2012 Chatel Mountain Style - Day 1

Jul 6, 2012 at 18:55
by Scott Secco  
Chatel Mtn Style 2012 - here s how the mountain looks like in the morning
  Chatel Mtn Style 2012 - here's how the mountain looks like in the morning

here the view from below of the top part of this big mountain event
  Here's the view from below of the top part of this big mountain event

view from over the course.
  View from over the course.

the pros show up checking the big pro line jump
  The pros checking the big pro line jump.

I think we can talk at this course as the champery of freeride regarding the steepness. The infamous Danny Hart s track is actually just on the other side of the mountain.
  I think we can talk about this course as the Champery of freeride regarding the steepness. The infamous Danny Hart's track is actually just on the other side of the mountain.

McCaul Watts and Pilgrim checking the last sender before the final jump. Big long and steep.
  McCaul, Watts and Pilgrim checking the last sender before the final jump. Big, long and steep.

The boys are checkin an all time classic step-up step-down on a rock.
  The boys are checking an all time classic step-up step-down on a rock.

the heli finally made it
  The heli finally made it!

Tyler McCaul and Greg Watts going up
  Tyler McCaul and Greg Watts going up!

McGazza and other riders are getting ready for some riding in the park
  McGazza and other riders are getting ready for some riding in the park..

some action down the small sender. just aside the pro-line.
  Some action down the 'small' sender.

same sender different angle.
  Same sender, different angle.

and one of the non-pro rider decide to be the first to send it on the pro line good job boy
  ...and one of the non-pro riders decided to be the first to send it on the pro line! Good job man!

the mud is still heavily effecting the venue and the mud level is high alert
   The mud is still heavily affecting the venue and the mud level is high alert!

hopefully tomorrow will be sunny and warm
  Hopefully tomorrow will be sunny and warm!

Will dirt jump guys be able to handle it? Who do you think will win?
h

Author Info:
scottsecco avatar

Member since Sep 18, 2009
1,029 articles

120 Comments
  • 90 7
 im rooting for semenuk, those life behind bars episodes are the shit.
  • 46 2
 As much as I like Semenuk, I really wanna see Dylan Sherrard win! I was super stoked to find out that he was invited to this this year because I know that this is his kinda contest and if he tries hard there's no doubt in my mind he'll kill it! He also came and visited me in the hospital with a broken femur the night before he flew out there which means a great deal to me. You got this Dylan!!
  • 18 4
 semenuk is going to win no matter what, thats just how it works.
  • 9 1
 Lots of heavy hitters in this comp ! but im rootin for the kamloops boys !
  • 12 0
 How many barspin would Watts throw this time?
  • 4 0
 Mountain style is awesome, it sorts the men from the boys! Is there a livestream of the event?
  • 7 0
 wouldnt mind seeing some video? dont know why, if its become illegal to film mtb events just seems to be alot less videos coming from some of the greatest mtb events.
  • 6 0
 I say it will be a close call between Lacondeguy and Semenuk, both these guys redefine "No Fear".
  • 3 1
 Zink...
  • 79 17
 Pilgrim is gonna dieeeeeee.
  • 20 4
 LMFAO
  • 34 4
 Hahaha, look at the pictures, he already shat his pants! But uhhh props to the insaniac who hit that step down in the rain. You either have way bigger balls than all the guys there or way less brains. Either way, that's really damned impressive.
  • 12 1
 most likely a bit of both
  • 13 0
 he deserves be a pro now
  • 7 4
 why would he die
  • 9 56
flag larryssman7 (Jul 6, 2012 at 23:25) (Below Threshold)
 Maybe because these jumps are at least 3 times as big as the biggest jump hes ever hit? Or maybe because he only knows how to ride his ns dirt jumper and he needs at least 160mm of travel to ride here? Or maybe because theres rocks bigger than his van on that course, not to mention he's going to be too scared shitless to trick anything? Maybe all three.
  • 31 2
 He has the NS soda now which would handle this stuff so I'd say he'd be fine
  • 12 46
flag VTwintips (Jul 6, 2012 at 23:49) (Below Threshold)
 Whether or not he is able to use the Soda is what's actually in question here. The general assumption is that he does not have the experience required to not only handle this type of riding and bicycle, but to perform at a professional level on a bike like this in actual mountains. It is the sport of MOUNTAIN biking vs. back "garden" dirt jumping which he is accustomed that is being compared. And based on what happened at Whistler last year, people expect he will do no better. (He ignorantly rode a hard tail and flatted on all runs - although you would know more about that than me since he is a European rider after all.
  • 33 2
 great to read such a condescending comment VTwintips. Pilgrim is definitely not used to stuff this big but i think his accolades show he's up to a little more than back "yard" dirt jumping but you wouldn't know that because he's a european rider after all
  • 1 0
 he has some big bike skill. he has raced a few bds nationals if i am not mistaken.
  • 11 1
 funny Pinkbikekids. Sam Pilgrim is riding Big Mountain Stuff for years now. He can really shred and If Iam a guy who only jumps two feet Jumps I would calm it down a little bit.
  • 2 0
 @nosnibor he raced one bds and came 2nd...last im sorry to say,
but he still has balls to make up for the dh speed Smile
  • 2 0
 i read he came second to last in mbuk
  • 2 0
 Urrrrrrm... he rode the mountain style last year and he was riding a short travel full sus bike with swampthings in the dry and i did a run down chatel with him and he was pretty fast to be fair
  • 17 0
 @VTwintips - Sam Pilgrim ignorantly rode a hardtail last year. Mike Montgomery rode a hardtail to a podium at Crankworx only a year before. What's the difference?
  • 11 0
 Props to Sam pilgrim for actually having a go i'd say! He's never claimed to be anything but a dj'er @VTwintips and i'd say his 9th place at Chatel Mountain Style last year and 5th place the year before, were pretty good, especially considering his ' lack of experience of this type of riding, on Actual Mountains'!!!!!!!
  • 2 0
 i would say its pretty hard to gain experience on 'actual mountains' considering hes from the UK, we don't exactly have the biggest mountains over here to train on :/
  • 11 2
 Yeah I agree twintits the bloke has no skill with big stuff, you tit

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7koaNIYViQ
  • 1 0
 and also he three'd the big drop at the top of bergline which i would consider to be rather big

edit: although i'm defending pilgrim i cant really see him getting podium but he'll give some of the other riders a run for their money no doubt.
  • 1 0
 didn't he get like 6th last year?
  • 3 1
 Pilgrim has skills and surely a better rider than all the neg props guys, he may not be a big mountain rider but he's there and defiantly showing he has massive nuts.
  • 9 2
 put up or shut up. Pilgrim is the real deal
  • 7 6
 Just to calm down this 15 person pileup of anger, I do hope he does well. I would like to see him bring his style to this type of riding. (I also want to see him go ride Utah or Gobi or something like that too, because I bet his style would be really interesting there.) Pilgrim if you are reading this... please??

But I mean, places like this are where people who grew up in the mountains are home. The GENERAL assumption is that he will not do well (meaning win it because he wins like everything else). I never said I don't expect him to do well. If you look, I was only answering adamwoodhouse's question about why other people above said he would die.

At any rate, half of you guys admitted that he was a dirt jumper by nature anyways - which was the point i was making. His go to bike is not his Soda. And that's what I was bringing to the discussion when the R of I kid pointed out that he does have a Soda now. Is that what all the trouble is about?

Or is it about the fact that I said, "you would know more about that than me since he is a European rider after all"? I mean, don't know everything about Sam Pilgrim, but I have never seen a single clip of him shredding anything gnarly/ungroomed like Utah, The Gobi Desert, wild places in BC or the European mountain's equivalents... like Chatel for example.

Its not like all of Europe or at least the parts nearest to him are devoit of DH/FR trails is it? He seems to favor the other stuff. Maybe he really doesn't have the money/transportation to get access big mountains, but I doubt it. He one of the top 5 freeriders in the world after all - if he needed it, you would hope his sponsors would be able to get him there. Otherwise, I rest my case. Smile
  • 6 2
 dude is an effen bike handler. the terrain is irrevelent
  • 11 1
 just to let you guys know, today pilgram flipped the biggest double in the whole course second run.
  • 5 1
 Whoa I didn't know Sam could backflip a double jump! That's so unlike him! Wink
  • 4 0
 Pilgrim will be fine. Hes got the skills and the balls to handle it. And major props to the amateur hittin that booter first. That guys got some serious kahones. Made the front page of PB i bet hes stoked!
  • 6 3
 @Madmon - If terrain is irrelevant why hasn't he showed up at any of the rampages yet?
  • 4 0
 On the Red Bull Berg Line replay the announcers said he didn't do the rampage because it wasn't his thing. Make of that what you will but you're only going to find out why by asking him yourself. That 360 he did off the starting drop was so sick as well.
  • 3 0
 thank you @vtwintips! took the words right out of my mouth! and to everyone who -26 propped me, i was only answering adamwoodhouse's question, and i actually do hope he does well, he is such an awesome rider and a pretty down to earth guy as well. he is just a bit out of his element, is all.
  • 3 0
 hahahahahahaha, do any of you think he has the time or patience to bother reading any of your comments? pilgrim can ride any form of terrain he wants and remain at the top end of the competition, I cant wait for him to do well in this comp just like he does at all comps simply to prove how uneducated and clearly blindly opinionated half of you are.......
  • 4 0
 Rob you can settle down, I don't think anyone intended or expect for their posts to be read by him...
  • 2 1
 @Spacer
The difference is Montgomery can do on a road bike what pilgrim does on his dj. Has the video to prove it haha
  • 2 0
 Man you wouldn't be able to do do anything in comparison to Sam pilgrim...
  • 1 0
 I don't think that is really relevant... nobody here could.
  • 1 0
 Naah. I'm pretty sure I could do the same sweet explosions you can see in hammer hammer Wink
  • 1 2
 he is a bicycle handler. He rides where HE wants not where YOU want. not everyone wants to emulate Semenuk or McCaul
  • 2 1
 right so by choosing not to ride in the mountains, it helps reinforce the fact that he is a dirt jumper and is out of his element up there at Chatel. I don't see why this is still a conversation considering the fact that the contest is over and he didn't place just as expected anyways.
  • 1 0
 He has a pinkbike account doesn't he? I'm thinking someone gets him involved in this lol
  • 2 0
 He has, but Iam sure he just dont gives a fuck.
  • 1 0
 Good point.
  • 2 0
 @ VT he didnt place high? It was the qualifier so a lot riders were keeping it low for the finals. Not to mention he was still above many good freeriders. He just didnt beat some of the other guys.
I agree he is mostly a dirt jumper but placing middle of the pack shows he has some very serious big mountain skills. Claiming he has none is like claiming Aggy or Zink have no dirt jumping skills because they do better at Big Mountain events.
  • 2 1
 spaced- When you're usually winning every stop, 7th is hardly doing well. You're saying he didn't do well because it was qualifying so he and a bunch of others were "keeping it low" for finals and yet you say his 7th place is proof that he has big mountain skills? That doesn't make much sense, now does it? I think you should hold your opinion until you see footage of him actually riding the course and comparing that to the other "big mountain" riders' runs. That sounds like something a reasonable person would do, right?
  • 1 1
 Im saying it was a possiblity. Looking at the lines and wind most of them went safer.(there are vids of the top3)

Though yeah Im waiting for the vid so dont get your panties in a twist.
  • 1 2
 Saying something is a possibility without using the word "possibility", impressive! Wink

And yes I caught the top 3 runs on vital which is why I suggested waiting until his run comes out before you assume how he, and the rest of the field, preformed. After all they were told at some point that their qualifying runs may be their only runs...
  • 16 1
 Bit of an awful 'day 1' if you ask me... thats the downside to holding a competition in europe! the weather is always apalling! Frown
  • 11 3
 As if the weather in the North American Venues has been any better Whistrailia just finished Junuary.
  • 4 7
 the weather in Europe is horrific for mountain biking! nowhere is any worse that here, guarantee it
  • 17 1
 ^the north pole!
  • 10 0
 I wanna watch Messere on his first big bike competition!
  • 2 0
 In Morzine now weathers nice and sunny and warm. Might dry up soon.
  • 8 0
 don't make UK standard weather Europe standards, thanks hahaha
  • 6 0
 Dosen't it rain all the time in BC anyway? The UKs not even bad we just get lots of rain but nothing extreme, where just pussys about it haha
  • 1 0
 big hucks and mud do not mix well
  • 1 0
 Not really on the north shore it rains quite a bit because of the ocean currents or something though.
  • 16 1
 Kurt mthfkn' Sorge for the win!
  • 2 0
 Yeah man!)
  • 13 2
 When it comes down to manning up and spinning or flipping something huge Cam Zink is your man i think he is gonna repeat from last year
  • 5 0
 does anybody know if thats messere with the red bull helmet and the fox top? he will be interesting to watch for the first time doing a run in the mountains
  • 1 0
 Yes it was him.
  • 3 0
 Without seeing this track live, most of the mortals don´t even imagine how hardcore it is...most of this kids here wouldn´t even be able to ride it down on the singletrack on the side.
Big UP to all the riders competing here!
  • 2 0
 rode part of it last year, and been watching it today. unless you are there, you will not realise how steep it is! video does it no justice.
  • 1 0
 What video...I want to see it. pictures only show so much.
  • 2 0
 Whole bunch more pics here from our course walk: http://geebeebee.pinkbike.com/album/Chatel-2012/ BTW, the weather's turned out good today, so mud factor isn't so severe!
  • 5 0
 Keen to see how Pilgrim goes Smile
  • 6 1
 Good to see Greg back on the Bike again! Smile
  • 7 2
 Kyle Straight is gonna WIN!! That would be cool!!
  • 5 0
 Mcgazza!!!! You can doooo it, goodluck!
  • 4 0
 thinkin either zink or sorge
  • 4 0
 I'd like to see Zinc 360 that beast Smile
  • 3 0
 where is darren berrecloth?? I'd really like to see him compete in this event because it's just his style
  • 1 0
 hes not going to be there this year hes been doing a lot of work with that new movie coming out "Where the trail ends"
Im pretty bummed he always puts out a good run!
  • 1 0
 I thought that in the third pic from the bottom that those people in the background were standing on one of the rocks for a second and i was like DAMN!
  • 3 0
 cant wait to see some moving Pictures !
  • 3 0
 Please tell me Pilgrim is not gonna hit these of his hard tail.
  • 1 0
 Big mountain lines? I expect to see 1-3 West Coast boys up on the podium. Zink, Strait, Semunk, Gulevich, Sorge, Aggi + more, just way too much talent to keep us down.
  • 5 2
 SEMENUK FTW
  • 2 1
 CCAAAAMMMERRRROONNNNNN ZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNKKKKKK
  • 2 0
 Is there gonna be a live feed anywhere??
  • 1 0
 Gorgeous weather here in Morzine today so will be the same in chatel, the course will be dry.
  • 3 0
 Zink
  • 1 0
 Who ever wins has got the nickname of!!!!! buster gonad........ to you who know the rest!!! ha
  • 2 0
 Mc Caul FTW!!!!!! and that course looks scary!!
  • 1 0
 which one????
  • 1 0
 well i was rooting for cam, but apparently hes in whistler and didnt even show up
  • 2 0
 Whooo Pilgrim with a full face lol. Ive never witnessed that.
  • 3 0
 Ho!Watts is backBig Grin
  • 3 0
 Zink
  • 1 0
 Bummer that the claw wont be there this year but still looks like it should be an awesome contest!
  • 1 0
 Strait, Zink top steps on the box at the end of day!!! 1 and 2!! They eat this course for breakfast !!!
  • 5 3
 1. Gwin 2. Atherton 3. Minaar 4. Hill 5. Hart CMON GWIN!!
  • 3 0
 Erm, wrong comp bro!
  • 1 0
 Haha
  • 2 0
 HAHA this course makes the slopestyle courses look like amateur hour
  • 2 1
 It's time to shut up or nut up!
  • 1 0
 where's the video ???? i must see those guys shredin' that course !!
  • 5 3
 Chubey FTW!
  • 2 0
 DYLAN SHERRARD WEEEOOOO
  • 1 0
 I know it's not his sort of thing but where's Sam Reynolds?
  • 2 1
 Mr MCcaul FTW!
  • 2 1
 so where is Cam? Because Tmac is there, but wheres our hero cam mccaul?
  • 8 0
 Saw Cam in Whistler yesterday.
  • 1 0
 I hope Tmack wins !!!!!
  • 1 0
 Mud sucks! :-( Grrrr!
  • 1 0
 Sucks for dj - F*ckin GREAT for mtb, greasy DH, xc, and AM.
but, this being said, Chatel would be even MORE scary on mud.
  • 1 0
 PILGRIM!!!
  • 1 0
 trees..
  • 1 0
 is Lacondeguy competing?
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.028604
Mobile Version of Website