World Cup 4-Cross #5
Balneario Camborio, Brazil
Damion Smith, Yeti-Fox Racing Factory Team manager, described it as Disneyland. Brazil’s lush tropical landscape and manicured golf courses felt like another place. Smith stated that it is so beautiful here that he doesn’t want to leave. Just across the street is a large, sunny bay. The gondola will take you to the top on the downhill track, which leads to another beach with a cove. There are no pine trees. It is a jungle. Smith said that there were banana trees in these pits. I was expecting monkeys to appear. It wouldn’t surprise me!
The downhill course was short (winning time = manmade). Smith said that the rock sections and jumps were well placed.
Someone went through everything and made it exactly how they wanted. Like Adventure Land. You must ride flawlessly on a course as short and easy as this. You can make mistakes, even small ones, which can lead to costly times.
Jared Graves, the Yeti-Fox and Norba Champ team leader, hit one of those perfect rock sections in the final run. He was able to go higher than he wanted. He struggled after his loose chain fell and got lost. Justin Leov, Yeti-Fox colleague, caught a tree with the shoulder. This also slowed him down. The two finished tied at the hundredth of an second, and shared 20th place. Only in Fantasy Land was the tie at the hundredth of one second.
The 4X was another E-ticket ride: Out of the gate to a roller-double-roller-double-roller then a big sweeper and a drop. The riders made a series 180-degree bowl turns, and then finished the downhill with big jumps. Smith said that they laid grass along the course’s side. It was perfect. There were flags, banners and big-screen TVs. It was Disneyland.
Welcome to the Magic Kingdom. Graves was the first person to qualify for this year’s World Cup, surpassing Michal Prokop. Graves rolled through the rounds easily and met Prokop, Chris Powell, and Kamil Tatarkovic for the final. Graves and Prokop fought it out on the first straight, neck-and-neck, but Prokop took the lead and edged Graves. Graves took second place because there was not enough room for Prokop to pass. It’s not bad, but it’s still not terrible.
Next weekend: The NORBA National in Deer Valley (UT).
