JEEP KING OF MOUNTAINJUNE 20
JEEP KING OF MOUNTAINJUNE 20
The Madonna Inn, San Louis Obispo (California) hosted the first round of the Jeep King of the Mountain Professional Mountain Biking World Championships. American Brian Lopes, and Jill Kintner won their respective women’s and men’s titles in round one of?Y-style. slalom/mountaincross course. Lopes and Kintner earn valuable points towards the overall Jeep ‘KOM? championship.
In front of more than 2,000 spectators, Brian Lopes, US Mountaincross National Champion and third fastest qualifier, came from behind to beat Michael Prokop of Czech Republics in the second round of the championship round. The course was fast and loose, and there were not many places to pass after the red and blue sides had merged. Lopes said. Lopes was only a fraction behind Prokop in round 1. Lopes won the drag race to the corner where the red and blue courses meet. Brian used a line that was not in use to keep his lead. Prokop gained some ground in the rhythm section of three sets doubles but lost a little bit of time trying to pass Lopes. Prokop’s crash secured Lopes the first round differential and won him the win.
Jill Kintner, fresh from her Deer Valley NORBA slalom win just two days earlier, charged into Sunday’s KOM race. Kintner was the number one female qualifier and rode flawlessly on the jump. course. Marla Streb, the defending Jeep KOM champion, was eliminated by Jill. She then proceeded to a battle with Tara Llanes for the championship round. Jill beat Tara by almost a full second in the first round, but Kintner’s starting gate wobble forced her to race full throttle in the second round to keep in Llanes shadow. Llanes won the second round of finals but Kintner’s first run advantage was too much to overcome.
The Jeep World Professional Champions are determined by cumulative points gained throughout the Jeep King of the Mountain Series. They also compete for Jeep King of the Mountain honors.
Next, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series will head to Pando Ski Area, Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday July 23rd, before concluding the season at Jack Frost Mountain, Pocono Mountain (PA), on Sunday August 14.
Every Jeep King of the Mountain event is broadcast to a national audience. Nationally syndicated specials of one hour will air during the June, July, and August time periods. The finals will air on CBS Sports. The kick-off event will be broadcast in San Luis Obispo (Calif.) starting June 25th in more than 130 television markets
WABC also included? New York, KABC?? Los Angeles and WLS Chicago.
Click Here to See When Round One in San Luis Obispo (California) Will Be on TV Near You
FINAL RESULTS
MENS DIVISION
1. Brian Lopes Trabuco Canyon, Calif.
2. Michael Prokop Czech Republic
3. Wade Bootes Australia
4. Mike King San Diego, Calif.
5. Nathan Rennie Australia
6. Chris Powell La Jolla (Calif.)
7. Travis Collins San Luis Obispo (Calif.)
8. Brian Schmith Lancaster (Calif.)
WOMENS DIVISION
1. Jill Kintner San Jose (Calif.)
2. Tara Llanes Corona, Calif.
3. Vanessa Quin New Zealand
4. Katrina Miller Australia
5. Melissa Buhl Chandler, Ariz.
6. Anneke Beerten The Netherlands
7. Fionn Griffiths England
8. Marla Streb Los Oslo, Calif.
