|
This summer went by faster than Sam Hill
qualifying at the Schladminger! Here are a few of the highlights from the last
few months of Dirt Corps activities:
RACING
Dirt Corp Racing team captain Matt Patterson and Junior Expert rider Brian Guse made
the trip out to Sol Vista, Colorado for Nationals this year. Racing was
competitive and adapting to the dry, sandy and rocky conditions was a challenge
for both riders but Matt was able to put together a good final run and come away
with the silver medal. Brian didn't have the run he was hoping for and came in
22nd, but it was good experience for him and Matt both, racing in a higher
pressure situation like that.
Back on the home front, the Fluidride Cup has turned into the premier NW
downhill racing venue – drawing crowds from the far north and even farther south
– along with a couple of international stand-outs in attendance as well. The
Dirt Corps Racing team has performed incredibly well at all of the races to date
and is well positioned to be on the podium in several categories at the upcoming
finals in Mt. Hood. Team captain Matt Patterson is once again positioned to take
the overall win in the hotly contested Cat 1 mens 30-39. Chase Schmidt and Brian
Guse are both in the mix for a podium position in Junior Expert. In Cat 1 women
Casey Stamm will be somewhere on the podium with Kat Sweet needing a solid
showing to get up alongside her and share some of that sweet Santana champagne!
Jennifer Tell has a solid top three shot in Cat 2 women if she can tame that
pesky sport course. The perennial workhorse Jimmy McCracken has a shot at a top
five finish in the Cat 2 mens. His efforts have paid off well this year with him
getting progressively faster every time down the course. Other notables include
the Ransavage Brothers – Adam and Jesse – who have both had solid results with
this being their first year racing. We look forward to seeing these guys solidly
seated on the team next year. Jesse’s 18 days of chainless riding at Whistler
has been the key for him this year – he takes his training seriously – and it
shows!
 Dirt Corps Racing Photos
BUILDING
On the build front the majority of the Dirt Corps efforts have been focused on
building the premier freedride line at the Duthie Bike Park in Samamish, WA. The
Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance (creators of the Colonnade Bike Park in
downtown Seattle) selected the Dirt Corps Build Team to create a signature line
based on a several trails that we’ve built in the past. Build captain Tyler
Kloster has tapped into the creativity and build experience from his team and
has created a mix of fast berms, big floaty booters and super solid and fun
structures - creating a memorable experience that riders seek out and keep
coming back for. We’re 70% complete on the “Semper Dirticus” signature line and
will be delivering ahead of schedule for the Spring 2010 opening of the new bike
park. By the end of the year the Dirt Corps Build Team will have completed over
1,500 hours of trail building – most of these occurring on the Duthie project.
 Dirt Corps Duthie Build Photos
EVENTS
Every year during the summer the Dirt Corps helps organize and participate in the
Tanner Jeans Bike Rodeo – nonprofit organization founded in 2004 to memorialize
Tanner Nathaniel Jeans. There are thousands of kids of all ages in our area who
come out to learn about safety and get their bikes tuned up for summer riding.
We do a spot check of all bikes for any mechanical issues and perform repairs on
the spot. In addition to the bike checks we performed on a bike skills show were
we brought out some big wooden ramps to jump over our trucks. We had a kid
appropriate skill course that we setup also so that aspiring freeriders could
have a go too. It was a great day devoted to our favorite form of
recreation!
In addition to participating in the Bike Rodeo we also created a series of training
clinics called
Dirt Corps Third Thursdays. We held these
events at the Snoqualmie Bike Park – a local beginners bike park that we
designed a built. Our resident training expert Kat Sweet headlined each of the
events and captivated the attendees with her amazing training techniques.
 Dirt Corps Event Photos
So yeah – it’s been a crazy busy summer for all of us
here in the Dirt Corps.
But we love every minute of it and we thank you all for your awesome support. We
look forward to the coming Fall and Winter seasons. Who knows – maybe we’ll be
able to ride our bikes year round again with another dry winter looming. That
would be truly awesome.
Transition
Bikes »
Fox Shox
»
Nema »
661 »
Maxxis
»
SDG »
Deity
» Smith
»
Gamut » Twenty6
»
Stans »
FiveTen
|