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PARK CITY - Heber City racer Kathy Sherwin didn't have the legs to break Team LUNA's stranglehold in the short track at the National Mountain Bike Series event at Deer Valley on Sunday, but she was good enough to earn a spot on the podium.
That achievement was enough to bring big smiles to the face of the local favorite with a fifth-place showing after what has been a rather adventurous racing season.
"At least I stayed upright today," said Sherwin, who couldn't finish Saturday's cross country race when she wrecked her bike. "I felt like I had to redeem myself today."
No redeeming was necessary for LUNA's Katerina Nash, who won the short track after taking Saturday's cross country title.
"It looks like I came to Park City and got some good legs," she said. "The course is a little hilly so it fits my style."
The men's race was won by Geoff Kabush. The women's downhill title went to Joanna Petterson, while the men's was won by Justin Leov.
Sherwin would have loved to take her first short track title, but at least the race didn't end with her junking her bike, as she did following Saturday's cross country race. Sherwin was sitting in sixth place when she took a spill that cracked her frame and caused other damage.
"It's in the trash compactor, seriously," she said of her bike. "I've had just three DNFs in my life in the 260 races and I had to have one here."
At least she came out of Saturday's race better than she did the one in April when she crashed and broke her thumb. Being of the mountain bike mentality where broken bones are common, Sherwin jumped on her bike after she had her hand casted and rode around in the parking lot until the cast set in the shape of her grip.
She was able to train, but still missed almost six weeks of racing.
"It's scary when everyone else is out racing and you can't," she said. "It can mess with your head."
With her regular bike trashed, Sherwin raced a full suspension Sunday that in hindsight helped her make a move at the end of the race.
"It saved my body," she said. "I felt fresh in the end."
Like Sherwin, Kabush made a late attack to secure his spot and win his second short track title in two years at Deer Valley. Kabush let Kona rider Ryan Trebon lead most of the race, then overtook him on the last lap.
"Ryan was riding strong and he got a bit of a gap; I was patient and gradually brought him back," Kabush said. "This is a fast-paced course that suits me a lot."
Like many of the racers, Leov was fighting off jet lag from flying from the World Championships held in Italy last week. Leov was sixth there against the best in the world.
Against a smaller field Sunday, he won with a comfortable 6-second margin, rocketing down the Deer Valley course in three minutes and 1.4 seconds.
The course featured a new rock garden that had some loose rocks, making it hard to find a good line, but Leov evidently found it.
"It was much harder than it has been in the past, but it's a great course, a great venue," he said.
Sunday's winners
National Mountain Bike Series
Women's short track: Katerina Nash
Men's short track: Geoff Kabush
Women's downhill: Joanna Petterson
Men's downhill: Justin Leov