Final Crankworx 2009 Results: Canadian Open DH

Emmeline Ragot won the final event at Crankworx 2009, the Canadian Open Downhill. Emmeline's stood on the podium all week, but this was her first win in Whistler. For more information, visit Crankworx.com.

Pro Women
1. Emmeline Ragot
2. Micayla Gatto
3. Claire Buchar
4. Danice Uyesugi
5. Dawn Cashen
6. Manon Carpenter

Senior Women
1. Terri-Anne Howard

Junior Women
1. Lorena Drumundo
2. Loren Rosser

Crankworx Enduro DH Results

The Crankworx Enduro DH consisted of a Super D-style course, a mass start (riding, not running), and loads of competition. Fionn Griffiths took her second win of the week (she also won the Air DH), besting Melissa Buhl by 10 seconds in this 24-minute race. The final race of Crankworx 2009 will be held today, and it's the Canadian Open DH. For more information, visit Crankworx.com.

Pro Women
1. Fionn Griffiths
2. Melissa Buhl
3. Emmeline Ragot
4. Katrina Strand
5. Kari Mancer
6. Anka Martin
7. Eve-Marie Marcotte

Senior Women
1. Amber Chorney Wilson

Crankworx Giant Slalom Results

Jill Kintner cruised to victory in last night's Crankworx Giant Slalom. Emmeline Ragot easily rolled through her early heats, but couldn't snag Jill in the finals. Melissa Buhl crashed in the second run of her first round, allowing Manon Carpenter to advance, and Leigh Donovan returned to gravity racing with a solid 3rd-place showing.

Today is the Canadian Open Enduro downhill race. It's a mass-start Super D/Megavalanche-style race designed for all-mountain bikes. Sunday is the Canadian Open DH race. More info is available at Crankworx.com.

Pro Women
1. Jill Kintner
2. Emmeline Ragot
3. Leigh Donovan
4. Manon Carpenter

Senior Women
1. Anita Naidu
2. Stephanie Grassi

Crankworx Air DH Results

The Crankworx Air DH race was held on A-Line at Whistler Bike Park yesterday. Fionn Griffiths snagged the win by exactly one second over Jill Kintner. Competition for the ladies resumes tomorrow with the Giant Slalom. Get more info at Crankworx.com.

Pro Women
1. Fionn Griffiths
2. Jill Kintner
3. Emmeline Ragot
4. Micayla Gatto
5. Melissa Buhl
6. Leana Gerrard
7. Katrina Strand
8. Sarah Leishman
9. Beth Parsons
10. Manon Carpenter
11. Dawn Cashen
12. Anne Laplante
13. Britney White
14. Lorena Dromundo
15. Stephanie Nychka

Senior Women
1. Jamie Hill
2. Lisa Mason
3. Carolyn Kavanagh
4. Veronika Voracek
5. Cami Falk
6. Simmone Lyons
7. Savannah Rogers
8. Johanna Weintrager
9. Terri-Anne Howard
10. Daniela Cezaretto
11. Chantal Felten
12. Catherine Cartwright

Junior Women
1. Lauren Rosser
2. Holly Feniak

Crankworx WomenzWorx Results

The Crankworx WomenzWorx contest was held yesterday in Whistler, BC. There were two separate competitions at the WomenzWorx. There was an invite-only slopestyle contest, the Gala. In addition, there was a separate 4-run, 2-section judged component. Riders descended a technical section of trail, and they also rode a slopestyle-type jump run on Dirt Merchant. Stephanie Nychka and Claire Buchar shared the victory by tying in the Gala Slopestyle contest. Claire Buchar took the overall win for the two judged riding sections.

The Air DH is today! Visit Crankworx.com for more info!

Pro Women
1. Claire Buchar
2. Lorraine Blancher
3. Kathy Pruitt
4. Leigh Donovan
5. Anne Laplante
6. Stephanie Nychka
7. Manon Carpenter
8. Kristen Smart
9. Kathryn Hayes
10. Lynne Aitchison
11. Beth Parsons
12. Dawn Cashen

Open Women
1. Jamie Hill Pemberton
2. Lisa Mason
3. Rachelle Frazer
4. Johanna Weintrager
5. Savannah Rogers
6. Naomi Fife
7. Amalie Budgen
8. Fleirie Hunter W
9. Daniela Cezaretto
10. Jessica Vogt
11. Kerri-Ann Thibeau
12. Stephanie Grassi

Crankworx Results...so far!

Crankworx is underway in Whistler, BC. So far, the Dual Slalom and Garbonzo Downhill are in the bag. WomenzWorx is today! Jill Kintner won the Dual Slalom and Miranda Miller scored the top spot in the Garbonzo Downhill. For more info about Crankworx, visit Crankworx.com.

Dual Slalom
Pro Women
1. Jill Kintner
2. Fionn Griffiths
3. Micayla Gatto
4. Melissa Buhl

Senior Women
1. Jessica Vogt
2. Anita Naidu

Garbonzo Downhill
Pro Women
1. Miranda Miller
2. Emmeline Ragot
3. Kathy Pruitt
4. Fionn Griffiths
5. Danice Uyesugi
6. Manon Carpenter
7. Katrina Strand
8. Kari Mancer
9. Dawn Cashen
10. Lina Skoglund
11. Kristen Smart
12. Beth Parsons
13. Dromundo Vargas Lorena
14. Anka Martin
15. Melissa Buhl

Senior Women
1. Celina Moore
2. Carolyn Kavanagh
3. Jamie Hill
4. Carrie Poole
5. Meghan Illingworth
6. Brittany Boyer
7. Liana Gregory
8. Kaz McGill
9. Jessica Vogt
10. Daniela Cezaretto

Junior Women
1. Lauren Rosser

May's Featured Rider: Katie Holden

Katie Holden is a talented downhill and dual slalom racer based in Whistler, BC. Katie has quickly become a podium threat at North American races, and she has her eyes on top 10 finishes at the two Canadian World Cup downhill races this season. She's studying Destination Resort Management and will be working for Tourism Whistler this summer and through the Vancouver Olympics. But Katie isn't all work and no play, she's an absolute riot to hang out with, and she's always ready to ride.--FF

Name: Katie Holden
Home: Whistler, BC
Age: 24
Favorite type of riding: Downhill
Why you ride: I love it!
Sponsors: Specialized, Race Face, Sunline, 661, Leatt, SRAM, 5.10, Crankbrothers, Smith, Gamut
Website: KatieHolden.com

When I was young I always wanted to go to the Olympics for swimming or be a sled dog racer in the Iditarod! Although the sports are different, I feel like I am not too far from my childhood dreams.

In high school we had a week out of every year called Focus Week where we would get out of class for a week and go on a trip with a teacher. My trip to Greece and Italy was canceled because of September 11th. So, I had to pick another trip. All of the trips were filled up except a bike trip and a film festival. I can barely sit through a movie, so I chose to go on the bike trip. I had absolutely no interest in biking. I didn't even want to go, but I went and it changed my life. The camp was led up by Simon Lawton (formerly of DownhillNorthwest now with Fluidride) and Damien Smith (now a Yeti World Cup mechanic). They got me so stoked on riding. I was super into softball and soccer and I quit both of those shortly after the camp. All I wanted to do is ride. My life has revolved around biking since that week!

I rode Whistler for the first time at the end of the 2002 season, but I got hurt so that was the end of that. Luckily, it made me like biking even more, so the following summer I came back. I have been here for 2 winters and every summer since. I love it here, so it is pretty much my permanent home now. Whistler is hard to explain. I love it because I can bike, ski, snowboard, hike, go to the beach--basically I can do everything that I love to do. But beyond that, Whistler is rad because of the people. There are so many passionate, hard-working, driven people in this town that it really motivates me to be better at everything. In the summer, I'm pushed to be a better biker. In the winter, I'm pushed to be a better skier. In the gym I'm pushed to work harder than I thought possible. The sense of community here is incredible!

People give me a hard time about it all the time, but riding chainless has done so much for my riding. I ride chainless a lot. When you are riding without a chain you just look at the trail differently. You are looking at how the natural terrain can make you go faster. Not only do you gain speed in technical stuff but you have much better traction, because you are not concerned about braking. You are concerned about increasing your speed and keeping your rhythm. If you are having a hard time riding a section, take your chain off.

Another piece of advice is to ride with people who are better than you. Sure it can be intimidating but it will make you a better rider, I promise!