Photo Epic
Speed & Style
Cairns, Australia

Photography by Clint Trahan

Crankworx Cairns continues with the second event of the week, Speed & Style. After some incredibly close racing, Harriet Burbidge-Smith and Garret Mechem take home the top honors. Garret Mechem proved he has more than just style after his Whip-Off win and took a career-best finish beating the reigning King of Crankworx in the final race. After his run Garret Mechem said: “Might be the loosest run of my life, my bar got stuck on my knee.

“My plan was to not to go for the corky at the bottom, but Bas was ahead so I had to throw it down.”

Taking a back-to-back Speed & Style win Harriet Burbidge-Smith made her 27th birthday extra special as she bested Caroline Buchanan with in a close battle for the gold medal. Following the racing Harriet Burbidge-Smith said: “Doing flips on my birthday is probably my favourite thing. This was after all, my first birthday doing flips, so yeah, it went pretty good.

“The course was fast and it got faster and faster. It was a bit slow and inconsistent on some sides (yesterday), but it got faster throughout the day.”

The next event of the week is the bar-to-bar excitement of dual slalom.

Results:

1st. Garret Mechem (USA) // Harriet Burbidge-Smith (AUS)
2nd. Bas van Steenbergen (CAN) // Caroline Buchanan (AUS)
3rd. Mike Ross (AUS) // Jenna Hastings (NZL)

Garret Mechem

Riders head through the jungle at the top of the course.

Before heading into the open area with the final turns and jumps.

Caroline Buchanan
Caroline Buchanan was sending some huge tricks.

Niels Bensink Jackson Frew
Niels Bensink and Jackson Frew

Harriet Burbidge Smith
Harriet Burbidge Smith celebrating her birthday in style.

Bas Van Steenbergen
Bas Van Steenbergen

A lot of work has gone into creating some incredible courses for this week’s events.

Robin Goomes has her mid-race flips dialed.

Garret Mechem Tuhoto Ariki Pene
Garret Mechem and Tuhoto Ariki Pene

Conditions in the finish area are getting pretty loose and dusty as the competition continues.

Harriet Burbidge Smith
Harriet Burbidge Smith was on another level.

Mike Ross Garret Mechem
Mike Ross and Garret Mechem

Podium 1st Harriet Burbidge Smith Garret Mechem 2nd Bas Van Steenbergen Caroline Buchanan Jenna Hasting Mike Ross
Podium 1st: Harriet Burbidge Smith, Garret Mechem, 2nd: Bas Van Steenbergen, Caroline Buchanan, Jenna Hasting, Mike Ross

Harriet Burbidge Smith


Fonte: https://www.pinkbike.com