A message from Ray Petro:
I have never in my life had a more fun and exhausting weekend. What a great time...I am whipped! I would like to thank all the pro riders who traveled to the park for the inaugural 3Ride. I also would like to thank the many spectators who came out to watch.
Anchor Jennifer Grubb and CNN Atlanta were there all day, shooting video of Lopes, Goldman, Porter and Hans Rey. Just in! CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 Show covering the 3Ride Pro Invitational will air on March 15. Check your local listings.
A very special thanks to all the volunteers who helped out with the behind the scenes stuff before and after the event. I could have never done it without you.
THE COMPETITIONS
Ray's 3Ride Pro Invitational had a $10,000 purse, with $3700 going to the winner in one dollar bills. Action started on day one with the Moen Sport Course Speed Trials. It's a skill course that includes teeters, rock gardens and balance lines. Penalties were awarded to riders who couldn't clean a section. World 4-Cross Champ Brian Lopes won the opening comp. Dirt jumper and Slopestyler Greg Watts and park star Jim DeChamp took 2nd and 3rd.
Following that was the Fisher Pump Track Dual Slalom. It used a classic one-on-one eliminator format. No surprise here. Brian Lopes ahead of U.S. Mountaincross #3 Rich Houseman and Greg Watts.
A Jump Contest concluded the 4-Cross versus Street Riders versus Dirt Jumpers shootout. It was do or die, and the competitors were simply going off. With riders blowing flips--Jim DeChamp failed to complete three forward flips--it was jump film star Jamie Goldman who rode the cleanest. Greg Watts and Andy Sunbaum rounded out the top three.
By virtue of consistently placing in the top three in every event, it was Greg Watts who left Cleveland as a rich man.
The final day of the 3Ride concluded with a Ride With the Pros. The stars were there for the full day to do nothing but to mix it up with the public.
Rays Indoor MTB Park is located 5.3 miles west of Downtown Cleveland, Ohio in the Walford Industrial Park at 9801 Walford Ave. It is open from fall through winter, and on every day except Monday. For more information on Ray's Indoor MTB Park call (216) 631-7433; www.raysmtb.com.
Here are the partial results. We will update these as they come in.
MOEN SPORT COURSE
1. Brian Lopes...GT
2. Greg Watts...Gary Fisher
3. DeChamp...Mongoose
4. Kyle Strait...Specialized
5. Cody Warren...Haro
PUMP TRACK
1. Brian Lopes...GT
2. Rich Houseman...Yeti
3. Greg Watts...Gary Fisher
4. Streiby
5. Cameron Zink...Haro
JUMP CONTEST
1. Jamie Goldman...Santa Cruz Syndicate
2. Greg Watts...Gary Fisher
3. Andy Sunbaum
4. Hauck
5. Carter Holland
OVERALL
1. Greg Watts...Gary Fisher
2. Brian Lopes...GT
3. Jamie Goldman...Santa Cruz Syndicate
4. Streiby
5. Cody Warren...Haro |