Downieville Classic 2025 – Nieuwesteeg and Nash Win All-Mountain

DOWNIEVILLE — Last weekend saw the return of the Downieville Classic Mountain Bike Race for its 27th running. Saturday featured the 26.5-mile cross-country race, with an 8-mile, 3,000 vertical-foot climb from Sierra City to Packer Saddle, followed by a 15-mile descent to the finish in Downieville. The course was, however, slightly modified from previous years due to heat concerns from organizers. Sunday capped off the event with the downhill from Packer Saddle straight to town. The All-Mountain title combines the positions for both races to crown the ultimate champions of the weekend.

The races were split into a number of categories, though only Pro, Expert, and Singlespeed Open racers compete for the All-Mountain title. In Saturday’s race, 20-year-old Dan English took the win in the Pro Men’s category with a time of 1:55:46.5, making the climb from Sierra City to Packer Saddle in 49:24. English averaged 13.7 miles per hour, but he did not compete in Sunday’s downhill, disqualifying him from the All-Mountain title. Second-place Carter Nieuwesteeg, with a time of 1:57:52.2, carried the fastest time into Sunday’s race.

Katerina Nash, a Downieville Classic regular and 6-time All-Mountain title winner, won in the Pro Women’s category, crossing the line in 2:24:17.2, with a climb time of 1:05:22. Nash was less than two minutes ahead of second-place Amy Henchoz, finding the difference in the downhill portion of the race. Singlespeed Open—a notoriously challenging category—was taken by Nicolas Jimenez, with a time of 2:22:37.

On Sunday, Evan Geankoplis was fastest down the hill with a time of 44:58 and an average speed of 20 miles per hour. Katerina Nash swept her category, with a time of 52:01—more than three minutes faster than the second-place finisher, who was again Amy Henchoz. Nash secured her 7th All-Mountain title at the Downieville Classic. The fastest singlespeeder on Sunday was Scott Chapin, who finished in 49:16.

In total, 640 racers competed in Saturday’s cross-country race, and only eight failed to finish. The oldest racer was 72-year-old Michael Koppe, who finished with a time of 3:39:19. Two 13-year-olds were the youngest: Matthew Russell, who had a time of 2:34:07.4, and Bendeguz Juracz, with a time of 3:07:50.0. The last to cross the line on Saturday was Vicente Blat, who finished in 5:35:07.5.

All-Mountain podiums by category were as follows, with times for the cross-country and downhill races respectively. Positions are relative only to other two-day All-Mountain competitors.

Pro Men

Carter Nieuwesteeg – 1:57:52 (first), 45:46 (third)

Geoff Kabush – 2:01:09 (third), 45:04 (second)

Tobin Ortenblad – 1:59:02 (second), 45:48 (fourth)

Pro Women

Katerina Nash – 2:24:17 (first), 52:01 (first)

Amy Henchoz – 2:25:35 (second), 55:04 (second)

Emma Maaranen – 2:34:43 (third), 57:55 (sixth)

Singlespeed Open Men

Scott Chapin – 2:25:46 (second), 49:16 (first)

Nicolas Jimenez – 2:22:37 (first), 54:54 (second)

Dan McMahon – 2:31:17 (third), 56:38 (third)

Expert Junior Men 13-18

Ethan Twisselmann – 2:05:30 (first), 49:57 (second)

Charles Thomas – 2:14:54 (third), 48:18 (first)

Liam Hoffman – 2:18:36 (sixth), 51:24 (fourth)

Expert Junior Women 13-18

Sofia Tripcevich – 2:38:19 (first), 58:01 (first)

Kate Huseby – 2:49:33 (second), 1:01:07 (second)

Fern Campbell – 2:50:19 (third), 1:02:17 (third)

Expert Men 30 and Under

Dylan Finkler – 2:14:24 (first), 48:25 (first)

Korbin Moorhead – 2:22:45 (fourth), 50:31 (second)

Thomas Tognoli – 2:17:09 (second), 52:45 (sixth)

Expert Women 30 and Under

Claire Thomas – 2:58:07 (first), 1:04:33 (second)

Mila Lumae – 3:03:48 (third), 1:06:19 (third)

Grace Woods – 2:58:27 (second), 1:08:55 (fourth)

Expert Men 31-40

Benjamin Salibra – 2:23:06 (second), 53:02 (second)

Daniel Thompson – 2:26:53 (seventh), 51:55 (first)

Daniel Sturm – 2:27:12 (eighth), 53:51 (fifth)

Expert Women 31-40

Stephanie Hayos – 2:41:22 (first), 59:10 (first)

Sarah Edwards – 2:59:52 (fourth), 1:00:18 (second)

Savannah Keller – 2:56:14 (third), 1:00:37 (third)

Expert Men 41-50

Jeff Thayer – 2:20:51 (third), 50:24 (second)

Jed Pope – 2:22:11 (fourth), 50:58 (third)

Justin Thomas – 2:10:25 (first), 51:55 (sixth)

Expert Women 41-50

Brianne Spiersch – 3:17:34 (fifth), 1:04:19 (first)

Brooke Summers – 3:13:17 (fourth), 1:05:15 (second)

Katrina Rapa – 3:07:36 (third), 1:06:05 (third)

Expert Men 51-60

Romolo Forcino – 2:17:57 (second), 52:32 (second)

Chuck Ross – 2:22:20 (fourth), 52:50 (third)

Jim Hewett – 2:22:04 (third), 52:52 (fourth)

Expert Women 51+

Cindy Villars – 3:20:09 (first), 1:08:22 (first)

Kimberly Larson – 3:26:33 (second), 1:11:14 (second)

Expert Men 61+

Ken Fuhrman – 3:44:28 (second), 1:14:43 (second)

Victor Lubet – 3:54:38 (fourth), 1:11:58 (first)

Michael Koppe – 3:39:19 (first), 1:56:17 (fourth)

Other highlights of the Downieville Classic weekend included the ever-popular river jump, which saw riders launch themselves off a ramp into the Yuba River confluence. The winner of that jump was “Jaybird,” whose 1,080-degree spin won over the judges. Also popular was the dance party on Saturday night with live music by “Boot Juice.” The band played a very well-received high-energy 2-hour “cosmic rock” set.