ROUND 2
SNOW SHOE, West Virgina
23rd - 24th JUNE 2001
Downhill & Dual
Repo by Paul Skilbeck

DOWNHILL

Course & Conditions
Length: 2.25 miles
Drop: 1400 feet
Track surface and conditions: very steep in sections, many exposed tree roots and rocks.
Temperature: 60-70F

Snowshoe (W.Va.) 24 June, 2001 - Missy Giove and Steve Peat went fastest on a difficult course in difficult conditions to win the pro women's and men's downhill events on the final day of competition at round two of the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, W.Va.

After having competed at two world cup events in Europe in the past three weeks, the international athletes were complimentary about this new downhill venue. Steve Peat, Great Britain (GT), the current world cup leader commented that the technical difficulty was considerably greater here than at either of the two world cup courses on which he has competed so far this year - in Slovenia and France. French rider Mickael Deldycke (Schwinn) remarked that the course reminded him of those in his homeland.

In the women's race, Leigh Donovan, Capistrano Beach, Calif. (Schwinn), sat in the race leader's hot seat until Missy Giove, Durango, Colo. (Global Racing), came down with a time of 5:53.70, only 0.43 of a second faster than Donovan.

Marla Streb, San Geronimo, Calif. (Foes/Azonic), who had been fastest in practice, entered the finish area in dramatic fashion with a crash into the barriers and a fourth-place finishing time. April Lawyer, Big Bear Lake, Calif. (Maxxis Tires) took third - the best result of her career to date.

Giove's win puts her into the series lead ahead of Streb, with Lawyer in third position.

In the men's race Deldycke occupied the hot seat with a time of 4:59.3 until Nathan Rankin (Foes Azonic) pushed the bar down to 4:50.72. The 22 year-old New Zealander predicted that Peat would go at least five seconds faster, and he was right. Peat, the fastest rider in practice, eclipsed Rankin's time with a run that took just 4:42.95.

Chris Kovarik, Australia (Intense/Foes), after finishing fifth today now leads the series. Top USA rider is Colin Bailey, fifth overall.

QUOTES - Women
1st place - Missy Giove, Durango, Colo. (Global Racing)
"I wanted to win - I needed to win. I needed to win a race: that's what they pay me for!"
"It's a hard race to win. It hurt, but I just didn't quit, I dug deeper. I like it hard, but not unpredictable like it was today."
"This is a great course - totally great. I love this course, but it was a mentally difficult day."
"I love the people here, they are so helpful. And they know me and say hello! Next year I'll tell the whole team to come to this race."

2nd place - Leigh Donovan, Capistrano Beach, Calif. (Schwinn)
"It's survival out there, but much better in the final run than in the timed practice."
"It's a really good course. In dry conditions it's great, but today the mud separated out a handful of riders from the rest of the field."

3rd place - April Lawyer, Big Bear Lake, Calif. (Maxxis Tires)
"I don't know what to think! I'm shocked! I know that after taking 6th at Mammoth Mountain in the series final last year, when I crashed, that made me think I can get podium results. I am a competitive snowboarder, but last winter I went to New Zealand and raced their national series, which was my first winter away from snowboarding. That helped my mountain biking a lot."
"I got nervous this morning when I saw how goopy the course was. I had to dig deep to find the strength to ride it. There were sections where I said to myself to get up and pedal, but I didn't have anything to give."

QUOTES - Men
1st place - Steve Peat, Great Britain (GT)
"I'm not scared of the mud, everybody else goes slower."
"I went anaerobic in the marshy section near the top, and after that it was really hard to stay smooth. I hit trees twice in a slow part of the course and stopped dead each time."
"I've got this season off to a good start. Last year I didn't start strong and I got better as the year went on. This year I trained hard in winter and started fitter, which was a big help with my early season results."

2nd place - Nathan Rankin, New Zealand (Foes/Azonic)
"My run was good but it was messy. If I'd stayed clean I could have taken five seconds off my time, I'm sure Steve Peat will do that!"
"I love riding in the mud!"
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3rd place - Jared Rando, Australia (Foes/Azonic)
"I'm normally not too confident in these muddy conditions, but I have a new bike and a new Curnutt shock with position sensitive technology. That may have made a difference."
"Anyone who stays up will do well on a day like today."
"I'm not much of a mud rider, I was really surprised to do well here. I'm stoked to get third."

RESULTS, ROUND 2, SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN RESORT, W.VA. 21-24 JUNE, 2001

TOP TEN RESULTS - WOMEN
1.MISSY GIOVE, Durango, Colo (Global Racing) 2.25 miles in 5 minutes, 53.70 seconds;
2. Leigh Donovan, Capistrano Beach, Calif. (Schwinn), 5:54.12
3. April Lawyer, Big Bear Lake, Calif. (Maxxis Tires), 5:59.11
4. Marla Streb, San Geronimo, Calif. (Foes/Azonic), 6:02.06
5. Danni Connolly, Novato, Calif. (Karpiel), 6:26.87
6. Elke Brutsaert, Durango, Colo. (Schwinn), 6:27.39
7. Sheryl McLeod, New Zealand, 7:08.29
8. Aleisha Cline, Heffley Creek, BC (Chumba Wumba), 7:09.05
9. Kathy Pruitt, Lake Almanor, Calif. (Dirtworks), 7:11.26
10. Tara Llanes, Brea, Calif. (Yeti/Pearl Izumi), 7:47.48

Series overall - top five women
1. Missy Giove, 386 points; 2. Marla Streb, 364 points; 3. April Lawyer, 330 points; 4. Leigh Donovan, 326 points; 5. Tara Llanes, 306

TOP TEN RESULTS - MEN
1. STEVE PEAT, Great Britain (GT) 2.25 miles in 4 minutes, 42.95 seconds
2. Nathan Rankin, New Zealand (Foes Azonic), 4:50.72
3. Jared Rando, Australia (Foes Azonic), 4:52.71
4. Andrew Shandro, North Vancouver, BC (Ford Devinci), 4:57.04
5. Chris Kovarik, Australia (Intense/Foes), 4:58.00
6. John Kirkcaldie, New Zealand (Maxxis Tires), 4:58.9
7. Mickael Deldycke, France (Schwinn), 4:59.30
8. Colin Bailey, Santa Barbara, Calif. (Maxxis Tires), 4:59.62
9. Todd Leduc, Chatsworth, Calif. (Foes/Azonic), 4:59.89
10. Shaums March, Santa Barbara, Calif. (Chumba Wumba), 5:00.33

Series overall - top five men
1. Chris Kovarik, 330 points; 2. Nathan Rankin, 310; 3. Nathan Rennie, New Zealand (Yeti/Pearl Izumi), 302; 4. Jared Rando, 302; 5. Colin Bailey, 284

DUAL SLALOM

Snowshoe, W.Va., June 23rd - Three thousand cheering spectators gave enthusiastic support while Wade Bootes and Leigh Donovan came out on top at the second round of the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series on an evening of exciting action in the SoBe Dual Slalom at Snowshoe Mountain Resort.

In a dramatic encounter with Brian Lopes, (GT/Fox), Laguna Beach, Calif., Bootes (Trek/Volkswagen), Australia, was given first place when Lopes slid-out at the last gate only ten yards before the finish.

Pre-race favorite Steve Peat (GT), Great Britain, had to settle for fourth when his chain snapped racing against Michael Deldyke (Schwinn), France, in the third-place contest.

Leigh Donovan (Schwinn), Mission Viejo, successfully defended her series lead by edging out Tara Llanes (Yeti/Pearl Izumi), Brea, for first place.

Missy Giove (Global Racing), Durango, who rode against Katrina Miller (Jamis), Australia, for third place, crashed hard on the top section allowing Miller an easy result.

QUOTES:

Leigh Donovan
"I am very happy about winning! Could you imagine if my first series title was my last?!"
(Leigh has expressed the possibilities of retiring, and although coming close is yet to win a series title)

Tara Llanes-
"The course was fun and the crowd was truly unbelievable. I was on the starting gate and everybody was shouting 'Go Tara!' though I didn't recognize any of them, they were all just really excited fans. It really, really was inspiring."

Wade Bootes-
"I really liked racing here, the course was slippery but good. I'm not really a wet mud rider so I was glad when the course started to dry out."

Brian Lopes-
"The course was good though I thought it could have been a little steeper. (The venue) was a big change from the usual. I liked racing here in West Virginia and I look forward to coming back, though I'm crossing my fingers for drier weather!"

Pro Men results:
1. Wade Bootes - Trek/Volkswagen (USA)
2. Brian Lopes - GT/Fox (USA)
3. Mickael Deldycke - Schwinn (France)
4. Steve Peat - GT (Great Britain)

Series overall points - men:
1. Wade Bootes - Trek/Volkswagen (USA) - 320
2. Mickael Deldycke - Schwinn (France) - 280
3. Brian Lopes - GT/Fox (USA) - 260
4. Mick Hanna - Global Racing Team (Australia) - 200
5. Greg Minnaar - Global Racing Team (Republic of South Africa) - 180

Pro Women results:
1. Leigh Donovan - Schwinn (USA)
2. Tara Llanes - Yeti/Pearl Izumi (USA)
3. Katrina Miller - Jamis (Australia)
4. Missy Giove - Global Racing (USA)

Series overall points - women
1. Leigh Donovan - Schwinn (USA) - 400
2. Katrina Miller - Jamis (Australia) - 320
3. Tara Llanes - Yeti/Pearl Izumi (USA) - 320
4. Missy Giove - Global Racing (USA) - 240