July 25, 2006 (Whistler, BC) – The Super D, a new event for the Kokanee Crankworx line-up, took place today. Nine-time USA National Champion Adam Craig of Bend, Oregon took home first in the Pro Men’s category with a time of 10:29.01 – a full 1.20 minutes ahead of the second fastest time of the day. Charlotte Klein of Squamish, BC took first in the Pro Women’s with a time of 13:49.47.

“I thought the course was rad,” says Craig, who rides for Team Giant. “This course is the best Super D I’ve ever rode. There were a lot of steep hills and then having the classic Whistler downhill section at the end made it really good.”

The Super D is a growing style of race integrating several uphill sections within the downhill course, requiring racers to have the heart to climb and the guts to descend – fast.

The McSkimmings of Whistler made it a family affair with dad, mom and son all competing in their respective categories. Rob McSkimming placed third in the Master Amateur Men’s while his wife, Marilyn Manso, took first in the Women’s Master Amateur. Eighteen year-old James McSkimming had the best showing of the clan, taking first in the Men’s Junior Amateur category and riding away – on his 25lb Kona hardtail – with the third fastest time of the day overall with 11:50.50.

Riders in each category raced from a mass start at Olympic Station located at 1,019m/3,346ft. The course included a variety of trails in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park including Golden Triangle, World Cup Singletrack, B-Line and Monkey Hands, finally ending with the high profile GLC Drops at the base of the mountain.

“Kokanee Crankworx is going off and there’s a lot coming up for festival spectators and athletes including the Jim Beam Downhill, Nissan Biker X, Kokanee Slopestyle, the Kona Jump Jam and the Garbanzo Enduro Downhill,” says Seb Fremont, Kokanee Crankworx Operations Supervisor. “Great weather, as well as the après and after dark line-up is making Kokanee Crankworx the hottest festival this summer.”

Kokanee Crankworx launched July 22 with Canada Cup X Country and Canadian National Downhill competitions. The Jim Beam Air Downhill takes place tomorrow, Wednesday, July 26 at 1-4pm. The course features A-Line, arguably the world’s most famous downhill biking trail.

The third annual Kokanee Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival is going off July 22 to 30 in Whistler, BC. Expanding to nine days of serious excitement both on and off the hill, the festival showcases Whistler as the ultimate biking playground by combining impressive stunt sessions and mind-blowing speed events with the world’s best mountain bikers competing for cash and prizing totaling over $30,000. The event line-up, which takes place in Whistler Blackcomb’s famed mountain bike park and throughout Whistler Village, also includes an outdoor expo, pro riding demonstrations, free music and entertainment.

Kokanee Crankworx is presented by Events Whistler – a partnership of Tourism Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. At centre stage of Kokanee Crankworx is the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. With over 200 km and 3,855 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.

For more information about Kokanee Crankworx – Whistler’s premier freeride mountain bike festival – please visit www.crankworx.com.