2005 NORBA National Championships- Mammoth
A lot of celebrating this weekend in mammoth. Congrats to all the 2005 Champions!
This was Luna Chick Alison Dunlap’s last race, thirteen years after she began her pro mountain biking career right here in Mammoth. Alison will now have more time energy to focus on personal coaching with Carmichael Systems and her growing Adventure Camps. She will quickly be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Two time Olympian. World Champion. Numerous American Championships. Cyclocross, and Road championships, too. I’m surprised that she never wanted to try downhilling, too.
Well, maybe not.
Proud to say my other teammate, Shonny Vandlandingham, won the short track title. She was minutes away from winning the Red, White and Blue jersey for the cross country too, but moments after thinking to herself, “I got this one!” she sort of flatted, stacked, and hiked-a-biked across the finish line to a disappointing 4th.
Alison Dunlap at the NORBA National Championships in Mammoth...
Mary McConneloug, Alison, and Willow Koerber slipped past Shonny’s carnage for first, second and third. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski kept Todd Wells at bay and took the men’s title.
In the men’s short track, Adam Craig blasted to the finish after attacking the upside-down mountain cross course on the last lap. I was rooting for him, especially after seeing him race the Single Speed Worlds in tight cut-off denim shorts and no shirt!
In the downhill my other teammate, Kathy Pruitt, was flying down the course on her way to a sure win and flipped over the handlebars in the rock garden, but was able to compose herself enough to garner second place. Melissa Buhl put together a clean and smooth run to earn her first Red, White and Blue jersey.
Cody Warren won the men’s downhill, beating fellow occasional mountainzone.com blogger and unusually literate for a downhiller Chris Van Dine by 8 seconds. Next year it’s yours, Chris!
In the mountain cross, current World Champ and Red Bull rider Jill Kintner surprised no one by winning another championship. Buhl and Pruitt rounded out the podium for second and third. Eric Carter handily won the mens’ race, vindicating himself from an injury-riddled season.
A few legends did more than just show up to this event. John Tomac won the Kamikaze, beating names like Sam Hill and Chris Kovarik. Ned Overend podiumed in the men’s pro cross country, getting 5th and beating lots of current 20-something year old pros.
Many people asked me if I was going to try for another title or two. Even though I was registered, I decided not to race the Marathon (which Gretchen Reeves rode away with) or the Super D, (which Kelli Emmitt ended up winning), because I wanted to concentrate on a new discipline which Elke Brutsaert and I introduced into the sport:
The No Fear Extreme Downhill Tandem Folding Bike Class. We won. But because the event was for “exhibition purposes only” NORBA forgot to make us special jerseys! We griped about that back at Alison’s retirement party until all the alcohol was gone.
Elke Brusaert in the Extreme Tandem after Marla had fallen off. Photo by Tom Moran.
One more congratulatory note goes out to Katerina Hanusova, the Luna Czech Chick”, who was married this past weekend in her hometown to studly pilot Marcus. Sorry guys, she’s now officially taken!
*Note: For complete results, go to www.usacycling.org
This was Luna Chick Alison Dunlap’s last race, thirteen years after she began her pro mountain biking career right here in Mammoth. Alison will now have more time energy to focus on personal coaching with Carmichael Systems and her growing Adventure Camps. She will quickly be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Two time Olympian. World Champion. Numerous American Championships. Cyclocross, and Road championships, too. I’m surprised that she never wanted to try downhilling, too.
Well, maybe not.
Proud to say my other teammate, Shonny Vandlandingham, won the short track title. She was minutes away from winning the Red, White and Blue jersey for the cross country too, but moments after thinking to herself, “I got this one!” she sort of flatted, stacked, and hiked-a-biked across the finish line to a disappointing 4th.
Alison Dunlap at the NORBA National Championships in Mammoth...
Mary McConneloug, Alison, and Willow Koerber slipped past Shonny’s carnage for first, second and third. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski kept Todd Wells at bay and took the men’s title.
In the men’s short track, Adam Craig blasted to the finish after attacking the upside-down mountain cross course on the last lap. I was rooting for him, especially after seeing him race the Single Speed Worlds in tight cut-off denim shorts and no shirt!
In the downhill my other teammate, Kathy Pruitt, was flying down the course on her way to a sure win and flipped over the handlebars in the rock garden, but was able to compose herself enough to garner second place. Melissa Buhl put together a clean and smooth run to earn her first Red, White and Blue jersey.
Cody Warren won the men’s downhill, beating fellow occasional mountainzone.com blogger and unusually literate for a downhiller Chris Van Dine by 8 seconds. Next year it’s yours, Chris!
In the mountain cross, current World Champ and Red Bull rider Jill Kintner surprised no one by winning another championship. Buhl and Pruitt rounded out the podium for second and third. Eric Carter handily won the mens’ race, vindicating himself from an injury-riddled season.
A few legends did more than just show up to this event. John Tomac won the Kamikaze, beating names like Sam Hill and Chris Kovarik. Ned Overend podiumed in the men’s pro cross country, getting 5th and beating lots of current 20-something year old pros.
Many people asked me if I was going to try for another title or two. Even though I was registered, I decided not to race the Marathon (which Gretchen Reeves rode away with) or the Super D, (which Kelli Emmitt ended up winning), because I wanted to concentrate on a new discipline which Elke Brutsaert and I introduced into the sport:
The No Fear Extreme Downhill Tandem Folding Bike Class. We won. But because the event was for “exhibition purposes only” NORBA forgot to make us special jerseys! We griped about that back at Alison’s retirement party until all the alcohol was gone.
Elke Brusaert in the Extreme Tandem after Marla had fallen off. Photo by Tom Moran.
One more congratulatory note goes out to Katerina Hanusova, the Luna Czech Chick”, who was married this past weekend in her hometown to studly pilot Marcus. Sorry guys, she’s now officially taken!
*Note: For complete results, go to www.usacycling.org
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2 Comments:
how did Marla fall off? whoa....
I love the No Fear Extreme Downhill TANDEM folding bike class. And does Elke ever visit her hometown anymore. She's kind of an underground legend and we wish more people know about her, or that she'd maybe come for a groupride sometime...
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