Ettinger, Gould close strong on final day of Cross-Country Mountain Bike National Championships

Stephen Ettinger (Bozeman, Mont./BMC Mountainbike Racing) and Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./LUNA Pro Team) avenged Saturday’s disappointing cross-country outcomes with respective men’s and women’s short track national championships on the final day of competition at the 2014 USA Cycling Cross-Country Mountain Bike National Championships, July 20, at Bear Creek Resort in Macungie, Pa.

On the final event of the day, Ettinger jumped off the front of the group early to start the men’s pro short track race, joined by Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Factory), Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./SRAM Factory) and Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Cannondale Factory Racing). As the 20-minute-plus three lap format race continued, Ettinger and Wells were able to create separation, ultimately making it a two-man race. Wells, who won the pro cross-country event on Saturday, exchanged leads with Ettinger, who suffered two blown tires in the cross-country race and ultimately finished seventh.

Ettinger would not be denied this time, as the Montana native made his deciding move midway through the final lap, besting second-place Wells in 24:46.2. Wells finished in 24:50.8 and Finsterwald took third in 25:25.7.

“Today there’s just not the opportunity to have the technical problems like out on the cross-country yesterday, so today was just a tactical battle,” Ettinger said. “Seeing who had more left in the tank after a long day yesterday in the heat, I was pretty happy to come out on the top.”

Gould exacted some revenge of her own in the women’s short track final, topping the field in a heated battle on the narrow track and winning her second of two national championships on the day. Gould, who battled hard in the women’s cross-country event on Saturday before falling short to Lea Davison (Jericho, Vt./Specialized Factory), made herself a fixture at the front of the pack, working with up to three other women, including Chloe Woodruff (Tucson, Ariz.), Erin Huck (Boulder, Colo./Tokyo Joes-VCGraphix) and Davison, to move from the field. When the 20-minute start was up, officials opted to call for two laps instead of three, which is where Gould made her push. She and Woodruff quickly put space between them and the remaining field of 20 behind them, and Gould used her breakaway speed to take the Stars-and-Stripes jersey in 26:12.7, followed by Woodruff in 26:20.3 and Davison in 26:32.6.

“I was definitely looking for a little bit of redemption from yesterday when it was such a small margin that I lost by,” Gould said. “I knew that I had two more opportunities to give it a go today, and racing for a national championship is always a big deal. It’s been a good day.”

Two category 1 juniors short track races preceded the pro contests, starting with the women’s 17+ competition. Ellen Noble (Kennebunkport, Maine/Bear Development Team) capped a strong day, winning the event in 25:49.7 and adding to her women’s 19-29 Super Downhill win earlier in the day. Ksenia Lepikhina (Boulder, Colo.) crossed the line 1 minute, 47 seconds later, taking silver in 27:36.6, while April Nabholz (Felton, Pa./Giant Northeast Off-Road Racing) rounded out the top three, finishing in 28:02.3. Neilson Powless (Roseville, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team) claimed the men’s 15-16 contest in 24:21.2, just topping teammate and silver medalist Christopher Blevin’s (Durango, Colo./Whole Athlete-Specialized) 24:22.2 effort. Carson Beckett (Benton, Ky./Wood-N-Wave) climbed the third step of the podium following a hotly contested 24:24.0 finish.

The day started with 13 divisions of pro, seniors, juniors and masters Super Downhill racing. Seamus Powell (Round Top, N.Y./Giant Northeast Off-Road Racing) took the top men’s pro time in 5:22.7, besting Jonathan Gabor’s (Bloomsbury, N.J.) 5:29.4 and Casey Williams (Big Bear City, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team), who finished third in 5:35.0.

“It was weird; I woke up this morning not really nervous. I just wanted to go out and have a good run,” Powell said. “It started out pretty good, but it got pretty chunky up there because they ran the cross-country down the same descent. I got two runs in this morning, was feeling pretty good, but it’s different at race pace when you’re trying to go hard on that stuff.”

Gould started collecting hardware in the women’s pro Super D, taking the top time in 6:21.3, which edged Susan Haywood’s (Harrisonburg, Va.) 6:26.8 and teammate Teal Stetson-Lee’s (Reno, Nev./Team LUNA Chix) 6:46.7.

“It’s awesome. Any national championship is such an honor,” Gould said. “Nationals is always a big goal for me and I’ve never done the Super D at national championships before, but I’ve always wanted to. I’ve been working a lot on my descending, so it’s really gratifying to have it pay off.”

In the men’s senior 19-29 category, Tyler Berliner (Richmond, Vt.) assembled a 5:46.0 run to win the Stars-and-Stripes, pacing runner-up Trevor DeRuise (Reno, Nev.), who closed in 5:52.9 and Elliott Baring (Cumdming, Ga./Reality Bikes), who posted a 6:07.3. Noble scorched the competition in the women’s 19-29 race, finishing in 6:50.7 and winning by more than a full minute. Evie Racette (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Linear Sport MTB) took silver in 7:59.2, followed by Kara Uhl (Smithville, Texas/Union College-KY) in 8:16.6.

It was a good day for the Berliner family, as Tyler’s younger brother, Ryan Berliner (Richmond, Vt.), collected a national championship of his own in the men’s juniors 15-18 division. Berliner finished in an impressive 5:23.5, topping second-place Beckett, who finished two seconds later in 5:25.5. Blevins won bronze in 5:36.0. On the women’s side, Haley Batten (Park City, Utah/Whole Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team) set the pace at 6:47.6, followed by Kelsey Urban (Kentfield, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team) in 6:53.6 and Veda Gerasimek (Transfer, Pa./Whole Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team) in 6:58.7.

In the men’s juniors 9-14 action, Michael Mace (Ocala, Fla./Whole Athlete-Specialized) took his second national title of the competition, winning the Super D in 6:04.2. Scott Funston (Black Diamond, Wash./Rad Racing NW) took second in 6:22.7, followed by Colton Sacket (Troy, Texas/Tri-City Bicycles) in 6:30.9. Madison McDaniel (New Port Richey, Fla./Twin Six) took the women’s 9-14 title in 8:28.7, besting Ann Drummond’s (Springdale, Ark./Team Hammer Nutrition) 9:02.2 and Kiley Krasley’s (Coplay, Pa.) 9:40.1.

In masters competition, Nathan Winkelmann (Huntsville, Texas) took the Stars-and-Stripes in the men’s 30-39 class, working down the mountain in 5:48.9. Jason Beckley (Clifton Heights, Pa.) posted the second-best time in 6:00.6, while Robert Stine, Jr. (West Warwick, R.I./New England Cycling Team) worked into third at a 6:02.3 clip. Joanne Grogan (Hinesburg, Vt./Ness Team New England) nipped Zdenka Worsham (Raleigh, N.C./Constellation Cycling) coming in at 7:20.4 to Worsham’s 7:21.9. Kimberly Quinlan (Winooski, Vt./Bicycle Express Racing) settled in at third in 7:25.6.

In the men’s 40-49 contest, Timothy Zimmerman (Jupiter, Fla.) orchestrated a 5:49.1 effort for the win, followed by fellow Floridian David MacPherson (Riverview, Fla.), who crossed in 6:12.5, and Benedict Treglia (York, Pa.) in 6:17.3. Cameron Urban (Kentfield, Calif.) proved superior in the women’s 40-49, pacing the field at 7:27.6. Karen Krasley (Coplay, Pa.) earned silver in 7:30.7, followed by Jocelyn Linscott (Hewitt, N.J./Toasted Head Racing) in 7:33.2.

Cary Smith (Littleton, Colo./Avout Racing) assembled a 6:02.5 run to win the men’s 50+ Super D, edging Troy Zimmerman’s (Palm Beach Gardents, Fla.) 6:05.0, which was good enough for second. Robert Eichlin’s (Easton, Pa.) 6:06.1 clip earned third.

For complete details on this event, including a complete schedule, results, course maps and a photo gallery, please visit the event web site. If you can’t make it out for the event, follow all of the action on Twitter using the hashtag #MTBNats.

2014 USA Cycling Cross-Country Mountain Bike National Championships
Bear Creek Mountain Resort
Macungie, Pa.
July 17-20, 2014
FULL RESULTS | PHOTO GALLERY

Men pro short track

1.
Stephen Ettinger (Bozeman, MT)
BMC MOUNTAINBIKE RAC
24:46.2
2.
Todd Wells (Durango, CO)
SPECIALIZED FACTORY
24:50.8
3.
Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, CO)
SRAM Factory
25:25.7

Women pro short track

1.
Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, CO)
LUNA PRO TEAM
26:12.7
2.
Chloe Woodruff (Tucson, AZ)

26:20.3
3.
Lea Davison (Jericho, VT)
SPECIALIZED FACTORY
26:32.6

Men Junior 15-18 short track

1.
Neilson Powless (Roseville, CA)
WHOLE ATHLETE / SPEC
24:21.2
2.
Christopher Blevins (Durango, CO)
WHOLE ATHLETE/ SPECI
24:22.2
3.
Carson Beckett (Benton, KY)
WOOD -N- WAVE
24:24.0
4.
Sean Bennett (El Cerrito, CA)
WHOLE ATHLETE / SPEC
24:45.4
5.
W Grant Ellwood (Boulder, CO)
BOULDER JUNIOR CYCLI
24:50.6

Women 17+ short track

1.
Ellen Noble (Kennebunkport, ME)
BEAR DEVELOPMENT TEA
25:49.7
2.
Ksenia Lepikhina (Boulder, CO)

27:36.6
3.
April Nabholz (Felton, PA)
GIANT NORTHEAST OFF-
28:02.3
4.
Amy Horstmeyer (Gainesville, FL)
CLOUD RACING P/B RID
28:10.0
5.
Evie Racette (Fort Atkinson, WI)
LINEAR SPORT MTB
28:25.5
Women Pro Super D

1.
Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, CO)
LUNA PRO TEAM
06:21.3
2.
Susan Haywood (Harrisonburg, VA)

06:26.8
3.
Teal Stetson-lee (Reno, NV)
TEAM LUNA CHIX
06:46.7
4.
Joanna Petterson (Jericho, VT)

06:48.4
5.
Mary Mcconneloug (Chilmark, MA)

06:54.9

Men Pro Super D

1.
Seamus Powell (Round Top, NY)
GIANT NORTHEAST OFF-
05:22.7
2.
Jonathan Gabor (Bloomsbury, NJ)

05:29.4
3.
Casey Williams (Big Bear City, CA)
WHOLE ATHLETE/ SPECI
05:35.0
4.
Michael Broderick (Chilmark, MA)

05:41.5
5.
Jeffrey Lenosky (Sparta, NJ)

05:43.0
Women 15-18 Super D

1.
Haley Batten (Park City, UT)
WHOLE ATHLETE/ SPECI
06:47.6
2.
Kelsey Urban (Kentfield, CA)
WHOLE ATHLETE/ SPECI
06:53.6
3.
Veda Gerasimek (Transfer, PA)
WHOLE ATHLETE/ SPECI
06:58.7
4.
Angelina Palermo (Butler, PA)
TOP GEAR RACING
07:17.3
5.
Emma Drummond (Springdale, AR)
TEAM HAMMER NUTRITIO
07:28.8

Women 9-14 Super D

1.
Madison Mcdaniel (New Port Richey, FL)
TWIN SIX
08:28.7
2.
Ann Drummond (Springdale, AR)
TEAM HAMMER NUTRITIO
09:02.2
3.
Kiley Krasley (Coplay, PA)

09:40.1
4.
Emily House (OCALA)

10:27.3
5.
Corrine Krasley (Coplay, PA)
CHESTER COUNTY VELO
11:24.7

Women 30-39 Super D

1.
Joanne Grogan (Hinesburg, VT)
NESS TEAM NEW ENGLAN
07:20.4
2.
Zdenka Worsham (Raleigh, NC)
CONSTELLATION CYCLIN
07:21.9
3.
Kimberley Quinlan (Winooski, VT)
BICYCLE EXPRESS RACI
07:25.6
4.
Sarah Ginsbach (Huntsville, TX)
OUTRIVAL RACING
07:28.0
5.
L. Marie Walsh (Fort Collins, CO)
PELOTON-SPECIALIZED
07:31.0

Women 40+ Super D

1.
Cameron Urban (Kentfield, CA)

07:27.6
2.
Karen Krasley (Coplay, PA)

07:30.7
3.
Jocelyn Linscott (Hewitt, NJ)
TOASTED HEAD RACING
07:33.2
4.
Amy Alton (Baltimore, MD)
GIANT NORTHEAST OFF-
07:36.6
5.
Carey Lowery (Athens, TN)

07:38.2

Women 19-29 Super D

1.
Ellen Noble (Kennebunkport, ME)
BEAR DEVELOPMENT TEA
06:50.7
2.
Evie Racette (Fort Atkinson, WI)
LINEAR SPORT MTB
07:59.2
3.
Kara Uhl (Smithville, TX)
UNION COLLEGE-KY
08:16.6

Men 15-18 Super D

1.
Ryan Berliner (Richmond, VT)

05:23.5
2.
Carson Beckett (Benton, KY)
WOOD -N- WAVE
05:25.5
3.
Christopher Blevins (Durango, CO)
WHOLE ATHLETE/ SPECI
05:36.0
4.
Clayton Puckett (Mill Valley, CA)
BEAR DEVELOPMENT TEA
05:36.4
5.
Hayden Miller (RALEIGH NC)
WENZEL COACHING JUNI
05:43.1

Men 9-14 Super D

1.
Michael Mace (Ocala, FL)
WHOLE ATHLETE/ SPECI
06:04.2
2.
Scott Funston (Black Diamond, WA)
RAD RACING NW
06:22.7
3.
Colton Sacket (Troy, TX)
TRI-CITY BICYCLES
06:30.9
4.
Adam Croft (Toano, VA)
VOLHARDEN
06:39.8
5.
Nicholas Tabares (MIAMI)

06:51.1

Men 30-39 Super D

1.
Nathan Winkelmann (Huntsville, TX)

05:48.9
2.
Jason Beckley (Clifton Heights, PA)

06:00.6
3.
Robert Stine Jr (West Warwick, RI)
NEW ENGLAND CYCLING
06:02.3
4.
Christopher Valenti (Valley Forge, PA)

06:04.8
5.
Chris Welsh (Ellicott City, MD)

06:13.0

Men 40-49 Super D

1.
Timothy Zimmerman (Jupiter, FL)

05:49.1
2.
David Macpherson (Riverview, FL)

06:12.5
3.
Benedict Treglia (York, PA)

06:17.3
4.
John Ronca (Bethlehem, PA)

06:18.2
5.
Ian Starr (Frederick, MD)

06:21.3

Men 50+ Super D

1.
Cary Smith (Littleton, CO)
AVOUT RACING
06:02.5
2.
Troy Zimmerman (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)

06:05.0
3.
Robert Eichlin (Easton, PA)

06:06.1
4.
Greg Turner (Thousand Oaks, CA)
TRIPLE THREAT CYCLIN
06:15.1
5.
David Van Wart (West Milford, NJ)
TEAM TOWN CYCLE
06:20.8

Men 19-29 Super D

1.
Tyler Berliner (Richmond, VT)

05:46.0
2.
Trevor Deruise (Reno, NV)

05:52.9
3.
Elliott Baring (Cumming, GA)
REALITY BIKES
06:07.3
4.
Cooper Drummond (Springdale, AR)
TEAM HAMMER NUTRITIO
06:08.9
5.
Erik Kristiansen (Sussex, NJ)
BLACK BEAR CYCLING
06:11.1