SSWC 2009 Durango – Results and everything!

Around 1000 singlespeeders descended on Durango this weekend for the 12th Singlespeed World Championships. There were pro racers (including the likes of Ned Overend, Travis Brown and ex-pro Greg Herbold – all local boys), fancy dress racers, earnest racerboys and slack good time riders. The course was around 25 miles and had more climbing than is good for you at 6,500ft – but it also had some super fun, technical descents that everyone seemed to enjoy.

We’ve not seen the official results (though the SSWC website has some patently made up ones up at the moment, but here’s what we reckon some of them are based on asking the locals. We’ll post the proper results when we get hold of them.

Men’s race:
1st Ross Schnell
2nd Matt Shriver
3rd Carl Decker
4th Ned Overend
5. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski

(Travis Brown was leading the race at the halfway point, but crashed and was forced to retire.)

Women

1. Heather Irminger
2. Shonny Van Landingham
3. Kelli Emmet

The official SSWC 2009 site is here: http://sswc09.wordpress.com/

Singlespeed fans gather at the Irish Embassy bar for an impromptu ‘run what you brung’ handbuilt bike show. Around 30 bikes and hundreds of riders crammed into the tiny bar.

All sorts of disparate bike makers were showing their bikes. Obviously, all were singlespeeds.

Local boy Greg Herbold was racing this old school Miyata Unified Rear Triangle bike – how about that Tioga Disc Wheel? A veteran of many races from the early ’90s.

Beer – yes, beer is a bit of a unifying theme at any SSWC event.

The town of Durango, Colorado is used to welcoming tourists and aren’t phased at all by having 1000 singlespeeders take over the town.

DJ Birch – a veteran of many SSWCs outside Durango Cyclery, the unofficial, official Race HQ.

Everyone from bike shops, bars and this book shop have made an effort to make the riders feel welcome.

Travis Brown, relaxing on Thursday with one of his many custom Trek singlespeeds in the foreground.

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