Syndicate's Rennie 2nd On A-line DH

[gregg]

MC MULLEN ROCKS THE HOUSE AT CRANKWORX

July 25, 2007
Whistler, Canada

The story of the day is Bobby McMullen’s race today, the first blind person to ever race at Whistler. Organizers placed 44-year old McMullen in the amateur 30 and up class, and he placed 28th out of a 30-man field. His time of 7:14.00 smashed all expectations that he had for his run.

An exhilarated McMullen says, “I never could have imagined being here on this course on this day with all these people. I can’t imagine a run on this planet that would be more fun than this! This is a different planet for riding for me. I don’t ever ride anything like this. Doug had a fresh look at guiding me for our first time working together. Besides training on A-line we rode B-line and Heart of Darkness, we really worked well together. We looked at doing the GLC Drop, as I always pick the biggest piece of cake as a goal. I wanted to improve myself. Doug and I went next to the GLC Drop and listened to the riders launch. I listened for the time it took for the wheels to hit the landing and realized how long they were in the air, it was a big drop. We decided to take the alternate route. For the race I told Doug to push me hard, and he did. I didn’t leave anything out there!”

Bobby’s guide, Doug Hatfield was stoked to be part of his success saying, “Starting from our first run yesterday until his race run today he was 10 times faster. Bobby stayed on my wheel the whole way. It was a perfect run. Out of the corner of my eye I couldn’t believe how much air Bobby was catching, airing table-top after table-top!”


Nathan Rennie made a trip to the podium in second place behind Brian Lopes. “I was disappointed because I was talking s____ with Lopes all week and told him I was going to get him, but then I spent some of the run with my hand off the handle bar, and he got me by .7” said Rennie of his run. Greg Minnaar rounded out the podium in third.

Jamie Goldman practiced a bit today and has decided that his back injury will keep him out of competing in the slopestyle here.

Pro Men top 5:

Brian Lopes: 4:21.87
Nathan Rennie: 4:22.58
Greg Minnaar: 4:23.47
Cedric Gracia: 4:25.03
Andrew Neethling: 4:26.80

Thanks to the SYNDICATE sponsors:

Santa Cruz Bicycles
SRAM
Rock Shox
Truvativ
Avid
Kenda
DT Swiss
WTB
Crankbrothers
Lizard Skins
Clif Bar
Troy Lee Designs
Chris King
Five Ten

Kathy Sessler
Santa Cruz Syndicate
http://www.santacruzmtb.com/