Young Guns Shake Up Mens Podium while Experience Prevails for the Women
Heading into the first stop of the Jeep 48STRAIGHT Series in Mountain Creek, NJ the question was: Can the veteran legend riders like Brian Lopes (36), Eric Carter (38), and Rich Houseman (30) hold off a charge from young gun riders like Cody Warren (22), J.D. Swanguen (19), and Cole Bangert (23)? Right from the start of the race, the door opened up for the younger riders when Jeep favorite, Lopes, fell in his first quarterfinal. Lopes was so disappointed, he disappeared from the event site immediately.
The legends continued to fall by the wayside until Swanguen, fresh off a dual slalom win at Crankworx in Whistler, and Warren, the 2005 National Downhill Champion, battled head-to-head in the final. When Swanguen went down in his second run, Warren cruised his way to his first ever Jeep victory. With Warren (1st), Swanguen (2nd) and Australias Jared Rando (3rd) sweeping the podium, it signified a new guard of riders for the Jeep Series.
They proved us all wrong, said Rich Houseman who ended up in 7th. In every interview I did, I was like, look for the veterans like myself and EC (Eric Carter) and Lopes (Brian), and we werent even in the top four. I think they (the young guns) are hungry and ready to take us vets down.
While youth and hunger was the key to success in the mens race, experience prevailed for the women. The favorites coming into the race, Kathy Pruitt, a two-time US Nationals Series Winner in downhill, and Melissa Buhl, the current dual slalom National Champion, both easily won their heats all day until the final. Unfortunately, in the second run of the final, Buhl went down on the same turn that took out Lopes and Swanguen, and she handed over the race win to Pruitt.
Catch the Action on CBS Sports
Each event of the Jeep 48STRAIGHT summer season will receive national broadcast coverage on CBS Sports, representing the most visibility of any mountain biking event in the sport. The event at Diablo Freeride Park will air on CBS Sports on September 28.
Full Men's Results
1st Cody Warren
2nd J.D. Swanguen
3rd Jared Rando
4th Petre Hanak
5th Eric Carter
6th Chris Van Dine
7th Rich Houseman
8th Lars Tribus
9th Brian Lopes
10th Joseph Haley
11th Phillip Kmetz
12th Chris Herndon
13th Geritt Beytagh
14th Cole Bangert
15th Blake Carney
16th Mike Haderer
Full Women's Results
1st Kathy Pruitt
2nd Melissa Buhl
3rd Lisa Myklak
4th Stephanie Nychka
5th Dawn Bourque
6th Allie Burch
7th Karen Eagan
8th Fionn Griffiths
Congratulations to local racers Lars Tribus and Phil Kmetz for strong showings!