Video & Race Report: Maxxis Eastern States Cup Intense DH #5 – Mount Snow, VT

MUDDY MEMORIES Maxxis ESC Intense DH #5 – Mount Snow, Vermont

We’re back in the Green Mountains for the fifth round of the 2024 Intense DH season, with Mount Snow serving as the battleground. This track is a favorite of all ability levels, featuring mostly fast open ski trails with some rocky bits in between; it’s a real test of both tires and riders. Significant rainfall before the weekend left the track greasy but made for some loose moments and exciting spectating on race day. Youth prevailed in both of our Pro classes, but it didn’t come easy. Keep scrolling to see who came out on top after battling through the Mount Snow muckfest.

This weekend was dedicated to our friend and fellow racer Scott Huntley who tragically passed away doing what he loved at US Nationals last weekend.

Scott’s memorial ride took off at 4:01pm lead by his former teammates at Chaingang Racing. His 401 race plate will be retired as we remember one of the best to ever do it.

The Maxxis ESC community is unmatched, thank you all for showing up to honor Scott. He would have been grinning ear to ear seeing all the fun we had this weekend.

Dylan Conte in true Huntley fashion with the Polar seltzer visor and Chaingang hoodie.

After a lap down the DH course everyone gathered in the base area to share fond memories. Ride in Peace Scott, we love you buddy.

Two inches of rain Friday left the course sloppy and wet on Saturday but some sections dried out quite a bit come race day,

Thankfully the rest of the weekend’s weather was beautiful with temps in the 70’s and a nice mountain breeze.

Blue skies and good vibes.

This course features a lot of old school grass corners so mostly soft places places to fall out there, but you might end up with some extra helmet decorations and muddy gloves.

Not quite Wetscream territory but a Shorty up front helped with turning traction.

Embrace the slick conditions and have fun out there.

A legit pressure wash setup in the pits is so valuable for weekends like this.

Joey Pimentel speeds through the monster compressions in the first straight away, he would top the Kate’s Kids 12U class by 4.61s after leading all three splits.

Karlynne Siverling lead the Amateur females by a commanding margin of 32 seconds to take her second win of the season.

Eyes on the prize for Hudson Nagy, he would earn second place in the 8U brat class right behind his good friend Chase Ulmer.

Rough day at the office for 16U racer Drew Svrluga.

Matt Spain finished sixth in the Pro men’s class, but won practice with this sick scrub.

Pro racer Eli Gadbois has been speeding up all season, two top fives in a row with more in the tank for some big blocks of racing coming up.

Pick a rut, any rut.

It’s hard to get used to going fast in the wet but once you do it’s an amazing feeling.

This is the point of the track where things finally start to dry out a bit. David Verwys lets off the brakes and flies into first place for the Amateur 21-29 class.

First time Expert 19-29 class winner Tristan Sadowski blasts through the big rock slab right under the Bluebird Express.

Dustin Geis eyes up the next slick corner and second place in the Expert 30-39 class.

Gareth Roswell skips the mucky holes on his way to the Expert 18U win, his second this season.

Despite getting sucked into the low line here, Mario Cornejo was able to squeak out his first Expert 30-39 win by 0.95s.

Two wins in a row, not a bad way to start Chloe Hannon’s move up to the Expert women’s class.

After winning the Amateur women’s class in her first race at Killington Sabrina Hewa stepped it up the Pro class and ended up taking third.

Just 1.3s separated Mazie Hayden from the top step this weekend but she still leads the Pro women’s overall by a sizeable margin.

Kale Cushman lead all three splits to secure her second Pro win of the season with a 2:58.

Pro Women: 4th – Emma Jarl, 2nd – Mazie Hayden, 1st – Kale Cushman, 3rd – Sabrina Hewa, 5th – Sarah Hamlin

Lev Dransfield laid down a heater to round out the Pro mens top three, matching his best result from earlier this season.

Jason Memmelaar is more than double the age of most racers on the Pro men’s podium but he’s also been racing here long before they were born. Second place among some fast youngsters shows he’s still got the fight in him.

This weekend belonged to Nick Frazier, he went fastest in seeding and knew he could win if he had a consistent and clean run. He did just that and somehow found 4.8s on the rest of the Pro Men with a final race time of 2:19. He won a Downhill Southeast event earlier this year but this is his first Maxxis ESC Pro win and certainly not his last.

Pro Men: 2nd – Jason Memmelaar, 1st – Nick Frazier, 3rd – Lev Dransfield, 5th – Eli Gadbois

Over and out from Mount Snow! Get those bikes cleaned up and join us at Sugarloaf this coming weekend for a Thule Showdown. If you can’t make that one, we’ll be at Powder Ridge for another Intense DH August 25th.

Words and photos: Andrew Santoro
Video: Seth Merritt

Full Results
Race Recap Podcast
Easternstatescup.com

2024 MAXXIS ESC PRESENTED BY KATE’S REAL FOOD SCHEDULE

INTENSE CYCLES DOWNHILL SERIES
May 19 Powder Ridge, CT
June 23 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 30 Killington, VT
July 21 Thunder Mountain, MA
Aug 11 Mount Snow, VT
Aug 18 Sugarloaf, ME
Aug 25 Powder Ridge, CT
Sept 15 Blue Mountain, PA
Sept 22 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 13 Jiminy Peak, MA Finals

STAN’S NO TUBES ENDURO SERIES
May 5 Powder Ridge, CT
June 9 Glen Park, PA
June 23 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 30 Killington, VT
July 14 Arrowhead, NH
July 21 Thunder Mountain, MA
July 28 Burke Mountain, VT
Aug 18 Sugarloaf, ME
Sept 8 Woodstock, VT
Sept 22 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 5 Monteau, NH
Oct 20 Arrowhead NH

THULE SHOWDOWN SERIES
June 23 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 30 Killington, VT
July 21 Thunder Mountain, MA
Aug 18 Sugarloaf, ME
Sept 22 Thunder Mountain, MA

CANNONDALE EBIKE SERIES
May 5 Powder Ridge, CT
June 9 Glen Park, PA
July 14 Arrowhead, NH
July 21 Thunder Mountain, MA
Aug 18 Sugarloaf, ME
Sept 8 Woodstock, VT
Sept 22 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 5 Monteau, NH
Oct 20 Arrowhead NH