Halo's Fionn Griffiths Doubles at US Open!
The 2008 US Open was a great success for Griffiths Racing and the Norco World Team. With two 1st place finishes in both the DH and the Slalom events Halo Team Rider Fionn was stoked on her weekends racing.
Here is Jill Coleby's (her Team Manager) account of what happened:
DH practice on the Friday went well although conditions were extremely un- predictable. “with the track as rough and rocky as it is here at Diablo Freeride park, the conditions in practice were unforgivable, just finding yourself slightly off line in the wet rocks will more than likely end in tears or at least with a quick nature appreciation visit to a near buy tree.”
Fionn escaped a fairly big crash on the wet rocks without major injury, just a couple of bumps and bruises to show for her efforts.
Friday afternoon slalom qualification went as well as it could. Fionn had good runs on both courses and took the qualification win convincingly. The 2nd place Kathy Pruitt and 3rd place Joanna Petterson were both riding well. It was a milestone in events for the crew here at Diablo Mountain with their first Dual Slalom event being held here this weekend.
Saturday was literally a whole new day, with Blue skies and a constant breeze both tracks were drying up quickly. DH qualification went off without a hitch, and made for some close racing. With a time of 3.13, Kathy Pruitt nudged Fionn out at the line by 1/10th of a second for the lead and less than a second from that was the South African Joanna Petterson in 3rd.
Slalom Finals got underway fairly late in the evening, with the sun setting it was becoming more and more difficult to see but racing was tough fought to the line every time. In the semi finals Fionn met Katie Holden the 4th place qualifier and easily advanced to the finals where she met Kathy Pruitt. Both Kathy and Fionn charged out of the gate in hopes of opening a time margin which Pruitt did taking the win in the first run. Even with Kathy’s time margin it would not be enough to hold off a frustrated Griffiths in the second. The end result would turn out to be the same as qualification.
Slalom
1st Fionn Griffiths
2nd Kathy Pruitt
3rd Joanna Petterson
Sundays Downhill event took place in front of large crowds lining the rock sections of the track and the lower portion of the mountain. With the Pro’s racing for the top prize of $5000 everyone looked slightly nervous.
“ I was all good at the start, got focused and went for it out the gate but in the second turn I noticed Jo walking back up the side of the track, she had left the start house only one minute before me so I thought it was kind of weird but carried on anyway. I got maybe another 45 ft before an official jumped into the track and stopped me.” After having a re -start due to an accident on course it came down to who could get their head back in the game. Joanna Petterson had a great run beating the fastest qualifying time from the previous day in 3.12, but it was not enough to hold off Fionn who followed with a time of 3.03. Fionn anxiously awaited the arrival of Kathy at the finish but it was not to be Pruitt’s day as she rode in with a time of 3.06.
“The Norco was working really well for me on this rocky track today, I loved every second of it. I just had fun riding my bike and the rest came together for me.“
DH
1st Fionn Griffiths
2nd Kathy Pruitt
3rd Joanna Petterson
Next stop is Andora for round two of the World Cup tour.
