The 2008 U.S. Open of Mountain Biking is in the books with all-new champions and a myriad of epic racing and riding stories. With a stacked field of international, elite-level racers and nearly 300 amateur up and comers, the 2008 U.S. Open of Mountain Biking solidified its position as the premier gravity race in America.
In the downhill discipline, Canadian phenom Steve Smith (Cove/Sram/Red Bull) claimed the title of 2008 US Open Champion fending off 2007 Champion Bryn Atkinson and current World Cup Champion Sam Hill; both of whom have traded the U.S. Open title for the past five years. Norcos Fion Griffiths proved she had what it takes to be the U.S. Open Champion edging out a stacked list of top women including Katrina Strand and Kathy Pruitt.
New for 2008, the U.S. Open Dual Slalom discipline featured a fast, technical course and historic racing action. On the mens side, Jared Rando, Bryn Atkinson, Kyle Strait and J.D. Swanguen muscled their way through the field of 32 to reach the final-four. Top honors went to Jared Rando (Giant Bicycles) claiming the first-ever U.S. Open of Mountain Biking Dual Slalom title. Fionn Griffiths continued her dominance by capturing the womens Dual Slalom title.
Alongside all of the racing action, Diablo Freeride Park saw its overall rider visits rise to record levels reaching 2,400 for the event period and 1,000 riders on Sunday alone. In addition, thousands of cheering fans lined the U.S. Open course where popular locations such as the notorious U.S. Open Toyota Rock Garden saw the largest crowd congregation. The Toyota Rock Garden played host to several hundred screaming fans wielding air horns and cowbells bringing the excitement and energy of the event to new levels.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
DOWNHILL PRO MEN
1. SMITH Steve Cove / SRAM 2:36.737 ***
2. HILL Sam Monster Energy/Iron Horse 2:37.326 +0.589
3. ATKINSON Bryn GT Bicycles 2:38.603 +1.866
4. LEHIKOINEN Matti MS - Intense Factory 2:41.011 +4.274
5. NEETHLING Andrew Mongoose Bicycles 2:41.430 +4.693
DOWNHILL PRO WOMEN
1. GRIFFITHS Fionn Norco World Team 3:03.333 ***
2. PRUITT Kathy Jamis Bicycles / Maxxis 3:06.151 +2.818
3. PETTERSON Joanna 3:12.648 +9.315
4. MARCOTTE Marie-Eve Primary / Devinci 3:25.206 +21.873
5. BOURQUE Dawn Turner / Rhino 3:25.576 +22.243
DUAL SLALOM PRO MEN
1. RANDO Jared Giant Bicycle
2. J.D. Swanguen MS Intense Factory
3. Kyle Strait Oakley / Specialized
4. Bryn Atkinson GT Bicycles
DUAL SLALOM PRO WOMEN
1. GRIFFITHS Fionn Norco World Team
2. PRUITT Kathy Jamis Bicycles / Maxxis
3. PETTERSON Joanna
4. HOLDEN Katie
For more information including full event results, please visit: www.ridediablo.com.
