EWS.4
O Canada
EWS.4 Whistler, BC
In what would be some of the sickest tracks on the circuit this season, Factory Team Riders Richie Rude and Bex Baraona accompanied by National and Devo athletes Kate Lawrence and Jack Brown, would take on the fourth-round race in Whistler, B.C. The two-day race was a properly gnarly, physically demanding terrain with brutally steep bike-pushing liaisons - as proven by Rude’s moving time of a punishing 5 hours and 4 minutes on Sunday.
Rude was on the chase with Jesse Melamed the entire weekend, sitting in second place until the last stage. He closed the gap to three seconds with two stages left on the day. Melamed reclaimed some time on Stage 4 and sealed his win on Stage 5, where Rude blew off a tire within the first 40 seconds. Rude’s trailside repair took about three and a half minutes - enough to push him off the podium, finishing 44th.
“It was a tough day battling Jesse; he was super motivated and going quick. I felt good and was bagging a lot of 2nd places. I felt pretty confident on the final stage, but I peeled the tire off the rim, and that was a day done for me. I would have been happy with 2nd, but I got some points on the board with the Queen Stage win."Richie Rude
Baraona took 8th in the Pro Stage and had a solid base to build off for day two of racing. She built momentum early on Sunday, gaining a place (P7) on Stage One and taking the win on Stage Two, her first stage win outside of her home race of Tweed Valley. On the day's final stage, Bex successfully completed one of the largest drops in EWS competition. “I have been going through it in my head, how I needed to hit that drop, and I did it! It felt like falling off a house. I was buzzing, and it gave me a big boost.” After battling out all six stages on what she said were the best tracks the EWS has chosen all year long, Baraona ended the day in 6th.
"I have been going through it in my head, how I needed to hit that drop, and I did it! It felt like falling off a house. I was buzzing, and it gave me a big boost."Bex Baraona
Yeti / FOX Devo rider Jack Brown rode consistently quick and finished as the fastest U.S. rider claiming 6th in U21 for his debut EWS appearance. “Oh yeah, we’re fired up now. The first one is over, and we know what we need to do. Stoked to do it again next weekend.”
National Team athlete Kate Lawrence finished 20th overall with a 13th place finish on Stage One. Lawrence is steadily finding her track speed and race craft each EWS she finishes.
The team makes their way to Burke, Vermont, for the first of the final two North American rounds. The hunt for the series lead is heating up with four rounds left. See you next weekend.
Catch up on Round 3EWS.3 All or Nothing
