JILL KINTNER SNAGS GOLD FROM DEFENDING CHAMP, MICAYLA GATTO AT DUAL SLALOM – KOKANEE CRANKWORX 2011

MITCH ROPELATO WINS DUAL SLALOM AT KOKANEE CRANKWORX 2011
Jill Kintner Snags Gold From Defending Champ Micayla Gatto
WHISTLER, BC July 16, 2011 –A crash in last year’s Dual Slalom Pro Men’s Final kept Mitch Ropelato (USA) from earning gold but he redeemed himself a year later by coming out on top in today’s race. With hardly an error in any run, Ropelato has able to blaze through each ladder, consistently pinning it to take gold over Mick Hannah (AUS) in the finals.

Jill Kintner (USA) took gold from Micayla Gatto (CAD) in the Pro Women’s category with clean runs through each ladder.  Kintner went in with an advantage of 0.49 and a serious bobble on the moguls by Gatto at the top end of the course took the defending champion out of the running.

“I am stoked to one up what I did last year,” says Mitch Ropelato, winner of Kokanee Crankworx Pro Men Dual Slalom. “I rode smooth and fast. My qualifiers weren’t that good but I held it together in the finals. Now I have to go rest up for the Canadian Open DH tomorrow.”

In the Pro Men category Mitch Ropelato (USA) took first place, Mike Hannah (USA) came in second and Kyle Strait (USA) took third.

In the Pro Women category Jill Kintner (USA) took first place, Micayla Gatto (CAD) came in second and Manon Carpenter (GBR) took third.

Now in its fifth season at Kokanee Crankworx, the Dual Slalom is a crowd favourite and despite cool weather and some showers, hundreds of fans lined the gated course and watched from the big screen in Whistler Village. The dual slalom head-to-head format featured riders in the pro and amateur categories pumping through a course riddled with rhythm sections, a mogul field, tight berms, jumps and drops. 

Full event results: http://www.crankworx.com/index.php/results/kokanee-crankworx/2011-results

Daily on-demand video highlights from www.pinkbike.com will also ensure everyone stays up to date with all the happenings at the biggest freeride mountain bike festival in the world. All of the action lives on www.crankworx.com.

Day Three of Kokanee Crankworx features the Canadian Open Downhill. Watch the live webcast powered by Freecaster.tv at 3pm-5pm PDT here: http://www.crankworx.com/index.php/schedule/kokanee-crankworx/live-webcasts. The massive village-wide expo, demos and exciting party line-up will also carry on through the week. Download the Official Kokanee Crankworx App to stay in the know as all the action goes down.

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