UW Mountain Bike Club Members among Leaders at National Championships

October 29, 2013

University of Wyoming mountain bike club team members Linnea Dixson and Jill Behlen placed in each of the four events to finish in the top five of the Division I women's individual omnium at last weekend’s USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships.

Overall, the combined UW women’s and men’s teams scored enough points to place 10th in the national championships held at Beech Mountain, N.C.

Dixson, of Steamboat Springs, Colo., placed third overall with 308 combined points in the four mountain bike events -- downhill, short track, cross-country and team relay. Behlen, Boulder, Colo., who won the overall omnium title a year ago, placed fifth with 281 combined points in the four events.  Fort Lewis College (Durango, Colo.) rider Sofia Gomez Villafane was the overall champion with 357 points, while teammate Brittany Clawson claimed runner-up honors with 329 points.

As a team, UW’s mountain bike club placed 10th with 291 points, while Fort Lewis College defended its national title with 732 total points. Marian University (Oldenburg, Ind.) finished second with 658 points and Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., was third with 646 team points.

A total of 40 Division I schools competed in the three days of competition.

Individually, in the women’s Division I short track competition, Dixson had her best overall performance, just missing out on the bronze medal, placing fourth. Behlen took 11th. Tyler Kjorstad, Duluth, Minn., came in 32nd in the men’s Division I race.

In the cross-country competition, Dixson was the fifth best overall rider; Behlen came in seventh; and Kjorstad placed 28th in the men’s category.

Behlen placed 11th in the dual slalom competition, while Dixson finished in 20th.

Competing in the downhill race, Behlen placed 14th and Dixson was four places back.

In the men’s downhill category, UW team members Weston Walker and Logan Walker, both from Taylorsville, Utah, placed 23rd and 26th, respectively.

In the team relay competition, the UW team of Behlen, Dixson and Kjorstad combined to place sixth overall.

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