Heath wins in Sugarbush
Round seven of Gravity East visits Vermont
Chris Heath and Dawn Bourque were the big winners of the Gravity East Sugarbush Downhill under what has become normal conditions for racing in 2009 - mud. Sugarbush Resort, located in mid-state Vermont, was the location for the seventh stop of the Gravity East Series.
Despite its relatively remote location, Sugarbush is a large resort area that is couple with other resorts using a network of lifts that resembles ski areas in the Rockies. And, while Sugarbush might be unfamiliar many young riders, the mountain has a long history of racing rooted in the heyday of Mountain biking in the late 90s. In just the last two years mountain biking and racing has returned to Sugarbush, spurred on by the increasing popularity of series like Gravity East.
All the major elements of a classic downhill course were represented at this year's course: fast brake-burning open ski slope, high-speed rock roads, grassy turns and bermed turns that slammed racers into tight technical woods. As brakes were cooling off from the top portion of the course, racers made their way through a tight, wooded course section that started out with some slow tight maneuvering around trees. A slick off-camber stretch led to the rock face. The rock face resembled a World Cup course and was taped-off very wide. Racers commented that I had so many lines it could give you a headache as tried to decide which line to use. The finishing segment of the course could have been a small dual slalom course. Racers were treated to berms, table-tops and step-down jumps before hitting one last, long sweeping berm that shot them across the finish line.
Rain leading up to the event on Friday night made for a half-dry and partially muddy conditions. Warm sunny day during practices turned several sections into peanut butter by the end of the day and a nice "ripe" smell through the wood section.
Race day arrives with cloudy skies, but the course dried out to the point that gave a good amount of traction, while still retaining enough slippery feel to make it fun. Race order for the day started with Cat 3, followed by Cat 2, Cat 1 and finished with Pro. Cat 3 made it down the hill and Cat 2 began their runs. It was time for Cat 1 and Pro to head up the lift to await their runs. As the big dogs approached the lift, everyone noted that a dense cloud cover had swept over the mountain.
The cloud cover obscured the top of the lift and the dark clouds gathered around the peaks. Many went and grabbed their rain jackets, umbrellas or trash bags. Rain started to fall half-way through the Cat 2 runs and never slowed down after that. By the time the Pros were scheduled to start the ground had already formed puddles everywhere at the top of the mountain and nothing was left dry. That super-fast open slope section of was now a saturated wet and muddy. What were fast grass turns were now slick skid-steer paths around corners. The woods were covered in wet slime.
Crashes were abundant for the remainder of the race. Riders reported having to remove their goggles half-way down the mountain because they couldn't see through the mud-covered and steamed lenses. The riders that were able to keep both wheels on the ground and blaze the mud turned in some respectable times for the day.
Dawn Bourque of Rhino Bike Works continued her stranglehold on the Gravity East Women's season, winning her fourth consecutive race by "only" 8.3 seconds over Karen Eagan of team Sam Adams. But, while Bourque may have a winning streak going, Chris Heath has the best winning percentage in Gravity East. Heath, a member of the US Pan American Games team, made the trip from Colorado to win the first Gravity East he's entered this year. Ben Moody (Rhino Bike Works), winner of the last Gravity East at Attitash, was a close second only 0.27 seconds behind Heath.
The next race on the 2009 Gravity East Calendar is the double-double big-dollar event at New York's Whiteface Mountain on August 29-30. The Whiteface 5K is a three mile, eight-plus minute downhill that doubles as both a Pro Gravity Tour and Gravity East event with the pro men's race paying US$2000 dollars to win. The weekend will also feature a round of Gravity East's inaugural e.thirteen Dual Slalom Series.
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Chris Heath (Manitou/Hayes) | 0:05:03.19 |
2 | Benjamin Moody (Rhino Bike/HMBP/POC/ARMOR ) | 0:00:00.27 |
3 | Gavin Vaughan (Snowfire Auto/Sinister Bikes/Hayes/Sunringle) | 0:00:01.37 |
4 | Tim Howland (Cannondale ) | 0:00:03.58 |
5 | Zach Faulkner (Drummer Racing/Evil Bikes/E13/Five Ten/Fox Racing Shox ) | 0:00:08.60 |
6 | Alejandro Ortiz (Morpheus Cycles ) | 0:00:12.49 |
7 | Jason Memmelaar (2 wheelfreaks.com) | 0:00:14.87 |
8 | Ben Hulse (Sycamore Cycles ) | 0:00:23.45 |
9 | B.J. Treglia (Kenda/Fox Shox/661/Sunline/Royal/Turner bikes) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | David Haas (Sam Adams ) | 0:00:35.91 |
11 | Connor Rowan | 0:00:39.41 |
12 | Erik Gosselin (Team Drop ) | 0:01:10.10 |
13 | Patrick Noonan (RJC/Pat Ferland/Dream Team) | 0:05:46.79 |
DNS | Jade Jenny | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Dawn Bourque (Rhino Bike ) | 0:06:04.27 |
2 | Karen Eagan (Sam Adams ) | 0:00:08.30 |
3 | Alexis Wruble (Sam Adams ) | 0:00:24.40 |
4 | Susan DelPino (Team I ride/Oakley/Loeka ) | 0:01:25.53 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Declan O'Brien (Sugarbush) | 0:07:08.00 |
2 | Chris Anderson | 0:00:26.50 |
3 | Johnny Egan (Sugarbush/Obermyer/VT North/Smith) | 0:02:56.81 |
4 | Nick Gray | 0:05:59.82 |
5 | Ben Bodycoat | 0:06:52.00 |
DNF | Charles Dayton | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Richard Rude Jr (Santa Cruz/Allride Academy ) | 0:05:08.21 |
2 | Alex Couture (Giant Bicycles/Michelin Tires) | 0:00:12.48 |
3 | Luen Proft | 0:00:15.82 |
4 | Peter McNulty (Team Drop ) | 0:02:18.51 |
DNS | Mike Gross (Team Drop ) | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Oliver Levick (Drummer Racing ) | 0:05:16.99 |
2 | Adam Plumley (The Dream Team) | 0:00:11.64 |
3 | Jordan Newth (True Wheels) | 0:00:14.81 |
4 | Geoff Ayr | 0:00:28.91 |
5 | Sky Nicholson (Sinister/Snowfire Racing) | 0:00:38.58 |
6 | Timothy Burgher | 0:00:41.38 |
7 | Alex Moschitti (Morpheus Cycles ) | 0:00:41.60 |
8 | Kevin Riordan | 0:00:46.76 |
9 | Jack Williams (Drummer Racing/Crank Bros. Andy's Cycle ) | 0:00:50.63 |
10 | Beau Cormier (C.H.I.P.S) | 0:00:52.03 |
11 | Todd Riordan | 0:00:57.09 |
12 | David Schoon (Wachusett Brewing Co. ) | 0:01:04.21 |
13 | Dave Eypper (Wachusett Brewing Co. ) | 0:01:06.92 |
14 | Brewster Kanis (Wachusett Brewing Co. ) | 0:01:07.74 |
15 | Will Marks (The Dream Team HD-DH) | 0:01:12.27 |
16 | Burke Saunders | 0:04:09.64 |
DNF | Owen Tulip (Dream Team ) | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Donnie Roberts (VonCooper/Azonic/DHD/Ernies'Cycle Shop ) | 0:05:41.88 |
2 | David Mee (JRA Cycles/Royal Racing) | 0:00:05.85 |
3 | Thomas Schueler (Racer's Edge/ Chumba) | 0:00:08.17 |
4 | James Roy (Team I ride/Oakley ) | 0:00:20.70 |
5 | John Pentecost (Guy-Trips.com ) | 0:00:25.20 |
6 | David Bersmefsky (Bullitt Racing ) | 0:00:32.86 |
7 | Brady Owens (derailedonline.com ) | 0:01:11.87 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Dennis LaClair (Wachusett Brewing Co. ) | 0:05:56.81 |
2 | Jacob Dallegro (Sinical Racing/Keswick) | 0:00:13.29 |
3 | Tony Watkins (Sugarbush) | 0:00:13.57 |
4 | Reid Kiniry (Michelin ) | 0:00:50.34 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Rebecca Bagley | 0:07:54.48 |
2 | Meredith Mansfield | 0:00:22.06 |
DNF | Laura Drenen | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Stephen Estabrook | 0:05:17.15 |
2 | Max Syron (Sinister/United Freeride) | 0:00:03.90 |
3 | Damon Morin (Team Drop) | 0:00:04.10 |
4 | Demetri Angelo | 0:00:10.87 |
5 | Dylan Conte (Team I- Ride) | 0:00:17.46 |
6 | Jeff Trimble | 0:00:24.90 |
7 | Ethan White | 0:00:45.78 |
8 | Zack Taylor | 0:00:53.42 |
9 | Henry Miles | 0:00:54.85 |
10 | Dylan DiPentima | 0:00:57.79 |
11 | Ray Syron (Sinister/United Freeride) | 0:01:04.80 |
12 | Edgar Massimino | 0:01:37.87 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Ryan Conroy | 0:05:40.69 |
2 | Nick Tanner (Sinister/Snowfire Racing) | 0:00:19.91 |
3 | Tyler Gilman | 0:00:26.47 |
4 | Nick Poirier (661/Dad/Azonic) | 0:00:26.77 |
5 | Steven Czaplicki (Knapps Cyclery) | 0:00:34.24 |
6 | Kevin Cockerham (Sinical Racing) | 0:00:35.91 |
7 | Jake Goss | 0:00:36.93 |
8 | Wyatt Vargas (Earl's Cyclery) | 0:00:44.28 |
9 | Kyle Bradford | 0:00:50.83 |
10 | Will Bradford | 0:01:01.57 |
11 | Roger Murphy | 0:01:02.83 |
12 | Jake Morrill | 0:01:07.18 |
13 | Matt Manser (Ski Rack/Specialized) | 0:01:08.26 |
14 | Chris Chmielewski (Wayfarer Bike) | 0:01:15.15 |
15 | Mitchell Towne | 0:01:32.94 |
DNF | David Berman (Murder, Inc.) | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Jason Knecht (Team I- Ride) | 0:05:42.53 |
2 | Mike Eastman (Team I- Ride) | 0:00:18.89 |
3 | Chad Borofsky (Sugarbush) | 0:01:13.16 |
4 | Ryan Thibault | 0:01:16.31 |
5 | Michael Rossi (Marty's) | 0:01:20.90 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Frank Endreson (Team Town Cycle) | 0:06:58.13 |
2 | George Bodycoat | 0:00:49.53 |
3 | John Atkinson (Sugarbush/Mad River Riders/Stark Mtn Bikes) | 0:00:50.18 |
DNF | Leo Dumont | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Levi Whitaker | 0:06:53.58 |
2 | Christopher Towne | 0:02:54.80 |
DNF | Jay Conroy | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Jon O'Brien | 0:08:21.70 |
DNF | Daniel Ertel | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | David Gray | 0:08:20.83 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Alan Daum | 0:07:24.42 |

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