FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival Sunday Recap

CABLE, WIS. - Jack Hinkens captured his first ever Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival victory, cruising to an overall win in the Cable Crit-Cross and Megan Lennon (Behind Bars) did the same in the four-lap short track race.

Jay "Hollywood" Henderson grabbed the hole shot on the first lap of the final, racing for the first obstacle, a narrow bridge, as the field of 20 riders bottlenecked behind him, including Hinkens (Trek Coop) and eventual second place finisher Jake Richards (Maplelag).

By the second lap, Hinkens of Eden Prairie, Minn. had bolted to the lead on his cyclocross bike, with Richards, Henderson and Matthew Wenzel (Maplelag) in pursuit. Richards would gain on Hinkens bunny hopping onto the first barrier while Hinkens would dismount and run. In the end, Hinkens and his rigid cross bike prevailed over Richards and his dual-suspended mountain bike as Hinkens increased his lead each of the four laps, eventually winning by almost 20 seconds.

"Jake's good technically," said Hinkens, referring to Richards' barrier jumping. "But the cross bike is the way to go. It's a lot faster."

Wenzel of Fargo, N.D. and Casey Hildebrandt of (Expo) were third and fourth.

In the women's Crit-Cross, Lennon won a close race over Jeanne Fleck of Proctor, Minn. Lennon completed the four-lap final in 11:35.3 with Fleck six seconds back. Kristy Henderson (Hollywood Cycles) nabbed third place, and Kari Gates of Duluth was fourth, as Minnesota riders swept the top four places.

Trent Warner of Elk River, Minn. and Keely Jackson of Hayward, Wis. took the Cable Crit-Cross consolation races.

Judge Jerry Wright of Hayward, Wis. won a competitive Rough Stuff Poker Ride, completing the orienteering course in exactly 48 minutes. Wright was trailed in by Bill de Vries II of Andover, Minn. in 49:29:0 and Gregg Pattison of Lakeville, Minn. in 49:29.6. John Manders, a former Rough Stuff winner, finished fourth.

Elise Manders grabbed the women's Rough Stuff title, blazing the course in 52:10.4. The Manitowoc, Wis. rider was followed by Teri Behrs of Verona, Wis. in 58:10.1 and Chris Bennett-Gagner of Coon Rapids, Minn. in 1:2731.1.

See itiming.com for complete Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival results.