[Varaxis]

Following results from: Southridge Winter Series Presented by SHIMANO, Round #4

[URL="http://cleghornphotography.zenfolio.com/p699597404/h1dfc80fb#h1dfc80fb"]Eric Carter[/URL]	 00:02:11.79 GT
[URL="http://cleghornphotography.zenfolio.com/p699597404/h20ee1af#h20ee1af"]Waylon Smith[/URL]	 00:02:12.20 Unsponsored (Trek)
[URL="http://cleghornphotography.zenfolio.com/p699597404/hd86a78e#hd86a78e"]Logan Binggeli[/URL]	 00:02:13.24 KHS
[URL="http://cleghornphotography.zenfolio.com/p699597404/h1e3a678a#h1e3a678a"]Joe Lawwill[/URL]	 00:02:14.12 Bikeskills (Santa Cruz)
[URL="http://cleghornphotography.zenfolio.com/p699597404/h168f83f8#h168f83f8"]JD Swanguen[/URL]	 00:02:15.36 Intense 2951 (29er)

I wasn't there this weekend, but I hear the course was fast, tight, flowy, with a significant amount of pedaling. Not too rocky or technical--just a few rock gardens. They change the course up each round, but I managed to find a video (not a pro rider, obviously):

The Prototype Intense 2951 - More Mountain Bike Videos

More info about the bike: http://www.vitalmtb.com/features/One-Year-Later-Intense-2951-29er-DH-Prototype,112

Up against Eric Carter, this is a very respectable finish. Joe Lawwill has always been pretty fast and he designed the course this year (at least the Super D, I know for sure). Eric Carter designed the courses the prior years.

 

[grouan]

Very cool- and the 29er guy was in really good company.

 

[david8613]

very cool vid and course...

 

[Varaxis]

Considering the video above was 3:47, this "expert rider's" average speed must've been virtually half of what the top 5 pros were running, to give you idea of how fast they were going.

In round #3, I watched the Waylon Smith, the unsponsored rider, really rip the course. Truly impressive. I wonder if he would've took first if he didn't show off with all the air he got during that round--he edged out Aaron Gwin in that round for 2nd place.

I'm just saying the field was fairly stacked, so this result isn't anything really to scoff at even if big names like Sam Hill aren't there. There are a lot of pros training around the SoCal area, so I'm kind of disapointed that they didn't race here. I think the Athertons are here and there's been local reports of Brendan Fairclough riding San Juan. I rode with Eric Carter a few weekends ago and he tried to teach a thing or two about cornering, which he absolutely shreds.

 

[Varaxis]

Word has it JD wasn't pedaling very hard and was out of shape. If he pedaled a bit more, he would've beat 23 pros.

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In other news, in another DH event that happened at the same time as the one above:

https://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?permit=2011-85

Jeff Frampton won on a 29er in the Open SS DH category vs the Canfield Brothers and Gene Hamilton.