KELLI EMMETT CLAIMS FIRST XC WIN IN NATIONAL RACE!

She takes 2nd in Short Track, Carl Decker 2nd in Super D
In a weekend of extreme temperatures – over 100 degrees – Kelli Emmett and Carl Decker of Giant’s Mountain Bike Team had great performances at the National Mountain Bike Series race #3 at the Chamberlain Ranch in California’s Santa Ynez Valley.
On Saturday, Kelli took her first cross country win in a national race. In an event where one of her competitors had to be taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion (Georgia Gould of the Luna team), Kelli picked off her rivals one at a time. She told cyclingnews.com:
"I knew it was a matter of survival out there today. Heat generally doesn't bother me too much so I knew that if I rode steady I would work my way up. I've been riding a dirt bike so it has been helping me with the descending skills."
Kelli added, "I've been riding with Katie Compton (U.S National Cyclo-cross Champion) back home and she has been putting the screws to me every day so it's paid off nicely."
Race results and photos can be found at:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb.php?id=mtb/2008/may08/NORBA_3_08/NORBA_3_085
Kelli’s good form served her well on Sunday, too, as she finished second in the women’s Short Track event.
Carl Decker also ended up on the podium on Sunday with a 2nd place finish in the men’s Super D.
Below is Carl’s Team Giant Race Report:
CARL’S TEAM GIANT RACE REPORT – LOS OLIVOS/FIRESTONE/SOLVANG/SANT YNEZ/STUMPGRINDER NORBA/NMBS RACE

This weekend, while Adam Craig was maxing and relaxing in the French countryside, it would be up to my teammate Kelli Emmett and I to fly the flag at the 3rd National Series race of the year, north of Santa Barbara, CA. This race is known by many names, but none suggest how hot and hard the racing here can be (okay, maybe “firestone” kinda does). Last year I was shocked by the heat; the race boiled down to who could absorb the most water, and who could stay strong in the face of blast-furnace-like breezes. Since I am a Nancy-boy (and it's been a long and cold spring in Oregon, where there was frost in the yard 5 days ago), I even considered staying home and doing something easier. Like gardening or road racing. Kelli was committed to racing though, and I finally relented. Good thing, too. It was an action-packed weekend.

Saturday dawned warm and warming. Kelli took off for the venue at 8:00 and I fell back asleep. A couple of hours and a bowl of cereal or two later, I was at the venue, just moments after the women's XC finish. A friend said “hi” and said that Kelli was ripping. I asked how she did and from behind me she yelled "I won!” I said "holy crap" and gave her a hug. That's Kelli's first NMBS XC win, and her second big victory in a row. In 100 degree heat, Kelli rode a smart race and kept herself under the redline. Georgia Gould had a commanding lead for most of the race, but collapsed from heat stroke 15 minutes from the line. From there it was Kelli and Catherine Pendral. In the flat and open final mile, Emmett made a strong pass for the lead and Pendral couldn't respond. Kelli rode clear and won by a margin of 10 seconds. Another career ride for KE!

My race started with me in the weeds from the gun. Turns out they cut a lap from our course after Georgia's hospitalization. Meanwhile, I was staring at the ground and focusing on not melting or vaporizing (Spontaneous Human Combustion happens!) when the organizers told us on the start line (repeatedly, I hear) of the course changed from 3 to 2 laps. So I started off kinda slow and was surprised at how fast those top 4 guys were riding, for a (I thought) 2:30 race. After half of the race was over, I asked an official (who probably thought I was suffering heat stroke) how many laps were left in (it turns out) a two-lap race. So then I rode a little faster and tried to catch the hind-most of the lead group. JHK (Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski) was within striking distance with 10 minutes to go, so I dug deep and gained absolutely no time on him. I finished 6th, 3 minutes behind the winner, Aussie Sid Taberlay.

After a night of celebrating KE's win with some good food (and smooth jazz?), we awoke Sunday morning ready for some Short Track punishment (taking) and some Super D punishment (hopefully giving). Again, Kelli raced first, and again, Kelli raced well. The course was flat and long (over 3 minutes), and Kelli spent nearly half of the race working at the front. Katerina Nash got away with a couple laps to go and stayed away. Emmett led the chase and then held off the freeloaders in the final sprint finish to take second.

My Short Track ended up being a rehash of the XC; 5 fast dudes (and me) at the front. I even got my nose in the wind a little when I lead for a lap or two. Then the attacks got a little faster and I went the same speed and was left in 5th place, playing cat and mouse with Aussie Sid. In the finish sprint, Sid was the cat. I ended up sixth for the sixth time this year or so. Drat.

Super D: Mostly the same as the first big XC descent with a little jog through the weeds and back to the finish. With it still hot, and even more extra windy, Kelli and I felt like we'd been at the beach all day and were feeling more ready for a nap than a downhill time trial. Kelli rode accordingly. She said she couldn't ride her bike to save her life, and ended up just of the podium in (my favorite place!) 6th.

My SD was uneventful, which was a pleasant change from last year, when I blew the first turn and ended up hiking while within view of the start shack. Had a clean run and rode hard, just not hard enough to beat Kabush. Dispatched Wicks though. 2nd place! Four places better than 6th.

Our favorite oversized Giant cubicle dweller, Andrew Juskaitis (of Giant’s Global Marketing Department), won his class, and his wife won hers too, to finish off the weekend of racing.

Now it's back home for a week or two, and then Kelli and Carl's Team for Fun without Adam is headed to the Teva Mountain Games in Vail for some deep breathing and bike racing at 10,000 feet.

Thanks for reading,
Carl and Kelli
Giant Factory Race Team