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Mike King (USA, Haro/Lee Dungarees) demonstrated that no matter how talented these pros may be, dual slalom is still a dangerous sport.

King earned a 2nd-place finish to winner Cedric Gracia (FRA, Volvo-Cannondale) after exciting head-to-head action Saturday afternoon, but crashed hard at the finish line and was taken by ambulance to the hospital a short time afterward.

King was riding out of his skin to make up a .4 second deficit behind the unstoppable Gracia and, just meters from the finish, slipped a pedal and washed out his front wheel sending the handlebar into his nose and his body face-first onto the hard dirt.

He lay motionless until after EMTs arrived, and was taken away on a backboard, with teammate Mick Hannah (AUS, Haro/Lee Dungarees) riding in the ambulance with him. Hannah isn't competing this weekend due to his own injuries, eliminating two-thirds of the Haro downhill squad for the weekend.

King had been on a roll all afternoon, going for his third Sea Otter win, having dispensed with Eric Carter (USA, Mongoose) in the semi's. Carter went to the consolation round and faced Brian Lopes (USA, Fox/GT) who had been eliminated from the finals by former teammate, friend and rival Cedric Gracia (FRA, Volvo-Cannondale).

Gracia, who today celebrates his birthday, was riding better than even he thought possible, at one point asking "I'm advancing, really?" after narrowly beating the World Champion dualist Lopes. Lopes went on to beat EC, another talented rival, in the consolation round to earn 3rd place.

Riders earned a little bonus in this event, picking up a crisp twenty dollar bill after each heat they won, a bit more incentive in the well-attended race on the hillside above the racetrack. The Sea Otter DS course is well-liked by riders; its smooth turns featuring high banks to keep the bikes pressed into the fast dirt as camera flashes popped all around them.

Anne-Caroline Chausson (FRA, Volvo-Cannondale) was unstoppable as usual on the women's side, winning every single match-up of the two-run format and cleanly advancing to, then winning, this year's event against the only woman who can give her a run for her money, Katrina Miller (AUS, Jamis).

Miller had beaten Sabrina Jonnier (FRA, Intense) to get to the finals, sending Jonnier to the consolation round to face Marla Streb (USA, Luna Chix).

Streb, riding for her new Clif Bar-sponsored team, was beaten by Chausson to go to the consolation round where she faced Jonnier for 3rd place. But World Cup all-around winner Jonnier was too much for Streb, and took 3rd place.

Likewise, Chausson was too much for Miller in the finals, winning both runs and taking the day's victory. Downhill action will continue Sunday with the Mountain Cross and the downhill.

— Ari Cheren, MountainZone.com Correspondent