Riders from Down Under rule the roost at a dusty and rough Crankworx Canadian Open Downhill course to take the top gongs.
Our man on the ground Lee Miller caught all the action from the Canadian Open this weekend.
Blenki just can’t seem to shake second place here at Crankworx this week. Second in the Garbanzo, the Air DH and again today in the Canadian Open.
The Canadian Open track has quickly become known as one of the roughest, toughest tracks on the Crankworx Downhill circuit and with no rain for over a month here in Whistler the track was already rougher at the start of practice than it ran in finals last year.
Brendan Fairclough was loving the loose dusty conditions, 13th place for Brendog today.
With the closest UCI Downhill World Cup title race in years and the upcoming World Championships in Cairns, Australia it comes as no surprise that many of the elite men and women that competed last year decided to watch from the comfort of their sofas this year, Whistler Crankworx breaks mountain bike riders for fun!
Josh Button was getting all kinds of loose on the big roots today, eventually steering his Kona to 14th place.
It comes as even more of a surprise that top Aussie riders Troy Brosnan, Tracey Hannah and current Aussie National Champ Jack Moir were all on hand to throw it down on the steep, beat up, loose as hell dusty track. Perhaps the dry, outback-type conditions gave the Aussies an unfair advantage as it would be Brosnan and Hannah who would take home the wins in each of their categories respectively.
Recent Irish National Champ and Giant Factory rider Jacob Dickson on his way to 22nd place.Hannah would end a stellar week here at Crankworx with a huge 10.62 second victory over Vancouver local Vaea Verbeeck with Emilie Siegenthaler picking up the bronze medal in third.
Emilie Siegenthaler battling through the thick dust in practice that made visibility next to zero. Thankfully two minute intervals in the final allowed the dust to settle with Emilie going on to pick up a third place.
In the men’s field, Brosnan who is no stranger to victories on this course with two previous wins here would go on to add a third with a 4 second margin over Sam Blenkinsop and American Bruce Klein. The victory here for Brosnan will do his confidence no harm going into a similar Val Di Sole course next weekend before World Champs on home soil a couple of weeks after.
SA’s Elliott Jackson switches to the inside line in the rowdy roots section in the lower half of the track. The spectator ban at the infamous hecklers rock pushed the crowd into the woods where the atmosphere was similar to that of a World Cup race.
Bruce Klein picking up a great result aboard his colourful KHS, a podium today in third.
it’s been a busy week for Marcelo Gutierrez, the Colombian showing now signs of fatigue though with a 6th place today.
Jack Moir will certainly have one eye on the World Champs in a few weeks time, another solid result just missing out on a podium spot in 4th.
Yet another impressive result for Vaea Verbeeck with a second place today.
Canyon rider Mark Wallace was floating over the big roots all day, however Mark said a couple of small mistakes cost him on his way to 5th.
A second win of the week for Tracey Hannah after her victory in the Garbanzo, the current World Cup leader is safely through to the two biggest races of her season in the coming weeks.
Troy Brosnan was immaculate through the steep tricky woods section this afternoon.
Troy has now taken 3 wins on this course, with today’s securing the overall Crankworx Downhill title.
Canyon Factory rider Troy Brosnan with his Canyon Sender.
Shortly after the Canadian Open, the King and Queen of Crankworx were crowned. All hail Jill Kintner and Adrien Loron!
