The venue alone from this past weekend’s 24 Hours of Adrenalin Solo World
Championships, the Canmore Nordic Ski Center built for the 1988 Winter
Olympics, has everything that a top-class event need including miles of
single-track cross-country ski trails that are excellent for mountain
bikes—it hosted UCI XC World Cups from 1998 to 2000. The Adrenalin crew
put together a great ten mile course with a balanced mix of twisting,
turning single-track and fire-road climbs that boasted over 2000 feet of
climbing per lap. With such a great stage it was up to the riders to deliver world class
performances. And they did!
Before pedaling for 24 hours riders had to run for 1500 meters. Vic Armijo photo
To sort out the field and get them spread out before the first
single-track 24 Hours of Adrenalin events traditionally has a Le Mans
start. At Canmore racers hoofed it (in bike shoes!) for 1500 meters before
reaching their bikes and riding off onto the course.
THE SOLO MEN
An hour into the race when the leaders came through the finish line, they
were in a bit of a bunch, Tony Hogg (NZ) was 30 seconds off the front with
dentist Carey Smith (USA) and Jason English (AUS) separated by just one
second.
Jason English. Vic Armijo photo
While Tony Hogg lead the early going, Carey Smith (#31) and Jason English (#30)
argued over second and third. Vic Armijo photo
Hogg continued to lead for the next five laps, while English got by Smith
to hold onto second, while Andy Fellows (AUS) held fourth. English later
commented on Hogg’s blistering pace, “When he went out at that fast pace
— well, I don’t think he knew it was a 24-hour race. I had to drop back
for a while. As it was, my heart-rate didn’t go below 170 (beats per
minute) for a long time.”
Sometime on their sixth lap English got by Tony Hogg (NZ) to take over the
lead putting nearly four minutes between them. Smith continued his hold
on third place. By lap ten Hogg had regained the lead over English with
Smith still in third. A lap later as the race reached the midnight halfway
point, the three riders were separated by just two minutes, Hogg first,
Jackson Hole, Wyoming’s Smith second and English third.
While Hogg continued to lead, it was evident when he’d dismount during a
pit stop, he moved stiffly, obviously experiencing back pain, “After a
bike race, he's like a bent-over old woman," said his crew. "He can climb
all day and night, but the bouncing on the technical single-track gets
him."
For most of the first two-thirds of the race Kiwi Tony Hogg was the man out
front, only to drop out with just hours to go. Vic Armijo photo
The top three remained the same until with just six hours left Hogg didn’t
show at his pit. After a long wait race officials went looking for the
34-year-old landscape center manager and found him sitting on course,
reportedly very angry at his painful back, which was seized.up. He made it
back to his pit, but felt dizzy and nauseous. So he sat down and ate his
food and could not get up again. His crew got him up and he headed off
into the darkness. He never made it to the first check point and when
officials set off again to find him, he was dehydrated, his blood sugar
was low and he was forced to DNF.
That set the stage for the final order, English first, Smith second; and
Fellows, who seemingly rode most of the race alone, third. 2009 Solo
Worlds champ Jason English said from the podium that he was lucky to be
riding at all—14 months ago he suffered a broken back and “didn’t know if
I’d be able to walk again.” He also felt fortunate that several of his
country men weren’t in Canmore, “I’d have finished third if (2006 Solo
champ) Craig Gordon and (2008 Solo champ) James Williams were here,” he
said. “We will sweep the podium next year,” when the Solo Worlds go to
Australia.
THE SOLO WOMEN
In her quest for a third world’s title, defending womens champion Rebecca
Rusch (USA) was successful in making this a race for second. She turned a
first lap of just over one hour—faster than a majority of the men—pulling
a six minute lead over Carena Jessica Douglas (CAN) with Jari Kirkland
(USA) coming across just seconds behind Douglas. That was the closest that
her chasers would be for the rest of the race. Rusch continued to turn
laps of just over an hour, stopping in her pits for the few seconds it
took to get a bottle and a feed. She kept that pace until the half-way
mark when she finally stopped for ten minute pit and took advantage of the
one hour lead she’s built. After a real meal, a quick sponge down and a
leg massage, she got back on her Specialized, declared “It’s not over yet.
I’ve got 11 hours and 30 minutes to go.” And off she rode.
At midnight Rebecca Rusch took a luxurious ten minute pit. Then despite having a full hour lead, she
hurried off into the night. Vic Armijo photo
Rusch continued to lead, hardly backing off the pace. And by early morning
had lapped all of her competitors. Finally, Rusch crossed the line,
breaking the finish line tape, and raised her bike over her head in
jubilation. The former adventure racer had taken her third 24 Hours of
Adrenalin Solo World Championship.
Was Rebecca Rusch happy to take herth ird 24 Hour Worlds? One look at that face
should answer that. Vic Armijo photo
In 2010 the 24 Hours of Adrenalin Solo World Championships is off to the land down
under—two Australian venues are vying for the opportunity to host next year’s race. Vic Armijo photo
24 HOURS OF ADRENALIN
2009 SOLO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
July 25-26, 2009
ELITE MEN
(Place in category, name, laps, time
1 Jason English AUS 22 24:28:06
2 Cary Smith USA 21 23:41:56
3 Andy Fellows AUS 21 24:27:22
4 Leighton Poidevin CAN 20 23:58:43
5 Dallas Morris CAN 19 23:46:38
6 William Martin USA 18 23:44:56
7 David Scheer CAN 17 23:15:14
8 Tony Hogg NZ 14 14:09:37
9 Todd Tanner USA 14 21:12:50
10 John Merritt CAN 14 23:15:55
ELITE WOMEN
(Place in category, name, laps, time)
1 Rebecca Rusch USA 18 23:19:21
2 Jari Kirkland USA 17 23:15:11
3 Carena Dean CAN 17 23:40:06
4 Jessica Douglas AUS 17 24:47:43
5 Monilee Atkinson USA 15 23:20:03
6 Kris Cannon USA 15 23:54:12
7 Karen Foat AUS 13 23:16:59
8 Margie Smith CAN 11 18:12:28
9 Megan Dimozantos NZ 11 19:33:08
10 Rachel Edwards AUS 10 19:55:09
Defending singlespeed champion Greg Martin took his second title. He’d have been 5th against the
elite men on a course that certainly didn’t favor hard-tail single-speeds! Vic Armijo photo
SINGLESPEED - MEN
(Place in category, name, laps, time)
1 Greg Martin USA 19 23:34:44
2 Brendan Den AUS 17 23:16:54
3 Dereck Fish USA 14 23:16:36
4 Matt Koerber AUS 14 24:27:13
KirstinHoney. Vic Armijo photo
SINGLESPEED WOMEN
(Place in category, name, laps, time)
1 Kirstin Honey AUS 8 23:16:57