Just won 3 more National pro titles this weekend, making 15 elite pro- one day- National Championships.
This time one in a new discipline- ENDURO, so I am now up to 5 disciplines, but Enduro is Sooo hot right now:) too bad pumptrack doesn't count. Anywho,,,Mammoth was really kind to me, and I am grateful to have had the ability and energy to get it done.
Also made a commercial with Volkswagen, who is a partner with USA Cycling. They brought in Tanner Foust, who is one of their VW sponsored Rally drivers, and cool guy. He has the sickest beetle all suped up you have ever seen- 600hp.
Anyway he rallied a Tauareg down the mountain, and I rallied the slalom, Charlie Harrison the DH, Dong the XC, and Riley K the enduro and we all met up at the bottom in a cloud of dust. Full director and producer, so that was cool. Took 7 hrs out in the sun to add to a busy week of practice, so yeah, sweet.
USA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 - MAMMOTH
MAMMOTH LAKES, CA - JULY 18, 2015 - It had been 10 years since Mammoth Mountain last hosted a US national Championship, but like usual, this iconic venue challenged America's best racers for championship glory. Unique with its pumice soil and rocky terrain, Mammoth rewards loose flow and rounded corners, where sudden movements are punished. The routing of the course made for higher speeds with a dramatic steep ending floating straight down a pitch into an ever changing catch berm just before the finish.
Norco/ Red Bull rider Jill Kintner has a flawless weekend, taking on more than most, and coming out with 3 National championship titles in 3 disciplines; Slalom, Downhill, and the first ever USA Enduro National title.
JILL KINTNER - DS 1st, DH 1st, ENDURO 1st
"Solid weekend in Mammoth:) I haven't ridden anything other than the 4x here years ago, so the experience in this environment took some getting used to with the heat, altitude, and strange texture of the soil, but overall the looseness was real fun.
Slalom was born in Mammoth, so the track had good pacing, tight and loose corners, fan favorite:).
The DH was fast and almost alive with how much it shifted around. A couple sections casually took on names like " the widow maker" or "Heart of Darkness", but I was lucky not to experience any carnage. I loved the high-speed loose drifty turns, and just let it go a bit wild, feeling good on the DH bike.
Enduro, well, I only found out I was racing it the evening before finals, so didn't really know what to expect and had to get intel from the boys. Luckily chairlifts were involved, and the first stage was the DH course, so I knew one stage, but the rest were on the spot decisions. Trail bikes have come a long way, and just changing gearing and adding a little pressure to my fork and tires were key. There was more pedaling than what I was hoping for, but I quite enjoyed it.
Overall this is a really special achivement to get the triple crown of titles at such a prestigious event, so I am grateful to have been able to scrounge enough energy to get to wear an american sleeve now for every gravity discipline. Thanks to Shimano and Fox for the tech support, and USA Cycling for all the awards."
SLALOM RESULTS:
PRO WOMEN
1. Jill Kintner- WA 2. Jackie Thomas- CO 3. Alison Osgood - CA
PRO MEN
1. Luca Cometti- CA 2. Kyle Strait - CA 3. Dakotah Norton- MI 4. Jonathan Buckell- CA 5. Bubba Warren- CA
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DOWNHILL RESULTS:
PRO WOMEN
1. Jill Kintner- WA 2. Jackie Thomas- CO 3. Becky Gardner- CO
PRO MEN
1. Aaron Gwin- CA 2. Mikey Sylvestri - CA 3. Luca Shaw- NC 4. Kevin Aiello - CA 5. Logan Binggeli- UT
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ENDURO RESULTS:
PRO WOMEN
1. Jill Kintner- WA 2. Georgia Gould- CO 3. Lauren Gregg- CA 4. Rachel Throop- CA 5. Amy Rambacher- CA
PRO MEN
1. Mitch Ropelato- CA 2. Brian Lopes- CA 3. Kyle Warner- CA 4. Adam Craig- OR 5. Cody Kelley- UT
NEXT UP: Round #4 of the Pro GRT in Snowshoe, WV