Eastern States Cup Enduro- Plattekill Mountain Bike Park
7.19.16
The Eastern States Cup is making the rounds of, well, the eastern states, and stopped at Plattekill Bike Park Saturday for the fifth out of ten enduro events.
Conceived in France in 2003 Enduro is a relatively new mountain bike racing format and the configuration of races is still settling down into something consistent. Whatever the structure at each individual event races always involve timed downhill stages and untimed uphill transitions.
George Ulmer, founder and owner of the popular Eastern States Cup Enduro and Downhill series, designed the race with the first two stages rides ups to the start and the last three stages with lift access The five stages of the race took place all over the mountain.
Stage 1 of the Plattekill Race was the shortest with a flowy, easy trail for warm-up with a rock garden. Stage 1 is the only stage that had category start times. After the first stage riders started the runs at their discretion, as long as they finished before Ulmer, who acts as the sweep.
The Eastern States Cup is making the rounds of, well, the eastern states, and stopped at Plattekill Bike Park Saturday for the fifth out of ten enduro events.
Conceived in France in 2003 Enduro is a relatively new mountain bike racing format and the configuration of races is still settling down into something consistent. Whatever the structure at each individual event races always involve timed downhill stages and untimed uphill transitions.
George Ulmer, founder and owner of the popular Eastern States Cup Enduro and Downhill series, designed the race with the first two stages rides ups to the start and the last three stages with lift access The five stages of the race took place all over the mountain.
Stage 1 of the Plattekill Race was the shortest with a flowy, easy trail for warm-up with a rock garden. Stage 1 is the only stage that had category start times. After the first stage riders started the runs at their discretion, as long as they finished before Ulmer, who acts as the sweep.
“All of the sudden you were into it and recovery was out. It was a jumble of sharp, loose rocks, and greasy, with a booter or two,” Memmelaar said.
Timing chips recorded the quick time of 1:15:00 and the 5:21:00 it took the slowest rider to navigate the first stage. Most riders finished in the minute twenty to minute forty range.
Just because it's a downhill discipline doesn't mean you're not going to need to get on the pedals as Stage 2 showed. Quick time on this run went to Jason Memmelaar at 2:33:00. For second stage the longest run was only about three minutes more. The flat and peddly run came out on a fire-road finishing up with more trees and rocks.
A big drop into a shale shoot was the A-line on Stage 3; there was a B-line with an option to traverse around the shoot.
Jennifer LeBlanc, of Trenton, Ontario, pre-road the course on Saturday and had figured out her lines. Her aim for the race was to hit all A-lines.
“My goal was I didn’t want to do the B-lines,” LeBlanc said. And she did pretty well at meeting her goal.
Stage 4 started with a lift ride and then a peddle to the start behind the quarry. It was pure enduro punctuated by steep, loose shoots according to Memmelaar.
“All of the sudden you were into it and recovery was out. It was a jumble of sharp, loose rocks and greasy, with a booter or two,” Memmelaar said.
This stage took riders anywhere from 4:10:00 to 10:05:00 to finish.
In spite of the rain the night before the trails were not hella greasy but Stage 5, the hardest yet, was still slippery. It started with natural features and single track and turned onto a fast rocky ski trail called Lower Shidmarks to finish up with a peddly section.
Awards were given to top Pro finishers as well as age group finishers in these categories- Clif Kids Class, 14 and Under Open, Male 18 And Under Open, Male 19-29 Open, Male 30-39 Open, Male 40-49 Open, Male 50+ Open, Women Amateur Open, Women Pro Open, Male Pro Open. There were two categories for women- Pro or Open. It’s a small field but male and female riders alike agree that it’s growing. Complete results HERE.
For the 2016 season the Vittoria ESC Enduro Series upped the Men’s and Women’s Pro purses. Both the per race and the Series Championship payouts increased with $21,000 up for grabs. The Vittoria ESC Pays equal Men’s and Women’s Pro payouts. Broken down it comes out to: 1st - $500, 2nd - $200, and 3rd - $100. For the series payout are from $1500 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, $250 for 3rd, $150 for 4th and 5th – $100.
The series is scored by figuring the best of seven finishing times for championship standings. Current leader Seamus Powel missed the Plattekill race for a race in California, but is still in contention for the championship. The VITTORIA ESC Enduro Series Finals at Killington counts for double points. There is no minimum number of races needed to qualify for Series Championship Standings. All ties are broken by placement in the Championship Finals Race. Only one bike may be used per event.
In 2013 the ESC added the very successful Enduro Series to the USA Cycling Eastern Regional Downhill MTB Championship Series begun in 2010.
Other events in the Eastern States Cup coming through the Catskills are:
Aug 14 Windham ProGRT – Windham, NY
Oct 9 Plattekill– Roxbury, NY – New England and Atlantic DH Finals
Just because it's a downhill discipline doesn't mean you're not going to need to get on the pedals as Stage 2 showed. Quick time on this run went to Jason Memmelaar at 2:33:00. For second stage the longest run was only about three minutes more. The flat and peddly run came out on a fire-road finishing up with more trees and rocks.
A big drop into a shale shoot was the A-line on Stage 3; there was a B-line with an option to traverse around the shoot.
Jennifer LeBlanc, of Trenton, Ontario, pre-road the course on Saturday and had figured out her lines. Her aim for the race was to hit all A-lines.
“My goal was I didn’t want to do the B-lines,” LeBlanc said. And she did pretty well at meeting her goal.
Stage 4 started with a lift ride and then a peddle to the start behind the quarry. It was pure enduro punctuated by steep, loose shoots according to Memmelaar.
“All of the sudden you were into it and recovery was out. It was a jumble of sharp, loose rocks and greasy, with a booter or two,” Memmelaar said.
This stage took riders anywhere from 4:10:00 to 10:05:00 to finish.
In spite of the rain the night before the trails were not hella greasy but Stage 5, the hardest yet, was still slippery. It started with natural features and single track and turned onto a fast rocky ski trail called Lower Shidmarks to finish up with a peddly section.
Awards were given to top Pro finishers as well as age group finishers in these categories- Clif Kids Class, 14 and Under Open, Male 18 And Under Open, Male 19-29 Open, Male 30-39 Open, Male 40-49 Open, Male 50+ Open, Women Amateur Open, Women Pro Open, Male Pro Open. There were two categories for women- Pro or Open. It’s a small field but male and female riders alike agree that it’s growing. Complete results HERE.
For the 2016 season the Vittoria ESC Enduro Series upped the Men’s and Women’s Pro purses. Both the per race and the Series Championship payouts increased with $21,000 up for grabs. The Vittoria ESC Pays equal Men’s and Women’s Pro payouts. Broken down it comes out to: 1st - $500, 2nd - $200, and 3rd - $100. For the series payout are from $1500 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, $250 for 3rd, $150 for 4th and 5th – $100.
The series is scored by figuring the best of seven finishing times for championship standings. Current leader Seamus Powel missed the Plattekill race for a race in California, but is still in contention for the championship. The VITTORIA ESC Enduro Series Finals at Killington counts for double points. There is no minimum number of races needed to qualify for Series Championship Standings. All ties are broken by placement in the Championship Finals Race. Only one bike may be used per event.
In 2013 the ESC added the very successful Enduro Series to the USA Cycling Eastern Regional Downhill MTB Championship Series begun in 2010.
Other events in the Eastern States Cup coming through the Catskills are:
Aug 14 Windham ProGRT – Windham, NY
Oct 9 Plattekill– Roxbury, NY – New England and Atlantic DH Finals
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