Day Three of the Dew in SLC: Rained Out
Sep 23 2007 / Salt Lake City, UT
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The sun smiled sweetly on Salt Lake as the Toyota Challenge's FMX dirt finals made a great live TV show. Then came clouds, drops that turned into a drizzle, then into a downpour that ruined much of the day .
But not for the FMX riders, who, before the rain, took a tight course and showed what could be done with it.
The incredibly steep drop-in did a head number on some of the riders, but not the winner. This is the year of Nate Adams, who won with a cliffhanger backflip, several other backflip variations, a holy grab, and more non-stop air time. His body was so fully extended as he flew around with his bike, he looked like a ballet dancer.
Jeremy Lusk finally pulled one off, taking second with a double grab and a perfect circle superman in the air, though not as fully extended as Adams. Still, Lusk was stoked at finally reaching the podium.
The sprinkles started during his second run. Between the FMX victory laps, where riders rode around the edges of the course, slapping the outstretched hands of spectators; and the BMX Supercross that followed, the rain got serious.
Though it was a special event, the BMX SX was the most important race of the entire Toyota Challenge, because it was an Olympic qualifier for Beijing, fittingly scheduled in an Olympic city. It had the most international field of any contest during the event.
There were 64 riders from 20 countries ready to go. But by the fifth heat, the rain had made the course so slippery, officials called a hold. Riders took shelter in the start area and in tents and waited, hoping the race would go on.
"It wasn't that slippery for the first two motos, but then it started to rain heavy. I'm an Olympic hopeful, and I just made the U. S. BMX team, so I'm pushing as hard as I can. I love the course, but it's too dangerous to ride right now," said Steven Cisar (USA), whose bright future seems predicted by the faith of the sponsors who back him: Redman Bikes, Yamaha Wave Runner, Oakley, Rock Star energy drink and more.
Luke Madill of Australia has already been to the one and only race held on the Laoshan course before the 2008 Games, and has even built a replica of the course in his Sydney back yard. "Having something like that to practice on is going to be the key, I think. I wish we could get this race on," he said, looking wistfully at the course turning into mud.
Kyle Bennet (USA), currently the world leader in 'cross after winning the recent World Championships, said, "It's kind of overwhelming. I wanted to race. I felt good. I've been practicing my starts, my gate starts have been a big problem for me lately, and I felt I had this gate down and the track felt good. Either way, I'm happy. I got seventh overall in the time trial if they go back to the time trial."
And that's exactly what they did. Event Director Zach Cooper did an incredible job of trying to save the event; bringing out powerful blowers and having the whole track covered with huge sheets of plastic, but it was no use.
Riders were still waiting for the call when Johan Lindstrom, BMX coordinator for the International Cycling Union, said, "We just looked at the radar, and the rain will be coming for a while, so it looks like we are canceling the event. They can't hold it tomorrow, because most of those from other countries are scheduled to leave tomorrow. We did a time trial Friday in good conditions, so that result will be the one that stands."
Mike Day (USA) won the time trials, so he's first in the Olympic qualifier. Michal Prokup (BLG), winner of the Jeep King of the Mountain series, was fourth (he won this event last year in San Jose). Cisar took sixth, and Madill squeaked by in 10th.
The rain also stopped the Skate Park finals, though athletes did put on a show for fans inside the Energy Solutions Arena after the completion of the BMX Park prelims.
With the rain falling outside, the prelims went on as scheduled. They were run quick, with no room for error, thanks to the 33 riders who had to take a turn. When the buzzer announced one rider's run was over, the next rider dropped right in. It was 'get outta the park!' the nanosecond your run was done.
The tricks were so sick, it was amazing the judges could even decide who was better. Allan Cooke did a foot jam tire tap on top of the big subbix, an X-up air out to a double whip 360, and still only came in 8th---limited by a fall on his second run.
There was a scare for everyone when legendary Dennis McCoy, 41 years old and sixth-place overall in both the 2005 and 2006 Dew Tours, crashed after starting out incredibly big. The crowd got silent. The music was turned down. Uniformed paramedics jumped over the barriers and ran to the still figure lying prone on the smooth wood. As McCoy finally, and slowly, got up, the crowd roared. But an air of dread still lingered.
Daniel Dhers sent any negativity flying away with his ten-foot air out, back into the curved wall, foot jam nose pick and inverted 360, throwing in flairs and tricks of his own design that made the arena rock. Still, he was given less than a point over second-place Mike Spinner.
Other highlights included Ryan Guettler landing the incredible 1080 and Morgan Wade's massive gaps, but Wade missed the cut for the finals, along with the legend Dave Mirra, Steve McCann and BMX Dirt winner James Foster.
Sunday, the final day of the Dew in Salt Lake City, will have the Skate Vert finals, BMX Park finals, and just maybe---the return of the rained-out Skate Park finals.
