Cris Kovarik and Anne Carolin Cahusson obliterate the field in Garbanzo DH

Kokanee Crankworx Whistler: Marzocchi 888 RC3 EVO Ti rules! Kovarik and Chausson take 1st in Monster Energy Garbanzo DH

WHISTLER, BC, August 8, 2010 – Chris Kovarik (AUS) maintained a blistering pace in today’s Monster Energy Garbanzo DH to take home first with a time of 13:22.99, knocking last year’s winner Justin Leov (NZL) into second place with a time of 13:29.85.

Dry course conditions for the first time in the event’s history allowed Kovarik to shave off over 22 seconds from Leov’s 2009 winning time.  “I got second place last year and this year I wanted to go for number one,” says Kovarik. “You have to stand up, man up and pedal.”

On the women’s side there were no surprises with Anne-Caroline Chausson dominating on course. Described as one of the best downhillers alive, and the first person to win a Gold medal in BMX at the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, the women in the field knew Chausson was going to be a force to be reckoned with. Despite the fact she was coming off a hiatus from riding and hadn’t ridden in Whistler for five years, Chausson took home first place with a time of 15:59.42, more than 18 seconds faster than second place racer Miranda Miller (CAN).

“I did a practice run with Anne-Caroline and I thought to myself, ‘there is no way anyone is going to go faster than her,” says American racer Leigh Donovan. “I was set to race right before her and sure enough down the course I could hear her behind me! I pulled over and let her pass; I knew she was going to win today.”

There were 320 athletes in the pro and amateur categories taking to the 12km long course, and with a huge variety of terrain to cover and race times clocking in around three times longer than a traditional downhill race, the Monster Energy Garbanzo DH is an epic that tests skill, encourages stamina and rewards smooth riding.

Full event results: http://www.crankworx.com/whistler/live-blog/2010-results