Pruitt Prevails, Gracia Grabs Win in Idaho Do

Overall Takes Shape with One Round Remaining

Sandpoint, Idaho (July 27, 2003) – Kathy Pruitt, (Berkeley, CA; Luna Chix) and Cedric Gracia (FRA; Siemens-Cannondale) closed out the weekend with victories in the downhill event at the fourth round of the NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Team Luna Chix have become used to the idea of having the top step on the downhill podium in recent times, usually compliments of Marla Streb, (Los Osos, CA), but today, it was Streb’s teammate, Pruitt, who clocked the fastest time down the mountain with a 5’23.58”. Pruitt, seeded 13th after the qualifying run had a rough start with mechanical difficulty early in the run, as she explained after the race. “I hit a rock with my front wheel in the first 30 seconds and broke a spoke. I was flustered at first, but then I just settled into my pace because I knew it was a long run down.” Pruitt is peaking at the right time with one more NORBA NCS left before the World Championships. “I felt great”, she added. “I felt really fast, so I must be training right.”

In the men’s event, Gracia captured his second straight NORBA NCS downhill win with a time of 4’30.25”, but it was up and comer, Sam Hill (AUS; Iron Horse) that turned some heads today. The 18-year-old Hill just missed out on his first NORBA NCS win, taking second behind Gracia by just 1.4 seconds.

With the fourth round in the books, the overall competition in each of the eight pro categories is heating up. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN; Subaru-Gary Fisher) leads the men’s cross country. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, CO; RLX-Ralph Lauren) holds a slim lead in the men’s short track standings over Canadian, Seamus McGrath (Haro-Lee Dungarees). In the gravity events, Eric Carter (Temecula, CA; Mongoose-Hyundai) leads the Mountain Cross while Chris Kovarik (AUS; Intense-Fox) holds the top spot in the downhill.

In the women’s events, Jimena Florit (ARG; RLX-Ralph Lauren) leads the cross country while Sue Haywood, (Davis, WV; Trek-Volkswagen) leads the short track. Jill Kintner (San Jose, CA; Fox Shox) keeps her stronghold in the Mountain Cross category and Streb leads the downhill.

The final round of the NORBA NCS takes place in Durango, CO, August 14-17.