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Competition sure to be fierce
as world’s top riders battle it out
written by Matt Skinner -
DMR Spokesperson
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A rider launches air
off a rock outcropping on the DMR pro downhill
course.
The pro finals will be held Sunday at the resort./
Photo by Sven Brunso. |
The 2003 NORBA National Championship series
has provided one of the most exciting and dramatic
seasons to date. The racing has been aggressive and
unpredictable, new faces have appeared on the podium,
amazing recoveries from injury have been made, and
supportive crowds have appeared throughout the entire
series.
After four of five rounds of races, a multitude of
riders across the four 
disciplines still have a shot
at winning a title. This weekend’s events at
Durango Mountain Resort will determine USA Cycling’s
2003 National Champions – series winners gain
the NORBA Champion’s title, and the top American
in each series takes home the National Champion’s
award – and the competition is sure to be fierce.
Downhill
Downhill racers encounter many variables during each
run, ranging from the conditions of the course, which
may change throughout the day, to the particular tires
a rider chooses. Downhill race winners receive 210
points, and the battle for the national title is sure
to be contested down to the final roll on the Purgatory
Mountain course.
In Men’s Pro Downhill, the series race is wide
open as 10 riders have a shot at the title. Chris Kovarik
leads with 646 points, but Greg Minnar, in second,
is only 12 points back. Kovarik (AUS, Intense/Fox)
won the event at Snowshoe, W.Va, was third at Snow
Summit in California and had two top 15 finishes on
the eastern swing. Minnar (RSA, Haro Lee Dungaree)
has yet to stand atop the podium but has finished in
the top 15 at all four events with a second at Snowshoe.
Australian Sam Hill (Iron Horse) sits in third with
608 points.
Top-placed American Eric Carter sits eighth overall,
with 528 points, a slight lead over the brother duo
of Gary and Rich Houseman. Carter’s years of
experience and mental toughness may give him the edge
for the title (he competed injured at Mount Snow, Vt.,
and still gained 74 valuable points). Shaums March
(Anaheim, Calif., Red Bull/Chumba Wumba) and Colin
Bailey (Yucaipa, Calif., Maxxis Tires) are the next
top placed Americans in eleventh and fourteenth place
respectively.
Marla Streb (Los Osos, Calif., Luna Women MTB) is having
one of her best years in gravity events and leads the
women’s Pro Downhill Series with 714 points.
Fionn Griffiths (GBR, Foes Azonic) is in second with
668 points, followed by Tracy Moseley (GBR, Kona-Clarks)
with 646. Streb has shown consistency and is the only
rider to win two events this year. She nearly won her
third at Schweitzer Mountain, Idaho, but a crash in
her final run bumped her to seventh. Should she stay
upright, look for Streb to take the national title
ahead of the second highest-placed American Dawn Bourque
(Campton, N.H., Dried Plums/Orbitz), sixth overall
with 556 points. Should Streb falter, both Griffiths
and Moseley will surely charge for the title.
Cross Country
Ryder Hesjedal holds the lead in the Men’s Pro
Cross-Country Series with 748 points, 68 points ahead
of USA’s top male, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder,
RLX Ralph Lauren). Hesjedal (Victoria, B.C., Subaru-Gary
Fisher) won the first two races of the series. Third
is Seamus McGrath (Millgrove, Ontario, Haro Lee Dungarees).
Local riders Todd Wells (Mongoose) and Frank Mapel
(Specialized) sit in the 11th and 26th spots respectively
and will be looking for good results in front of the
home crowd. Hesjedal needs a top-seven place to secure
the title.
On the women’s side, Jimena Florit (San Diego,
RLX Ralph Lauren) also needs a top-seven finish to
win the title, as she has 738 points. Chrissy Redden’s
(Campbellville, Ontario, Subaru-Gary Fisher) 670 points
puts her in second place. Top American Mary McConnelloug
(Fairfax, Calif. Seven Cycles) lies third with 624
points.
Mountain Cross
Eric Carter (Temecula, Calif., Mongoose/Hyundai) leads
the Pro Men’s Mountain Cross Series and is also
the top American with 610 points. Countryman and veteran
Mike King (San Diego, Haro Lee Dungaree) is in second
with 565 points. Australian Chris Kovarik (Intense/Fox)
sits in third with 485 points, and Gary Houseman (Temecula,
Calif., Intense Tire Systems Santa Cruz) is in fourth
with 360 points. Unless elimination comes in the early
rounds, look for a battle for that title between Carter
or King. Should either be eliminated early, which is
unlikely, Kovarik may have a chance to take the title.
The Women’s Pro Mountain Cross overall series
is led by BMX crossover Jill Kintner (San Jose, Calif.,
Fox Shox) with 610 points, just ahead of France’s
Sabrina Jonnier (Intense) with 550 points. Katrina
Miller (AUS, Jamis Bicycles) is in third with 540 points.
For either Jonnier or Miller to take the top spot,
they will likely need to take first or second place
at Durango. This should be closely contested as Kintner
has lost a bit of momentum while Jonnier and Miller
both have been gaining.
Short Track
Colorado native Jeremy Horgan –Kobelski (Boulder,
RLX Ralph Lauren) leads the Men’s Pro Short Track
standings with 762 total points. Seamus McGrath (CAN,
Haro Lee Dungaree) is second with 716 points, and Paul
Rowney AUS, Sobe Cannondale) is third with 656. For
the overall NORBA Series Championship, if McGrath should
have a super day and win, then Horgan-Kobelski must
finish in at least fourth place or better. Horgan-Kobelski
should remain the top American in the series ahead
of Durango’s Todd Wells (Mongoose/Hyundai), who
sits fifth overall with 584 points.
In Women’s Pro Short Track, Susan Haywood (Davis,
W.Va., Trek-VW) leads the series with 756 points and
also is the top American. Katerina Hanusova (Truckee,
Calif., Luna Women MTB) lies in second overall with
712 points, and Chrissy Redden (CAN, Subaru-Gary Fisher)
sits third with 702 points.
Haywood has shown herself
to be one of the most consistent racers in short track
this year, but Hanusova will surely come after her
for the title. For Haywood to win the overall, she
must not give up more than 44 points to Hanusova – if
Hanusova were to win at Durango, then Haywood needs
at least a third place finish to take the title.
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