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Crankworx Contests Wrap Up.
by brule
Posted: Aug 16, 2009
Source: Crankworx
This past weekend was a busy one for Whistler Bike Park as there were events happening all over the mountain. Lopes and Kintner win the Giant Slalom on Friday, then Lopes and Griffiths win the Enduro while Greg Watts wins the Slopestyle and Andreu Lacondeguy wins best trick. On Sunday Sam Hill and Emmeline Ragot won the Canadian Open DH event.
Learn more inside,
This past weekend was a busy one for Whistler Bike Park as there were events happening all over the mountain. Lopes and Kintner win the Giant Slalom on Friday, then Lopes and Griffiths win the Enduro while Greg Watts wins the Slopestyle and Andreu Lacondeguy wins best trick. On Sunday Sam Hill and Emmeline Ragot won the Canadian Open DH event.
Learn more inside,
Brian Lopes kills it again at Giant Slalom, Presented by Giant Bicycles. Jill Kintner Also Adds More Gold To Her Pot
Photo by faultlinemediagroup.pinkbike.com
Everyone was gunning for him but that may be the secret to Brian Lopes’s success. After taking second in last Saturday’s Dual Slalom, Lopes had something to prove and came in fast and strong to claim his position at the top with Jared Rando of Australia taking second place and Johannes Fischbach of Germany coming in third fastest overall.
“The kids are getting faster, but for me it is harder to lose than it is to pedal harder and train harder,” says Lopes after his win.
American Jill Kintner easily held her own against the Pro Women’s field with an aggressive and smooth approach to the winding course. She placed first, Emmeline Ragot of France took second; and Leigh Donovan of USA took third.
Photo by courtneywylie.pinkbike.com
“I wasn’t making any mistakes and I just kept it fast and smooth,” says Kintner. “Events at Kokanee Crankworx set the standard and it is one of my favourite places to come and ride as well as compete.” Kintner, who took bronze in BMX racing at the sport’s debut at the Beijing 2008 Summer Games, also claimed first in last Saturday’s Dual Slalom event; establishing her as the woman to beat today.
Shaun Palmer, multi X-Game gold medalist and DH World Cup Champion had a strong showing and was a crowd favourite, but didn’t podium.
The Giant Slalom course was rebuilt this season by John Cowan and took the racers on a winding tour through the Boneyard’s slopestyle features. Giant Slalom courses are longer than standard slalom courses and feature tighter corners, airs and berms.
The relentless Brian Lopes Hauls off with Canadian Open Enduro win. Fionn Griffiths Rallies Hard To Come Out On Top.
The Canadian Open Enduro lived up to its name as the toughest competition of the week for both pro’s and amateurs. The emerging event concept put some of the world’s best downhill, freeride and cross country riders through the paces with a grueling top to bottom race in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
Brian Lopes proved his supremacy with yet another win on the Kokanee Crankworx stage; he was the only rider to finish in less than 20 minutes and took first in the Pro Men category against Whistler locals Matt Ryan in second and Chris Johnston in third overcoming an early charge by Whistler’s Richie Schley.
“I spent a pretty sleepless night trying to figure out how to stay on Brian’s wheel,” says Matt Ryan, who played a role in the design of the course route. “Brian showcased some amazing riding out there.”
Fionn Griffiths, of Great Britain, took first place in the Pro Women’s category but it was a battle hard won. She rode a full downhill rig, the Norco Team DH, but despite having put a cross country cassette on to assist with the uphill sections, they were a struggle.
“I haven’t done a race like this and it required a lot of endurance,” says Griffiths. “It was not fun while I was doing it, I was yelling at myself all the way down like a crazy person. There was one bit when we came around a tight corner and there was a huge hill I wasn’t expecting. My legs just died, I had to get off and walk for 45 seconds. Three people passed me but I was able to pick them off on the downhill sections and get to the bottom first.”
Griffiths placed first with Melissa Buhl of the USA coming in second and Emmeline Ragot of France placing third.
The Canadian Open Enduro was a new event for Kokanee Crankworx and was designed to be the ultimate all-mountain challenge where gravity alternatively helped and hindered the racer. The top racers proved there has to be a complete package of skills and fitness to rule the Enduro. In developing the course, significant input from some of the world’s best cross country, freeride, downhill and Enduro riders was taken.
The Canadian Open Enduro was a one run, mass start race based on individual categories and as expected, downhillers mixed it up with cross country riders. The course began at the top of the Garbanzo Zone starting with a short lap around the Chic Pea Lodge and then a high speed peddling section into a single track descent. Overall, the course dropped a total of 3,800 feet with 400 feet of climbing interspersed, differentiating the race from traditional downhill events.
Greg Watts is a machine winning $15000 and top spot in the Monster Energy Slopestyle at Kokanee Crankworx 2009.
Andreu Lacondeguy Throws Down Claiming $6,000 For VW Best Trick Award
The Monster Energy Slopestyle including the VW Best Trick Award had over 20,000 screaming spectators on hand to witness greatness take place in the Boneyard Slopestyle course at Kokanee Crankworx 2009.
This year’s Monster Energy Slopestyle course was designed by John Cowan and was built to perfection for the slopestyle event. “I’m stoked on the course this year,” says Colin Duncan, Head Slopestyle Judge. “It keeps everyone on one line but with options. What we are seeing today is the most advanced freestyle riding in mountain biking and the riders are out there supporting each other to push the sport.”
First place in the Monster Energy Slopestyle and $15,000 went to Greg Watts with a score of 96.00; second place and $7,500 went to Whistler’s own Brandon Semenuk with a score of 95.25, while third place and $3,000 went to Martin Soderstrom with a score of 90.75.
Photo by geoffjansenphoto.pinkbike.com
“Whistler is the greatest place ever,” says Watts. “I came into slopestyle thinking I could win it but I didn't really believe it would happen.”
“I’ve been learning flip whips and am stoked to get one in today,” says Semenuk. “It’s cool to be competing in Whistler, I can hear the crowd going crazy on the course.”
Greg Watts’s winning run consisted of a mind-numbing list of tricks, starting with a 360 tail-whip off the drop in; Superman seat grab over the first jump; back flip on, to 360 off the Giro box; tail whip off the Kona wall; truck driver off the SRAM feature; bar spin off the Race Face drop; flip whip over the VW dirt jump; finishing with a step up, to back flip off the Kokanee Kicker into the finish corral.
The VW Best Trick Award went to last year’s slopestyle winner Andreu Lacondeguy. After stopping mid-course to eye up the VW Dirt jump, Andreu stomped a huge 360 flat spin Superman, taking home $6,000 for his efforts. “I had the idea to do the trick but thought it might be a bit windy,” says Lacondeguy. “I didn’t know that it would work, but I guess it did.”
Photos by geoffjansenphoto.pinkbike.com
Sam Hill and Emmeline Ragot take top spots in Canadian Open Downhill presented by Kona on final day at Kokanee Crankworx 2009
Jerome David Receives Richard Juryn Memorial Award Recognizing Dedication And Passion For The Sport Of Mountain Biking
The Canadian Open Downhill presented by Kona went off today, taking over the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. The final event of Kokanee Crankworx 2009 saw nearly 300 riders take part in the race. Each rider had one run to clock their best time on a newly redesigned, very challenging and burly DH course.
The Canadian Open DH course, designed by pro mountain biker Tyler Morland, is a technical and fast course with big gap jumps and steep drops, testing the riders’ skill level from top to bottom. “The track dried out and riders had to push hard,” says Stacey Kohut, announcer and DH racer. ”It was a bit loose which usually means very fast.”
Photo by dave-m.pinkbike.com
“Crankworx is amazing, I love it,” says Sam Hill, 2009 Canadian Open DH presented by Kona champ. “I had to push it on this track, it was pretty loose but fast. It’s great to see my teammate Brendan come second as well.”
In the Pro Men category, Sam Hill(AUS) took first place for the second year in a row with a time of 3:02.56; Brendan Fairclough(GBR) took second place with a time of 3:10.73; Steve Smith(CAN) took third place with a time of 3:11.77 and Joshua Button(AUS) took fourth place with a time of 3:12.00.
“This is a good track, just like the world cup tracks,” says Emmilene Ragot Canadian Open DH Pro Women champ. “I have raced all week so I was a little tired, but I’m really happy to win.”
In the Pro Women category, Emmeline Ragot(FRA) took first place with a time of 3:45.05; second place went to Micayla Gatto(CAN) with a time of 3:47.06; third place went to Clair Buchar(CAN) with a time of 3:52.99 and fourth place went to Danice Uyesugi(CAN) with a time of 4:06.48.
Introduced in 2008, the 2009 Richard Juryn Memorial Award celebrating passion, dedication and enthusiasm for the sport of mountain biking was awarded to Jerome David. “Jerome dedicates his time to WORCA; volunteering; working as a patroller in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and competes in Kokanee Crankworx, he definitely deserves this award,” says Seb Fremont, Operational Manager for Kokanee Crankworx.
“This is awesome; I’m very appreciative of the award," says Jerome, with a smile on his face. "I like to do stuff, not talk about it, so all I can say is get out there and ride!”
The Canadian Open DH presented by Kona and the Richard Juryn Award marked the final day of the nine day Kokanee Crankworx 2009 festival. For more detailed results and event information please visit www.Crankworx.com.
Everyone was gunning for him but that may be the secret to Brian Lopes’s success. After taking second in last Saturday’s Dual Slalom, Lopes had something to prove and came in fast and strong to claim his position at the top with Jared Rando of Australia taking second place and Johannes Fischbach of Germany coming in third fastest overall.
“The kids are getting faster, but for me it is harder to lose than it is to pedal harder and train harder,” says Lopes after his win.
American Jill Kintner easily held her own against the Pro Women’s field with an aggressive and smooth approach to the winding course. She placed first, Emmeline Ragot of France took second; and Leigh Donovan of USA took third.
“I wasn’t making any mistakes and I just kept it fast and smooth,” says Kintner. “Events at Kokanee Crankworx set the standard and it is one of my favourite places to come and ride as well as compete.” Kintner, who took bronze in BMX racing at the sport’s debut at the Beijing 2008 Summer Games, also claimed first in last Saturday’s Dual Slalom event; establishing her as the woman to beat today.
Shaun Palmer, multi X-Game gold medalist and DH World Cup Champion had a strong showing and was a crowd favourite, but didn’t podium.
The Giant Slalom course was rebuilt this season by John Cowan and took the racers on a winding tour through the Boneyard’s slopestyle features. Giant Slalom courses are longer than standard slalom courses and feature tighter corners, airs and berms.
The relentless Brian Lopes Hauls off with Canadian Open Enduro win. Fionn Griffiths Rallies Hard To Come Out On Top.
The Canadian Open Enduro lived up to its name as the toughest competition of the week for both pro’s and amateurs. The emerging event concept put some of the world’s best downhill, freeride and cross country riders through the paces with a grueling top to bottom race in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
Brian Lopes proved his supremacy with yet another win on the Kokanee Crankworx stage; he was the only rider to finish in less than 20 minutes and took first in the Pro Men category against Whistler locals Matt Ryan in second and Chris Johnston in third overcoming an early charge by Whistler’s Richie Schley.
“I spent a pretty sleepless night trying to figure out how to stay on Brian’s wheel,” says Matt Ryan, who played a role in the design of the course route. “Brian showcased some amazing riding out there.”
Fionn Griffiths, of Great Britain, took first place in the Pro Women’s category but it was a battle hard won. She rode a full downhill rig, the Norco Team DH, but despite having put a cross country cassette on to assist with the uphill sections, they were a struggle.
“I haven’t done a race like this and it required a lot of endurance,” says Griffiths. “It was not fun while I was doing it, I was yelling at myself all the way down like a crazy person. There was one bit when we came around a tight corner and there was a huge hill I wasn’t expecting. My legs just died, I had to get off and walk for 45 seconds. Three people passed me but I was able to pick them off on the downhill sections and get to the bottom first.”
Griffiths placed first with Melissa Buhl of the USA coming in second and Emmeline Ragot of France placing third.
The Canadian Open Enduro was a new event for Kokanee Crankworx and was designed to be the ultimate all-mountain challenge where gravity alternatively helped and hindered the racer. The top racers proved there has to be a complete package of skills and fitness to rule the Enduro. In developing the course, significant input from some of the world’s best cross country, freeride, downhill and Enduro riders was taken.
The Canadian Open Enduro was a one run, mass start race based on individual categories and as expected, downhillers mixed it up with cross country riders. The course began at the top of the Garbanzo Zone starting with a short lap around the Chic Pea Lodge and then a high speed peddling section into a single track descent. Overall, the course dropped a total of 3,800 feet with 400 feet of climbing interspersed, differentiating the race from traditional downhill events.
Greg Watts is a machine winning $15000 and top spot in the Monster Energy Slopestyle at Kokanee Crankworx 2009.
Andreu Lacondeguy Throws Down Claiming $6,000 For VW Best Trick Award
The Monster Energy Slopestyle including the VW Best Trick Award had over 20,000 screaming spectators on hand to witness greatness take place in the Boneyard Slopestyle course at Kokanee Crankworx 2009.
This year’s Monster Energy Slopestyle course was designed by John Cowan and was built to perfection for the slopestyle event. “I’m stoked on the course this year,” says Colin Duncan, Head Slopestyle Judge. “It keeps everyone on one line but with options. What we are seeing today is the most advanced freestyle riding in mountain biking and the riders are out there supporting each other to push the sport.”
First place in the Monster Energy Slopestyle and $15,000 went to Greg Watts with a score of 96.00; second place and $7,500 went to Whistler’s own Brandon Semenuk with a score of 95.25, while third place and $3,000 went to Martin Soderstrom with a score of 90.75.
“Whistler is the greatest place ever,” says Watts. “I came into slopestyle thinking I could win it but I didn't really believe it would happen.”
“I’ve been learning flip whips and am stoked to get one in today,” says Semenuk. “It’s cool to be competing in Whistler, I can hear the crowd going crazy on the course.”
Greg Watts’s winning run consisted of a mind-numbing list of tricks, starting with a 360 tail-whip off the drop in; Superman seat grab over the first jump; back flip on, to 360 off the Giro box; tail whip off the Kona wall; truck driver off the SRAM feature; bar spin off the Race Face drop; flip whip over the VW dirt jump; finishing with a step up, to back flip off the Kokanee Kicker into the finish corral.
The VW Best Trick Award went to last year’s slopestyle winner Andreu Lacondeguy. After stopping mid-course to eye up the VW Dirt jump, Andreu stomped a huge 360 flat spin Superman, taking home $6,000 for his efforts. “I had the idea to do the trick but thought it might be a bit windy,” says Lacondeguy. “I didn’t know that it would work, but I guess it did.”
Sam Hill and Emmeline Ragot take top spots in Canadian Open Downhill presented by Kona on final day at Kokanee Crankworx 2009
Jerome David Receives Richard Juryn Memorial Award Recognizing Dedication And Passion For The Sport Of Mountain Biking
The Canadian Open Downhill presented by Kona went off today, taking over the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. The final event of Kokanee Crankworx 2009 saw nearly 300 riders take part in the race. Each rider had one run to clock their best time on a newly redesigned, very challenging and burly DH course.
The Canadian Open DH course, designed by pro mountain biker Tyler Morland, is a technical and fast course with big gap jumps and steep drops, testing the riders’ skill level from top to bottom. “The track dried out and riders had to push hard,” says Stacey Kohut, announcer and DH racer. ”It was a bit loose which usually means very fast.”
“Crankworx is amazing, I love it,” says Sam Hill, 2009 Canadian Open DH presented by Kona champ. “I had to push it on this track, it was pretty loose but fast. It’s great to see my teammate Brendan come second as well.”
In the Pro Men category, Sam Hill(AUS) took first place for the second year in a row with a time of 3:02.56; Brendan Fairclough(GBR) took second place with a time of 3:10.73; Steve Smith(CAN) took third place with a time of 3:11.77 and Joshua Button(AUS) took fourth place with a time of 3:12.00.
“This is a good track, just like the world cup tracks,” says Emmilene Ragot Canadian Open DH Pro Women champ. “I have raced all week so I was a little tired, but I’m really happy to win.”
In the Pro Women category, Emmeline Ragot(FRA) took first place with a time of 3:45.05; second place went to Micayla Gatto(CAN) with a time of 3:47.06; third place went to Clair Buchar(CAN) with a time of 3:52.99 and fourth place went to Danice Uyesugi(CAN) with a time of 4:06.48.
Introduced in 2008, the 2009 Richard Juryn Memorial Award celebrating passion, dedication and enthusiasm for the sport of mountain biking was awarded to Jerome David. “Jerome dedicates his time to WORCA; volunteering; working as a patroller in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and competes in Kokanee Crankworx, he definitely deserves this award,” says Seb Fremont, Operational Manager for Kokanee Crankworx.
“This is awesome; I’m very appreciative of the award," says Jerome, with a smile on his face. "I like to do stuff, not talk about it, so all I can say is get out there and ride!”
The Canadian Open DH presented by Kona and the Richard Juryn Award marked the final day of the nine day Kokanee Crankworx 2009 festival. For more detailed results and event information please visit www.Crankworx.com.
67 Comments
- + 8
mtbrider27
(Aug 17, 2009 at 0:04)
Congrats to all who took the win and those who didn't!
congrats to all of the guys who competed, and please tell me someone got a vid of lacondeguys 360 superman
there was a link on here a couple days before it started to watch it live i saw the whole slopestyle competition live was awesome.
becuase without them there wouldnt have been a competition. no point in winning something if there aint no-one to compete against.
looked like a great festival, wish i could of been there. maybe next year.
looked like a great festival, wish i could of been there. maybe next year.
And the whole reason Will Ferrall says that in Talladega Nights is because his character is being portrayed as an ass-hole - 'ragdoll' has got it right!
i wasnt actaully agreeing with 2Big4u
hes f*cking stupid, i was kinda just joking around when i put that
Ragdoll is Very Correct
hes f*cking stupid, i was kinda just joking around when i put that
Ragdoll is Very Correct
[Reply]
Why all the negative props for this guy? The video is sick, a really good helmetcam view of the garbanzo DH course in full. Thanks for that mate.
he got neg props because on pinkbike if one person gets a neg prop, everyone else neg props him because they never actually read the comment they just follow what everyone else is doing
it's a sweet video he posted, shows how long the dh couse really is!
it's a sweet video he posted, shows how long the dh couse really is!
true. i've ridden that course before and i had to stop to rest after a while and my hands were killing me. props to all the people who rode that trail without stopping
[Reply]
I'm shocked to see that prize for first place is only 6000$ ... It's not fair when you think that hockeyplayer just win like 50 000$ per match ...
If everyone paid $60 to watch these guys ride three times per week, then they'd get paid at least $500,000 per year too!
Im getting sooo tired of everyone doing 360, t-whips and backflips..... can't anybody else then andreau lacendeguy do anything original? Sure t-whips and stuff like that is hard but it gets so boring to watch who can do most t-whips in one run.... anyone agree?
agreed, it was like a backflip and 360 freight train all the way down the mountain. Lacondeguy is the only one pushing it and everyone else is just trying to keep up. It might have something to do with all the Freestyle moto he does?
Can i see another backflip? lol freestyle moto sucks it was good when the backflip was a once a run trick but now if you dont do a backflip combo off like every jump you wont win.
Yes you are seeing similar tricks to what you used to see, however what used to be the highlight of the run on a trick jump is now being thrown off drops, step-ups, step-downs etc. The progression comes from the consistancy of the riders and their ability to throw crazy stuff on difficult jumps. Sorry if you want to see huck-and-hope tricks but thats something that is slowly being phased out of mountain biking.
i agree with all that about t-whips & flips, . . . in myopinion though id rather see a big superman seat grab stuck than fast combo tricks, yes it takes co-ordination of a superhero but i just feel its not as impressive to watch.
I agree w/ everyone above, but it's all from a SPECTATOR standpoint.....
A lot of pro riders have to go out there and practice gnarly moves everyday just to do the "usual." Progression is tricky.....go too big and break yourself and watch from the sidelines or stick w/ the "usual" and get booed online. Glad I'm not a pro!!
A lot of pro riders have to go out there and practice gnarly moves everyday just to do the "usual." Progression is tricky.....go too big and break yourself and watch from the sidelines or stick w/ the "usual" and get booed online. Glad I'm not a pro!!
to dirtbagluvin: I think they pretty much choose to be pro's don't they? ...
And yes it's too much focus on who can do the very very hardest tricks, I more like to see a rider that is killing it with good tricks but also look very good and has very good style when they do it. I'm more impressed with anyone doing anything so clean looking and with style and energy than a guy doing like 2 t-whips and a backflip with a trick in it...
And yes it's too much focus on who can do the very very hardest tricks, I more like to see a rider that is killing it with good tricks but also look very good and has very good style when they do it. I'm more impressed with anyone doing anything so clean looking and with style and energy than a guy doing like 2 t-whips and a backflip with a trick in it...
[Reply]
anyone feel the Claw got shafted?! boosting big and not following the game of P I G down the course. Mos def would of stepped it up for the super final...Mitch Chubby; don't think so!
I agree, he had a solid run and strayed from the tailwhip backflip 360 formula a bit. I dunno how many 360s i saw off that red thing.
what else do you want to see of the sram drop? it wasnt very big, what else are people going to do on it to impress the judges?
how about spinning the other way, or something fresh like a nollie barspin or how about a turndown or invert
That Canadian Open DH course was one of the most challenging I have ever been on. I rode it when it was wet though and I can imagine it was easier in the lower trees in dry condition.
Since there are so many users on Pinkbike, you'd probably have to have all your riders in the top 10 to win anything.
ya probly,cause my score was i think around 365.75 and the winning score was 580 or somthing..did you win anything?
No. I had the top five guys and lacondeguy (8th). Nobody got all the top six. That means eight people beat me by picking berrecloth instead of lacondeguy. I think
Word on the inside was that Andreu was going to flip the gap. He was doing run in's all day but both runs he messed up before it, so he wouldn't of had enough speed for it.
[Reply]
Better luck next time Mr. Palmer. If you take it as serious as Lopes, you might just podium again. But regardless, you'll always be a "crowd favourite".
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