A weekend sweep, two first time winners, and another tough day for mountain cross, highlighted a full slate of racing at the Snowmass NORBA on Sunday in central Colorado.

Canadian Geoff Kabush made it 2-for-2 in Snowmass, taking a convincing short track victory a day after winning the cross-country by more than a minute. Kabush (Maxxis) is now the series leader in both disciplines, and is well on his way to duplicating his two-title effort of a year ago.

In the women’s STXC race, Dara Mark-Marino finally broke through with her first NORBA win. The former third-grade teacher has been contesting the NCS circuit for five years, finishing second more times than she cares to count — including one spot behind Shonny Vanlandingham in Saturday’s cross-country.

Dara Mark-Marino leads Shonny Vanlandingham in Sunday's STXC

“Finally,” said Marks-Marino (Ford). “I’ve felt like I was on the brink of a win for a long time. I knew I had it in me.”

The day’s other breakthrough ride came from Aussie Joel Panozzo, who won the men’s downhill ahead of American Cody Warren. Panozzo’s been racing the NORBA series since 1997, and said relief was his primary emotion after grabbing major victory No. 1.

Meanwhile, American Kathy Pruitt dominated the women’s downhill, besting second-place finisher April Lawyer by more than 11 seconds.

Panozzo, Pruitt and the rest of the gravity gang didn’t get a chance to show their stuff in mountain cross, though. The deluge of rain the dumped down early Saturday evening forced the postponement of the race and left the course swamped under several inches of water. And while race organizers initially hoped to make up the race Sunday afternoon, the track was simply not rideable.

Snowmass NORBA: Kabush, Marks-Marino grab STXC wins

“Basically last night we had the storm of the century,” said Eric Jean, who runs Cycle Cyndicate, the company in charge of registration and courses at the Snowmass event. “There were several parts of the course that were flooded, and drainage through the course really tore it apart. We got a backhoe in here this morning, but basically there are about four spots on the course that are bottomless pits of soft mud.”

Jean, whose company puts on numerous races in the Four Corners area, said the course was one of the best he’d ever built, adding that it will be ready come the Colorado states championships in four weeks.”

DOWNHILL
The final day of racing at Snowmass got rolling Sunday morning with downhill qualifying, where both Panozzo (WTB-Fox Shox) and Pruitt (Luna) provided a little foreshadowing for what was to come, each posting the best times.

The women were first in the finals, and after Lawyer (Maxxis-Intense) grabbed a place in the hot seat after qualifying third, she watched Pruitt smash her time. Pruitt, who broke her hand at the Deer Valley NORBA and says she is just now feeling 100 percent, was the only rider to break the three-minute barrier, posting a 2:50.82. American Danni Connolly (KHS) was third, at 17:08.

“I was pretty angry about losing by seven seconds last week in Idaho,” said Pruitt. “I decided to throw the smack down today. I was really fired up. I’m going great right now. I think I might have a shot at world championships this year.”

Pruitt said the crux of the race for her was dealing with the changes brought on by Saturday’s rain. “There was basically a river running down the course,” she said. “So a lot of people crashed at the big drop near the finish because it changed so much. It totally eroded the course.”

Panozzo’s win wasn’t quite as dominating, but the 1.13 seconds that separated him and Warren (Haro) brought an end to a drought that dates back to the days when Aussie downhill pioneers Michael Ronning and Scott Sharples were still racing on the NORBA circuit.

“I’ve been at this a long time,” said the 26-year-old Panozzo (WTB-Fox Shox), who was fourth at last year’s world championships. “Last year I was second here, and I’ve been getting fourths and thirds and seconds my whole career. Today I was like no way. This is my day. I came out this morning and just felt great. I wasn’t going to let another one get away. I just pedaled everywhere.”

Joel Panozzo finally nails one

The crux for Panozzo came midway through the non-technical course where you had to stay off the brakes. “There’s a really fast turn right before a flat section on a fireroad,” he explained. “It’s a real fast right left and if you can do that without touching your brakes, you get some extra time.”

Panozzo is the classic modern day mountain bike pro, driving himself to all the races in a blue and white GMC van. Back at his race season home in San Francisco he passes his time riding motorcycles and playing guitar and singing lead vocals in a punk rock band called Descender.

“We’ve played at some mountain-bike races and a few other gigs,” said Panozzo of the three-member group.

Fellow Aussie and current series leader Jared Graves (Yeti) settled for third at Snowmass. Afterward he admitted to being a little too jacked up on race day. “I think I just wanted it too bad today,” said Graves. “In the middle section of the track I went into some of the corners too quick, and was exiting all off balance and missing pedal strokes and sliding the back wheel all over the place. That was the race.”

Graves finished 1.58 seconds behind his countryman, but has a 29-point lead over Panozzo with two races to go.

SHORT TRACK
While the Snowmass short track course lacked much aesthetic beauty, it made up for it with technical challenge. The track was essentially a fireroad climb and descent that were separated by a bumpy trip between two large rock piles. If you only saw the center section, you might well have thought the riders were racing in a construction site.

The women were first up, with Heather Irmiger (Tokyo Joes) setting the early tempo. Irmiger, who set to marry reigning U.S. national champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski in October, was likely taking advantage of her fresher legs. In Saturday’s cross-country here day had ended early because of a puncture.

In the short track Irmiger had small lead through the first four laps of the 20-minutes, plus three-laps race. Behind her it was the usual suspects winding up the chase. Sue Haywood (Trek-Volkswagen), Marks-Marino, Alison Dunlap, Katerina Hanusova and Vanlandingham (all Luna), and Willow Koerber and Kerry Barnholt (Subaru-Gary Fisher).

By lap five Irmiger had slowed, with Vanlandingham and Haywood coming to the front.

“That was one of the first time that the [three Luna riders] have actually used strategy even though everyone thinks that it’s always happening,” said Haywood. “At the beginning of the race I was covering those attacks. It was really important to keep someone in between them, because if you didn’t they would brake check and sit up, and then the rest of us would have to chase to get back on.”

By lap seven the race was down to four, with Marks-Marino and Haywood the only two who could hang on to the Luna duo of Vanlandingham and Hanusova. Irmiger dangled in fifth the rest of the way to grab the final podium spot, while Barnholt, Dunlap and Koerber all drifted further back.

On lap 10 Marks-Marino and Hanusova opened a small gap on Haywood and Vanlandingham, but the Haywood dug deep bridging back up and bringing the Luna rider with her.

“I think [all the Luna attacks] helped Dara,” said Haywood, who ended up third. “I think they burned one too many matches at the end and she took advantage of it.”

At the finish it was Marks-Marino coming home three bike lengths ahead of Vanlandingham, while Haywood sprinted past Hanusova in the final straight.

“It was back and forth the whole race,” said Marks-Marino. “I kept blowing the hard corner at the finish and I was worried I was going to do it again, but I got through it. Once Shonny got back with Sue, she attacked on the last hill and I was the only one who stayed with her. Then I got around here coming up through the rocks and that was it.”

Surely Vanlandingham would have preferred the win, but seeing her friend finally breakthrough wasn’t bad either. “It’s so fun to see somebody win their first NORBA because you know that feeling,” she said. “Katerina and I were trying to work together, but I saw at the end that it just kind of split up and so we were all on our own. I attacked the last climb but Dara caught me at the top and came around me.”

For Kabush, his game plan in the men’s STXC was simple, sit tight for the opening half of the race, then go for the kill.

“I think I’m getting to that wily veteran place,” said the Maxxis rider. “I know how to sit in and stalk for the first half. I just waited for them to tire out a bit.”

American Todd Wells was the early antagonist. The 2004 Olympian has been sick and raced most of the cross-country in damage control mode, but Sunday he figured he’d give it a go.

Todd Wells

“I was going faster than a lot of those guys on the downhill,” said Wells (GT-Hyundai), “so I just tried to get to the front and then not really kill myself on the rest of the course.”

Wells, Canadian Peter Wedge (Kona-Les Gets) and Specialized’s Sid Taberlay all took turns at the front in the early going. Horgan-Kobelski also came through, but he suffered a rear puncture later in the race and settled for 32nd.

With 14 minutes gone by in the race the front group had been whittled down to Kabush, Liam Killeen (Specialized), Seamus McGrath (Haro), Wells and Wedge. Now it was just a matter of settling the podium spots. Kabush took matters into his own hands, bursting away for the go ahead win.

“He is so strong right now,” said Wells, who ended up fifth after Wedge slipped past him on the last lap. “I mean last year he won all those races but everyone was gone chasing Olympic stuff. I think this year is much more impressive because everyone is here and they are focusing on these races.”

Killen came home in second, followed by McGrath.

“I got caught up in a crash on the first bend,” said Killeen. “Me, Adam [Craig] and Kashi [Leuchs] were way off the back. Don’t know what happened.”

The NORBA series now takes a week off before heading back to Utah for the stop in Brian Head, August 4-7.

SHORT TRACK
Men
1. Geoff Kabush (Can, Maxxis
2. Liam Killeen (GB), Specialized
3. Seamus McGrath (Can), Haro
4. Peter Wedge (Can), Kona-Les Gets
5.Todd Wells, GT-Hyundai
6. Ryan Trebon, Kona-Les Gets
7. Adam Craig, Giant
8. Chris Sheppard (Can), Haro
9. Mathieu Toulouse (Can), Maxxis
10. TravisBrown, Trek-FRS PlusCurrent standings
1. Kabush, 772 points
2. Wells, 703
3. McGrath, 691
4. Sheppard,685
5. Craig, 670
6. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru-Gary Fisher, 666
7. Wedge, 644
8. Toulouse, 635
9. Killeen, 621
10. Brent Miller, WTB-FoxShox, 559Women
1. Dara Marks-Marino, Ford
2. Shonny Vanlandingham, Luna
3. Sue Haywood, Trek-Volkswagen
4. Katerina Hanusova (Cz), Luna
5. HeatherIrmiger, Tokyo Joes
6. Kerry Barnholt, Subaru-Gary Fisher
7. Alison Dunlap,Luna
8. Georgia Gould, Tamarack
9. Willow Koerber, Subaru-Gary Fisher
10. Sara Bresnick-Zocchi, FordCurrent standings
1. Hanusova, 844
2. Haywood, 828
3. Vanlandingham, 788
4. Marks-Marino,757
5. Koerber, 696
6. Barnholt, 691
7. Dunlap, 686
8. Irmiger, 649
9. Gould, 625
10. Kathy Sherwin, Biogen, 586CROSS-COUNTRY
Men
1. Geoff Kabush (Can), Maxxis, 1:52:24
2. Kashi Leuchs(NZ), Bianchi-Agos, at 1:14
3. Ryan Trebon, Kona-Les Gets, at 1:56
4.Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru-Gary Fisher, at 2:24
5. Liam Killeen (GB),Specialized, at 4:24
6. Sam Schultz, U23 National, at 5:32
7. RolandGreen (Can), Kona-Les Gets, at 6:32
8. Jeremiah Bishop, Trek-Volkswagen,at 6:52
9. Adam Craig, Giant, at 7:47
10. Seamus McGrath, Haro, at 9:04Current standings
1. Kabush, 830 points
2. Horgan-Kobelski, 797
3. Craig, 754
4. Killeen,650
5. Todd Wells, GT-Hyundai, 646
6. Mathieu Toulouse, Maxxis, 545
7. Trebon, 512
8. Michael Broderick, Seven-Kenda, 492
9. Bishop, 476
10. Trent Lowe (Aus), Subaru-Gary FisherWomen
1. Shonny Vanlandingham, Luna, 1:29:05
2. Dara Marks-Marino,Ford, at 1:56
3. Alison Dunlap, Luna, at 3:35
4. Willow Koerber, Subaru-GaryFisher, at 3:38
5. Sue Haywood, Trek-Volkswagen, at 4:48
6. KaterinaHanusova (Cz), Luan, at 6:17
7. Kelli Emmett, Ford, at 7:14
8. GeorgiaGould, Tamarack, at 8:41
9. Sara Bresnick-Zocchi, Ford, at 9:15
10. KathySherwin, Biogen, at 9:24Current standings
1. Haywood, 813 points
2. Koerber, 769
3. Dunlap, 722
4. Marks-Marino,715
5. Hanusova, 703
6. Vanlandingham, 701
7. Gould, 626
8. Emmett,621
9. Heather Irmiger, Subaru-Gary Fisher, 609
10. Kerry Barnholt, Subaru-GaryFisher, 590DOWNHILL
Men
1. Joel Panozzo (Aus), WTB-Fox Shox, 2:27.20
2. Cody Warren,Haro, at 1.13
3. Jared Graves (Aus), Yeti, at 1.58
4. David Klaassenvanoorschot,KHS, at 1.92
5. John Kirkcaldie (NZ), Maxxis, at 2.16
6. Andrew Neethling(RSA), Honda-Turner, at 3.55
7. Jared Rando (Aus), Giant, at 4.46
8.Geritt Beytagh, Morewood, at 4.89
9. Mick Hannah (Aus), Haro, at 5.51
10. Rich Houseman, Yeti, at 6.62Current standings
1. Graves, 561 points
2. Panozzo, 532
3. Neethling, 476
4. Rando,468
5. Warren, 465
6. Hannah, 453
7. Beytagh, 400
8. Curtis Keene,WTB-Fox, 381
9. Greg Minnaar (RSA), Team G-Cross Honda, 381
10. ChrisVan Dine, Go Ride.com, 341


Women
1. Kathy Pruitt, Luna, 2:50.82
2. April Lawyer, Maxxis-Intense,at 11:09
3. Danni Connolly, KHS, at 17:08
4. Lisa Myklak, Moorewood,at 17:38
5. Jackie Harmony, Cactus Bikes, at 18:51
6. Kote Driscoll,Scott-Kenda, at 19:41
7. Melissa Miller-Gerkensmey, SWD Racing, at 19:42
8. Leanna Gerrard, Cannondale, at 23:65
9. Anka Martin (RSA), Honda-Turner,at 24:23
10. Bernadita Pizarro (Ch), Cannondale, at 25:03Current standings
1. Pruitt, 537 points
2. Pizarro, 535
3. Myklak, 499
4. Connolly,488
5. Lawyer, 482
6. Miller-Gerkensmey, 447
7. Martin, 414
8. Driscoll,403
9. Laura Johnson, Berserker Bikes, 360
10. Wendy Reynolds, Cannondale,359MOUNTAIN CROSS
Men
1. Mick Hannah (Aus), Haro
2. Jared Graves (Aus), Yeti
3. Bryn Atkinson (Aus), GT-Hyundai
4. Rich Houseman, Yeti
5. Ross Milan,YetiCurrent standings
1. Graves, 517 points
2. Cody Warren, Haro, 454
3. Hannah, 451
4.Houseman, 430
5. Brian Schmith, Mongoose-Hyundai, 427Women
1. Bobbi Kae Watt, Fox-Santa Cruz
2. April Lawyer, Maxxis-Intense
3. Leanna Gerrard, Cannondale
4. Kathy Pruitt (Luna)
5. Anka Martin (RSA),Honda-TurnerCurrent standings
1. Melissa Buhl, KHS, 344
2. Tara Llanes, Giant, 330
3. Watt, 319
4. Michelle Dumaresq, Santa Cruz, 318
5. Katrina Miller (Aus), Jamis,318SUPER D
Men
1. Mike West, Maverick
2. Amon Pease, Intense
3. BarryWicks, Kona-Les Gets
4. Chris Eatough, Trek-Volkswagen
5. John Kirkcaldie(NZ), MaxxisWomen
1. Sue Haywood, Trek-Volkswagen
2. Elke Brutsaert, Subaru-GaryFisher
3. Julie Emmerman, Maverick
4. Jennifer Whalen, WTB
5. BobbiKae Watt, Fox-Santa Cruz