Now this race is hard for photo-journalists to cover. It is the sole reason I took another assigment this round. And when I heard the track would be split with a 10 mile loop on one side of the mountain, and a 10 mile loop on the other, I knew I had made the right decision Not that I dont love you guys (in a Bud Light commercial way), but it drives me crazy not being able to do get what I expect to get. Hats off to those that braved the mountain trek!
I was hoping Jeremi Dudding would keep his cool and not rocket off the side of a cliff here at Snowshoe. The terrain is akin to where the boy lives and I knew he would be pushing hard.
I know a few of you treebashers like it rough, and I mean real rough. And for those brave souls that enjoy the torture, more power to you!
Rocks, big, small, sharp or smooth, wet and dry, visable or hiden, the place has enough to satisfy you rock-hounds. Add to that the roots, the trees, the mud and crud and you have one race that for some is to much Hey I admit it, I wouldn't even want to trail ride the thing! Racer productions claim this is the toughest round and I would say the majority would agree. My only gripe about the comparison between these "Blackwater 100" comparative races is that the machines back then didn't cost $15k to build only to be leveled at the race Hey...im just an old guy with a knack of taking decent pictures what the hell do I know
Swift didnt have to push as hard as he did but you can't keep these guys down. Anyone who follows these coverage threads and hasn't ever raced with these guys at a national have no clue what I am getting at. It is something you have to see with your own eyes, or be out on the track with them to see it upclose and personal.
And you can't really capture on film what the terrain is and how it changes lap to lap during the race. And it amazes me how fast the top riders adapt to a small line that opens up or how they seem to find just the right line through a rock garden.
Regardless of what the terrain was that would be faced, 2 hours alone at top speed is a feat in itself. Angel Atwell would face some challenges as she fell to 6th as she scored her first lap.
Traci Cecco as well would not hold the lead as she checked in. Infact, neither Atwell nor Cecco would see the top two positions, even as lap 3 was scored!
Micheal Swift picks his way through some serious rocks! Swift would not waste his time swapping anyone for the lead, he likes it and decided to keep it!
The racers caught a little...very little ..break from the nasty stuff just long enough to catch about half a breath
Frank Batista has been chugging along and I think he is really starting to get enough of this XC stuff under his belt that he is having some fun and doing pretty well. Batista would finish 3rd in 4x4 Open
Not that I dont love you guys (in a Bud Light commercial way), but it drives me crazy not being able to do get what I expect to get. Hats off to those that braved the mountain trek!
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Hey...im just an old guy with a knack of taking decent pictures what the hell do I know
