Inaugural FOX Mountain Biking U.S. Open brings thousands to Deer Valley

Park City athlete, Zoe, tops a Youth, Girls, podium at Deer Valley for the mountain biking competition. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah — Deer Valley Resort hosted the inaugural FOX Mountain Biking U.S. Open over the weekend with up to 10,000 spectators on site for all the action.

“It was a big opportunity for us to put downhill mountain biking back on the map, and Deer Valley’s been an amazing partner to work with for this U.S. Open in the Pro Downhill Series,” Jon DeVaio, a manager for the series, told TownLift at the finish area. “The track was impressive, and it was one of the biggest turnouts we’ve ever had.”

More than ten countries were represented in the field of 463 participants. The pro men’s winner was USA’s Aaron Gwin in a lighting fast finish time of 2:42.250. Second place went to Evan Medcalf also of USA, who was .333 seconds behind, and third went to Canada’s Mack Manietta. Other nations in town were New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Columbia, Equator, Great Britain, and Mexico.

Italy’s Gloria Scarsi won the women’s pro race in 3:06.231. More than four seconds behind her in second place was Kallie Stewart of USA, and Scarsi’s country-mate, Mary Mclarnon, came in third.

Before attendees even reached the trails, they could tell this was a different kind of Deer Valley experience, with the youngest bikers practicing on the stairs between parking lots filled with bike service and sales tents.

Also for the first time, there was ever a beer garden on the Plaza at Snow Park ticket area.

So many spectators showed up, some taking advantage of on-mountain lodging and food packages, that organizers successfully adapted by rerouting and widening access paths to accommodate crowds lining the course and cheering from chairlifts.

“It’s a dream come true, just incredible to have this held right in our backyard,” Coach Tyson Henry of Northern Utah’s Outlaws team told TownLift at the start area. “We’ve been waiting for this event for a long time.”

Henry had 56 athletes representing the Outlaws, the largest group on the hill, which included Luke and Alex Mallen,  both 18 year olds who placed second and fifth. Their teammate Winter Bush won the same age category in the female division.

Familiar and popular ski runs were transformed into race trails, including Big Stick and Champion. The course also passed the sign marking the 2002 Olympic venue, which will again host events during the 2034 Olympics, as well as the area where the annual Freestyle FIS Moguls World Cup takes place. Farther down, racers tackled the skiers’ right gully off the middle of Little Stick, a section where only expert skiers typically dare to launch during the winter.

“I’ve been biking all my life,” Nixon told TownLift after stepping off the top step of the 13-year-olds, boys podium. “It was a lot of fun riding in this race.”