Breckenridge, CO
usacycling.org
More than 800 off-road racers gathered on a ceremonious day to compete for one of a dozen stars-and-stripes jerseys awarded at the 50-mile marathon distance at the Firecracker 50. Last year’s national championship runner-up in Olympic-style cross-country, Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, VA) came away with the overall victory after completing the marathon event in less than four hours. In the women’s pro/open category a relative newcomer to the mountain bike scene, Sari Anderson (Glenwood Springs, CO) took home her first U.S. National Championship, besting a packed women’s field.
With numerous riders forced out of the competition, including several prerace favorites, the story of the day was the slew of flats and mechanicals that riddled the dry, rocky course. From the start, Evan Plews (Salem, OR) soared to the front of a talented pack of riders on the first of the two, 25-mile laps. After riding conservatively out front for the majority of the contest, Plews suffered an untimely flat with Bishop on his heels on the final steep descent. Riding the flat through the closing kilometers, Plews was also passed by a surging Mike McCalla (Santa Fe, NM) who earned the second spot in a true race of attrition.
“I broke my chain twice and ripped three spokes,” explained Bishop. “I thought I’d be fighting for a podium spot. At the end I thought I was sprinting for third with Evan. I didn’t know I’d won until they jumped on me at the finish. It was a great surprise!”
The women’s pro race was led out by a four-pack of some of the nation’s strongest off-road riders. Monique Sawicki (Maliani, HI), took off out of the gate to lead Jenny Smith (Gunnison, CO), Gretchen Reeves (Edwards, CO) and Sari Anderson who rode together in front for the majority of the first lap. An experienced adventure racer, Anderson was able to get around Reeves and sneak away on a steep climb and never looked back. The first woman to cross the line, Anderson recorded a time of 4:29:12 as two-time national champion Reeves took the silver more than five minutes later. Jennifer Gersbach (Avon, CO) used a late race surge to take third.
“This is awesome,” said Anderson. “There was great competition out there, and to be able to beat them is really special. I just had a baby and this race was really just to get some miles. I don’t think it’s
sunk in yet. I never thought I would be the national champion.”
Ten additional national championships were awarded across various categories with all racers contesting the two steep, 25-mile laps. Braden Kappius (Littleton, CO) earned the stars-and-stripes by more than 10 minutes in the men’s 19-29 division, while Jane Rynbrandt (Colorado Springs, CO) took home the women’s title in that age group. Zachary Vestal (Boulder, CO) won the men’s 30-34 race in nearly four hours and Jill Sorensen (Breckenridge, CO) earned the 30-39 women’s national title in less than five. Joel Mischke (Basalt, CO) earned the stars-and-stripes in the packed men’s 35-39 age division and Karen Hogan (Louisville, CO) won the women’s 40-49 national title. Russell Asleson (Colorado Springs, CO), Jane Finsterwald (Basalt, CO) and Leon Fetzer (Breckenridge, CO) rounded out the day’s national champions.
2008 U.S. MARATHON NATIONAL CHAMP'S RESULTS
Men’s Pro/Open
1. Jeremiah Bishop...Trek-VW...3:49:37.7
2. Michael McCalla...ScottUSA...3:50:47.6
3. Evan Plews...ScottUSA-CSC...3:51:03.0
4. Dave Wiens...Topeak Ergon...3:51:35.7
5. Kelly Magelky...Trek-VW...3:59:22.0
6. Travis Brown...4:00:25.4
7. Mark Santurbane...CA Giant Berry...4:01:07.8
8. Greg Krause...Ellsworth-Primal...4:01:20.8
9. Josh Bezecny...Trek-VW...4:05:08.9
10. Colby Pearce...Slipstream-Chipotle...4:12:20.8
WOMEN
1. Sari Anderson...4:29:12.2
2. Gretchen Reeves...Tokyo Joe's...4:34:13.6
3. Jennifer Gersbach...Dale's Pale Ale-Spot...4:36:52.7
4. Jenny Smith...Trek-VW...4:47:36.7
5. Rebecca Rusch...Specialized-Red Bull...4:50:12.8
6. Eszter Horanyi...4:56:33.2
7. Jennifer Tilley...Kona-Velo Bella...5:04:34.5
8. Amanda Riley...Kenda-Titus-Hayes...5:05:21.5
9. Caitlyn Tuel...Trek-VW-Rocky Mtn...5:06:29.5
10. Becca Blay...SoBe-Cannondale...5:08:28.1
19-29
1. Braden Kappius...Tokyo Joe's...4:01:35.8
2. Kalan Beisel...ProCycling-CTS...4:13:07.3
3. Paul Gorbold...pedal power...4:16:48.5
WOMEN 19-29
1. Jane Rynbrandt...Tough Girl-Contessa...5:27:09.4
2. Kate Chapman...Mafia...5:31:55.4
3. Tiffanie Beal...GoLite...5:39:17.0
30-34
1. Zachary Vestal...Trek-VW...4:00:52.1
2. Cameron Brenneman...Sho-Air/RocknRoad...4:08:30.2
3. Cody Waite...EPC Multisport...4:09:41.2
WOMEN 30-39
1. Jill Sorensen...Tokyo Joe's...4:48:50.6
2. Ambre Levy...Dolce Diavolo...5:24:06.4
3. Catherine Chatecki...Comotion Sports-Yeti...5:27:27.9
35-39
1. Joel Mischke...Basalt Bike&Ski...4:15:36.6
2. Ross Delaplane...GMSV...4:16:47.5
3. Gilbert Damon...RockShox...4:25:15.6
40-49
1. Mike Horgan...Chipotle-Titus...4:03:30.9
2. Thane Wright...Hammer-Voodoo...4:09:16.4
3. Cam Kirkpatrick...4:20:05.4
WOMEN 40-49
1. Karen Hogan...Chipotle-Titus...4:58:59.6
2. Anne Gonzales...5:10:32.1
3. Melissa Trainer...5:32:23.8
50-59
1. Russell Asleson...ProCycling...4:40:19.6
2. Rob Westermann...Spin Cycle...4:49:19.8
3. Todd Henneman...Jans...4:50:59.8
WOMEN 50+
1. Jane Finsterwald...Chipotle-Titus...5:27:14.1
60+
1. Leon Fetzer...5:42:59