Marla Streb

After three long days of racing, the U.S. Championships wrapped up its four major pro events Sunday, as the day's only event — the downhill — elevated some and demolished others. Marla Streb and Cédric Gracia survived Mount Snow's muddy DH course to take victories in this final round, while Missy Giove and Jurgen Beneke took the overall series titles.

It was a tough day of racing for this international field, as 70 men and 26 women survived a tough track on their way through large and enthusiastic crowds. For some, the race was over before it began — as the world's second-ranked male racer Steve Peat crashed hard in training, breaking an arm and foot in the process. As the favorite for the win, it shows how difficult it was to navigate this course in these slippery conditions.

"It was sick, if you were on your breaks, you were going to crash..." — Marla Streb

Mount Snow's course is totally new this season, following the same general route as the previous track, but using much more open space across big flat rocks and off-camber grass turns. Toward the end it finally hits some twisting singletrack in the trees, then sends riders through a brutally tough rock garden set on a steep hill. It was hard enough during dry practice, but add water and it became a test of skill and handling just to stay up over the shiny granite.

	Missy Giove

Marla Streb knows about surviving tough conditions like these, she took her second NCS win since last season's technical Seven Springs victory. She's been riding well in the mud lately, and said that the key to winning today was just staying off the brakes.

"It was sick," said Streb. "If you were on your breaks, you were going to crash. The second you hit the brakes, the second you lose the bike. You had to get all your braking done before the big drops."

The other key to success for Streb was keeping her chin up, a technique she says maintains better balance. Whatever the reasons, she went faster than anyone both in qualifying and in the finals, and feels great for the pending Worlds, adding "I'm praying for muddy conditions."

	Cédric Gracia

Missy Giove finished second in a strong final run. Her qualifier had gone horribly as she twisted her bars and crashed on the final rock drop during the semis. But she stayed up in the finals to capture both silver for the day, as well as the NORBA national title for the season. "I'm pumped on the NORBA circuit these days," Giove offered.

Leigh Donovan had been leading the series coming into the finals, but a broken pedal in her final run relegated her to a 16th place finish and 4th overall in the series. Elke Brutsaert, who won the first two rounds, finished third Sunday and second overall for the season.

In the men's race, Frenchie Cédric Gracia took advantage of Peat's absence to rail the rocky course in his unique, semi-out-of-control style and take his first NCS win. Gracia loves tough courses like this, and has a world cup win on Italy's muddy course of similar terrain.

Jurgen Beneke had the early lead in the men's finals, and was displaced by Eric Carter, then Chris Kovarik with just three men remaining. While Kovarik proved that he's an excellent all-around racer, top-seeded Gracia held it together for both runs for the win. Shaums March had qualified second-fastest, and landed in 4th — his best result this season.

	Carter and Giove

With Beneke's 7th place finish, he eclipsed points-leader Myles Rockwell's lead for the national title. Rockwell missed the weekend's racing due to a serious infection caused by a cut knee several races ago. Beneke is German, so the top American — third ranked Eric Carter — is named the NORBA champion.

— Ari Cheren, with one circuit down, one to go... for MountainZone.com