Kintner captures her first downhill national championship
Harmony, Buhl round out top three
Jill Kintner (Transition Racing) raced to her first downhill national championship title late Sunday afternoon in Granby, Colorado. She defeated Jacqueline Harmony (Vixen Racing) and Melissa Buhl (KHS) in the final run.
"I feel like I accomplished something today. It's my first year racing downhill," said the former BMX and four cross superstar, Kintner.
Kintner endured the pedally course and was one of just a few women to take the big jumps on the course, verses the go-arounds which usually add a second of time each.
"I got a little funny in the air over the first jump in my final run because I was tired, but in the big one at the end, I dabbed a little and it could have gotten ugly," she said.
"Qualifying was my first full run. I was trying to save my energy for those jumps, so I wouldn't screw them up. This course - for girls to jump these jumps - is a big statement. 40-foot gaps for chicks - took me a long time to get the courage to do them. I finally squeezed them out in the run."
Unfortunately, Katie Holden and Kathy Pruitt were not so lucky. Holden crashed in qualifying and broke her wrist. "She convinced me to do that last jump and then got hurt," said Kintner. "It's a bummer for her, and I dedicate this win to her."
Kathy Pruitt was also missing from the final. She broke her ribs and collapsed a lung in training yesterday.
Another woman who capped off a stellar weekend was Harmony. She finished second, taking her second silver medal of the championships, after winning one in four cross last night.
"I had a few weird front wheel bobbles, but overall it was a nice, clean run," said Harmony. "I hit that big jump the smoothest I did all weekend and I think that got me through it." Harmony is headed to Swizterland next weekend for her first World Cup of 2010.
Buhl finished third, ahead of Leigh Donovan (Intense Cycles) in fourth and Darian Harvey (Vixen Racing) in fifth.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Jill Kintner (Transition Racing) | 0:02:46.20 |
2 | Jacqueline Harmony (Vixen Racing/TLD/All) | 0:00:03.46 |
3 | Melissa Buhl (KHS Bicycles) | 0:00:04.93 |
4 | Leigh Donovan (Intense Cycles) | 0:00:05.69 |
5 | Darian Harvey (Vixen Racing) | 0:00:16.98 |
6 | Jennifer Wolf (All Mountain Cyclery) | 0:00:21.20 |
7 | Christen Boyer (One Ghost Industries) | 0:00:31.85 |
8 | Addie Stewart (Go-Ride / Hayes / Ha) | 0:00:31.99 |
9 | Rae Gandolf (Sierra Nevada Brewin) | 0:00:33.60 |
10 | C Michelle Rivera (Steven K Sports & De) | 0:00:34.21 |
11 | Neven Steinmetz (Ellsworth Bikes) | 0:00:37.91 |
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
2025 Tour of the Alps includes 14,700m of climbing in just 739km and five days of racing
Route revealed in front of Christian Prudhomme and UCI President David Lappartient -
The 2025 UCI calendar could have a major gap as two February races are in doubt
Tour Colombia facing budget hurdles, could face cancellation, adding to potential absence of Volta a Valenciana -
Maxim Van Gils' contract battle with Lotto Dstny pushes pro cycling towards a football-style transfer market system
'Soon, a contract will no longer mean anything' team managers tells RTBF -
American Criterium Cup juggles eight-race US calendar for fourth edition in 2025
Racing begins June 6 at Saint Francis Tulsa Tough, with remaining schedule zig-zagging across central US