News: Fontana NMBS Result Summary

Wicks punks Craig Courtesy of Kona Bikes

The first NMBS event of the season concluded last weekend in Fontana, California under partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the sixties-ideal for maximizing your aerobic threshold. The NMBS replaced the NORBA label when series directors Jeff Frost and Tom Spiegel took over the reins in 2004. Gone are the television cameras, huge cash prizes and international field enjoyed by the series in its heyday a decade ago. But it's still North America’s most popular series.

Saturday’s men’s XC race was won by the ever-dominant Geoff Kabush followed by Adam Craig in second and young Max Plaxton in third. The women's XC event saw the usual Luna suspects at the front of the field again. Georgia Gould finished first with a near three-minute lead over teammate Katerina Nash. Wendy Simms managed to eek out third just ahead of new Luna member Katherine Pendrel.

Kona's Barry Wicks claimed not only his first-ever NMBS victory, but also his second in Sunday's STXC event. Wicks out-sprinted Adam Craig to claim his first NMBS win. Wicks got help from his friends. Chris Sneddon and Ryan Trebon, who lit up the track up for the first four laps, giving Wicks some time to get into position and conserve energy for a solo push to the finish. Sneddon succumbed to mechanical issues when his front derailer twisted sideways but still finished in the top ten with Trebon.

Shortly thereafter, the Super D race began with a downhill run on pavement where Wicks nabbed his second first-place finish, and also narrowly out-sprinted Craig, who finished in second for the third time in one weekend (it's OK Adam, the season is just starting!), for the title.

“Two wins in one day is pretty sweet – I feel kind of bad I had to punk Adam twice,” says Wicks, the 2006 national short track champion.

The women’s STXC race was dominated by the familiar Luna duo of Katerina Nash and Georgia Gould, but they could not manage to bring the rest of their team with them. Wendy Simms reeled in a third-place finish followed by Mical Dyck and Kathy Sherwin.

Sunday began with a flurry of downhill activity as the pros shuttled to the top of the hill for their qualifying runs. The women's event was easily won by Melissa Buhl who held an 8-second lead over second-place Lisa Myklak. Joanna Petterson, Claire Buchare and Fionne Griffiths finished third through fifth respectively.

Chris Kovarik won the downhill event by a convincing 2 1/2 seconds over 2nd place rider Santa Cruz Syndicates Nathan Rennie and 3rd place Yeti rider Justin Leov. As usual, the Fontana course was pretty physical and technical testing the rider's skills and fitness. Kovarik looked visibly faster in the rock sections hitting all his lines and carrying good momentum, then put the power down on the flat challenging bottom section known as "the wall" to take 1st Place. Chris has been recovering from an ankle injury that happened a month ago during a photo shoot. This was Chris's first time back on his downhill bike so it's pretty obvious he has recovered and is well on his way to a very competitive season. Nathan Rennie and Justin Leov finished second and third.

Results
Pro Women's XC
1. Gould, Georgia Luna Womens MTB Team
2. Nash, Katerina Luna Womens MTBTeam
3. Simms, Wendy Kona
4. Pendrel, Catherine Luna Womens MTB Team
5. Batty, Emily Trek Bicycle Store Toronto

Pro Men's XC
1. Kabush, Geoff Team Maxxis
2. Craig, Adam Giant MTB
3. Plaxton, Max Rocky Mountain-Haywood
4. Jurekovic, Sam U23 National Team
5. Wicks, Barry Kona

Pro Women's Mountain Cross
1. Melissa Buhl KHS Bicycles
2. Fionn Griffiths Norco World Team
3. Joanna Petterson Maxxis
4. Caroline Jarolimek The Fix
5. Leana Gerrard Cannondale

Pro Men's Mountain Cross
1. Ross Milan Yeti/Fox Shox Factory Team
2. Erik Nelson Thor/Michelin
3. Dale Holmes KHS Bicycles
4. Petr Hanak Totally Wired
5. Eric Carter Mongoose Bicycles

Pro Women's DH
1. Buhl, Melissa KHS Bicycles 02:41.99
2. Myklak, Lisa Spyder/Fox/Industry 02:50.26
3. Petterson, Joanna Maxxis 02:51.06
4. Buchar, Claire Intens SRAM Maxxis 02:51.82
5. Griffiths, Fionn Norco World Team 02:54.62

Pro Men's DH
1. Kovarik, Chris Reaction Intense 02:19.62
2. Rennie, Nathan Santa Cruz Syndicate 02:22.28
3. Leov, Justin Yeti/Fox Shox Factory Team 02:24.62
4. Blenkisop, Sam Yeti/Fox Shox Factory Team 02:25.18
5. Cole, Cameron Maxxis 02:25.39

Pro Women's STXC
1. Gould, Georgia Luna Womens Mtb Team
2. Nash, Katerina Luna Womens Mtb Team
3. Simms, Wendy Kona
4. Dyck, Mical Trek/Terrascape Racing
5. Sherwin, Kathy Sobe-Cannondale

Pro Men's STXC
1. Wicks, Barry Kona
2. Craig, Adam Giant Mtb Team
3. Kabush, Geoff Team Maxxis
4. Schnell, Ross Trek/VW
5. Plaxton, Max Rocky Mountain-Haywood

Kovarik has been dominating this course all winter long so it's no surprise that he won last weekend. Kathy Sessler