Carson's Zink makes mark in mountain biking championship series

Carson City's Cameron Zink made his mark at the National Offroad Bicycle Association National Championship Series finals held recently in Mammath, Calif.

The 14-year-old had the fastest time of five minutes, 10.02 seconds out of more than 280 non-pro/expert male and female competitors at the Velocity Downhill Course. It was a 1.5-mile, 1,600-foot vertical drop downhill race course.

Zink won the national title for the second time in three years in the Junior Olympic series. Zink also pulled off a surprise by finishing with the fastest time of all the competitors. In addition, Zink placed third in the dual slalom event.

Zink's brother, Howie, 16, finished in the top 10 in the Expert Downhill division, racing against more than 45 riders in his division. He was also a qualifier into the second round of 16 in the dual slalom.

At Crystal Mt., Wash., Howie placed fourth in the downhill. The Zink brothers competed in four of the five NCS events this summer, with the other events being at Big Bear, Calif. and Deer Valley, Utah.

The finals of the Pro Downhill Division was won by France's Fabieu Barel. New Zealand's Nathan Rankin placed second and American Eric Carter finished third. Carter was the NCS National Champion professional of the year.

In the semi-pros, South Lake Tahoe's Eric Rasmussen was the national champion.

Carson City's Jason Blanchard from the Bike Brother Bike Shop was 12th in the semi-pro division. South Lake Tahoe's Phil Sorensen, also riding for the Bike Brothers, was seventh in the Expert Masters Division. There were more than 800 competing in the downhill events.