By Steve Medcroft The US NORBA National Series came to close at Snowmass Ski Resort in Aspen,...
Adam Craig and Ross Schnell (Image credit: Susan Candee)
By Steve Medcroft
The US NORBA National Series came to close at Snowmass Ski Resort in Aspen, Colorado last weekend. Series champions were crowned in five disciplines; Cross Country, Short Track, Downhill, Mountain Cross, Super D and Marathon. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru/Gary Fisher) took the overall series win in men's cross-country while last year's cross-country and short-track champion, Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis), won the short-track overall and Aussie Sam Hill (Monster Energy/Iron Horse).
But besides the settling of the series championships, the final NORBA was a time for riders to get loose from the pressure of performing every weekend (Ross Schnell wearing a wig, kiddie helmet and short shorts in the short-track race and Adam Craig in fish nets and a blond wig in Super D are the most prominent examples).
The best time of all was had by Jeremiah Bishop though, who was able to get around the road blocks of Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Geoff Kabush. Bishop says he was especially pleased to win at altitude. "It has been years since my fear of racing the NORBA Nationals at altitude was overwhelming," Bishop wrote on his Web site. "Some 10 years later, I slayed the dragon. Not only did I win, but I took the 2-up battle against a faster-than-ever JHK at 9,000 Ft! YES."
Bishop gained the advantage on the course's rocky downhills, pushing the pace while co-race leader Horgan-Kobelski took a more conservative approach. After just less than two hours of racing, Bishop crossed the line with no other rider in sight. Forty-two seconds later, Horgan-Kobelski crossed the line for second. The win was only Bishop's second NORBA victory since taking the 2005 season opener in Waco, Texas
For complete results, photos and race reports, click here
