Event: 2008 Crankworx Jim Beam Air Downhill

Brian Lopes – Jim Beam Air Downhill Pro Men Winner

Wednesday’s big event at Crankworx was the Jim Beam Air Downhill. Riders raced down one of Whistler’s most famous courses, A-Line. The field was stacked with many big name Pro’s in the field. Check inside for a full report, results, and pictures from the event.


Results:

Pro Men

  1. Lopes, Brian – 04:22.10
  2. Minnaar, Greg – 04:23.42
  3. Kovarik, Chris – 04:27.60
  4. Beaumont, Marc – 04:28.77
  5. Keene, Curtis – 04:30.00
  6. Neethling, Andrew – 04:30.13
  7. Gracia, Cedric – 04:30.50
  8. Mitchell, Andrew – 04:30.60
  9. Turpen, Evan – 04:31.80
  10. Rando, Jared – 04:32.97

Pro Women

  1. McQueen, Rebecca – 04:51.05
  2. Gatto, Micayla – 04:51.82
  3. Nychka, Stephanie – 04:53.59
  4. Griffiths, Fionn – 04:55.70
  5. Beerten, Anneke – 04:57.54

Full Results

Rebecca McQueen – Pro Women #1 (click to enlarge)

Brian Lopes – Pro Men #1 (click to enlarge)

Andrew Mitchell – Pro Men #8 (click to enlarge)

Chris Kovarik – Pro Men #3 (click to enlarge)

Andrew Neethling – Pro Men #6 (click to enlarge)

Evan Turpen – Pro Men #9 (click to enlarge)

Greg Minnaar – Pro Men #2 (click to enlarge)

Curtis Keene – Pro Men #5 (click to enlarge)

Marc Beaumont – Pro Men #4 (click to enlarge)

Cedric Gracia – Pro Men #7 (click to enlarge)

Race report by Crankworx/Whistler PR:

BRIAN LOPES THREE-PEATS TAKING TOP SPOT IN JIM BEAM AIR DOWNHILL AT KOKANEE CRANKWORX 2008

WHISTLER, BC, August 13, 2008- The Jim Beam Air Downhill took over the Whistler Mountain Bike Park today with over 300 competitors racing in the one-run format on the famed A-Line course. Brian Lopes of Laguna Beach, CA was the fastest competitor for the third straight year finishing with a time of 4:22.10 – 1.32 seconds faster than the rest of the field.

The Jim Beam Air Downhill runs the length of A-Line over the GLC Drops into the village. With nearly 100 jumps on-course, A-Line is the most celebrated and well-known downhill trail in mountain biking.

“A-Line is a really great trail to ride, but when it comes to racing on it, you need to be on point,” says Brian Lopes, Jim Beam Air Downhill winner. “It’s a technical race and with the level of riders here, every mistake counts.”

Lopes claimed first with a time of 4:22.10; Greg Minnaar  took second place with a time of 4:23.42; Chris Kovarik took third place with a time of 4:27.60; and Marc Beaumont  took fourth place with a time of 4:28.77.

In the Pro Women category, Rebecca McQueen of Whistler, BC took the top spot with a time of 4:51.05; Micayla Gatto of West Vancouver, BC took second with a time of 4:51.82; Stephanie Nychka of Beaver Lodge, AB took third with a time of 4:53.59, and Fionn Griffiths of Shrewsbury, UK took fourth with a time of 4:55.70.

“I love A-Line,” says Rebecca McQueen, winner of the Pro Women category. “It’s a fun course and I just charged it. I think the rain we had the other day helped the course a lot.”

The Jim Beam Air Downhill was the highlight of Day Five at Kokanee Crankworx 2008. Day Six includes the VW Best Trick Showdown from 5:30-7:30pm including a Live Webcast on Crankworx.com as well as more live music on the TELUS MainStage featuring Small Sins from 4:45 – 5:30pm and Supernatural from 5:30 -7:30pm. Tomorrow is also the Nike 6.0 Nike ID. Go online at the Nike store in the village to make your own custom Nikes.

For more event results and live webcasts of the Monster Energy Slopestyle, VW Trick Showdown and the “Giant Slalom” check out www.Crankworx.com.

[2008 Crankworx Jim Beam Air Downhill Gallery] [2008 Crankworx Coverage]