Video & Race Report: Eastern States Cup Showdown in Blue Mountain, PA by Eastern-States-Cup

Maxxis ESC Oakley Showdown - Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania

Words: Eastern States Cup

From Sugarloaf, Maine last week all the way down to Palmerton, Pennsylvania this week, the season is in full swing! Hosting our races since 2014, Blue Mountain has become a mainstay on the Maxxis ESC schedule. Known for its loose rocks, dusty corners and savagely fast DH track, riders know to bring extra tires and wheels when making the trip to Blue. Fast tracks made for tight racing and with twelve classes posting first time winners this weekend, the vibes were high at awards Sunday afternoon.

The trails at blue are littered with loose rocks that move under your tires or just straight up puncture them. The DH track has been well used over the years, leading to axle deep gullies and exposed roots that will pull your tire off line.

Our friends from Intense Cycles were on site this weekend with all kinds of demo bikes. That new alloy Tazer is looking real nice front and center.

We had to come all the way to the Poconos to experience a dry race weekend, but the drive was well worth it.

One of the best camping weekends of the season.

Stan's Enduro

After a nice morning lift ride, racers kicked off their day with a scenic views on Chutes & Ladders. 2022 Showdown series overall champion Mongoose Karsay rode to third place in the 50+ Masters class.

It's been a few years since we've seen former ESC North American DH team member Avi Erlich between the tape but he was right back up to speed, finishing second in the 21-29 men's class with a pair of stage wins.

Matthew Keegan sends it into the first woods section of the day, he would finish second in the GT 16U boys class.

Seeing as all stages are lift access this weekend, Jason Beckley opted for the DH bike. He would go third in the morning and fourth in the afternoon to finish second in the Oakley Showdown.

There's no pedal transfers this weekend, so enjoy a Kate's bar on the lift.

Solid weekend all around for Josh Schmidt, a pair of second place race results and first in the Oakley Showdown.

Serefina Krajewsk would win two stages, earning second place and her best Pro result yet.

Second Pro women's class win of the season for Mia Migliorino by a margin of 24 seconds.

Stan's Enduro Pro Women: 1st - Mia Migliorino, 2nd - Serefina Krajewski

Willem Cooper would round out the Pro Men's top three and represent for the veterans, standing on a podium surrounded by the next gen all 15 years his junior.

Adrian Hayden pushes through the rough stuff, he would finish runner up for the Pro Men with a win on Stage 4.

Tucker Shearer has had a slew of Pro men's class podium results this season and finally reached the top step this weekend. He would win four stages with a total race time of 17 minutes flat.

Stan's Enduro Pro Men: 5th - Luke Mello, 3rd - Willem Cooper, 1st - Tucker Shearer, 2nd - Adrian Hayden, 4th - Noah Couture

Intense Downhill

Matt Spain was on one this weekend, taking the Expert 16U win and posting the third fastest time of the day.

Derrick Hannon added a little style to his seeding run, he would end up second in the 40-49 Expert class on Sunday.

Marco Vasquez kept his run tidy to land on top of the Expert 19-29 box by four seconds.

No pre jump or scrub for Cooper Pleva, he would send it to flat and keep it rolling right into fourth place, his best Pro result to date.

Jesse Brunelle traded in his trail bike for the big rig this weekend and rode to his first Expert 18U class win, edging out Marcos Rivero by just 0.38s.

Beck Toro Gordon activated hyperspeed and flew into the Single Crown class win by nearly eleven seconds.

Victoria Zenoni speeds through the final woods and into third place for the Pro ladies.

Lenci Bogdan lets it roll down the steeps, she would end up P2 when the dust settled Sunday afternoon.

First win of the season for Mazie Hayden and she got it done by a commanding margin of 7.7s, leading all three segments.

Intense DH Pro Women: 2nd - Lenci Bogdan, 1st - Mazie Hayden, 3rd - Victoria Zenoni

One heck of a successful weekend for second year Pro Noah Couture, fourth in Enduro followed up by third in DH.

KMS head coach Dylan Conte held it down for the seasoned vets, putting down a heater that would fall just 0.67s short of 1st.

Jersey boy Tyler Zenoni would post the fastest time in seeding then drop last and back it up on Sunday, earning his first Pro men's class win with a 2:33.22.

Intense DH Pro Men: 4th - Cooper Pleva, 2nd - Dylan Conte, 1st - Tyler Zenoni, 3rd - Noah Couture, 5th - Steve Estabrook

Oakley Showdown Men: 2nd - Jason Beckley, 1st - Josh Schmidt

That's a wrap from PA! Stan's Enduro racers will head back to New Hampshire to battle it out on the steep loamers of Arrowhead Recreation Area. We'll see everyone else at Thunder Mountain on Sept. 17th for our final Oakley Showdown weekend of the season.

Words and photos: Andrew Santoro
Video: Seth Merritt

Stan's Enduro Results
Intense DH Results
Race Recap Podcast
Easternstatescup.com

2023 MAXXIS ESC PRESENTED BY KATE'S REAL FOOD SCHEDULE

INTENSE CYCLES DOWNHILL SERIES
April 30 Powder Ridge, CT
June 18 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 25 Killington, VT
July 23 Sugarbush, VT
July 30 Mount Snow, VT
Aug 20 Sugarloaf, ME
Aug 27 Blue Mountain, PA
Sept 17 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 8 Powder Ridge, CT
Oct 15 Killington, VT Series Finals

STAN'S ENDURO SERIES
May 21 Powder Ridge, CT
June 4 Glen Park, PA
June 18 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 25 Killington, VT
July 8 Arrowhead, NH – Outbound Night Enduro
July 23 Sugarbush, VT
Aug 6 Burke, VT
Aug 20 Sugarloaf, ME
Aug 27 Blue Mountain, PA
Sept 10 Arrowhead, NH
Sept 17 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 1 Woodstock, VT
Oct 29 Thunder Mountain, MA Series Finals

OAKLEY SHOWDOWN SERIES
June 18 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 25 Killington, VT
July 23 Sugarbush, VT
Aug 20 Sugarloaf, ME
Aug 27 Blue Mountain, PA
Sept 17 Thunder Mountain, MA Series Finals

MOTOREX EBIKE ENDURO SERIES
May 21 Powder Ridge, CT
June 4 Glen Park, PA
July 8 Arrowhead, NH – Outbound Night Enduro
August 20 Sugarloaf, ME
Sept 10 Arrowhead, NH
Sept 17 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 1 Woodstock, VT
Oct 29 Thunder Mountain, MA Series Finals