The 2020 Downhill season began last weekend at Windrock Bike Park in Oliver Springs, Tennessee. Austin Dooley waits to load his bike up after making the trip out from sunny SoCal.
Dante Silva was stoked to get the season started on his new Canyon bike program, but he had an unfortunate accident in practice, breaking his hand. Heal up fast Dante!
Steve Walton would rally down the hill in Seeding to take 4th on Friday, the day before the big show. Steve was missing his KHS/Monster Army teammate, Nik Nestoroff due to injury.
Kaden Pankow thoroughly enjoyed the dry track this year, but had a little crash in seeding, which would set him a bit back from the pace for the Junior Experts.
Finals day began with the sun. This is the first time it hasn’t snowed or rained on raced since they’ve held this event. Steve Walton loads up for some practice runs.
Steve snaking his way down the re-routed section of the rock garden on Saturday morning.
Kaden Pankow would be the first Monster Army athlete down the hill on race day. He had a few bobbles and would have to settle for 12th place.
Austin Dooley shredded down the hill to finish right where he qualified, in third. Austin has been having a great early season, winning down at Fontana, CA and Bootleg, NV.
Prodigious skier, Mazie Hayden qualified 5th on Friday and would improve her finish on race day to 4th in the elite women’s category. Not bad for her first bike race of the season.
Coming all the way from Idaho, 16 yr old Ella Erickson had a solid run in elites, qualifying 3rd and finishing in 5th at the end of the day!
New Hampshire’s Matt Driscoll escaped the snow for his first race of the year. Matt would qualify 22nd and finish 17th.
Steve Walton wows the fans by staying low on the last big jump on course. Steve would start the year in good company, finishing 4th among some of the best in the world.
SoCal’s Ryan Pinkerton would score a top 3 in the U16 bracket.
Tyler Ervin in 2nd place and Austin Dooley in 3rd for the Junior Expert Podium.
Elite Women’s podium with Mazie Hayden in 4th and Ella Erickson in 5th.
Elite Men’s podium with Steve Walton in 4th.
