Big crowds gathered to watch head to head racing in the rolling hills of Monterey.
The rowdiest section of spectators. They have nothing on Heckler’s Rock though.
Cam Zink loves racing. Always has. Always will.
Some chose to watch from a long way away.
A tandem “race” kicked things off.
Mitch Ropelato showed early signs of dominance.
Throwback Fox guy was throwing some beers and beer slings back to the crowd.
Unfortunately Connor Fearon and Cody Warren got knocked out a bit early.
Bryn Atkinson – master of corners.
Last year’s winner Cody Kelly had big shoes to fill.
Adam Craig – doing it all on one bike.
Mick Hannah – pure aggression.
Needles and Kovarik – I’m sure they’ve lined up before. Andrew would go on to take 4th.
Needles – stylish as ever.
Anneke Beerten slapping turns into second place for the women.
This track is tired.
Eye in the sky.
No stoppies for Bernard Kerr today. Third on the day aboard his Pivot mach six. He’s racing DH on the same bike today.
D-Riff – spectatin’ hard.
It was cool to see BMX legend Mike Day out there getting after it.
Winning.
Jill Kintner would go on to take Anneke Beerten down and win the women’s race.
…And it all came down to Mitch Ropelato and Martin Maes in the men’s. Tight racing.
18 year old phenom Martin Maes would go on to win the Sea Otter Slalom.
After the race things got rowdy.
Then they got quiet.