NORBA National Series #2 - NE

Deer Valley, Utah, USA, July 6-9, 2006

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Race 6 - July 9: Short Track

The Luna Chix sweep and Kabush wins short track #11

By Steve Medcroft

Just like they did at the NORBA short track in Sugar Mountain, North Carolina one month ago, the Luna Chix swept the podium at Deer Valley when Katerina Nash, Georgia Gould and Shonny Vanlandingham grabbed first through third. Nash says that she and her teammates were able to establish a comfortable lead early and she, with two prior short track wins this season and the series championship safe at hand, had the strongest set of Luna legs and was able to grab the win.

"With Park City being at elevation," Nash said about her approach to the weekend's finale, "the strategy was to just keep a high pace because we knew that people wouldn't survive a high pace at high elevation. Once we were able to get most of the team up front and didn't have any other team riding with us, we all went for our own race."

Nash says she slipped away from her two teammates with half the race still to run. "Sometimes that can be pretty early but I just maintained it all the way to the end." Gould finished second and Vanlandingham third. Willow Koerber (Subaru/Gary Fisher) and Dara Marks-Marino (Titus/Kenda) completed the podium.

Fighting his way to the top

Kabush continues his streak as the winningest short track racer in the format's young history. The Deer Valley win was his eleventh and, says the Team Maxxis rider who is about to defend his National Championship jersey in Kamloops, British Columbia on Saturday July 15th, it's a good sign that his form is back on track.

"It was a tough course," Kabush said by phone on Monday. "Watching the women's race, you could see that it was going to be a bit of triathlon, that it would be selective." Not selective in the usual, mid-race, lead-pack kind of way. Promoters decided to lift the excitement early with a first lap premium.

Ryan Trebon, who is known for fierce starts anyway, decided he wanted that cash in his own pocket. "Trebon wound it out and stretched the field," Kabush said. "I made my move after the third lap or so, got it out to about ten seconds and just kept it going." Which made for a far more painful short track than Kabush, a gifted stalker/sprinter, was used to. "It was more of a time trial effort."

Kabush held off the hard-chasing Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru/Gary Fisher) by fifteen seconds and says the win, like his similar result at Sugar Mountain in June, is a sign that he has shaken the effects of an early season illness. "It was frustrating to not do anything at the World Cups - I didn't do anything close to what I had for goals for myself - but hopefully I can prove to myself at Worlds that I can compete with those guys again."

The after-party for non Americans

With their American NORBA counterparts headed for the US National Championships at the Cougar Mountain Classic in Sonoma, California Thursday through Sunday, Nash and Kabush have made separate plans for their next few weeks.

As of Monday, Kabush is in Victoria, British Columbia, putting the final touches on his preparations for the Canadian National Championships (July 15). He says he's expecting a strong challenge from riders like Seamus McGrath, who podiumed in the Mont Saint Anne World Cup at the end of June, and Ricky Federau, who has been sneaking into the top ten in NORBA cross countries this season.

Nash says that the financial hardship and time committment of traveling back to her home means she'll miss the Czech Republic National Championship, also this weekend. She will, however, use the break between now and the Brian Head NORBA (Aug 5-6) to get in some well deserved recovery and training time.

Results

Pro women
 
1 Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Womens Mtb Team              0.23.25
2 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens Mtb                      0.07
3 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) Luna Womens Mtb Team          0.19
4 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher                  0.26
5 Dara Marks-Marino (USA) Titus/Kenda                      0.27
6 Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mtn Business Objects            0.36
7 Jimena Florit (Arg) Luna Womens Mtb                      0.39
8 Kathy Sherwin (USA) Ford Cycling                         0.46
9 Rosara Joseph (NZl) Jazz Apple Cycling Tm                0.50
10 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek/Vw                             0.57
11 Kristen Danielson (USA) Velo Bella/Kona                 1.11
12 Kelli Emmett (USA) Ford Cycling                         1.44
 
Lapped:                                                        
 
13 Jennifer Smith (NZl) Trek/Vw                                
14 Nina Baum (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale                       
15 Sara Bresnick-Zocchi (USA) Ford Cycling                     
16 Chloe Forsman (USA) Tokyo Joes/X-Fusion                     
17 Wendy Simms (Can) Velo Bella/Kona                           
18 Jenna Zander (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale                    
19 Melissa Thomas (USA) Rockymounts                            
20 Michelle Hyland (NZl) Jazz Apple Cycling Tm                 
21 Jamie Whitmore (USA) Felt Racing                            
22 Christina Smith (USA) Orthopedic Store.Com                  
23 Stacey Scanlan (USA) Tamarack                               
24 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) Jazz Apple Cycling                     
25 Carolyn Popovic (USA) Mtbikechicks.Com/Cannondale           
26 Shannon Gibson (USA) Crazy Cat/Yetigrassroots               
27 Judy Freeman (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale                    
28 Jennifer Wilson (USA) Titus Grassroots                      
29 Theresa Richardson (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale              
30 Paula Burks (USA) Vantaggio/ Specialized                    
31 Alice Pennington (USA) Desalvo                              
32 Kristi Lewis (USA) Orbea                                    
33 Rebecca Gross (USA) Armed Forces                            
34 Zephanie Blasi (USA) Kenda/Dtswiss/Gu                       
35 Caitlyn Tuel (USA) Trek/Vw                                  
36 Krista Park (USA) Colavita/Addictive Cycles                 
37 Shannon Holden (USA) Velo Bella/Kona                        
38 Heather Svahn (USA) Content Works                           
39 Chrissy Bono (USA) Bicycle Johns Serious Cycling            
40 Meggan Flaherty (USA) Bicylce Johns/Serious Cycling         
41 Melanie Meyers (USA) Ford Cycling                           
42 Hilary Wright (USA) Devo                                    
43 Noel Weddle (USA) Velo Bella/Kona                           
44 Lauren Koedyk (NZl) Jazz Apple Cycling Tm                   
45 Becca Blay (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale                      
46 Kimberly Flynn (USA) Vantaggio/Specialized                  
47 Jennifer Tilley (USA) Kona/Velo Bella                       
48 Kim Passafiume (USA) Velo Bella/ Kona                       
49 Sonya Looney (USA) Titus                                    
50 Sue Abbene (USA) Raleigh Facotry                            
51 Kristina Andrus (USA) Dean Bikes                            
52 Jennifer Hanks (USA) Revolution Mtn Sports                  
53 Christie Pleiss (USA) Tm K&N Performance                    
54 Dj Morisette (USA) Ellsworth/Copper Chase Condos            
55 Heather Baumgartner (USA) Tm Adventure Cycling Aurora Co    
DNF Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher                   
 
Pro men
 
1 Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis                        0.23.42
2 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher          0.15
3 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona/Les Gets                          0.27
4 Ross Schnell (USA) Trek/Vw                               0.28
5 Clinton Avery (NZl) New Zealand Natl Team                0.30
6 Adam Craig (USA) Giant                                   0.50
7 Sam Schultz (USA) U23 National Team                      0.59
8 Alan Obye (USA) Sram                                     1.25
 
Lapped:                                                        
 
9 Cody Peterson (USA) 3D Racing/Sram/Lfp&Co                    
10 Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Team Maxxis                          
11 Mike West (USA) Maverick                                    
12 Walker Ferguson (USA) Scott/Spinner                         
13 Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Trek/Vw                               
14 Brian Smith (USA) Trek/Vw                                   
15 Sam Jurekovic (USA) U23 National Team                       
16 Charles Pendry (USA) Inland - Btd                           
17 Bart Gillespie (USA) Raliegh Factory Team                   
18 Ricky Federau (Can) Teamrace.Com                            
19 Colin Cares (USA) U23 National Team                         
20 Travis Brown (USA) Trek/Frs Nutrition                       
21 Nick Martin (USA) Trek/Vw                                   
22 Jeff Schalk (USA) Trek Vw- East                             
23 Brent Miller (Aus) Santa Cruz/Fox Shox                      
24 Keith Hickerson (USA) Tamarack                              
25 Thomas Spannring (Aus) Cole Sport                           
26 Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona/Lesgets                             
27 Mitchell Peterson (USA) Devo                                
28 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona/Les Gets                             
29 Spencer Paxson (USA) Devo                                   
30 Eric Ransom (USA) Tamarack Resort/Intense                   
31 Ryan Lynch (USA) James Frames/Ciber                         
32 Christian Favata (USA) Overlookmtb/Hutchinson/Spy           
33 Matt Kelly (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher                         
34 Travis Woodruff (USA) Litespeed/Pcw                         
35 Miles Venzara (USA) Team Health Fx                          
36 Nicholas Stevens (GBr) Fuentes Design/Waltworks             
37 Brent Winebarger (USA) Health Fx/Cwc                        
38 Kevin Bradford-Parish (USA) Bicycle Butler/Rocky            
39 Luke Pennington (USA) S And M                               
40 Chris Jung (USA) Waltworks/Fuentes Design                   
41 Jason Sager (USA) Hotel San Jose/Cannondale                 
42 Adam Snyder (USA) Balance Bar/Devo                          
43 Kevin Day (USA) Bikers Edge                                 
44 Brandon Draugelis (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale               
45 Paul Hanson (USA)                                           
46 Andy Schultz (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale                    
47 Ryan Artale (USA) Maverick/Full Cycle                       
48 Patrick Bush (USA) Clif Bar                                 
49 Austin Carroll (USA) Team Devo                              
50 Rick Wetherald (USA) Tamarack Resort                        
51 Stephen Iles (USA) Comotion Sports                          
52 Blake Zumbrunnen (USA) Revolution/Crank Bros                
53 Shannon Boffeli (USA) Revolution Mtn Sports/Crank Bros      
54 Waylon Smith (GBr) Khs                                      
55 Steve Kinney (USA) Steven K Sports                          
56 Daniel Corum (USA) Inland/Btd                               
57 Greg Lewis (USA) Healthfx/Cwc                               
58 Chanoch Redlich (Isr) Trek/Sram/Rudy                        
DNF Des Curry (NZl) Odi/Smith/Romic