After Tatiana Weston-Webb’s huge win in Oceanside the week before at the Supergirl Pro, the Smith women kept on winning the following week with victories from Johanne Defay and Caroline Marks at the illustrious US Open in Huntington Beach. In front of an estimated 75,000 fans, Defay took out the best in the world by winning the her first-ever Womens WCT and also shot her way up to sixth place in the world title rankings. Marks, at only 13 years old, took out the Pro Junior field to become the youngest winner ever for that division. Congratulations to both and the entire team for the outstanding summer they’ve had this year. 

Ryland Rubens In Nicaragua

Smith Team Rider Ryland Rubens recently got back from a trip in Nicaragua and made a little edit called Central American Sessions from it. If you don’t know Ryland, he’s fifteen and from La Jolla and surfs pretty much every day big or small. He was also NSSA Open Mens Southwest Open Juniors Champ. Check it out.

Caroline Marks Highlights Another Successful Championship Season

Last year, the Smith Junior Surf Squad took home a treasure trove of National titles during the amateur championship season and this year was no different. The incredible thirteen-year-old known as Caroline Marks headed the list with impressive victories in the NSSA Open Womens, Volcom VQS, and Under 14 US Championships. All in all, she took home five National titles with six final appearances. The future looks bright for Caroline! 

Other winners included Brisa Hennessy who took home the Under 16 division of the US Championships as well as final appearances from fellow team riders Jake Marshall, Luke Marks, Barron Mamiya, and Tommy Coleman. Noah Schweizer also took an impressive third in Pro-Am at the VQS champs. Smith is proud of it’s young team and looks forward to more success in the future.

Leon Glatzer in “Mütze Glatze”

Smith European Team Rider Leon Glatzer is a German national who lives in Costa Rica and is starting to make some noise internationally with his progressive surfing. Check out his latest clip called “Mütze Glatze” and see the skills that recently got him a ten-point score in a European Junior Contest. 

Kyllian Guerin In “Living Swell”

Smith European Team Rider Kyllian Guerin is a busy kid. Every season he’s putting out fresh edits and the latest titled,”Living Swell” features him charging big Mentawais waves as well as ripping fun ones on the Gold Coast and the Maldives. Check it out!

Smith Juniors Dominate Again

After a successful summer of 2014, the Smith Junior team has begun its winning ways again taking titles at both the Surfing America US Surfing Championships and the Volcom Totally Crustaceous Tour Global Championships. At the US Championships, Brisa Hennessy took 1st in Under 16 Girls and second in Girls Under 18, while Jake Marshall took second and Luke Marks took fourth in Boys Under 18. Caroline Marks kept her winning streak alive as well taking first Girls Under 14 and second in Girls Under 16 then proceeded to win the Girls division at the Volcom Championships the next week. Other winners at the Volcom Finals included a third place in ProAm by Noah Schweizer as well as a third for Jake Marshall and fourth for Will Reid in Juniors. Congratulations to all our athletes as we look forward to more success as the summer heats up. 

Aaron Gwin Makes History at the World Cup in Leogang

In what is arguably one of the most exciting downhill races ever to date, SMITH athlete Aaron Gwin did the unimaginable Sunday afternoon and won without a chain.   Right out of the start gate Gwin suffered a mechanical which should have ended his day.  With a bit of luck his chain fell from the drive-train leaving his wheel free to roll.

“The tires have air, so we are getting it down” Gwin remarked after his winning run.

Gwin hasn't had much luck at the Leogang stop in the past.  Last year he suffered a flat tire and managed to make it down with a descent time as the tire stuck to his rim. In 2013 he suffered from a failed brake near the top, also ending his chances of any victory.  

This is Gwins 15th Overall World Cup Victory to date.  He currently leads in UCI points after 3 podiums so for this season.

Full Race Run here> 

http://www.redbull.com/en/bike/stories/1331729311377/leogang-2015-dh-world-cup-results-video-highlights

Millward and Don go 1-2 at Ironman 70.3 Boulder

It was a race from the gun.  Boulder being a hot spot for the worlds top triathletes, there was no doubt Sundays race would be anything but easy.  A small group exited the water first followed about a minute later with SMITH athletes Tim Don (GBR),and Callum Millward. 

The men stayed relatively close together on the bike with the rest of the group spread out behind. After a tough and fast bike course, Millward entered T2 with a nearly two-minutes down from the leader. 

Millward quickly picked up the pace on the run course, with Don speeding his way through the pack about two minutes back. By halfway through, Millward  had moved up into first. Don’s charge slowed and he wasn’t able to close on Millward, whose 1:16:30 half-marathon got him across the line first in 3:46:47. Don’s 1:16:25 run earned him second.

Luke McKenzie Dominates Ironman Cairns

Luke McKenzie started his day with a strong swim coming out of the water only a few minutes behind the swim leaders. McKenzie showed his strength on the bike early and found the top spot quickly. At the 50-mile mark McKenzie’s lead stood at 5:54 over his next closest competitor.  With a couple of the strongest runners in the sport sitting in third and fourth, McKenzie continued to push the pace and extend his advantage before the start of the marathon. Ultimately McKenzie’s effort got him an 11-minute lead starting the run.

Through the midway point of the run, McKenzie had slightly extended his lead over to 11:36, with the others falling further off the pace. McKenzie capped off his day with a solid 2:57:37 marathon to claim the 8:18:01 victory and have plenty of time to celebrate in the finish chute.

Brogie Panesi In “seconds”

Northern California Team Rider films a lot in the cold climes near his home in Pacifica, California. Check out his latest clip titled “seconds” and see some good surfing in sharky waters.

Yadin Nicol In  Surfing Magazine’s “Factory”

Smith Global Team Rider Yadin Nicol has been posting up with the Surfing Magazine crew in Indonesia for the first installment of “Factory.” The magazine has set up camp for a few months in order to produce as much footage as they can with some of the most progressive surfers they can. Check it out!

UHC Tour of California Update

Barnes Sprints to 2nd, Secures Best Young    Rider Jersey on Final Stage of Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race,    Murphy Takes 4th in Men's Opener               

The women of the    UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team concluded the three-stage Amgen Tour of    California Women’s Race today, circling the State Capitol in downtown    Sacramento. With multiple time bonuses available throughout the 17-lap    circuit race, the pace started fast and remained aggressive for the entire    the 34-mile stage. The top teams covered attacks dutifully, keeping the    speeds high and the peloton intact over the first several laps.

With 9 laps to go, an intermediate sprint    caused some separation, a move followed by Team UnitedHealthcare rider    Linda Villumsen. After the intermediate sprint subsided, the peloton was    back together but strung out due to lifting pace and increasing intensity.    Solo attacks would attempt to clear the group over the final laps, but the    full peloton came to the line for the final bunch sprint. The    UnitedHealthcare Blue Train put their support behind Hannah Barnes, who    sprinted onto the podium with a 2nd place result. With the final    podium, Barnes secured the best young rider’s white jersey for the race, a    category she led from the start on stage 1. “It was good to start the stage    race with Katie’s win in Tahoe, and then it was really good, aggressive    racing the rest of the event so I’m proud to take the white jersey for the    team,” said Barnes, reflecting on the 3 days of racing. After winning    the opening stage, Katie Hall rode stage 2 in possession of the overall    race leader’s yellow jersey, and finished the race in 4th    overall. 

Sporting director Rachel Heal commented on    the team's performance throughout the race, "I'm really proud of how    the girls have ridden all week. To take the first-ever yellow jersey in the    Amgen tour of California Women's Race was fantastic. They've really risen    to the challenge this week and to get a podium on today's final stage as    well as take the young riders jersey shows their competitiveness on this    international stage." The racing resumes for the women on Friday,    May 15th with the 15.1-mile individual time trial around Big Bear    Lake, in which Laura Brown and Linda Villumsen will represent the    UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team. 

John Murphy Sprints to 4th on    Opening Stage of 2015 Amgen Tour of California 

   The men of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team embarked on the 8-stage    Amgen Tour of California just minutes before their female teammates began    their final stage in downtown Sacramento today, with the men    covering 126.2 miles starting and ending at the State Capitol.    The day started with an early breakaway of four riders, which would hold an    advantage for much of the stage through the cities of Clarksburg, Davis, and    Woodland before being engulfed by the peloton within the three 2-mile    circuits once returning to Sacramento. 

Inside the final laps with less than 6    miles of racing left in the stage, the teams with sprinting ambitions    assembled at the front of the race, ready to launch their fastest riders    for the finale. Kiel Reijnen attacked with 5 miles remaining, adding chaos    to the hectic finale while his teammates in the field assembled around John    Murphy and Daniele Ratto for the inevitable sprint. Murphy was able to    claim 4th place for the team, just short of the podium in the high-speed    finish. “Our UnitedHealthcare boys did an awesome job all day keeping Ratto    and me in good position. Through the circuits, they kept us in the front    and out of trouble. Out of the last turn, we made a run at it and came up    with 4th. We will be aiming for the podium in the coming days.” The men    will race 120.4 miles on stage 2, starting in Nevada City and finishing in Lodi after 6,000 feet of climbing. 

UHC Team Ready to Take on the Amgen Tour of California Women's Race

The 2015 Amgen Tour of California Women's    Race is set to begin in South Lake Tahoe on May 8th. Following a    podium and a victory in the 2014 edition (Coryn Rivera, 2nd, Circuit Race;    Alison Powers, 1st, Time Trial), The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team is    looking for success in the three-day UCI 1.1 stage race, followed by the    Amgen Tour of California Invitational Time Trial on May 15th.

The expansion of the    women's event to four days of racing in 2015 shows the momentum behind    women's cycling in North America. The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team is    proud to have been at the forefront of growing the stage for women to race    on. The Amgen Tour of California will host one of the most    competitive women's fields ever seen in the United States, and the Blue    Train aims to be at the front of the peloton on each stage.        Rachel Heal will be managing the women's team during the 4-day    event, "It's fantastic that a race like the Amgen Tour of    California is stepping up and growing their women’s race. Each year the    women’s race has grown, and to have a 3-day UCI race in addition to the    invitational time trial shows the respect with which the women’s sport is    being treated."

The first-ever Amgen Tour of California    women's UCI stage race will begin at the beautiful Heavenly Mountain    Resort, perched high above South Lake Tahoe. The scenic 74-mile road race    will make a loop around the lake, and also take in 28 miles of pavement in    Nevada - the first time the Tour of California will leave the borders of    its home state. The challenging course is a fitting introduction to the new    women's tour, and comes in conjunction with the tenth anniversary    of the men's event. The day will end with the brutal climb up the 15    percent grades of Keller Street back to Heavenly. This opening stage will    produce a worthy winner from the international field.        Stage 2 is a 49.7-mile circuit race starting and finishing at Heavenly    Mountain Resort. The 3rd stage will be a two-mile circuit race around the    California State Capitol building in downtown Sacramento. This stage    will be the perfect opportunity for the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling    Team to rally around the Blue Train. With time bonuses on the line, the    third stage will be a thrilling decider to the inaugural race. 

The 2014 Amgen    Tour of California Women’s Invitation Time Trial was a huge success for the    UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team, with a resounding victory by Alison    Powers. After consecutive second places in previous years, Powers began a    streak of wins with the victory in Folsom, California. With a new    generation of riders, Linda Villumsen and Laura Brown, The Blue Train    hopes to emulate the success of the now-retired Powers. 

Fri May 8 Stage 1      Women's Race - South Lake Tahoe 11:00 AM

Sat May 9 Stage 2      Women's Race - South Lake Tahoe 10:30 AM

Sun May 10 Stage 3      Women's Race - Sacramento 11:15 AM

Fri May 15 Individual      Time Trial Women's Race - Big Bear Lake

Heal is excited by the team's chances in    California: "For us this race has been a big focus, the team is riding    well and we’re excited to race against the top international field that has    been put together for the race."     

3-Day UCI 1.1 Stage Race    roster: 

Hannah Barnes

Laura Brown

Rushlee    Buchanan

Katie Hall

Alexis Ryan

Linda Villumsen

Women's Invitational Time Trial roster:

Laura Brown

Linda Villumsen

Lauren Goss wins Ironman 70.3 St. Croix

Much of the women’s race was a battle between Smith athlete Lauren Goss and fellow American Amanda Stevens. Stevens led out of the 1.2-mile swim at 26:04, with Goss following just two seconds later. The pair went on to post nearly identical bike splits, with Stevens earning a small seven second lead to start the run. Goss shined on the tough run course, turning in the fastest run split of the women (1:29:04) to claim the victory in 4:40:31. 

Wurtele and Swallow on top at Ironman 70.3 North American Championships

Though the women’s professional race boasted many big names, including current Ironman world champion Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) and returning North American 70.3 champion Meredith Kessler (USA), it seemed everyone was cheering for Wurtele at the finish.

Kessler and Swallow spent much of their day in close proximity to each other, starting with identical swim splits of 25:10. As they headed into T1, a chase pack containing Ellis, Kaye and SMITH athlete Annabel Luxford nipped at their heels. This group would quickly merge and remain together for the first 40 miles of the bike leg, leapfrogging for first place until Swallow made a breakaway in Snow Canyon, causing Kessler to give chase. The remaining three were unable to bridge the gap after that move.

Behind the leading pack, Wurtele was mounting a steady gain, riding her way from 10th place and a three-minute deficit post-swim to a 1:41 deficit and sixth place upon reaching T2. From there, Wurtele made quick work of passing Ellis, then Kaye, then Swallow. By mile seven, Kessler’s lead was reduced to three seconds. Wurtele made the pass at mile eight and never looked back, going on to take the win with a 4:17:58 finishing time.

“It was a great competition, and at first I wasn’t sure how it would play out,” says Wurtele. “When I saw we had only a few miles to go on the bike, I hauled it all the way into town to put some time into the leaders. On the run, my legs really came around, especially once we passed the halfway point.”

Wurtele’s win was a sweet payoff after what she called a “frustrating” start to the season, with two second-place finishes in as many races. Her stellar run came on the tail of a high-mileage training week in preparation for Ironman Texas, giving her confidence she is ready for the North American Ironman Championships on May 16.

Swallow held on for third place with a finishing time of 4:21:32. Followed by Annabel Luxford in 4th. 

Tim Don Wins Ironman 70.3 North American Championship

Don, who also won the 70.3 Latin American Championships earlier this season, was near the front of the pack for much of the race, but did not cement his victory until two miles from the finish.

The gauntlet was thrown at the very beginning of the race, when Australian Todd Skipworth set a blistering pace for the swim, exiting the water in 22:53. A large pack of swimmers, including Don, Canadian Brent McMahon, German Andreas Raelert, and former 70.3 U.S. Pro Champ Kevin Collington, exited the water within 30 seconds Skipworth and quickly went to work establishing a pecking order for the bike.

McMahon paid for his early effort, eventually succumbing to Don with two miles to go in the race. Don put an additional 90 seconds onto his second-place finisher in the final stretch, finishing in 3:51:56.

“I’m very happy—very, very happy,” said Don of his victory. “For most of the bike, I struggled, but on the run it all seemed to come together. St. George is such an amazing, challenging course where anything can happen.”

Daniele Ratto of UHC Sprints to 3rd at Tour of Turkey

Daniele Ratto, the Italian sprinter on the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team showed his world-class form in the 4th stage of the Tour of Turkey, finishing in 3rd place behind stage winner André Greipel.       The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team entered the 8-stage Presidential Tour    of Turkey after a successful early season European campaign. The UCI 2.HC    race attracts the World's best teams, and its mixture of    climbing-heavy and sprinter-friendly stages are the perfect testing ground    for the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team against top-tier competition. 

The 132-kilometer day saw a breakaway set    off early, only to be reeled in on the stiff climb 10 kilometers    before the finish. Sensing the opportunity to set up Ratto for the sprint,    the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team took part in the pace-setting    workload on the lower slopes of the climb, and the peloton successfully    brought the breakaway back. With a sweeping final descent into the finish    town of Marmaris, the UnitedHealthcare Blue Train led Ratto out    in perfect fashion for the sprint finish. The long finishing    straight saw many riders light the afterburners too early, but Ratto kept    his calm to cross the line in third place. Ratto has been riding well    all week, finishing with an impressive 8th place on stage 3 and 7th place    on stage 1. 

Federico Zurlo rode in King of the    Mountains jersey during stage 2.

Daniele Ratto now sits in 2nd place in the    points classification, behind Mark Cavendish of Great Britain. Stage    five is a 160-kilometer road race with an intermediate sprint coming after    100 kilometers of racing. The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team will protect    Ratto, with the aim of delivering him to the line in another sprint    finish.      Images © 2015 Presidential Tour of Turkey