Jill was thrilled with her performance in Monterey. “I have never had the full sweep at Sea otter, so this year was really special to be able to tick that goal off my list! There was a lot of pedaling on the “dh” course, so the magic really was in the fast rolling of my trail bike – the Norco “Sight”. Fox set it up with the sweet 34 fork up front, and a mini RC4 in the rear!. Good way to start the season:).”

Teammate Bryn Atkinson continued his comeback to racing following a broken Femur in the middle of last season with an 18th place in the slalom after qualifying 3rd and blowing a tire off the rim in finals. The Australian also scored a 42nd in the downhill after loosing the front end in a slippery section and going down.

“It’s nice to be back up to speed,” Atkinson said. “Qualifying 3rd in slalom was an indicator of that. I rolled my rear tire off in the first heat pushing hard, and that was all she wrote. I’m Looking forward to getting back on the Aurum dh bike to get ready for the next couple of races.”

South Africa is a long way from home, but such a nice place to visit for the people, wildlife, and scenery. The course is unique to the World Cup with an intense pedaling effort the middle of an already long 4-5 minute course. It’s not the most technical terrain, but it did prove to be extremely physical the whole way down. High speeds, tight wooded sections, and massive jumps.

Saturday night the skies opened up, making for some treacherous slippery conditions race morning. When the sun came out, so did the smiles.

“After a decent qualifying run, I knew there was still some time to make up for sunday. My goal was to get on that podium for the final by attacking early and pedaling as hard as I could in the flat section. I am really happy to get a 4th, and will continue to improve and learn from each race. Stoked to get my lovely Norco Aurum up on the box where it belongs, looking forward to the next one. “ Jill Said.

“I am really happy with the way I rode this weekend, my Aurum felt awesome on the high speed track. 24th was not the goal, but 8th at the first split show’s i’m headed in the right direction. I’m loving being back at the races! “ Bryn said.

The team is now back in Australia for a couple weeks before heading off to Sea Otter.

With the World Cup Downhill season only a few weeks away, this race was perfect to get a feel for competition against one the most talented country in our sport. With Names Like Sam Hill, Troy Brosnan, Chris Kovarik, Bryn Atkinson, Jared Graves, Rhys Willemse, Mitch Delfs, Tracey Hannah, etc, there was some serious depth to the elite fields. Juniors in OZ are on the radar as well, with times that place on elite podiums by the winner of under 19 male- Connor Fearon.
With four days of practice on a fairly basic course, race day was all about squeezing every bit of speed out of the track, staying hydrated, and keeping good traction on the loose skatey soil.

This course flowed along the ridge line up top exposing riders to wind, then dropped into a couple steep rocky shoots, followed by a little wooded section in the middle, a rock garden, then into some man made switchbacks and jumps. I thought it was fun to ride.

Spectators were pretty set up as well with a live camera feed of nearly the entire run of each rider. 3 minute intervals, 2 minute course. Big-screens always makes a great viewing event for the fans!! Another highlight was the wildlife in the trees, not every day you can stop on the side of a track, look up and see Koalas 2 feet from you munching on gum leaves

Back to racing:

Seeding was on the Saturday afternoon, 39 degrees out, filthy hot, I laid down a pretty strong run and came second by only .8 off Tracy Hannah who is a former World Cup winner. Primed for the final, I was making up time in a really solid race run when I got a rear flat towards the bottom of the run. Tracey took the win, and I still managed 2nd sliding all around, 8 seconds off.

Bryn’s final run was solid, it looked smooth and fast watching from the jumbotron. Clocking in more confidence and experienced race runs vs. World’s best downhillers, Bryn adds another podium to his collection for 5th place here. Just a small mistake in the rock garden cost him those fractions of time. I have video footage of the top 6, coming soon…

Troy Brosnan won the Elite Men’s title of Aussie Champ with what looked like a flawless run. Sam Hill finished 2nd to his teammate, while Rhys Willemse took 3rd, Chris Kovarik 4th, Bryn, Jared Graves 6th, Delfs 7th, Bryn’s little bro- Rhys Atkinson for 8th.

Leaving this race with 2 podiums and some good test time on our Aurum’s, we’re both looking forward to getting the World Cup season started off strong in South Africa.

Thanks again to all our sponsors!!!! We got a lot of people coming by to check out our bikes. big thanks to Norco Australia (Advanced Traders) for helping us out with the motor home! Best pit zone ever. On the way home, We drove along The great Ocean Road which is a sight not to be missed. Australian Coast line is beautiful. Glad we could combine a little life experience with business.

PHOTOS BY: Tim Bardsley-Smith bsphotography@hotmail.com and Jill Kintner

FULL RESULTS HERE: http://www.castech.com.au

We’d like to thank the following companies for their support:
Red Bull, NORCO Bicycles, Crank Brothers, Fox Racing Shox, Shimano, Renthal, Maxxis, 5.10, e*13, Dakine, Oakley, Fi:z’ik, Cane Creek, Motorex, Stan’s Tubeless, Alpinestars, Tld, Park Tool, Cti, and eSoles.

Team Norco International is a Satellite Downhill mountain bike race team consisting of 2 elite riders- Bryn Atkinson and Jill kintner. Founded in 2012, the aim of the program is to Dominate races Worldwide.

FB- facebook.com/teamnorcointernational
e. Jillkintner@gmail.com
w. www.jillkintner.com

age
wife, Mum, two kids, ex racer – still feel fresh!

favorite band
captain Twang and his rythm gang
www.captain-twang-and-his-rhythm-cat.de
old buddy from holger and ex mountainbike Photographer

favorite trail
so many…all the trails in the dolomites, now also one in the valaise in
switzerland-called “the brazilian”

favorite training ride
all the trails and tours around munich and in the nearby mountains

favorite race
transalp race was the most hardcore-did it five times, won it three times, enough
of this! I like very much the BC Bike Race and also the Transrockies Challenge

influential people
my Mum

motto
I try to enjoy every day at least some of the day and try to put mountainbiking on
the list for every day!

What is the craziest, most technical place you’ve ever ridden a bike?
karen: Most crazy – the first Transalp Challenge in 1998!

Do you remember a particular time when you were down ride terrified to try a
trick or hit a section of trail?
karen: Whistler Bikepark

You have a couple of young children. Do you plan to guide them in your
footsteps of freeride mountain biking?
karen: If they want – the older one is a girl, a princess, she is more into ballet,
just like her mom!!! The younger one does not go to bed without his like a bike.
Pumptrack was his first word. So I just let them go…

What do you consider the single most important piece of riding equipment?
karen: helmet and glasses

Tell us honestly, who’s the more stylish mountain biker, you or Holger?
karen: Me of course- or would you call Holger that he has a sexy mountainbike
style??

_____________________
Enough about bikes…

When you’re not riding on two-wheels, what are some things you like to do in
your free time?
karen: skiing, hiking with my kids

What was one of the best vacations you’ve ever taken?
karen: Barbados-last year, doing nothing except surfing and being with the kids in
the water!

Describe your ultimate pizza:
karen: easy! Tomatoes, rucola, parmigiano! And real buffalo Mozzarella Chees

Now describe your ultimate dessert:
karen: a chocolate cake which is outside hard, inside soft and warm! MMMHHH!

If you were a shoe, what kind of shoe would you be and why?

karen: a hiking shoe for extreme alpinist-maybe the shoe sponsor of Reinhold
Messner – in that way I would come to Himalaya once.

How about an animal. Which would you be?
karen: a cat, because people accept me to be moody!

What color most represents who you are?
karen: blue, a light strong blue

What’s the most important part of a sandwich?
karen: the cucumber and the mustard

_____________________
Now, pick one…

Chocolate or Vanilla?
karen: chocolate

Rats or Tarentulas?
karen: tarentulas

26 or 29?
karen: 29

Camping or Hotels?
karen: ***** Camping

Patch Tube or Replace?
karen: replace

Pancake or Waffle?
karen: pancake

Pig or Bacon?
karen: pig

Das Boot or Pub Glass?
karen: das boot

Big Bird or Cookie Monster?
karen: cookie monster

_____________________
Finally, any shout-outs to people who’ve helped pave the way for you?

My favorite Photographer Heinz Endler, who lives now in Baja California as a surfer;
he helped me finding Holger and made me a good bike model!

My sponsor Scott who believed in me –believd in me racing, after racing, after
becoming a mom and still does!

Holger – who believed in me being a mountainbiker and a mom.

My brother, my mom and my dad!

What is the craziest, most technical place you’ve ever ridden a bike?
holger: I think there is some crazy stuff in in B.C for example, but honestly we have some crazy old military trails in the alps, and maybe the haute route I did with hans rey and scott markewitz had some pretty gnarly terrain

Do you remember a particular time when you were down ride terrified to try a trick or hit a section of trail?
holger: I do not do tricks, but it can get sketchy when its wet in the woods. I think the most scariest moment was when I broke my handlebar at the Downhill World Cup in Kaprun. I came full speed into this forest section with a jump, when I landed I thought to myself, oh man , this new rockshox fork has lots of travel , when I realized what happened I was already tumbling down the mountain. Lucky me , I did not get hurt, instead I collected both Ends of the bar, and maneuvered down to the finish line.

You have a couple of young children. Do you plan to guide them in your footsteps of freeride mountain biking?
holger: no we do not paln anything , we like to take them out on a ride. And our youngest son , he really loves his bike, he is playing around on the pumptrack all day long.

What do you consider the single most important piece of riding equipment?
holger: well , I guess it’s the bike, what do you think?

Tell us honestly, who’s the more stylish mountain biker, you or Karen?
holger: Ask Karen…

_____________________
Enough about bikes…

When you’re not riding on two-wheels, what are some things you like to do in your free time?
holger: I love skking in the wintertime, but in the off season I also like to work on my surfing skills, and try to spend some time with my family.

What was one of the best vacations you’ve ever taken?
holger: it was Barbados, last fall. Surf , beach , family , relax! Awesome, and now we are on our way to Hawaii, even more awesome!

Describe your ultimate pizza:
holger: my favourite is : Rucola, Funghi Porcini and Bresaola, its called Valtellina and its like the riding there, really good

Now describe your ultimate dessert:
holger: everything , as long as it is chocolate

If you were a shoe, what kind of shoe would you be and why?
holger: I would be a hiking boot, high up in the Himalaya, just to see the place and be on top of the world

How about an animal. Which would you be?
holger: hmmh, could be the dolphin in the ocean, surfing waves and gliding through the water or some kind of bird high up in the alpine, using the wind to glide away

What color most represents who you are?
holger: that might blue, green and some earthy colors, I do not know if they represent me , but I feel good in them

What’s the most important part of a sandwich?
holger: the bread , the spread, the ham the cheese and the salad and the veggies, you have to see the whole mountain

_____________________
Now, pick one…

Chocolate or Vanilla?
holger: chocolate

Rats or Tarentulas?
holger: Rats

26 or 29?
holger: 26

Camping or Hotels?
holger: hard one, job Hotel , freetime camping

Patch Tube or Replace?
holger: replace

Pancake or Waffle?
holger: pancake

Pig or Bacon?
holger: What?

Das Boot or Pub Glass?
holger: what? Athough it was a good movie

Big Bird or Cookie Monster?
holger: Cookie Monster

_____________________
Finally, any shout-outs to people who’ve helped pave the way for you?
holger: thanks to everyone who helped me along, thanks to Karen , and my partners and sponsors like Scott, Crankbrothers ,Sram, Fizik, Conti, Ergon , Oakley, 661 its great to work with you guys, keep on riding

age
i was born when the porsche 912 turned into the 911

favorite band
id say the smashing pumpkins, led zepplin and some all time classic rockn roll bands, I also like some electronic and alternative stuff

favorite trail
there are too many to list , but i will ride a book about it, and I really like the ötztal in austria, the dolomites and lake garda in Italy, and the riding in canada, and of course the riding in socal, san juan trail was agreat one last time I rode it

favorite race
I kind a like the transalp challnge the best, I did it 13 times, but never on a bicyle, always on my moto as a sweeper, and ist great to see all the teams grinding their way over the alps.
On a mountain bike I like the concept of the redbull trailfox , it offers fun and good riding

favorite rider/influences
when I started biking , I got into xc racing, and I liked it, I saw tomac winning, he had a big influence on europe, back in the days, then I turned to DH Racing for 10 Years and did the world cup, great time, good people. In 2000 Scott made me an offer as an ambassador and freerider, so I quit racing but I am still loving it. There are some people out there who really do a good for the sport , like frischi, hans, hb, richie, peaty, etc., they just love the sport and the lifestyle and thats great for everybody who is coming into this world

motto
keep the flow

Day 1 – Amateur start. I crashed myself (and fortunately only myself) in the first sweeping corner. I broke a plastic course stake which lodged itself around my handlebar, but luckily have nothing else to show for my tumble. It turns out I ran my tire pressure a little too low for the course conditions. I crashed when my tubular tire gave way riding through an off camber divot. This left me DFL and fired up to salvage something of the race. So I chased my heart out. Three laps later I had ridden my way up to fifth, but first through fourth were long gone. So I hung in there for fifth. Luckily, top-five get to share the podium so that was a nice surprise. Even if it made me look short.

Day 2 – Repeat of Day 1 without the handicapped start, which made my fifth place slightly disappointing. Only slightly. I’m taking this cross-scapade day-by-day, no expectations, each race as an opportunity to learn and have fun.

It was apparent that my cross practice also took a two week break. At Spooky Cross, I lost quite a bit of time and confidence over the barriers, up the run-up, and through the sand-pit. The difference at the Planet Bike Cup is that I had recently practiced re-mounts, dis-mounts, and shouldering repeatedly. I had also prepared with off-the-bike drills to help increase my leg speed (my short legs have to be quick!). Practice always helps. And a lack-of-practice hurt at Spooky Cross.

Now TJ and are back in Tucson. It feels good to be home.

That whoosh of German cars humming by doesn’t get old and it sends a shudder through our car as it quickly buzzes by. Kind of like how my start was at the Tábor World Cup. After last weekend’s finish I moved from 27th in the world to 22nd and was lucky to have a 2nd row start. I blew my start, but at least I made the slow start look good with my new baby blue Hakkalügi. The first 2 laps I seemed to constantly be in the wrong place at the wrong time, almost fighting past a rider but getting pinched at the last microsecond resorting to grabbing a handful of brakes and starting at zero mph in one of my hardest gears. Or you know how sometimes you’re in the perfect spot when someone crashes in front of you to narrowly sneak by? I was never in that spot. My legs and handling were good, but I wasn’t thinking ahead of the course and ahead of my bike.

About half way through the race I was able to grasp onto a bit of thinking whilst propelling my bike forward. I joined the English-speaking train that had formed of Mo, Nicole, Meredith and Gabby Day. We reeled in a group in front of us and would vie for lucky number 13 through about 20th. In the end Meredith and I were clear and closing in on 11th & 12th but never latched on and I settled for 13th. What is it about us English-speakers wanting to be in the same place at the same time? The night prior to our race the majority of us stumbled into the same Indian restaurant in the square of Tábor. Mo and Matt joined us for a lovely pre-race curry. Those two are two of my favorite in our cycling world, a class-act-duo.

The memories I had of Tábor were from the World Champs a couple years ago, a circuit covered in snow, ice & death ruts. This year, though still quite chilly, and still very challenging with the circuit’s use of the hillside, it was fast ground, railed corners and a slight switch-up to the Worlds circuit. The US again had a strong presence, this time with more riders coming in for the men’s race, and with adopted-American Katka taking a home-town win. I said good-bye to all my compatriots as they fly home to the states for Boulder Cup this weekend. And our 9-hour drive commenced, and I was home & in bed just a bit after midnight. Next Sunday is the second Superprestige in Zonhoven, just a hop & a skip from Begijnendijk.