Posted: 21 October 2008 at 16:55 | IP Logged

It looks to me like he was a lapped rider getting out of the way.  beleive that is Sean Babcock and Erik Tonkin right in front of him, they finished 2nd and 3rd. I think it's actually a pretty sportsman move, no to mention smart to aoid having to hit the whole six pack.

Speaking of the six-pack, who was the drunken idiot that laid them out? The spacing seemed way out of wack and uneven. They plain out sucked. 

Posted: 22 October 2008 at 00:20 | IP Logged

I've seen the Grail......

http://pjbentson.smugmug.com/gallery/6230535_q9eWD#393339780 _vt6gE

Posted: 22 October 2008 at 12:28 | IP Logged

I stand mistaken, I just looked at some Seattle results for comparison and he was 2nd at Evergreen. Maybe his problem is that he is only used to 2 barriers in Seattle and must have thought that it was riders choice to only go over 2 of the six barriers.

But seriously, why in the world would you skip a barrier infront of all the crowds? If you want to cheat skip the barrier in the field where no one will see. Either this guy is an idiot (he is from Seattle), or something else was going on here.

Posted: 22 October 2008 at 13:06 | IP Logged

Are you people blind?? You can clearly see in the sequence shot that Tonkin ran a straight line from left to right & foced Babcock to move left (even though the six pack was curved to the right & going into a left hand corner, did that make sense?). This forced Ryan to move left even further. Going balls out into a set of barriers let alone six of them, you dont have much time to think. Do you wanna rub elbows & risk the chance of going down on one of those things? I dont think so. You just react on instict & move out of the way. Tonkin looks like he had the lead of these three right here & the right of way. Pretty brilliant move by the caveman if you ask me. Had the course been taped & staked Ryan would have had to pretty much stop & change his line. Its not like he passed them here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ujelang/2959936219/in/set-72157 608200690892/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ujelang/2959936211/in/set-72157 608200690892/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ujelang/2959936063/in/set-72157 608200690892/

Vervecken once commented on the courses we had here in the NW (Jackson & Steilacoom) & said he thougt they were great, even WC potential. However, in Europe they would have just rode around the planks if they werent taped off. Something to that affect. I know the cones are sort of tradition in the Cross Crusade but with the crowds you guys are getting maybe its time to buy some tape & stakes. Everytime I've raced down there I always see people cutting the cones. My 02. cents.

Posted: 22 October 2008 at 13:12 | IP Logged

DPCX wrote: You can clearly see in the sequence shot that Tonkin ran a straight line from left to right

Dammit! now I'm drunk. I meant right to left...sorry.

Posted: 22 October 2008 at 13:29 | IP Logged

What those photos also show is the Seattle rider "STARTED" out side the barriers and never even tried to go over them.

As for running right to left, all Tonkin tried to do was close the door on his S&M compatriot coming into the remount.  Something any crosser would do if they had a half step advantage. I would venture a guess he never saw Ryan since he avoided the barriers completely.