August 5/05 7:36 am - Crankworx: Day 2 Report and Results

Posted by Editoress on 08/5/05
 

Day Two Of Crankworx: Jim Beam Air Downhill Whistler BC, August 4th
Courtesy Whistler Blackcomb Public Relations

NOTE: Day 1 was a non-competition day

Cedric Gracia Takes Pro Men's DH

Cedric Gracia set a blistering pace on one of the hottest days of the summer to take first in the Jim Beam Air Downhill Pro Division at the second annual Crankworx Freeride Mountain Bike Festival in Whistler today.

The stage was set on A-Line, the Whistler Blackcomb Mountain Bike Park's legendary machine-built, jump-infested trail. With a time of 4:15.61 Gracia of France put himself ahead of Brian Lopes of the United States by .74 of a second. Steve Peat of Great Britain took third with a time of 4:16.45, only .84 of a second behind Gracia.

"The Air Downhill is a classic race and I hope it goes on forever," says Adam Billingurst, a Whistler local who placed seventh and clocked in at 4:21:48. "A-Line makes for a fun, smooth course compared to conventional downhill courses. The thing is, when you are going the speeds that we are, you have to make sure you aren't hitting the jumps with too much speed and overshooting the landing."

For the Pro Women, Sabrina Jonnier of Switzerland placed first with a time of 4:41.78 followed by Whistler local Jenn Ashton at 4:47.33. Third place Fionn Griffiths of Great Britain came in right behind Ashton with a time of 4:47.57.

Four-wheeler Stacy Kohut, of Whistler, blew his competition away hitting first with a time of 5:26:24, more than a full minute ahead of Eric Lindsley in second with 6:26:47, and John Therien in third with 6:50:84. See below for top five in each race category and for full results please check out myresults.com.

Up Next
Friday, August 5th will see qualifying rounds for the Pro Invitational Slopestyle, presented by Full Throttle, and finals for the Nissan Biker X at 5:30pm.

Saturday evening's Slopestyle finals will go off at 5pm and training will take place all day. Spectators will be in awe as riders launch themselves onto manmade features including a 30-foot trailer as well as sky-high scaffolding and teeter-totters.

Sunday will wrap Crankworx with the Garbanzo Enduro Downhill and the KONA Jump Jam. Other competitive Crankworx events include a village-based kids' race on Saturday. Roving street entertainers, concerts, and the illustrious Dangerous Dan and his aerial stunt riding Flow Show will round out the action.

The second annual Crankworx, August 3-7, 2005, is presented in partnership by Tourism Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. At centre stage of Crankworx is the Whistler Blackcomb Mountain Bike Park. With over 200 km and 3,600 feet of lift-serviced gravity-fed, adrenaline-fueled descending trails, the Bike Park is the unequivocal leader of lift-accessed mountain bike parks in the world.