Gwin & Kintner win pro downhill races on final day of 2013 Gravity MTB Nationals
Email
Print 
Angel Fire, N.M. (August 4, 2013) — The 2013 USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships wrapped up Sunday with the downhill competitions highlighted by dominating performances in the pro races from Aaron Gwin (Wildomar, Calif./Specialized Racing DH) and Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash./ Team Norco International/Red Bull).
After the morning’s amateur contests, the pro women led off the afternoon competitions at New Mexico’s Angel Fire Resort. Pro GRT women’s leader Anne Galyean (Frederick, Md./Trek-Integrity Racing-Deity) was the first to crack the seven-minute mark. She was followed by defending national champion Jacqueline Harmony (Tucson, Ariz./A Culture of Speed), who topped her time by a little more than two seconds.
But as soon as Kintner came into view of the finish, it was clear she was about to earn her second national title of this event. Yesterday’s pro women’s dual slalom winner crossed the line in 6:06.208, more than thirty seconds ahead of runner-up Harmony.
Pro Men’s Downhill
Following a weather delay due to lightning in the area, the pro men took to the 2.5-mile long course. Riders were pushing the pace hard, and many had broken chains and flat tires to prove it. However, no one came close to Gwin’s qualifying time of 5:23.2 until eventual runner-up Logan Binggeli (Saint George, Utah/KHS Bicycles) sped through with a 5:25.759. That time would hold as fourth-place finisher Kevin Aiello (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./KHS Factory Racing) and third-place finisher Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah/Factory Specialized DH) came past.
But the defending champ proved unbeatable today; Gwin stopped the clock at 5:14.017 to earn the right to wear the Stars-and-Stripes for another year. Visit the USA Cycling YouTube channel to listen to Gwin describe his winning ride.
Men’s 17-18 Downhill
The men’s 17-18 downhill was the final event to be contested. Walker Shaw (Hendersonville, N.C./Specialized Gravity USA), who took third in yesterday’s pro men’s dual slalom, was the first rider to cross the line. He posted a time of 5:54.587. Shortly thereafter, a heavy rain opened up on the mountain. Though the downpour would soon subside, Shaw remained in the hot seat. Of the final eight riders, Kellen Lutz (Fraser, Colo.) came within four-tenths of a second of Shaw’s time, but it wasn’t enough. Shaw took the win, with Todd Renwick (Soulsbyville, Calif.) rounding out the podium in third.
Amateur Downhill Competitions
The juniors and masters races began the day under sunny skies. Riding the same course as the pros, the youngest riders led off the morning session. Katie Sanders (Nine Mile Falls, Wash.), the first rider to start the day and took the win in the girls 11-12 race. Two Utah juniors earned Stars-and-Stripes jerseys when Julien Markewitz (Salt Lake City, Utah) topped the 6-10 boys field and Joseph Foresta (South Jordan, Utah), whose sister, Sophia, won the women’s open dual slalom yesterday, took home the title in the 11-12 group. Devin Kjaer (Aptos, Calif.) improved upon his dual slalom silver with the gold medal in the boys 13-14 race.
New Mexico’s own Pederson family claimed two Stars-and-Stripes jerseys when Michelle Pederson (Los Alamos, N.M./Bike n Sport Racing) won the junior women’s 15-18 race and her father Neal Pederson (Los Alamos, N.M./Bike n Sport Racing) did the same in the men’s 45-49 event.
In the boy’s 15-16 downhill, Charlie Harrison (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) stopped the clock at 5:53.144 to take the win and claim the top amateur time of the day. Weston Walker (Laramie, Wyo./University of Wyoming) rode to victory in the men’s 19-24 race, while Willem Cooper (Newport, R.I.) edged the men’s 25-29 field. Amanda Cordell (Salt Lake City, Utah) earned the women’s 19-29 title, and Lindsay Yost (Brighton, Colo.) added a jersey to her closest in the women’s 30-39 race.
Kyle Lofstedt (Denver , Colo.) and Joe Dodds (Lakewood, Colo.) will bring gold medals back to Colorado after winning the men’s 30-34 and 35-39 races, respectively. Noelle Champagne (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) earned her first-place prize in the women’s 40+ division. Scott Spangler (Albuquerque, N.M.) descended fast enough to ascend to the top of the podium in the men’s 40-44 contest.
Paul Cherry (Lakewood, Colo.) topped the men’s 50-54 field, Les Price (Scottsdale, Ariz.) rose to the challenge in the men’s 55-59 group and Joel Creed (Franklin, Ind.) proclaimed his dominance of the men’s 60+ downhill.
For additional event information, daily wrap-ups, photos, results and more, visit the USA Cycling event page at www.usacycling.org/2013/mtb-gravity-nationals. Find additional photos and coverage on Twitter via the USA Cycling account as well as the hashtag #MTBNats, and on the USA Cycling and Angel Fire Mountain Bike Park on Facebook pages.
2013 USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships
Angel Fire Resort, New Mexico
August 4, 2013
PHOTO GALLERY │ RESULTS │ VIDEO INTERVIEWS
Pro Men’s Downhill
1. Aaron Gwin (Wildomar, Calif./Specialized Racing DH) 5:14.017
2. Logan Binggeli (Saint George, Utah/KHS Bicycles) 5:25.759
3. Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah/Factory Specialized DH) 5:25.821
Pro Women’s Downhill
1. Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash./ Team Norco International/Red Bull) 6:06.208
2. Jacqueline Harmony (Tucson, Ariz./A Culture of Speed) 6:36.672
3. Anne Galyean (Frederick, Md./Trek-Integrity Racing-Deity) 6:38.768
Junior Boys 6-10 Downhill
1. Julien Markewitz (Salt Lake City, Utah) 10:49.9
2. Sam Kahn (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Danny's Cycles) 12:10.5
3. Colton Sanders (Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) 13:07.8
Junior Girls 11-12 Downhill
1. Katie Sanders (Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) 10:19.2
2. McKenna Merten (Jamul, Calif.) 10:41.9
Junior Boys 11-12 Downhill
1. Joseph Foresta (South Jordan, Utah) 6:53.6
2. Trent Del Grippo (Golden, Colo.) 7:07.4
3. Logan McPhie (Salt Lake City, Utah) 7:22.0
4. Shawn Yakovich (Rock Springs, Wyo.) 7:56.6
5. Phillip Steele (Burnsville, W.V.) 8:07.6
Junior Boys 13-14 Downhill
1. Devin Kjaer (Aptos, Calif.) 6:10.8
2. Armen Davis (Longmont, Colo.) 6:22.7
3. Nikolas Nestoroff (San Marcos, Calif.) 6:31.4
4. Roberto Bonometti (Rye, N.H.) 6:43.3
5. Sam Morris (Salt Lake City, Utah) 6:54.7
Junior Women’s 15-18 Downhill
1. Michelle Pederson (Los Alamos, N.M./Bike n Sport Racing) 7:56.804
2. Summer Hull (Tucson, Ariz.) 10:01.034
Junior Boys 15-16 Downhill
1. Charlie Harrison (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) 5:53.144
2. Tyler Spence (Carbondale, Colo.) 6:10.529
3. Niko Kilik (San Jose, Calif.) 6:12.993
4. Cole Michie (Henniker, N.H.) 6:16.981
5. Tyler Krenek (Tucson, Ariz.) 6:17.645
Junior Men’s 17-18 Downhill
1. Walker Shaw (Hendersonville, N.C./Specialized Gravity USA) 5:54.587
2. Kellen Lutz (Fraser, Colo.) 5:54.939
3. Todd Renwick (Soulsbyville, Calif.) 5:58.180
Women’s 19-29 Downhill
1. Amanda Cordell (Salt Lake City, Utah) 7:34.955
2. Leila Carrillo (Durango, Colo./Fort Lewis College) 7:50.051
3. Bridgette Leber (Butte, Mont.) 8:30.054
4. Ashley Hernandez (San Juan Bautista, Calif.) 8:30.469
Men’s 19-24 Downhill
1. Weston Walker (Laramie, Wyo./University of Wyoming) 6:06.490
2. Joshua Patton (East Bernstadt, Ky./Lindsey Wilson College) 6:16.570
3. Kai Rogers (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) 6:19.813
4. Chris Callahan (Reading, Mass.) 6:21.618
5. Ty Brooks (Los Alamos, N.M.) 6:22.347
Men’s 25-29 Downhill
1. Willem Cooper (Newport, R.I.) 6:04.7
2. Brett Tetzloff (Tucson, Ariz.) 6:11.5
3. Brendan Looby (Swampscott, Mass.) 6:21.0
4. Israel Tilman (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) 6:21.9
5. Jeff Bowers (San Jose, Calif.) 6:21.9
Women’s 30-39 Downhill
1. Lindsay Yost (Brighton, Colo.) 7:23.807
2. Kim Godfrey (Louisville, Colo.) 7:46.633
3. Corrine Miller (Caseyville, Ill./ Bike Surgeon/Contine) 8:15.168
Men’s 30-34 Downhill
1. Kyle Lofstedt (Denver , Colo.) 6:01.8
2. Leigh Harris (Golden, Colo.) 6:27.2
3. Matt Giaraffa (Denver, Colo.) 6:29.3
4. Michael Clark (Springdale, Utah) 6:31.6
5. Travis Tomczak (Ogden, Utah) 6:33.7
Men’s 35-39 Downhill
1. Joe Dodds (Lakewood, Colo.) 6:27.0
2. Michael Gunn (South Jordan, Utah) 6:30.6
3. Wesley Bennett (Golden, Colo.) 6:32.2
4. Will Murray (Charlotte, N.C.) 6:37.0
5. Chris Webb (Lakewood, Colo.) 6:38.9
Women’s 40+ Downhill
1. Noelle Champagne (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) 7:30.3
Men’s 40-44 Downhill
1. Scott Spangler (Albuquerque, N.M.) 6:20.5
2. Alexander Morgan (Amarillo, Texas) 6:22.9
3. John Nicholson (Landing, N.J.) 6:24.6
4. William Dale (Bentonville, Ariz.) 6:32.8
5. Phillip Stevens (Leadville, Colo.) 6:41.9
Men’s 45-49 Downhill
1. Neal Pederson (Los Alamos, N.M./Bike n Sport Racing) 6:38.2
2. Rob Wexler (Corona, Calif.) 6:41.5
3. Curt Clemetson (Aspen, Colo.) 6:42.2
4. Rich Vreeland (Flower Mound, Texas) 7:09.5
Men’s 50-54 Downhill
1. Paul Cherry (Lakewood, Colo.) 6:52.8
2. Darrell Jamieson (La Center, Wash.) 7:00.1
3. Craig Van Cleve (Henderson, Nev.) 7:22.1
Men’s 55-59 Downhill
1. Les Price (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 7:16.3
Men’s 60+ Downhill
1. Joel Creed (Franklin, Ind.) 7:57.3
2. Scott Lideen (Phoenix, Ariz.) 9:28.0
This Article Updated August 22, 2013 @ 05:28 PM For more information contact:
