Its been a long eleven weeks since we raced Pine Hill on April 2nd, but man did we all get a treat at Pine Glen Farms this weekend!
The Ridge Sprint takes place in an area of rural New York State that is absolutely beautiful and seems like it was made for enduro. After the first four events being in New Jersey, Pine Glen Farms seemed like a whole different world compared to the Southern Jersey Pine lands that we started the season with. Lots of woods with significant elevation changes, rocks, slate stone, grass tracks, creek runs, and lots of single track. The location, the terrain, the race format, and the course layout combined for one of the best and one of a kind races out there. Test One was the longest of the day. This test is truly unique and I don’t know of anything else like it. Start out on the grass track, then through an old slate quarry, then woods single track, then through what has been referred to as “The Cork screw”, “The Wine Screw”, “ The Ying Yang”, “ The Alien Crops Circle” and lastly “The RRMC Vomit Comet”. Then back into the woods for some technical riding and then back to the grass track to the finish.
Test Two was the most technical. Almost entirely in the woods with lots of tight single track, lots of rocks, roots and stumps to keep your adrenaline going, then up through a cool rocky creek bed and back to some flowing single track to finish.
Test Three was similar to test two but with some really good elevation changes as we rode through the woods and up and down the side of the mountain with lots of rocks, roots and off camber adding to the challenge and the fun factor.
We were lucky to have great weather for the Ridge this year. Yes there was dust and lots of it, but the dry weather and cooler temps made for an excellent day.
Dominick Morse (Husq) took the overall win
Hunter Bush (Gas Gas) took Second
Kyle McDonal (Beta) was on the podium in 3 rd .
Ranger Emmons (Gas Gas) took the overall in A class.
Clayton Robbins (KTM) took the overall in B class
Mark Balogh (Husq) took the overall in C class.
Samantha Bird (Husq) took first in Women’s class
Dennis Fitzgerald (KTM) took first in Masters Class
Duke Finch (KTM) took first in The Golden Class
Lastly, Thank you to RRMC for putting on an amazing event. Everyone I spoke to during and after the race was raving about the Fun Factor of this event! The course layout was a well thought out mix of flow and technical terrain. The Quarry area and the Ying Yang Vomit Comet are unique features of this race that make it one of a kind. All around event organization was top notch.
Most importantly, the pre-race rider information was impeccable. Providing the section lengths and average speeds for each class was much appreciated by all. I personally wish this was standard practice for sprint enduros.
See You at Barbed Wire next month, and don’t forget that both Barbed Wire and Rattlesnake Enduro registration open this Wednesday.
Pig Pen
Photos curteousy of Lorenzo Hines and Kaitlyn Tooke