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Utah State Championships - Wolf Mountain
USA Cycling Weekly News Update - October 11-18
Australian Jared Graves and Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz./KHS) were crowned overall champions of the inaugural USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Gravity Calendar as last weekend's Gravity East Finals in Plattekill, N.Y. marked the conclusion of the season-long calendar.
After 22 events, Graves edged countryman Amiel Cavalier in the men's division by just 19 points, 495-476. New Zealander Justin Leov was third overall with 334 points, followed by Cole Bangert (Twin Lakes, Colo./Morewood) and Eric Carter (Temecula, Calif./Mongoose) who scored 319 and 308 points respectively.
In the women's division, Buhl dominated the calendar with 1,054 points while second-place finisher Jacqueline Harmony (Tucson, Ariz./Team Cactus) finished with 648 points. Kathy Pruitt (Lake Almanor, Calif./Jamis) notched 445 points throughout the season to place third, while Lisa Myklak (Boulder, Colo./Morewood) finished fourth with 439 points and Darian Harvey (Durango, Colo./Durango Rough Riders) rounded out the top five with 424 points.
Buhl's commanding victory came as a result of several key victories in Calendar events. In May, Buhl won both the 4-Cross and Downhill competitions at the Chile Challenge in Angel Fire, N.M. One month later, she again scored a double victory with wins in the Downhill and Dual Slalom events at the Deer Valley National presented by Gary Fisher-Subaru. Buhl's winning streak continued in July with a win in the Downhill race at the Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic and Downhill and Dual Slalom victories at the Sugar Mountain National presented by Maxxis. At the Snowmass National presented by Clif Bar, Buhl again claimed two gold medals with wins in both the Downhill and 4-Cross events. Buhl also scored significant points at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships with a national title in the Dual Slalom and a silver medal in the Downhill competition. Three victories at the Blast the Mass in Snowmass Village, Colo., where Buhl won the 4-Cross, Super D and Downhill events, also contributed to her 1,000-plus point total. Other notable performances from Buhl on the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Gravity Calendar included a third-place finish in the Downhill competition and a fourth-place finish in the Dual Slalom at the Sea Otter Classic in April.
Graves 495-point total came as a result of victories in the 4-Cross event at the Blast the Mass and Dual Slalom wins at the Deer Valley and Snowmass Nationals. Graves also scored a pair of second-place finishes in the Downhill and Dual Slalom competitions at the Sea Otter Classic and finished second in the Downhill races at both Blast the Mass and the Snowmass National.
2007 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Gravity Calendar
Final Standings:
Men
1. Jared Graves (AUS) 495
2. Amiel Cavalier (AUS) 476
3. Justin Leov (NZL) 334
4. Cole Bangert (Twin Lakes, Colo.) 319
5. Eric Carter (Temecula, Calif.) 308
Women
1. Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz.) 1,054
2. Jacqueline Harmony (Tucson, Ariz.) 648
3. Kathy Pruitt (Lake Almanor, Calif.) 445
4. Lisa Myklak (Boulder, Colo.) 439
5. Darian Harvey (Durango, Colo.) 424
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