Lots of rain overnight caused the elimination of one stage on Day 3 of the Crested Butte Ultra Enduro. Racers may have lost the Waterfall Creek Trail, but they also gained a bit of time in the afternoon to recover from the first three days efforts. And it was much appreciated.
The Bud Light “Whatever” takeover of Crested Butte, Colorado is in full effect, and internet is extremely limited. So this race report will be kept short before we lose contact with the rest of the world.
Marco Osborne and Kathy Pruitt stayed in control of their races, but some other changes happened today. Jerome Clementz may not have raced much this summer, be he is quickly regaining his strength and speed and picked up a place in the standings, moving up to third overall in the men’s race. Will he be able to catch his teammate Osborne, who is riding extremely well and fast.
Tomorrow is one stage only. Just over nine miles, with 4,8000 feet of vertical gained and lost. Straight up and straight down. Check back tomorrow to see how racers performed.
The beam of light will show you the way. Just another stunning morning in the backcountry of Crested Butte.Don’t get too crazy on the trails, or you might have an unexpected encounter with the normal residents.Off the top of Stage 6 (really 5, but we’ll go with the official names) was very fast, through cow pastures, and dying wildflowers. Gorgeous morning light.Mountain and pastures mix well in Crested Butte, CO. Look for some of these trails in next summer’s EWS.But things got slick very quickly. Heavy rain the previous night changed, then delayed the start, but racers hung in and were treated to a fantastic romp on Trail 409.5.Ben Cruz didn’t mind the slippery-ness. Spotted here in flight mode. Tall, wet grass all around.Kathy Pruitt held onto the women’s lead after putting in a commanding performance on day 3, gaining 1:20 on Heather Irmiger.The rain collected in certain holes on this mostly moto trail, where large ruts develop. But that leads to water splashing on rocks, and while it makes the trails tricky to ride at speed, also makes for great photos.Nate Hills has been riding steady and gained enough time to sneak into 5th overall today.Ross Schnell, strong again today, in 3rd on the day, remains in 2nd overall.Cody Kelley may have overtrained the previous week and is suffering because of it, but he’s gaining experience and speed all the time. Especially after spending five weeks on the couch with injuries.Alex Petitdemange might have to go to work soon, tuning skis for some of the fastest ski racers in the world, so he races as much as he can in his off time.Jerome Clementz was the man of the day, taking 1st place for the day, and jumping up to 3rd overall.Sarah Rawley riding through a sea of tall grass on the Caves trail, Stage 7.Lots of pretty views to look at on Stage 7, and lots of steep hillsides to fall down if you lost control for a second. Cruz in control.Steve Saletnik testing the products he helps design and market for Specialized bikes.Mike Hall is another Specialized employee that loves racing bikes. These guys can’t get enough and they’re FAST!Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski ripping a flat, tight corner. Don’t miss this one.The Caves trail switchbacked steeply, and awkwardly at times, down a massive mountainside, underneath actual bear caves.
At the end of the day, the sun returned, and racers laid down their bikes and enjoyed beers and the company of their fellow racers.
Words, Photos: Daniel Dunn
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