April 19, 2009 (Monterey, CA) – A blazing hot California sun set the tone for Sunday’s downhill event. It baked the track into a slippery, dusty, super speedway that required not only tons of cornering skill, but the lungs of a champion. Mick Hannah (AUS – GT) who put a stamp on his downhill comeback winning on a course that required raw leg speed to the podium, tripping the clock at 2:08.1. Greg Minnaar (RSA – Santa Cruz Syndicate) was second at 0.1 second back. Countrymen Andrew Neethling (RSA – Trek) was 3rd with a 2:08.8. Old Guys Brian Lopes (Ibis) and Eric Carter (GT) were 5th and 6th, proving that you are only as old as you feel, trouncing a field of kids half their age in some cases.

Hannah talked about his run while celebrating afterwards. “My run was good, but I didn’t think it was good enough to beat Greg. It turns out it was, just. It was pretty slippery, but the main issue I had was a bit of a jump in the top rhythm section, I missed the landing into the berm and ended up on the top of the berm and got a bit messy. It worked out in the end.”

Top Canadian Steve Smith (Evil) placed 26th. Smith, who was 43rd here last year, seemed happy with his run. “As long as I beat 43rd place, I was going to be stoked. My training paid off.”

For the women it was Tracy Moseley (GBR – Trek), fresh off of her win at the first world cup in South Africa last weekend, who set the fastest time at 2:21.6. Melissa Buhl (USA) finished off a great weekend of work with a second place finish. Local Norcal rider Kathy Pruitt (Jamis) was 3rd.

Top Canadian was Claire Buchar (Chain Reaction/Intense) in 4th place. Buchar discussed her run at the finish line, “I hit the jumps up top smoothly and then just tried to get on the gas for the rest of the track. It was pretty slippery up there. I am happy with my finish.”

Results

Elite Women

1. Tracy Moseley (Gbr) Trek 2.21.60
2. Melissa Buhl (USA) KHS Bicycles 0.6
3. Kathy Pruitt (USA) Jamis 6.16
4. Claire Buchar (Can) Chain Reaction/Intense 6.47
5. Lisa Myklak (USA) 10.45
6. Miranda Miller (Can) 11.22
7. Jacqueline Harmony (USA) 13.86
8. Katie Holden (Can) SpecializeD 14.00
9. Danice Uyesugi (Can) 14.64
10. Casey Brown (Can) 15.38
11. Rebecca Mcqueen (Can) Race Face 15.40
12. Leana Gerrard (USA) Monavie-Cannondale 15.45
13. Mio Suemasa (Jpn) 16.6
14. Lainey Aldridge (USA) Santa Cruz 16.66
15. Lorraine Blancher (Can) 17.58
16. Tara Johnson (USA) Loeka 19.18
17. Jennifer Wolf (USA) Vixen Racing 20.97
18. Darian Harvey (USA) 23.01
19. Joy Martin (USA) Vixen Racing 23.5
20. Sondra Williamson (USA) Specialized 24.27
21. Karin Hanzi (USA) 25.5
22. Connie Misket (USA) Velo Bella 26.94
23. Neven Steinmetz (USA) Ellsworth 29.51
24. Abigail Hippely (USA) 33.03
25. Mariska Chuse (USA) 35.75
26. Jessica Vogt (USA) Dainese 38.65
DNF Sage Wilderman (USA)
DNF Johauna Rathbun (USA)
DNF Tasa Herndon (USA) Serfas ODI

Elite Men

1. Mick Hannah (Aus) GT 2:08.2
2. Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate 0.6
3. Andrew Neethling (RSA) Trek World Cup 0.71
4. Justin Leov (Nzl) Trek World Cup 0.88
5. Brian Lopes (USA) Ibis 1.06
6. Eric Carter (USA) GT 1.2
7. Dan Atherton (Gbr) 1.44
8. Jared Rando (USA) 1.74
9. Bryn Atkinson (Aus) 2.14
10. Nathan Rennie (Aus)
11. Cody Warren (USA) 2.21
12. Sam Hill (USA) 2.79
13. Cedric Gracia (And) Furious 3.12
14. Joe Lawwill (USA) Santa Cruz 3.38
15. Marc Beaumont (Gbr) 3.41
16. Lars Sternberg (USA) 3.45
17. Jd Swanguen 3.58
18. Duncan Riffle (USA) 3.69
19. Kirt Voreis (USA) 4.12
20. Waylon Smith (Gbr) 4.36
21. Brad Benedict (USA) 4.52
22. Curtis Keene (USA) Specialized 4.73
23. Chris Boice (USA) 5.75
24. Brad Oien (USA) 5.86
25. Jon Wilson (USA) Northstar 6.54
26. Steve Smith (Can) Evil 6.55
27. Evan Turpen (USA) Santa Cruz 6.59
28. Rich Houseman (USA) 6.63
29. Matthew Simmonds (Gbr) 6.9
30. Ryan Condrashoff (USA) X-Fusion 6.91
31. Kyle Strait (USA) 7.47
32. Kieran Bennett (USA) X-Fusion 7.75
33. Ross Milan (USA) 7.82
34. Jeff Kendall-Weed (USA) 7.92
35. Matt Fisher (USA) Mafia 7.96
36. Ben Furbee (USA) Furbdog 7.97
37. Scott Papola (USA) 8.21
38. Nathaniel Lewis (USA) 8.31
39. Cody Wilderman (USA) Yeti Fox 8.33
40. Josh Bryceland (Gbr) Santa Cruz 8.36
41. Quentin Derbier (Fra) Rider’s 8.43
42. George Stephenson Iii (USA) Yeti Fox 8.79
43. Scott Fellers (USA) Supercede 8.94
44. Joey Schusler (USA) 8.96
45. Ryan Culp (USA) 8.98
46. Tyler Mccaul (USA) GT Bikes
47. Rick Goldrup (USA) 9
48. Erik Nelson (USA) Fox Racing 9.05
49. Brendan Fairclough (Gbr) 9.08
50. Jon Buckell (USA) 9.24
51. Daniel Baggs (USA) Lezyne 9.57
52. Tyler Gnitt (Can) 10.42
53. Sam Benedict (USA) 10.78
54. Mike Haderer (USA) 10.93
55. Nick Olson (USA) 11.19
56. Kevin Aiello (USA) 11.49
57. Neko Mulally (USA) 11.56
58. Amado Stachenfeld (USA) Santa Cruz 11.69
59. T Asprey (USA) Watta Bike 11.76
60. Mitchell Delfs (Aus) 11.88
61. Steve Wentz (USA) 11.89
62. Caleb Cambern (USA) Transition 11.91
63. Alejandro Ortiz (Ecu) 12
64. Quinton Spaulding (USA) 12.04
65. Ariel Lindsley (USA) 12.14
66. Chris Shewmake (USA) 12.2
67. Camilo Sanchez (Col) 12.27
68. John Hauer (USA) X-Fusion 12.38
69. Kayman Benetti (USA) 12.43
70. Graeme Pitts (USA) Santa Cruz 12.55
71. Jonathan Widen (USA) Factory 13.09
72. Kevin Albert (USA) Thunder 13.1
73. Craig Harvey (USA) 13.45
74. Tyler Wilson (USA) 13.46
75. Junya Nagata (Jpn) Funfancy 13.53
76. Ryan Cornilsen (USA) Cannondale 13.68
77. Jesse Trask (USA) 14
78. Jeff Burcar (USA) 14.19
79. Jimmy Amaral (USA) 14.23
80. Justin Graves (USA) Piratedh 14.37
81. Nick Barton (USA) Supercede 14.53
82. Steven Hlebo (USA) Another 14.87
83. Ben Kubas (USA) POC Racing 14.88
84. Leland O’connor (USA) Dickies 14.94
85. Jonathan Kim (USA) Gummy 15.06
86. Matthew Cipes (USA) Specialized 15.77
87. Daniel Cortina (USA) Cr1 Engine 15.84
88. Tommy Tokarczyk (USA) Jamis Bike 15.92
89. Ryan Kresich (USA) 16.42
90. Sean Osborne (USA) 16.5
91. Joshua Habbard (USA) 16.83
92. Willem Cooper (USA) Voncooper 17.23
93. Phil Wheeler (USA) 17.47
94. Mihai Moga (USA) 17.92
95. Bryan Crum (USA) Wheel 17.99
96. Andrew Cavaletto (USA) 18.38
97. Kristian Short (Can) 18.85
98. Casey Coffman (USA) 19.38
99. Andrew Van Zuyen 19.75
100. Jordan Lopez (USA) WTB
101. Naish Ulmer (USA) 19.86
102. Dean Abrams (USA) Marzocchi 225
103. Doug Ewer (USA) 20.32
104. Jonathan Canfield (USA) 20.51
105. Garrett Eggert (USA) 20.59
106. Michael Johnson (USA)
107. Tyler Thompson (USA) 20.69
108. Ryan Tarver (USA) 21.93
109. Luis Samayoa (USA) 22.02
110. John Hlebo (USA) 22.14
111. Geritt Beytagh (USA) 22.26
112. Junwon Jang (USA) Gloval 7Th 22.44
113. Jason Memmelaar (USA) 22.68
114. Taylor Cuisinot (USA) 22.93
115. Heikki Hall (USA) 22.99
116. Ryan Borick (USA) LH Bandits 23.53
117. Jerry Vanderpool (USA) Hippie Tec 24.49
118. Ian Massey (USA) Stone Racing 25.19
119. Jesse Chuse (USA) 25.36
120. Matt Thompson (USA) 25.48
121. Pete Maniaci (USA) 28.99
122. Michael Johnson (USA) 29.02
123. Erik Barton (USA) Supercede 33.75
124. Gee Atherton (Gbr) 47.12
125. Michael Town (USA) 54.45
DNF Curtis Robinson (Can)
DNF Mike Kreger (USA)
DNF Ludo Gadois (Fra)
DNF Tyler Morland (Can) SRAM
DNF Brian Culp (USA)
DNF Ian Odom (USA)
DNF Marshall Roach (USA)
DNF Erik Gosselin (USA)
DNF Preston Moore (USA)
DNF Ryan Stayskal (USA)
DNF Trevor Martin (USA)