August 2, 2004 – The final day at Schweitzer Mountain Resort featured dramatic short track competitions on a course filled with climbing and little room for tactical moves. Alison Dunlap (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Geoff Kabush (CAN) scored wins this afternoon in the pro men’s and women’s races.

The women lined up first for what proved to be a race between Dunlap and RLX/Ralph Lauren teammates Jimena Florit (ARG) and Willow Koerber (Gunnison, Colo.). Dara Marks-Marino (Flagstaff, Ariz.) took the early lead in lap 2 with Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, Colo.) and Koerber in pursuit.

Katerina Hanusova (CZE), Jimena Florit, Kerry Barnholt (Boulder, Colo.), Chrissy Redden (Golden, Colo.), and Dunlap eventually joined the trio to form an elite front group.

As the race reached the halfway point, Kerry Barnholt and Dara Marks-Marino were dropped off the back as Dunlap worked her way up to the front. As Dunlap attacked and broke off the front, it was Koerber and Florit that were able to keep her pace.

The race became a battle between Dunlap, Florit, and Koerber. Redden, Vanlandingham, and Hanusova were not far behind for the remainder of the race as they fought to bridge the gap. Half way through the final lap, Dunlap made the decisive move on the climb coming out of the last corner and claimed the race as her own. Florit followed in second and Koerber finished in third. Redden and Hanusova rounded out the podium in fourth and fifth.

The men’s race began at an incredible pace, with the early lead taken by Travis Brown (Boulder, Colo.). He was accompanied by Geoff Kabush (CAN) and Barry Wicks (Corvallis, Ore.). The chase group included Chris Sheppard (CAN), Ryan Trebon (Corvallis, Ore.) and Brent Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo.).

Kabush attacked with Travis Brown and Ryan Trebon being the only riders able to match his pace. Sheppard and Miller fell behind about half way through the race and Kabush and Brown picked up the pace, dropping Trebon. With the two lead men working together, Trebon was able to remain at a respectable distance by himself, illustrating the strength of his legs this afternoon. As the race neared the end, U.S. Olympian Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo.) led a chase group that Todd Wells (Murrieta, Calif.) comfortably sat in on.

Kabush distanced himself from Brown with only two laps to go and formed a substantial gap. Brown and Trebon maintained their second and third positions as Aussie Trent Lowe and U.S. Olympian Todd Wells shot out of the chase group to battle for the fourth and fifth podium spots.

Kabush crossed the finish line with a five second gap over Brown. Trebon finished third, with Lowe and Wells in fourth and fifth respectively.

Women’s

1. Alison Dunlap (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
2. Jimena Florit (ARG)
3. Willow Koerber (Gunnison, Colo.)
4. Chrissy Redden (Golden, Colo.)
5. Katerina Hanusova (CZE)

Men’s

1. Geoff Kabush (CAN)
2. Travis Brown (Boulder, Colo.)
3. Ryan Trebon (Corvallis, Ore.)
4. Trent Lowe (AUS)
5. Todd Wells (Murrieta, Calif.)