| Submitted by Diann Clothier
Going in to the NORBA National Mountain Bike Series Championship Races at Durango, CO this weekend, the members of Team Bon Jovi/WV are sitting pretty with Pro Rider Jenny Smith ranked 11th in the XC and STXC, Men's Expert rider Steve Thaxton ranked 2nd in XC and STXC, and Men's Expert Rider Joey Riddle ranked 1st in XC and 4th in STXC. Steve Thaxton returned to racing in early August after a June moto-cross accident which left him with 8 broken ribs and a broken collarbone.
Jenny Smith, a native of New Zealand who resides in Gunnison, CO, will represent Team Bon Jovi/WV for the New Zealand National Team in the World Championships at Les Gets, France this September.
Aside from the 3 automatic qualifications of Pro riders for the National Championships to be held in Mammoth Lake, CA in September (Jenny Smith, Mandi Riddle, and Bryan Fawley), 6 other team members have qualified to compete: Clay Evans (Semi-Pro), Steve Thaxton (Expert), Joey Riddle (Expert), Andrew Fetty (Jr. Expert), Wes Stafford (Sport), and Cai Clothier (Beginner 11-12). The team plans to field 4 riders at the National Championship Races.
On the home front, of the 10 riders competing in the WV Mountain Bike Association Point Series - a 16 race series which will end in September - all are ranked in the top 5 of their classes. There are still 3 races and the Championship to go (Holly River Revenge 8/29, ACE New River Bike Fest 9/4, Henry Clay 30K 9/12, and the Appalachian Classic - the Championship - 9/19), but Mandi Riddle (Women's Pro) and Andrew Fetty (Jr. Expert) hold 1st place in their classes, Bryan Fawley (Men's Pro), Mike Haid (Sport 26-34), Chris Flick (Sport 19-25)and Cai Clothier (Jr. Sport 14 and under) hold 2nd place, Joey Riddle (Men's Expert) and Courtney Dudley (Women's Expert) hold 4th place, and Steve Thaxton (Expert Vet) and Wes Stafford (Sport Vet) hold 5th place.
Team Bon Jovi/West Virginia is sponsored by Jon Bon Jovi (yes, the rock star!), Worldwide Chiropractic and Sports Medicine, Maple Creative, Charleston Bicycle Center, Kenda Tires. Cannondale, Pactimo, Fetty Intensive Training, Hydrapak, and Curve Socks. Please visit our web site at www.teamwvbonjovi.com for more information and contact information.
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