THE RACE ROCKER TOPS THE PODIUM – TWICE!

Joseph Gray on the Thyone Dixence course.  Photo: Jean Louis Bal

The first two weeks of August have been busy for SCOTT's athletes.  With races ranging from the Swiss Alps to the mountains of Idaho, Joseph Gray, Sage Canaday, and Kevin Everett have been racing their hardest.  With two wins, one 2nd place finish, and one hard-fought lesson, SCOTT athletes prove their dominance not only on the course but as elite competitors who are forces to be reckoned with.

Joseph Gray - Thyone Dixence 2nd place

On Sunday, August 4th, Joseph Gray competed in the 32nd Thyone Dixence race.  The 16km course, ranging between 6890ft elevation all the way up to 8038ft, follows mountain paths and roads through the Swiss Alps.  Facing a strong international field, Joseph ran a strong race.  Clad in his new T2 Kinabalus, Joe eventually overtook the leaders, jumping from 5th place to 1st place.  However, once he hit the high altitude of Mirador towards the end of the race, the thin air took a toll on Joseph and he lost his lead.  After descending from Mirador, Joseph was able to regain his strength and finish strong only seconds behind the winner.  Finishing in 1 hour, 11 minutes, 8 seconds, Joseph was only 33 seconds behind winner Juan Carlos Cardona Rios.  With a confident 2nd place under his belt, Joseph was excited about his results at Thyone Dixence and how he would translate them into his next challenge at the Glacier 3000.

Joseph Gray - Glacier 3000 Champion

Joe Gray heading to the finish line.  Photo: Sieger

Only 6 days later, Joseph headed to Gstaad to compete in the Glacier 3000, also known as "The Run of the Alps."  Facing 26km and more than 6000ft of climbing, Joseph took the confidence he gained from Thyone Dixence and put it to work.  Switching it up from his usual T2 Kinabalus, Joseph hit the course--a combination of asphalt, dirt trails, and actual glacier--with his Race Rockers.  Establishing a good lead within the first 20k with only moderate climbing, Joseph built enough of a lead to hold off the pack as he approaced the glacier.  After enjoying several kilometers of beautiful scenery and a tour of the Bernese Alps, Joseph reported that the glacier was extremely difficult to ascend.  With "legs like lead and high altitude to make matters worse," Joseph pushed on and finished victorious in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 51 seconds.  Next up for Joe, he will take a few weeks to tour around Europe before racing in the World Championships in Poland on September 8.

Kevin Everett - Emmett Triathlon Course Record

To launch the second half of his race season, Kevin Everett headed to the Emmett Triathlon, Idaho's premier Olympic distance race.  On Friday, August 9 Kevin stormed the competition and nailed the race, finishing in 1 hour,  49 minutes, 24 seconds.  Setting a new course record and shaving almost 3 minutes off his previous course record, Kevin looks to take his win and roll it into greater success as he heads to the Chicago Triathlon.  Known as the world's largest triathlon, the Chicago Triathlon hosts more than 9,000 competitors on August 25.

Sage Canaday - Seierre-Zinal, Lessons for a Champion

Sage Canaday as he led Sierre-Zinal in the early stages

Also trying his hand at the Swiss Alps, Sage Canaday set out to race the Sierre-Zinal on Sunday, August 11.  Also known as the Race of Five 4,000m Peaks, the Sierre-Zinal is one of the finest mountain races in the world.  2013 marked the 40th anniversary of this prestigious race, and Sage's first attempt at this 31k mountainous course, but Sunday was not Sage's day.  Facing extreme muscle fatigue and cramping, Sage could not maintain the lead he established after the first 2k.  With a possible 2nd wind halfway through the course, Sage's spirits picked up, but it was only temporary as the pain in his legs would return and he would slowly make his way to the finish.  Placing 14th, Sage takes his experience at Sierre-Zinal as a lesson both in European mountain racing and about his own body.  Ever the consummate learner and competitor, Sierre-Zinal will only make Sage a better athlete and a better racer.  For now, he has a few weeks to rest and recover before heading to the Jungfrau Marathon in Switzerland.

Upcoming from SCOTT Athletes

The remainder of August will play host to several other important races for SCOTT's premier athletes.

Ian Sharman will race in his 3rd 100 mile race this summer.  After 4 weeks of recovery from the Vermont 100, Ian heads to the Leadville 100 in pursuit of his Grand Slam title and another strong 100 mile finish.

Meghan Arbogast heads to Europe for two events.  On Saturday, August 24, Meghan will compete in the SCOTT-sponsored Matterhorn ULTRAKS in Zermatt, Switzerland.  From there, Meghan will head to the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB) in Chamonix, France, held on August 30.