Perseverance Pays at 24 Hour Mountain Bike National Championships
WAUSAU, Wis. - The 2007 USA Cycling 24 Hour Mountain Bike National Championships awarded stars-and-stripes jerseys in nine different 24-hour categories this weekend in Wisconsin. In the brutal solo categories Chris Eatough (Baldwin, Md./Trek-VW) won the national championship for the fourth year in a row on the men’s side and Pua Sawicki (Mililani, Hawaii/Team Ergon-Ellsworth) brought home the gold for the women.
It took 18 laps for Sawicki to sew up the women’s solo title, one better than second place finisher Rebecca Rusch (Ketchum, Idaho/Specialized). Danielle Musto (Grand Rapids, Mich.) completed 16 laps to finish third out of the 12 women who tackled the grueling solo race.
After finding himself in second place behind Nat Ross (Golden, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) for the first eight hours of the competition, Eatough defended his title by completing 20 laps on the 14-mile course, less than one lap ahead of second place finisher Ross. Bronze medalist, Mark Hendershot (Grand Rapids, Mich.) was also right on their heels, finishing 19 laps and only around six minutes off the average lap time of Eatough.
“I felt good and was confident going in, but these races are always so tough that there certainly was some trepidation,” said Eatough. “I like technical and this course consisted of a lot of twisty-turny single track, so it suited me well.”
It took 18 laps for Sawicki to sew up the women’s solo title, one better than second place finisher Rebecca Rusch (Ketchum, Idaho/Specialized). Danielle Musto (Grand Rapids, Mich.) completed 16 laps to finish third out of the 12 women who tackled the grueling solo race.
In other national championship categories Jesse LaLonde (Madison, Wis.), Mark LaLonde (Madison, Wis.), Brian Matter (Sheboygan, Wis.) and Doug Swanson (Plymoth, Minn.) of the Gary Fisher 29-Trek-VW squad took home the male open four person title after completing 24 laps. The Skirtz-N-Dirt squad of Holly Liske (Medford, Wis.), Corie Berrigan (Merseilles, Ill.), Anne Grabowski (Shoreview, Minn.) and Sue Juedes (Madison, Wis.) rode 20 laps in 24 hours to win the women’s open four person national title. Ron Stawicki (Waukesha, Wis.) and Jerry Daanen (Racine, Wis.), also known as Team Wicki-San and Stringbean won the male duo category with 20 laps and the Tough Girl-Contessa Duo of Janis Sandlin (Golden, Colo.) and Amy Robillard (Boulder, Colo.) finished 15 laps to win the female duo national title.
Bernice Pierson (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Mario Correa (Chino Hills, Calif.) of the Sho-Air-Rock N’ Road Cycling team completed four more laps than their closest competition winning the 24 hour mixed duo national championship in impressive fashion. Team BAMF, made up of Mitch Gantz (Green Bay, Wis.), Erik Meier (Baraboo, Wis.), Zack Geger and Peter Smith (Sartell, Minn.), narrowly defeated team What Was That?, completing 19 laps to take the men's junior division title. In the women's junior division the Teenage Girls Doing it All team of Murphykate Montee (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.), Megan Wolf (Wauwatosa, Wis.), Samantha Schneider (West Allis, Wis.) and Sarah Lukas (Eagle River, Wis.) had an impressive ride, completing 18 laps. In the masters 30+ four person category, Muddy Cup One team members Mark Walter (Rochester, Minn.), Ray Nelson (Woodstock, Ill.), Jerrod Collord (Lake Villa, Ill.) and Trevor Olson (Rochester, Minn.) finished 22 laps on their way into the stars-and-stripes jersey.
“Kudos to all of the racers and support staff who completed the exhausting 24-hour affair,” said Eatough.
2007 USA Cycling 24 Hour Mountain Bike National Championships
Wausau, Wis.
July 28-29
COMPLETE RESULTS
COMPLETE RESULTS
Men’s Solo
1. Chris Eatough (Baldwin, Md.)
2. Nat Ross (Golden, Colo.)
3. Mark Hendershot (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Women’s Solo
1. Pua Sawicki (Mililani, Hawaii)
2. Rebecca Rusch (Ketchum, Idaho)
3. Danielle Musto (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Male Open Four Person
1. Gary Fisher 29-Trek-VW: Jesse LaLonde (Madison, Wis.), Mark LaLonde (Madison, Wis.), Brian Matter (Sheboygan, Wis.) and Doug Swanson (Plymoth, Minn.)
Female Open Four Person
1. Skirtz-N-Dirt: Holly Liske (Medford, Wis.), Corie Berrigan (Merseilles, Ill.), Anne Grabowski (Shoreview, Minn.) and Sue Juedes (Madison, Wis.)
Men’s Duo
1. Team Wicki-San and Stringbean: Ron Stawicki (Waukesha, Wis.) and Jerry Daanen (Racine, Wis.)
Women’s Duo
1. Tough Girl-Contessa Duo: Janis Sandlin (Golden, Colo.) and Amy Robillard (Boulder, Colo.)
Mixed Duo
1. Sho-Air-Rock N’ Road Cycling: Bernice Pierson (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Mario Correa (Chino Hills, Calif.)
Junior Men 18 and Under
1. Team BAMF: Mitch Gantz (Green Bay, Wis.), Erik Meier (Baraboo, Wis.), Zack Geger and Peter Smith (Sartell, Minn.)
Junior Women 18 and Under
1. Teenage Girls Doing it All: Murphykate Montee (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.), Megan Wolf (Wauwatosa, Wis.), Samantha Schneider (West Allis, Wis.), Sarah Lukas (Eagle River, Wis.)
Junior Women 18 and Under
1. Teenage Girls Doing it All: Murphykate Montee (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.), Megan Wolf (Wauwatosa, Wis.), Samantha Schneider (West Allis, Wis.), Sarah Lukas (Eagle River, Wis.)
Masters Four Person 30+
1. Muddy Cup One: Mark Walter (Rochester, Minn.), Ray Nelson (Woodstock, Ill.), Jerrod Collord and Trevor Olson (Rochester, Minn.)
Check out pics from the event HERE.
Check out pics from the event HERE.
This Article Published July 30, 2007 For more information contact:
