April 17, 2004 (Monterey, CA) – The Hyundai Sea Otter Classic saw a wave of international riders step up to the podium at North America's greatest cycling festival. Australia swept the men's top three, with Mick Hannah (Haro/Adidas) taking his first win of the season in the Downhill Domination Dual Slalom, beating compatriots Wade Bootes (Trek-Volkswagen) and Nathan Rennie (Santa Cruz Syndicate/Troy Lee). In the women's race, France's Sabrina Jonnier (Intense Cycles) rode flawlessly to first place, with another Australian, Jamis Cycles' Katrina Miller placing second. The lone American to capture a top 3 result was Tara Llanes (Giant-Pearl Izumi).
The men's semifinals sped up in the final few runs with Cedric Gracia (Siemens-Cannondale), the twotime defending Sea Otter Classic Dual Slalom champion, aiming for a repeat win. But he failed to reach the top 3, as he was upset by Australia's Nathan Rennie (Santa Cruz Syndicate) in the consolation final. In the showdown for first place, Bootes' top form helped him hug the course but the removal of the final straightaway – where he has outpedaled competitors in the past- gave Hannah the leading edge in the final sprint to the finish.
In the women's final four, Jonnier's efficiency in the turns plus her low clearance on jumps helped her throw her bike into a tidy line for the final straightaway. Self-described as “one of the old ones” in today's competition, Miller expressed her admiration for the talents of her competitors. Llanes, smoothed over some early run bobbles by focusing more on her skills, which rewarded her with a spot on the podium.
The Hyundai Sea Otter Classic is the largest cycling festival in North America, attracting up to 50,000 spectators and participants for four days of competition, fun rides, riding demonstrations and a Tech Expo.
MEN 1st – Mick Hannah “On the last straightaway of the run I just started pedaling and pulled through. This was my first race of the season and it is a big boost of confidence for me.” 2nd – Wade Bootes “I felt good but not as good on the slippery corners which slowed me down a little and they took my favorite straightaway out of the course where I've made up time in the past.” 3rd – Nathan Rennie “Love the dual today, like some of those berms up there you can just lay in it so hard, no breaks, just unreal feeling, like feelin' the G-force. I had a great time.”
WOMEN 1st – Sabrina Jonnier “I finished fast each time so I knew I could do something out there and I won every run I could so I'm very happy.” 2nd – Katrina Miller “The way the women ride in this race was stepped up 100%. I'm the old one aside from Marla Streb. The young kids are really determined and they make us ride harder. It's good.” 3rd – Tara Llanes “I just stayed focuses and rode my own race. I had a couple bobbles early on but I was able to smooth them out in the lower part of the course.”