Vittoria ESC Killington Enduro Finals - Race Report and Video
The Vittoria ESC community gathered at Killington Resort in Vermont this weekend for the culmination of the 2017 Enduro Series. Double points meant everyone was gunning for the overall win along with piles of prizes from our sponsors and over $6,000 cash money. Between racers and the goods were six lengthy stages, spanning Killington Bike Park from Ramshead Mountain all the way to Bear Mountain. Over 200 people getting together to ride bikes in perfect weather at one of the finest venues the East Coast has to offer is the recipe for one hell of a weekend.
It may be the first week of Fall but things haven't quite cooled down yet here in New England, temperatures reached the mid 80's this weekend under bluebird skies.
After quite a few soaker races this summer, it was nice to see completely clear skies all weekend.
A few of our stages have been used as Vittoria ESC and ProGRT downhill courses in the past, excuse the bike parts that didn't survive.
Six stages and double points for all the marbles this weekend.
Beautiful weather for a bike race, morning riders meeting with 200+ riders ready to rip!
We kicked off the day with an action-packed roller coaster ride down Snowdon Mountain via Steel Panther.
Proper stretching is very important, especially when racing so you don't cramp up half way through the day.
The always stylish Dylan Conte showing off his new rainbow spokes on the Goat Skull portion of stage two, he finished eighth for the Pro Men.
Alisha Darin floated through one of the many rock gardens on stage three, which ran Scarecrow to Low Rider. We've used this section in an ESC DH course in the past, it's no joke! Alisha finished third in the Pro Women's field, matching her best finish this season.
Fastline Racing's Jason Scheiding opting to take another line through the same rocky section of Stage 3, he would land in fifth for the Pro Men on Sunday.
Jason Becker won four of six stages for the 15-18 Boys and topped the field of 29 by 51 seconds with a time that would have placed him 9th for the Pro Men.
Defiant Racing's Titus Nicholson spent most of his summer on the big bike following the ProGRT and World Cup DH race schedule, turns out the kid can pedal too. Third for the 15-18 Boy's class.
Jason Memmelaar putting some G's into his suspension on stage five, he won this and the final stage to finish second on the day for the Pro Men.
Vittoria Tires Athlete Adam Morse is an enduro machine bolting out of the woods, from dirt to rock back to dirt on Yo Vinny toward a third for the Pro Men and the series championship. Adam credits Vittoria Tires for a flat free season!
Yo Vinny, watch out for those burrs on the cornah of stage five right after that big rock slab rollah!
Kimberley Quinlan flying around an open ski trail corner on Stage 5 on her way to finishing fourth for the Pro Women, her best result of 2017.
Aftershock Racing's Pete Welch sending it off the concrete structure and down the bridge on our Alex Rims Super Stage 6, he would go on to take seventh for the 30-39 Men.
Brooks Curran topped a hugely competitive field of 42 19-29-year-old men to take the win in his first season racing the Vittoria ESC. Hope to see you back next season, Brooks!
Jeremy Fahey dropping into first place for the 40-49 Men, his third win of the season and second in a row.
NBX Bikes' Nick Gironi muscling through one of the final rocky sections of The Beast on Stage 6, he would take sixth place for the 15-18 Boys.
Michael Maldonado racing a long afternoon shadow at the bottom of Stage 6, he would finish third for the CLIF Kids and take the overall series win.
Lauren Petersen has been consistently fast all season, finishing on the podium at all 11 races she entered in 2017. She won the first three stages, finished second on the final three and was able to claim second place for the Pro Women's class.
Who won the last three stages? Canadian Rachel Pageau, who has been unstoppable all season and won the race by four seconds. The battle between her and Lauren has been back and forth all season, just five points separated them going into the final race. Awesome stuff from the Pro Women!
2017 has been KHS Factory racer Seamus Powell's year, top honors on Sunday for the National Enduro Champ, who won four of six stages for the Pro Men.
The sight of the Stage 6 chip-out point was bittersweet as it was the end of an exhausting day on the bike but also the final stage of an amazing race season.
We have not just one bike check this week, not two, but three! Check out the specs on Chris, George and Steve's Transition Patrols below.
Frame: Transition Patrol Carbon
Fork: Fox Factory Float 36 , 74 PSI ,
Rebound: 6 clicks from open, High speed 13 clicks from open compression:
Low speed compression: 3 clicks from open
Rear shock: Fox Float X2 , 180PSI
Compression: 14 clicks High speed, 19 clicks Low Speed
Rebound: 16 clicks High speed, 19 clicks Low speed
Shifter: Box One Push-Push
Derailleur: Box One 11 Speed
Cassette: Box One 11 Speed
Wheels: Alex Rims VED4 - 28 Spoke
Tires: Vittoria Martello 2.5 front, 19PSI, Vittoria Morsa 2.5 rear, 21PSI - Tubeless
Saddle: Forge Stealth Carbon Saddle
Seatpost: Fox Transfer Factory dropper
Bars: Anvl Mandrel Carbon, 800mm long, 35mm rise
Stem: Anvl Swage, 50mm
Grips: Box One Grips
Valve Caps: Box One Presta Valve Caps
Killington Bike Park has over 30 miles of lift-accessed trails but what's an enduro race without a little climbing? Riders put the power to the pedals for the timed climb between stages 4 and 5 for a chance to win some goods from our friends at Fox.
Our Fox Climbers Challenge winners, including Female Amateur Felicia Reale (center), who took home a Fox Transfer Seatpost for her efforts.
Winners of the Alex Rims Super Stage, who put it down when it counted and went fastest on the final stage of the day. In the middle are our fastest amateurs racers, Ajay Nagy and Caroline Kessler, who each won a new set of Alex hoops. Ajay's time on Stage 6 would have been the third fastest in Pro Men!
Pro Women left to right: Kimberley Quinlan-4th, Lauren Petersen-2nd, Rachel Pageau-1st, Alisha Darin-3rd, Clair Sick-5th
Pro Men left to right: Matthew Sebas-4th, Jason Memmelaar-2nd, Seamus Powell-1st, Adam Morse-3rd, Jason Scheiding-5th
Ready to find out who won the overall points battle and the privilege of wearing one these bad boys by SDR Clothing?
Your 2017 Vittoria ESC Enduro Series Pro Women overall, left to right: Clarissa Finks-4th, Lauren Petersen-2nd, Rachel Pageau-1st, Alisha Darin-3rd
Your 2017 Vittoria ESC Enduro Series Pro Men overall, left to right: Emmett Avery-4th, Seamus Powell-2nd, Adam Morse-1st, Jason Scheiding-3rd, Willem Cooper-5th
That's all she wrote for the 2017 Vittoria ESC Enduro season, thank you to all who came out and raced with us this season, we couldn't do it without you! We hope to see some of you at the DH Finals at Mount Snow in October. Either way, get some riding in this fall before it's time to turn these guns on and ponder whether to buy a fat bike or a new pair of skis.
Words and photos: Andrew Santoro
Video: Jason Scheiding
Full Results: Here
www.easternstatescup.com
www.facebook.com/easternstatescup/
Vittoria ESC Enduro Schedule
Eight events, six best count.
April 23, Vittoria ESC Enduro – Glen Park, Stroudsburg PA
May 21, Vittoria ESC – Victory Hill, Victory VT
June 3, Vittoria ESC – Thunder Mountain, Charlemont MA – Box Showdown (State Championship)
June 25, Vittoria ESC – Blue Mountain, Palmerton PA – Box Showdown (State Championship)
July 16, Vittoria ESC –Sugarbush, Warren VT – Box Showdown (State Championship)
Aug. 20, Vittoria ESC – Attitash, Bartlett NH – Box Showdown (State Championship)
Sept. 3, Vittoria ESC – Blue Mountain, Palmerton PA – Box Showdown
Sept. 24, Vittoria ESC – Killington, Killington VT – Series Finals
Vittoria ESC DH Schedule
Nine events, six best count.
June 4, Vittoria ESC Downhill – Thunder, Charlemont MA – Box Showdown (State Championship)
June 11, Vittoria ESC Downhill– Pats Peak, Henniker NH – State Championship
June 25, Vittoria ESC Downhill – Blue, Palmerton PA – Box Showdown (State Championship)
July 9, Vittoria ESC Downhill – Plattekill Mountain, Roxbury NY – State Championship
July 16, Vittoria ESC Downhill –Sugarbush, Warren VT Box Showdown (State Championship)
Aug. 20, Vittoria ESC Downhill – Attitash, Bartlett NH – Box Showdown
Sept. 3, Vittoria ESC Downhill – Blue Mountain, Palmerton PA – Box Showdown
Sept. 17, Vittoria ESC Downhill – Windham Mountain, Windham NY
Oct. 15, Vittoria ESC Downhill – Mount Snow, West Dover VT – Finals
Clif Enduro East
July 1–2 Killington
Aug. 5–6 Burke Victory
Sept. 9–10 Thunder
MENTIONS: @vittoria / @foxracingshox / @Eastern-States-Cup
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Member since Mar 14, 2012
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Thanks once again,
-Chris