Monster Energy - Specialized's Sam Hill on his way to victory at the Canadian Open.
---
Words and Photos by: Fraser Britton
Sam Hill (AUS) Monster Energy - Specialized has taken the win at he second annual Canadian Open, the final event at this year's Crankworx Festival in Whistler, BC.
Hill beat out a world cup caliber field by a huge eight-second margin. The track for this year's Open was a modified version of the course built by Canadian downhill pro Tyler Morland for last year's race. It is steep, challenging and lightning fast, particularly in this weekend's loose conditions. The showpiece was a steep few hundred meter long section right underneath the bike park's main lift. It features a huge rock face step down, two massive jumps and no way to slow down until you got to the road at the bottom.
"I had to push it on this track, it was pretty loose but fast," Hill said. "Its great to see my teammate Brendan come second as well."
Second place was filled by Brendan Fairclough of the UK, the second first and second plane finish this season for the Monster teammates.
Third place was filled by Canadian superstar Steve Smith, who received perhaps the biggest cheer of the weekend just by riding up the lift with hundreds of fans waiting in the steeps below.
For the women, it was Emmeline Ragot of France (Suspension Center) who took home the win on a track she compared to a good World Cup course. The rest of the podium was filled with Canadians as Micayla Gatto (Commencal - Oakley) and Claire Buchar (CRC Intense) on the steps.
