EWS.6 '18 CRANKZILLA
STRIKES AGAIN

Round 6 of the EWS series had the Yeti-Fox team riders faceoff against what is dubbed 'Crankzilla'. A one-day race down five stages on some of the most technical trails in the world. Making conditions even tougher was the unusually dry weather turning the BC loam into dust and exposing ruts, rocks, and deep holes. Riders finished on what some consider the hardest stage in the entire EWS circuit, a 20 minute full on downhill from the Top of The World to the Whistler Village.

Richie was undaunted, as he a thrives in the dry conditions and right out of the gate he was pinned winning the first stage. He was poised to take the second stage until mid-way down he hit a tree. This tree trimming cost him some time and opened the door for a head to head battle with Martin Maes. Late in the day, from the Top of The World, they squared off for a showdown. A familiar position for Richie as he has claimed victory before in Whistler by winning the final stage, but unfortunately a flat towards the top of his run derailed such plans. Flats happen, and that is the painful reality of racing. Richie rode the flat all the way down to salvage his day for a 10th place finish overall. Teammate Shawn Neer and part-time Whistler local, had a heater of a final run to take 16th overall. Another consistent result for Shawn in his first full season of racing the EWS circuit.