- Date range:
-
September 26-27, 2009
September 27, Downhill:
Mulally goes two for two
- By:
- Cycling News
- Published:
- September 29, 2009, 16:31,
- Updated:
- September 29, 2009, 18:03
Eagan breaks runner-up streak to take victory in women's race
Photos
Neko Mulally (Specialized Team America) went two-for-two while Karen Eagan (Sam Adams Brewery) scored a major upset at the first major gravity race at the new Vertical Earth Mountain Bike Park at Eastern Pennsylvania's Blue Mountain. A freshly cut track combined with overnight rain meant a lot of mud. But, like the dual slalom course the day before, riders praised the course. And promoter Dan Whitehead and his Vertical Earth Crew, with plenty of support from the resort staff, pulled off his first major race without a hitch, no mean feat when it continued to rain throughout the day.
Coming into the race, Dawn Bourque (Rhino Bike Works) was undefeated in Gravity East racing this year and, after winning the dual slalom on Saturday night, was the prohibitive favorite. But Eagan, working to improve on her streak of five straight runner-up finishes broke through to win her first Gravity East Downhill with a time of 4:13.84, just 0.02 seconds shy of one full second in front of second place Bourque. The victory was especially sweet for Eagan, who came to the race specifically to race, "someplace I've never ridden before." The combination of freshly-cut trails (the first tree on the park was only cut in April), and Pennsylvania decomposed granite soil with lots of small, sharp rocks at first confused Eagan. But she quickly adapted and showed a knack for reading new terrain.
For Mulally, however, Blue Mountain is like a second home. The mountain is only about 35 miles northeast of his home in Reading, and he has been spending many evenings helping the Vertical Earth Crew fine-tune their trails and the dual slalom course. Chris Higgerson, for one, probably wishes Mulally would focus a bit more on his homework and chasing girls like other 16 year olds. The Von Cooper Productions rider lost out to Mulally by just 0.58 seconds, giving Mulally his second win of the weekend after he triple-jumped his way to the dual slalom the day before. On the open-faced section of the mostly tree-lined course, Mulally took an outside line that was visibly faster, even from the bottom of the hill; some observers said he looked like he was riding a motorcycle. Then, at the bottom of the course, he put on a show by launching off the drop and roller combination.
In other noteworthy news, 11-year-old Ben Bodycoat may have finished second to Kory Koehler in the Cat. 3 Junior race, but he probably didn't care after posting a faster time than his father George did in winning the Cat. 2 40+ division. The Bodycoats have attended every Gravity East race this year, and it was the first time Kory beat his dad.
Altogether, 200 racers participated in the weekend's dual slalom and downhill with another 40 in the Saturday morning Super D.
This coming weekend, October 3-4, the Gravity East returns to New England as downhill racers tackle the new "Trail 13" at Mount Snow, as well as a a dual slalom and non-points Super D.
Results
Elite men
| 1 |
Neko Mulally (Specialized Team America) |
0:03:26.140 |
|
| 2 |
Chris Higgerson (Voncooper) |
0:00:00.580 |
|
| 3 |
Adam Morse (Real Mean Wear Pink) |
0:00:01.990 |
|
| 4 |
Jason Memmelaar (Hayes/5 ten/Manitu/Smith) |
0:00:02.350 |
|
| 5 |
Lars Tribus (Chumba Racing) |
0:00:04.270 |
|
| 6 |
Kyle Sangers (J & J Cyles) |
0:00:07.370 |
|
| 7 |
Alejandro Ortiz (Morpheus Cycle) |
0:00:07.750 |
|
| 8 |
Luke Snyder (Voncooper) |
0:00:13.730 |
|
| 9 |
Jeff Cayley (Team Dan) |
0:00:15.960 |
|
| 10 |
Chris Talotta (Ride-This) |
0:00:18.320 |
|
| 11 |
Marvin Scanland |
0:00:19.640 |
|
| 12 |
Jason Beckley (MMR/Marin/Kanda/NEMA/Fox Shox) |
0:00:23.480 |
|
| 13 |
BJ Treglia (Kenda/661/Fox Shox/Sunline/Turner) |
0:00:27.200 |
|
| 14 |
Justin Gregory |
0:00:30.420 |
|
| 15 |
Erik Gosselin (Team Drop) |
0:00:56.250 |
|
Elite women
| 1 |
Karen Eagan (Sam Adams) |
0:04:13.840 |
|
| 2 |
Dawn Bouque (Rhino Bike Works) |
0:00:00.980 |
|
| 3 |
Hillary Elgert (RacersEdge) |
0:00:18.380 |
|
| 4 |
Stephanie Gubernat (Cutters Bike Shop/VerticalEarth) |
0:00:46.370 |
|
Junior men
| 1 |
Richie Rude (Allride Academy) |
0:03:34.490 |
|
| 2 |
Max Syron (Sinister/Freeride) |
0:00:06.370 |
|
| 3 |
Logan Mulally (Specialized Team America) |
0:00:17.360 |
|
| 4 |
Mike Gross (Team Drop) |
0:00:17.830 |
|
| 5 |
Sam Pensler |
0:00:27.510 |
|
Cat. 1 Men 19-29
| 1 |
Adam Plumey (Dream Team) |
0:03:45.290 |
|
| 2 |
Peter Mihalick (2wheelfreaks.com) |
0:00:09.760 |
|
| 3 |
Geoff Ayr (Make Snow not War) |
0:00:12.720 |
|
| 4 |
Mike Gruhler (Girth Bikes Clothing) |
0:00:18.320 |
|
| 5 |
Stephen Solt (South Mountain Cycle, Lees-McCrae College) |
0:00:20.290 |
|
| 6 |
Will Marks (Harley Davidson) |
0:00:21.310 |
|
| 7 |
Eric Allocco |
0:00:22.780 |
|
| 8 |
Nicholas White (Marty's) |
0:00:29.010 |
|
| 9 |
Kyle Kimble |
0:00:30.770 |
|
| 10 |
Alex Moschitti (Morpheus Cycle) |
0:00:38.200 |
|
| DNS |
John Normand (Team Low Riders) |
|
|
| DNS |
Stephen Flood (Last Chapter) |
|
|
Cat. 1 Men 30-39
| 1 |
Robin Klinkert (My Right Pocket) |
0:03:42.690 |
|
| 2 |
Mark Rutan (Last Chapter/VerticalEarth) |
0:00:12.720 |
|
| 3 |
Donnie Roberts (Voncooper/Azonic DHD) |
0:00:13.330 |
|
| 4 |
Kyle Kutzler (Team Marty's) |
0:00:13.710 |
|
| 5 |
Tim Pierce (CycleCraft) |
0:00:17.880 |
|
| 6 |
Jeremy Hartman |
0:00:57.530 |
|
| 7 |
Neal DeMaio (Cycles Xprezo) |
0:00:58.310 |
|
| DNS |
Thomas Schueler (RacersEdge/Chumba) |
|
|
| DNS |
Matt Slater |
|
|
Cat. 1 Men 40+
| 1 |
Dennis LaClair (Wachucett Brewing Company) |
0:03:59.880 |
|
| 2 |
Phil Cook (RacersEdge) |
0:00:18.190 |
|
| 3 |
Stefan Daney (Inspired Athletes) |
0:00:21.390 |
|
| 4 |
Reid Kiniry (Michelin) |
0:00:34.630 |
|
| 5 |
Rich Rude (Cycle Center) |
0:00:38.810 |
|
| 6 |
Nick Fortune (PMBA) |
0:01:22.260 |
|
| 7 |
Michael Rothenbeck (Azonic/Sheridan Printing) |
0:01:44.700 |
|
| DNS |
Steve Cihylik |
|
|
| DNS |
Jay Dallegro (Sinical Racing/Keswick Cycle) |
|
|
Cat. 1 Women 19-29
| 1 |
Kristine Koch (Dad/GGI/Fluid/Spy) |
0:04:46.590 |
|
| 2 |
Kate Parhiaia (Wachusett Brew) |
0:00:17.800 |
|
| 3 |
Hannah Trimble (Team Self) |
0:03:11.490 |
|
Cat. 1 Women 30-39
| 1 |
Susan del Pino (iRide/Oakley/Loeka) |
0:04:50.220 |
|
Cat. 2 Junior men
| 1 |
Nikolas Dudukovich |
0:04:12.870 |
|
| 2 |
Anthony Viselli |
0:00:16.090 |
|
| 3 |
Michael Barron (Gretna Bikes) |
0:00:18.830 |
|
| 4 |
Brad Ritter (Low Riders) |
0:00:27.360 |
|
| 5 |
Evan Biner |
0:00:49.100 |
|
Cat. 2 Men 19-29
| 1 |
Dan Waskiewicz (tractionmag.com) |
0:04:14.860 |
|
| 2 |
Richard Patty (Wayfarer) |
0:00:12.050 |
|
| 3 |
Kevin Cockerham (Sinical Racing) |
0:00:13.320 |
|
| 4 |
Michael Gavagan (Brandywine Cyclery) |
0:00:16.060 |
|
| 5 |
Andrew Clemison |
0:00:21.450 |
|
| 6 |
Chris Chiemelski (Wayfarer) |
0:00:24.310 |
|
| 7 |
Daniel Siegfried (Team Self) |
0:00:26.710 |
|
| 8 |
Steve Czaplicki |
0:00:31.050 |
|
| 9 |
Alan Tarwater (Team Fat Kids) |
0:00:31.120 |
|
| 10 |
Jason Hartman |
0:00:40.510 |
|
| 11 |
Somroy Bunty (Team Self) |
0:01:03.310 |
|
| DNS |
Anthony Coluccio |
|
|
Cat. 2 Men 30-39
| 1 |
Jeff Stofanak (Cutters Bike Shop) |
0:04:09.660 |
|
| 2 |
James Boyer (Bike Stop/NEMA) |
0:00:04.130 |
|
| 3 |
Colby Barth |
0:00:12.760 |
|
| 4 |
Luke Wenschhof |
0:00:13.550 |
|
| 5 |
Casey Coull (Team Low Riders) |
0:00:14.460 |
|
| 6 |
Lane Boertman (Beachwood Bikes) |
0:00:16.220 |
|
| 7 |
Ben Weaver (Allied Milk) |
0:00:54.900 |
|
| DNS |
Jason Washer (Last Chapter) |
|
|
| DNS |
Lou Harris (PMBA) |
|
|
Cat. 2 Men 40+
| 1 |
George Bodycoat |
0:05:11.360 |
|
| 2 |
Leo Dumont |
0:00:44.320 |
|
Cat. 2 Women 19-29
| 1 |
Leslie Litton (Gretna Bikes) |
0:05:25.870 |
|
Cat. 2 Women 30-39
| 1 |
Karen Clymer (my honey b) |
0:06:04.740 |
|
Cat. 3 Junior men
| 1 |
Kory Koehler |
0:04:35.650 |
|
| 2 |
Ben Bodycoat |
0:00:31.310 |
|
| 3 |
Brian Anthony |
0:00:59.110 |
|
| 4 |
Taylor Pierce (Trails End Cycling) |
0:02:05.980 |
|
| DNS |
Forrest Canning |
|
|
Cat. 3 Men 19-29
| 1 |
Korey Szapacs |
0:04:42.180 |
|
| 2 |
Ryan Mauser |
0:00:12.860 |
|
| 3 |
Todd Colligan |
0:00:15.470 |
|
| 4 |
Jon O'Brien |
0:00:22.810 |
|
| 5 |
Michael Chies |
0:00:23.650 |
|
| 6 |
Evan Strunk |
0:03:41.230 |
|
Cat. 3 Men 30-39
| 1 |
Mike Ireton (Cutters Bike Shop) |
0:04:42.000 |
|
| 2 |
David Gray |
0:00:58.370 |
|
| 3 |
Joaquin Canizales (Team Marty's) |
0:01:22.170 |
|
| 4 |
Todd Boucher (Bennett Bicycles/MMR) |
0:01:49.760 |
|
Cat. 3 Men 40+
| 1 |
Alan Daum (nittanymba.org) |
0:05:11.340 |
|
| 2 |
Ed McDaniel (Bike Line) |
0:00:30.380 |
|
| 3 |
Bryan Martin (Beachwood Bikes) |
0:00:42.660 |
|
Cat. 3 Women 19-29
| 1 |
Becky Bagley (Voncooper/Mongoose/NEMA/DHD) |
0:05:48.540 |
|
| 2 |
Rachael Baxter |
0:00:18.930 |
|
| 3 |
Christy Allebach (Mt. Perk) |
0:00:38.510 |
|
Cat. 3 Women 30-39
| 1 |
Jennel Ortiz (Team Marty's) |
0:07:58.400 |
|
Cat. 3 Women 40+
| 1 |
Christine Deihl |
0:09:51.470 |
|
