Bennett, Kintner capture elite titles at BMX National Championship

Desoto, Texas - (March 29, 2008)—USA Cycling awarded its second annual national championships in the discipline of BMX racing on Saturday as Olympic hopefuls Kyle Bennett (Conroe, Texas) and Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash.) captured elite titles as the sport prepares to make its Olympic debut in Beijing this summer.

 

Ranked number two in the world entering Saturday’s contest, Bennett took the holeshot out of the gate in the eight-man final and held off the star-studded field, including reigning national champion and the number-three ranked rider Donny Robinson (Napa, Calif.) to claim the stars-and-stripes jersey in the elite men’s event. 

 

In the elite women’s race, it was a battle of one-and-two as Kintner and Arielle Martin (Pleasant Grove, Utah) rode away from the rest of the field to finish in the same order as the pair stands in the current USA Cycling BMX Rankings – the primary factor that goes into selecting the Olympic long team. The two finished neck-in-neck, the same way the two roommates fare in the standings with only two points now between them.

 

“We train together in the best facility in the world, we’re roommates, we definitely push each other and that has helped separate us,” explained Martin. “It all works itself out on the track.” 

 

The elite men’s championship class began with 31 of the top American BMX athletes lining up for three qualifying moto rounds, with the top eight advancing to the main. In the ensuing eight-man main, Bennett took the early lead and held off a hard charging Danny Caluag (Chino, Calif.) to take home the national championship and eight more points toward the Olympic Games.  

 

“This is probably the most competitive national championship race in the world and that makes the title even more special,” stated Bennett. “Even though the track is very different from what we’ll see coming up it is very good for my confidence.” 

 

The elite women were split into a pair of qualifiers which set up a main stand-off between eight of the top names in women’s BMX. Kintner and Martin set themselves apart jumping to a lead out of the gate. In the end it was Kintner holding off Martin to win the stars-and-stripes jersey with Stephanie Barragan (Montclair, Calif.) capturing the bronze. 

 

In the other two championship classes, Denzel Stein (Desoto, Texas) and Terra Nichols (Roseville, Calif.) earned national titles in the junior men's and women's races respectively.

 

A local hero, Stein beat out USA Cycling’s BMX Junior Elite Men’s Rankings leader Logan Collins (Mount Juliet, Tenn.) to earn the stars-and-stripes jersey.

 

Nichols outperformed Alise Post (Monterey, Calif.), the heavy favorite and top-ranked rider in the USA Cycling BMX Rankings, who placed third behind runner-up Shelbi Long (Lakeside, Calif.) after dominating qualifying heats.

  

In addition to national titles, championship class athletes were awarded points towards their USA Cycling BMX Ranking. As a category four competition, the race was worth eight points for the winner, seven for second place, six for third, five for fourth and so on. For elite athletes, these rankings will determine the long team from which the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team will be chosen. BMX racing will make its Olympic debut at the 2008 Games in Beijing next August where the United States is expected to contend for medals in both the men's and women's competitions.  Backed by Bennett (2nd), Robinson (3rd) and Day (6th), the United States is ranked number one in the world in men's BMX racing. With Kintner (3rd), Martin (8th) and Amanda Geving (Largo, Fla.) (11th) the women are currently ranked fourth behind France, Australia and New Zealand.

 

In addition to the four championship class categories, USA Cycling distributed additional national championship jerseys as amateurs competed for both national titles and the right to represent the United States at the UCI World Challenge in China this May. A complete list of 2008 USA Cycling National BMX National Champions is featured below.

 

 

*For complete results from each class and category, click here.
 

 

1. Kyle Bennett (Conroe, Texas)

2. Danny Caluag (Chino, Calif.)

3. Donny Robinson (Napa, Calif.)

 

1. Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash.)

2. Arielle Martin (Pleasant Grove, Utah)

3. Stephanie Barragan (Montclair, Calif.)

 

1. Denzel Stein (Desoto, Texas)

2. Logan Collins (Mount Juliet, Tenn.)

3. Jacob Trevino (Cibolo, Texas)

 

1. Terra Nichols (Roseville, Calif.)

2. Shelbi Long (Lakeside, Calif.)

3. Alise Post (St. Cloud, Minn.)

 

Boys 5&6: Reese Patterson (Fort Worth, Texas)

Boys 7: Trey Marker (Pearland, Texas)

Girls 8: Anna Johnson (Garland, Texas)

Boys 8: Shayne Lewis (Chula Vista, Calif.)

Girls 9: Jenee Madrid (Belen, N.M.)

Boys 9: Vaughn Herrick (Conroe, Texas)

Girls 10: Lexa Jones (Hayesville, Kan.)

Boys 10: Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.)

Girls 11: Rachel Hopperdietzel (Rapid City, S.D.)

Boys 11: Brock Heffron (Gilbert, Ariz.)

Boys 12: Sean Gaian (Santee, Calif.)

Girls 13: Shayona Glynn (Norco, Calif.)

Boys 13: Rickie Griffis (Orange, Calif.)

Girls 14: Carly Dyar (Gilbert, Ariz.)

Boys 14: Rusty Nesvic (San Diego, Calif.)

Boys 15: Billy Russell (Desoto, Texas)

Boys 16: Connor Fields (Henderson, N.V.)

Women 17+: Frances Garcia (Albuquerque, N.M.)

Men 17-24: Jamarcus White (Austin, Texas)

Men 25-29: Chris Williams (San Antonio, Texas)

Men 30+: Doug Crowell (Kyle, Texas)

Masters: Kenth Fallen (Albuquerque, N.M.)

 

Girls 12 & Under: Amy McIntyre (San Antonio, Texas)

Girls 13 & 14: Carly Dyar (Gilbert, Ariz.)

Boys 15 & 16: Connor Fields (Henderson, N.V.)

Girls 15& 16: Doninique Daniels (Austin, Texas)

Men 17-24: Jamarcus White (Austin, Texas)

Women 17-24: Bridget Walter (Topeka, Kan.)

Men 25-29: Chris Williams (San Antonio, Texas)

Women 25-29: Jennifer Kasper (Albequerue, N.M.)

Men 35-39: Jim Wahl (Lincoln, Neb.)

Women 35-39: Michelle Enriquez (Long Beach, Calif.)

Men 40-44: Cody Smart (Houston, Texas)

Women 40-44: Susan Van Ness (North Glenn, Colo.)

Men 45+: Eric Rupe (Chatsworth, Calif.)

Women 45+: Pamela Hassan (Pendleton, S.C.)

*To view photos from the event visit USA Cycling's photo gallery, here. 
Photos courtesy Jasen Krenck, MJT Designs.