ESC SCHEDULE
MAXXIS ESC SPECIALIZED ENDURO SERIES
May 5 Diamond Hill, RI
May 19 Glen Park, PA - EWS Qualifier
June 2 Thunder Mountain, MA
June 23 Blue Mountain, PA
July 7 Burke Mountain, VT PA - EWS Qualifier
July 14 Plattekill, NY
July 21 Sugarbush, VT
Aug 4 Killington, VT
Aug 18 Plattekill, NY
Sept 8 Glen Park, PA
Sept 29 Mountain Creek, NJ
Oct 6 Thunder, MA Finals PA - EWS Qualifier
MAXXIS ESC INTENSE DOWNHILL SERIES
May 23 Powder Ridge, CT
June 27 Blue Mountain, PA
July 11 Thunder Mountain, MA
July 25 Windham, NY
Aug 29 Blue Mountain, PA
Sept 12 Sugarloaf, ME
Sept 26 Jiminy Peak, MA
Oct 3 Powder Ridge, CT
Oct 24 Mountain Creek, NJ - Series Finals
MAXXIS ESC ENDURO SERIES
May 2 Diamond Hill, RI
May 22 Powder Ridge, CT - Outbound Lighting Night Enduro
June 6 Glen Park, PA
July 11 Thunder Mountain, MA
Aug 22 Arrowhead Recreation Area, NH - EWS Gold Qualifier
Aug 29 Blue Mountain, PA N
Sept 12 Sugarloaf, ME - EWS Gold Qualifier
Sept 26 Jiminy Peak, MA - EWS Gold Qualifier
Oct 2 Powder Ridge, CT - Outbound Lighting Night Enduro
Oct 17 Mountain Creek, NJ - Series Finals
MOTOREX EBIKE ENDURO SERIES
May 2 Diamond Hill, RI
May 22 Powder Ridge, CT
June 6 Glen Park, PA
July 11 Thunder Mountain, MA
Aug 22 Arrowhead, NH
Sept 12 Sugarloaf, ME
Oct 2 Powder Ridge, CT
BOX COMPONENTS SHOWDOWN SERIES
May 22 Powder Ridge, CT
July 11 Thunder Mountain, MA
Aug 29 Blue Mountain, PA
Sept 12 Sugarloaf, ME
Sept 26 Jiminy Peak, MA
Oct 2 Powder Ridge, CT
GT BICYCLES JUNIOR XC CHALLENGE
May 1 Diamond Hill, RI - XC
July 10 Thunder Mountain, MA - XC
GT BICYCLES EAST COAST JUNIOR MTB CHAMPIONSHIPS
Aug 14-15 Blue Mountain, PA - DH - DS - XC - Enduro
Author Info:
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