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Crankworx Coverage Pt. 1
6th August 2005 - Peter Mozola
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Anyone who has ridden Whistler is aware of A-line and it's 100 tabletops, flowy berms and hair raising drops. Well once again it was host to the worlds fastest riders in the Jim Beam Air Downhill. I live here and have hundreds of laps on this famous trail, but having Steve Peat blow by you on a training run takes the experience up a notch. The mood on the mountain has been almost electric these past few days and this years race did not disappoint.
Greg Watts - Xup Backflip
In Pro Men Cedric Gracia was on fire, posting a blistering time of 4:15.61 stamping with authority why he carries the number one plate. However the rest of the top four was fiercly contested with less than half of a second separating Lopes (4:16.35), Peat (4:16.45), and Rennie (4:16.73). In Pro Women Sabrina Jonnier won easily with a time of 4:41.78, nearly six seconds over her second place competition of Whistler Local Jenn Ashton.
Jamie Goldman - huge backflip
Friday afternoon was blistering hot, hovering around 30 degrees Centigrade, the village was buzzing in anticipation of the Pro Invitational Slopestyle Qualifier presented by Full Throttle Energy Drink. This was shaping up to be one of the event highlights as entry to the exclusive world renowed competition would only see five of the thrity two qualifier entrants. This qualifier included some of the larger names in mountain biking, such as Jeff Lenosky, Matt Hunter, John Jesme, and Ryder Kasprick which guaranteed that it was a show you didn't want to miss.
The riders wasted no time in showing the world that they were serious about competing, lining up and taking down the biggest hits the Boneyard slopestyle course had to offer.
Jamie Goldman - gapflip!
Aptos California's Greg Watts, one week out from a couple of compressed vertebrae was the first to bring out the flip, which he decided to cross up for good measure. Jared Gatzka was the first to step up and hit the famous Whistler Road Gap, which he handily threw a lofty floating tabletop, making this massive stunt look like a minor curb.
Jared Gatzka - smooth floating tabletop
The Norweigan contingent had an extremely strong showing with Niels Windfeldt throwing Indian Airs, tailwhiping right out of the massive fourteen foot Quarter pipe and throwing in a Superman seat grab off the large side of the Staff Housing box stunt. Norways other phenom Trond Hanson threw a massive 360 over the big gap leading to the C-wall.
But the show was stolen by Santa Cruz California Local Jamie Goldman, who took the commanding lead immediatly with his first run and left the crowd and competitors breathless wondering what this kid might be capable of. He tricked every hit starting with a cross up off the top gap drop, rolling onto the road gap bridge he opted for the option line to the dirt jumps, where he sent two of the largest backflips seen yet here this year and finished up with cross ups and one footed crossups off the C-wall and the final hip.
Kyle Strait and friends..
Few people know of Jamie, but he has quietly been making his mark over the past year, making a strong showing at the Gathering competition this January by winning best trick, filming a feature segment in Gammalight picture's soon to be released "Nine to five" and Winning Sea-Otter's Jump jam.
Of note, while waiting for their heats in the upcoming BikerX, Kyle Strait, Andrew Cho and other pros were on hand to take in the action.
Niels Windfeldt - Indian air
I am off to shoot the BikerX now which should prove to be extremely exciting as there is a full field of healthy top pros looking to score big tonight.
More to follow as I know.
Supporting the Norweigans - Niels tailwhip off the pipe
Trond Hanson going round - 360
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