Red Bull Final Descent

By Eddie Clark  

(September 10, 2011) WINTER PARK, Colo.—For its second year at the Winter Park Resort, the Red Bull Final Descent gave gravity racers another taste of endurance racing with a high octane downhill flavor.  Nintey plus racers showed up for the racer meeting the night prior to the races 7am start, proving that there is plenty of desire and support for new ways to have fun racing on two wheels.

Normally, 12 hour events are considered to be an event for the cross country racer since downhill racing is more about shorter more intense race efforts that rarely last longer than 5 minutes.  Not to mention, the strength required to ride a forty pound bike at speeds seldom ever seen on a light weight cross country bike lends to gravity racers possessing a decidedly different fitness and training regimen than that of a typical 12 hour endurance racer. 

Add in the physical fatigue and abuse from rough trails and crashes plus the required mental clarity to repeatedly ride laps at ridiculously high speeds, and all of the sudden the 12 hour mark becomes this foggy finish line that every racer suffers to attain.    

Starting in brisk fall temperatures at 7am, the race started at the top of the mountain with a LeMans style run that was staggered between the different classes.  Racers first rode right below the Zephyr lift down the Boulevard trail hitting a few small jumps before riding into a big sharp left hand berm at speed, which was followed by many more.  High speed straight-aways accentuated the stutter bumps to provide racers with extra arm pump before holding on for full fledged g-outs in the big shaped berms that followed the stutter bumps.

Lower down, a fine jump section allowed racers to go big or go smaller while passing under the Winter Park namesake Trestle Bridge.  While going big allowed for more style and air, the smaller jump line was certainly faster and safer at speed.  Lower the down the mountain, racers took a new extension from Boulevard trail to the Bear Arms trail before returning back to lower Boulevard where they finished their lap at the bottom near the Gemini lift.

After passing under the Red Bull finish line, racers could stop at their own pit area in the Final Descent event area, or press on to get the first empty chair up the Gemini lift to take another run.  Those racing in team categories had the pleasure of tagging out and resting while their teammates were charged with maintaining the pace.  Over the course of the day, all sort of bike parts were worn out or broken, and much of the same could be said for the racers’ bodies too.

At 5pm, a break from the high speed sections of upper Boulevard was given in the form of a course change to the Search and Seizure trail that while more technically demanding also required slower speeds due to the very technical singletrack.  For most, it was a welcomed reprieve from the arm busting braking bumps.

Once 6:45pm rolled around the last chair was loaded and destined to the top to signify the approaching end to an excruciating 12 hours of twisted downhill fun.  Last years’ solo pro men’s winner Waylon Smith cranked out another solo pro men's victory with 36 laps in 11 hours, 59 minutes and 53 second, and the pro women’s solo race was won by Jacki Harmony who rode 33 laps in 11 hours, 53 minutes and 1 second.

Full results here.