Mountain Bike Resources Online - Mountain Biking News - September 2nd

September 2nd, 1996

World Cup Season Wraps Up In Hawaii

Giove wins downhill & comes from behind to take overall.

Honolulu, Hawaii

The 1996 National Championship Series concluded this weekend by crowning four champions. John Tomac (Giant) & Ruthie Matthes (Volvic-Powerbar) won the men's and women's cross country series. Brian Lopes (Mongoose) & Leigh Donovan (Mongoose) won the men's & women's downhill series.

While Rishi Grewal won his second NORBA race of the year, he still finished second overall, 21 points behind John Tomac. With Tomac's commanding cross country lead coming into this weekend's race, the events to watch were the women's cross country and the men's & women's downhill.

For the women's cross country, Matthes first place finish combined with DeMattei's third place finish was enough to give Ruthie the overall championship. The difference was Ruthie's teammate Jan Bolland (Volvic-Powerbar), whose second place finished was just three seconds ahead of DeMattei, allowing Ruthie to win the series championship by one point.

Both the men's and women's downhill events were equally exciting. Only 12 points separated the top four men's riders coming into this year's final event. Last year's champ Brian Lopes finished 3rd, high enough to edge out Eric Carter (Troy Lee) by just 5 points. In the women's event, Leigh Donovan nearly spoiled her 29 point edge over Elke Brutsaert (Schwinn) & 33 point lead over Missy Giove (Volvo-Cannondale). Donovan's 10th place finish was just enough to hold off Brutsaert who won the event, but finished second overall.

For the final results, make sure to check our 1996 NCS final standings. For the top placings for the Mammoth events, see below.

Men's Final Cross Country Results
1. Grewal (Klein) 30 miles in 2:32:29
2. Gould (Schwinn) @ 1:19
3. Tomac (Giant-Tioga) @ 2:27
4. Bishop (Gary Fisher) @ 2:42
5. Green (Kona) @ 2:48
6. Bicknell (Trek-Volkswagen) @ 2:56
7. Brown (Trek-Volkswagen) @ 4:06
8. Tinker Juarez (Volvo-Cannondale) @ 4:07
9. Grover (Rocky Mountain) @ 4:33
10. Myrah (Trek-Volkswagen) @ 5:18

Women's Final Cross Country Results
1. Matthes (Volvic-Powerbar) 20.5 miles in 1:57:41
2. Bolland (Volvic-Powerbar) @ 1:08
3. DeMattei (Diamondback) @ 1:11
4. Coats (KHS) @ 1:38
5. Ballantyne (Univega) @ 2:16
6. Jaques (Schwinn) @ 6:27
7. Marshman (Dean-Celestial Seasonings) @ 7:55
8. Brainerd (Bianchi Martini) @ 8:05
9. Stockdale (Klein-Ben&Jerry's @ 8:13
10. DiBiase (Volvic-Powerbar) @ 8:21

Women's Final Downhill Results
1. Brutsaert (Schwinn) 3.5 miles in 5:04
2. Sonier (Volvo-Cannondale) @ 1.19
3. Giove (Volvo-Cannondale) @ 3.60
4. Douglass (Mt.Dew-Specialized) @ 3.90
5. Marla Streb (Marin) @ 7.70
6. Lisa Sher (Barracuda) @ 7.85
7. Cheri Elliot (Mt.Cycle-QuakerOats) @ 9.39
8. Michelle Bednar-Dorsch (Foes-Yokohama) @ 10.07
9. Mercedes Gonzales (GT) @ 10.56
10. Leigh Donovan (Mongoose) @ 11.21
11. Tara Llanes (Haro) @ 14.60

Men's Final Downhill Results
1. Beneke (Schwinn) 3.5 miles in 4:41
2. Tanner (Mt.Dew-Specialized) @ 2.43
3. Lopes (Mongoose) @ 3.44
4. Toby Henderson (Iron Horse) @ 3.90
5. Cullinan (KHS) @ 4.14
6. Purdy (Outland) @ 4.37
7. Carter (Troy Lee) @ 5.03
8. Tomac (Giant-Tioga) @ 5.06
9. Scott Sharples (Diamondback) @ 5.62
10. Robert Naughton (High Zoot) @ 6.54
11. Phil Tinstman (Schwinn) @ 6.97