Cody Tapley has been Mr. Consistency on the road all year, top-10 in nearly every criterium entered and a hard working selfless teammate. That top step of the podium has eluded him -- until now. Tapley wins the 2Wheel Crit in impressive fashion and upgrades to Cat 2. Congrats, Cody!
Kate Courtney takes her second consecutive Junior National XC Title
The 2011 National Championships also marks the third straight year the team has participated in a high altitude training camp in preparation for the main event. Riders follow Whole Athlete's holistic philosophy as they live, train and race together for three weeks, practicing daily yoga, following optimal nutrition and sharing epic rides.
Lake Tahoe provided the perfect setting for the team's high altitude training camp
The training camp included multiple race opportunities, and the juniors showed their preparation was already paying off. Whole Athlete-Specialized Junior men and women were victorious in all three pre-Nationals races: Annadel XC Classic (Lucas Newcomb & Josie Nordrum), Peavine Challenge (Taylor Smith & Kate Courtney) and Downieville Classic XC (Max Houtzager & Kate Courtney). All the team's top-10 race results are available here.
Junior Women at the Peavine Challenge in Reno, NV
Lucas Newcomb wins the Junior 15/16 National XC Title
Whole Athlete-Specialized 2011 National Championships Results Tally:
6 National Titles
17 Top-3 Finishes
20 Podium Placings
26 Top-10 Finishes
*****
Day 1
Cross Country
Junior Men 15/16
Lucas Newcomb 1st
Junior Women 15/16
Kate Courtney 1st
Josie Nordrum 3rd
Junior Men 17/18
Keegan Swenson 2nd
Max Houtzager 4th
Taylor Smith 6th
Junior Women 17/18
Sofia Hamilton 3rd
Mackinzie Stanley 6th
Victoria Yoham 7th
U23 Men
Will Curtis 10th
*****
Day 2
Cross Country
Cat 1 40-44
Dario Fredrick 1st
Cat 1 40-44 Women
Helene Drumm 1st
Cat 1 45-49 Women
Julia Violich 1st
Cat 1 35-39 Women
Abbie Durkee 5th
*****
Day 3
Super-D
Junior Men
Bobby Zidek 2nd
Taylor Smith 3rd
Max Houtzager 7th
Junior Women
Kate Courtney 2nd
Victoria Yoham 3rd
Mackinzie Stanley 4th
Cat 1 40+ Women
Helene Drumm 1st
Cat 1 19-39 Women
Abbie Durkee 2nd
Day 3
Short Track
Junior Men
Keegan Swenson 2nd
Taylor Smith 4th
Cat 1 Open Women
Helene Drumm 2nd
Sofia Hamilton 9th
Keegan Swenson 2nd and Taylor Smith 4th in Junior 15-18 Short Track
Kate Courtney 2nd, Victoria Yoham 3rd and Mackinzie Stanley 4th in Junior Women's Super-D
Bobby Zidek 2nd and Taylor Smith 3rd in Junior Super-D
Helene Drumm wins the 40+ Super-D National Title
Helene Drumm on the podium, taking second in Women's Open Short Track
Abbie Durkee takes 2nd place in Women's 19-39 Super-D
Whole Athlete-Specialized National Championship Top-10 Results
Day 3: Super-D
Junior Men
Bobby Zidek 2nd
Taylor Smith 3rd
Max Houtzager 7th
Junior Women
Kate Courtney 2nd
Victoria Yoham 3rd
Mackinzie Stanley 4th
Cat 1 40+ Women
Helene Drumm 1st
Cat 1 19-39 Women
Abbie Durkee 2nd
Short Track
Junior Men
Keegan Swenson 2nd
Taylor Smith 4th
Cat 1 Open Women
Helene Drumm 2nd
Sofia Hamilton 9th
*****
Day 2: Cross Country
Cat 1 40-44
Dario Fredrick 1st
Cat 1 40-44 Women
Helene Drumm 1st
Cat 1 45-49 Women
Julia Violich 1st
Cat 1 35-39 Women
Abbie Durkee 5th
*****
Day 1: Cross Country
Junior Men 15/16
Lucas Newcomb 1st
Junior Women 15/16
Kate Courtney 1st
Josie Nordrum 3rd
Junior Men 17/18
Keegan Swenson 2nd
Max Houtzager 4th
Taylor Smith 6th
Junior Women 17/18
Sofia Hamilton 3rd
Mackinzie Stanley 6th
Victoria Yoham 7th
U23 Men
Will Curtis 10th
Julia Violich, Dario Fredrick and Helene Drumm all win National Titles
Team Director Dario Fredrick earns his third consecutive 40-44 National Title
Helene Drumm repeats as 40-44 National Champion
Julia Violich takes yet another National Title
Abbie Durkee takes a solid 5th place, landing on the podium for the second year
Whole Athlete-Specialized National Championship Top-10 Results
Day 2: Cross Country
Cat 1 40-44
Dario Fredrick 1st
Cat 1 40-44 Women
Helene Drumm 1st
Cat 1 45-49 Women
Julia Violich 1st
Cat 1 35-39 Women
Abbie Durkee 5th
*****
Day 1: Cross Country
Junior Men 15/16
Lucas Newcomb 1st
Junior Women 15/16
Kate Courtney 1st
Josie Nordrum 3rd
Junior Men 17/18
Keegan Swenson 2nd
Max Houtzager 4th
Taylor Smith 6th
Junior Women 17/18
Sofia Hamilton 3rd
Mackinzie Stanley 6th
Victoria Yoham 7th
U23 Men
Will Curtis 10th
Kate Courtney earns her second consecutive 15/16 National Title - Josie Nordrum takes bronze 
Lucas Newcomb earns the Junior Men's 15/16 National Title
Keegan Swenson 2nd and Max Houtzager 4th in Junior 17/18
Sofia Hamilton on the podium once again with the bronze medal in Women's 17/18
Whole Athlete-Specialized National Championship Top-10 Results
Day 1: Cross Country
Junior Men 15/16
Lucas Newcomb 1st
Junior Women 15/16
Kate Courtney 1st
Josie Nordrum 3rd
Junior Men 17/18
Keegan Swenson 2nd
Max Houtzager 4th
Taylor Smith 6th
Junior Women 17/18
Sofia Hamilton 3rd
Mackinzie Stanley 6th
Victoria Yoham 7th
U23 Men
Will Curtis 10th
Kate Courtney earns the 2010 Cat 1 15/16 National Title
Two current Junior National Champions are returning to defend their titles in Kate Courtney and Keegan Swenson. Both riders are fresh off strong race performances in the last two weeks, with Courtney winning both the Peavine Challenge and Downieville XC, and Swenson taking top-5 finishes in both North American World Cups in Mont Sainte Anne and Windham, NY.
Swenson looks to repeat his 2010 National Title, this time in the 17/18 field
The team comes to Nationals well prepared after a three-week high altitude training camp. Eight Cat 1 Junior Men (six 17/18 and two 15/16 riders), five Cat 1 Junior Women (three 17/18 and two 15/16 riders) and four U23s will line up for a shot at the title starting tomorrow.
Whole Athlete-Specialized National Championship Team
U23 Men
Zach Valdez
Will Curtis
Will Patterson
Riley Predum
Junior Men 17/18
Keegan Swenson
Tony Smith
Max Houtzager
Taylor Smith
Eliel Anttila
Bobby Zidek
Junior Men 15/16
Lucas Newcomb
Jonny Kaufman
Junior Women 17/18
Sofia Hamilton
Mackinzie Stanley
Victoria Yoham
Junior Women 15/16
Kate Courtney
Josie Nordrum
The Downieville Classic is truly a classic event, boasting one of the most challenging cross country races in the country and Whole Athlete-Specialized Juniors showed up ready to race. On a course that includes a continuous 3000 foot climb right from the start, followed by over 4000 feet of highly technical and physically demanding descending to the finish, the Juniors swept the top three places. 
Max Houtzager, Taylor Smith & Lucas Newcomb go 1-2-3 in the Cross Country
Houtzager takes 2nd in the Downhill and 2nd overall in All Mountain
As the Junior men showed their mountain biking prowess, 16-year-old Kate Courtney followed suit with a dominant performance, not only winning the Expert Women under 35 race, but placing 3rd among all the women, inlcuding a strong field of pros.
Kate Courtney wins the Expert Women Under-35 race
On the opposite coast, Keegan Swenson took his second 5th place World Cup finish in as many weeks, this time in Windham, NY. Swenson was in contention for the win, when a last lap flat ended his chance for the podium. A strong finish despite finishing on a rear flat.
The entire team now comes together in Sun Valley, ID this week for the National Championships with Cross Country events on Friday and Saturday, and Super-D and Short Track on Sunday. Stay tuned for more exciting news from Idaho...
With the Downieville Classic coming up this weekend, the boys decided to pre-ride the course. We loaded the vans and headed over the hills and down along the Yuba River to the mountain hamlet.
A long, hot climb greeted us with open arms, gaining 3000 feet in one shot, topping out at 7000.
The huge amounts of late-season snow turned into melting rivers of mud and overflowing creeks, but spirits were far from dampened.
3.5 hours and 5000 feet of climbing later and the boys are ready for a river plunge and food!
Junior women sweep: Kate Courtney 1st,
Junior men: Taylor Smith & Lucas Newcomb go 1-2
Meanwhile, in Mont Sainte Anne, Canada, Keegan Swenson was the top US junior at the World Cup #4 with a strong 5th place finish. Swenson now has his eyes on the podium at World Cup #5 next weekend in Windham, NY.
