The 2024 USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships concluded on Sunday at Ride Rock Creek in Zirconia, North Carolina with the Downhill finals.
Reigning National Champion Luca Shaw (Pisgah Forest, N.C.; Canyon Cllctv Factory) posted the fastest time with 1:53.492. However, he was quickly bumped from the hot seat by Aaron Gwin (Nolensville, Tenn.; Gwin Racing/Crestline Bikes) at 1:52.905 and then by Austin Dooley (Commencal Schwalbe/Monster Army/Ryno Power/Better Bolts) at 1:52.475. Asa Vermette (Durango, Colo.; Frameworks Racing) had a strong run, shaving off 3 seconds from his seeding run to stop the clock at 1:51.399, earning him the National Title. In accordance with UCI regulations, Vermette’s overall fastest time in both the Elite and Junior Men’s 17-18 earned him the National Title in both the Elite and the Junior Men’s 17-18 categories.
1. Asa Vermette (Durango, Colo.; Frameworks Racing)
2. Austin Dooley (Yucaipa, Calif.; Commencal Schwalbe/Monster Army/Ryno Power/Better Bolts)
3. Aaron Gwin (Nolensville, Tenn.; Gwin Racing/Crestline Bikes)
Defending National Champion Anna Newkirk (Riehen, Switzerland; Beyond Racing) clocked the fastest time at 2:06.775, claiming the Stars and Stripes jersey. Kailey Skelton (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.; Ari Factory Racing) improved her seeding time by 3 seconds, finishing with a 2:11.703 and securing silver. Matilda Melton (Bellingham, Wash.; Transition Factory Racing) won the Junior Women’s 17-18 category with a time of 2:12.837. In accordance with UCI regulations, Melton’s time placed her third in the Elite category, earning her bronze, while also taking gold in the Junior Women’s 17-18.
1. Anna Newkirk (Riehen, Switzerland; Beyond Racing)
2. Kailey Skelton (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.; Ari Factory Racing)
3. Matilda Melton (Bellingham, Wash.; Transition Factory Racing)
Twenty-one more National Titles were awarded in the Amateur categories on the final day of Gravity Nationals.
Downhill National Champions
Junior Men 17-18 Pro/Cat 1:
Asa Vermette (Durango, Colo.; Frameworks Racing)
Junior Women 17-18 Pro/Cat 1:
Matilda Melton (Bellingham, Wash.; Transition Factory Racing) at 2:12.837
Junior Men 11-12 Cat 1:
Cooper Oeflein (Gunnison, Colo.) at 2:18.272
Junior Men 13-14 Cat 1:
Eli Bundy (Fort Collins, Colo.; Outlaw Bike Team) at 2:01.029
Junior Women 13-14 Cat 1:
Alivia Glotz (Russell, Pa.; Back 40 Bike Park) at 3:09.693
Junior Men 15-16 Cat 1:
Cash Shaleen (Acton, Calif.; Commencal Bikes/TLD Bike/Wrench and Roll/Ice Recovery/Goliath Ind/TRP) at 1:54.211
Junior Women 15-16 Cat 1:
Aletha Ostgaard (Selah, Wash.; Sram/Fastrack Racing/GoPro/V&R Racing/Schwalbe/TLD/Smith) at 2:12.656
Amateur Men 19-24 Cat 1:
Spencer Brown (Pisgah Forest, N.C.) at 1:59.511
Amateur Men 25-29 Cat 1:
Brody Bell (Mooresville, N.C.; Tri-Cities Gravity) at 2:12.964
Amateur Women 19-29 Cat 1:
Abigail Arbogast (Morgantown, W.Va.) at 2:55.092
Masters Men 30-34 Cat 1:
Michael Noble (Gwinn, Mich.; Quick Stop Bike Shop) at 2:10.725
Masters Men 35-39 Cat 1:
Josh Poirier (Killington, Vt.; KMS Cycling-Killington Mountain School) at 2:11.713
Masters Women 30-39 Cat 1:
Michelle Guy (Reading, Mass.; Outer Limits Racing/Crawler Coffee) at 2:48.457
Masters Men 40-44 Cat 1:
Dustin Mason (Hilton Head, S.C.; The Shred Academy) at 2:24.387
Masters Men 45-49 Cat 1:
Petr Hanak (Winter Park, Colo.; Elevated Roofs) at 2:10.132
Masters Women 40-49 Cat 1:
Katherine Bennett (Highlands Ranch, Colo.; Athlete Insight) at 10:03.102
Masters Men 50-54 Cat 1:
Kevin Liebig (Havre de Grace, Md.; GT Bikes/Racers Edge/Brutal engineering/Stan’s//Spoke app/Fox Shocks/Maxxis Tires/Brutal Engineering) at 2:18.502
Masters Men 55-59 Cat 1:
Don Fritts (Arvada, Colo.; Intense bikes/Shimano/Maxxis/Ryno power/Don Fritts construction) at 2:31.289
Masters Men 60-64 Cat 1:
Troy Zimmerman (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; Zboys Racing) at 3:08.782
Masters Men 65-69 Cat 1:
Jeff Sims (Knoxville, Tenn.; Southern Gravity and TVB) at 2:54.147
Masters Men 70+ Cat 1:
Bob Bevard (Heath, Ohio; Trek Bikes) at 3:30.530
In Memory of Scott Huntley
We want to celebrate all of Sunday’s victories, but we also want to honor the life of Scott Huntley, who passed away doing what he loved. We lost a cherished member of our community and extend our deepest condolences to his friends, loved ones, and the entire mountain biking community.
Photo By: Nick Robertson
