Words by Session Brasils, Gabriel NapoleGood News!!!
Markolf is 5X Pan American champion of MTB DownHill and Marcelo Gutierrez is Junior Champion, both on board their new bikes the Banshee Legend Mk1's!
Marcelo Gutierrez and his Banshee Legend.Brazil has won gold for the fifth time in Pan American, DH 2008, with Markolf and his Banshee Legend gaining first spot on the podium! 
For Session it is a double win because Markolf and Marcelo, both Championships come aboard the first two Banshee Legend built. This is a project which aims to integrate the rider, factory, engineers and distributors. We were in the factory to watch over the whole construction of the first two prototypes of the Legend, then hand deliver the two prototypes to be tested by riders, Markolf Berchtold Brazilian Elite DH racer and Marcelo Gutierrez Colombian Junior DH racer. This was the first appearance, of the Banshee Legend in a proven downhill race format, and without doubt the design has been proven!
Both Markolf Berchtold and Marcelo Gutierrez are exceptional athletes both on and off the slopes. The love of the sport and for their countries, as well as being good sports with their fellow racers and always being open and friendly with all the other riders in the public - they are true professionals.
The Pan American championship, downhill happened on the hillsides of Pan De Las Vacas in the city of San Juan De Los Morros about 180 km from Caracas, capital of Venezuela. The athletes [Brazilians] Markolf, Doron, Neni, Bruno and Walace, arrived one week before the competition in order to climatize with the place, climate, track, culture and food, and it seems the strategy was perfect! Monitoring of the training runs you could see the Brazilian adaptatiing to the Venezuelan course, with the passing of the days they were getting faster and more comfortable on the track. The Tereno the runway of Pan De Las Vacas was very dry (very same!) And a layer of dust mixed with gravel covered the whole circuit, requiring experience, technique and lots provision of athletes. Another factor was the climate of the place that was with temperatures ranging from 30 ° C to 38 ° C, muy caliente!
Truck of the Venezuelan exécito was regate, cortezia, Ivo Morales.
Proof happened on Friday starting with drills in the morning from 8:00 AM as 9:30, qualify at 11:00, and start making the official time 14:00. In qualify the sovereignty brazuca already despontou, Markolf did the first time followed by Walace with the second best time, Bruno Zeschau Brazilian athlete in the Junior category was also first - he is showing to be very talented and fast on the track. Everyone then paused for a quick snack and then came the taking of official time; the climate was somewhat tense in anticipation of the final results.Markolf made a clean run a pulled ahead of all the other riders with a time of 02:20593, followed by the Colombian Franco Navarro - 02:23543, and then Walace Miranda - 02:24053.
Already in the athlete category Júnior brazuca Bruno Zeschau not had the same fate and suffered a fall during the race, ending at fourth place with a time of 02:35110.
First was the Colombian Marcelo Gutierrez on board his Banshee Legend time of 02:25364 (fourth time in overall), followed by Juan Leon - 02:28049 and Andreas Kukulis - 02:35780, the two Chileans.
Neni and Doron, suffered falls and didn't place well in the final standings, a mishap fell Dorn where he destroyed his front suspension on his DH bike during training and ended up competing on board his 4 Cross bike, the Banshee Rampant. He still walked away with a very fast time in the DH circuit.
Congratulations to all the athletes Brazilian claw and determination committed to the Pan American 2008.
Congratulations particularly pilots Markolf, 5X Pan American champion -Elite, and Marcelo Gutierrez Pan American Champion -Junior!
Elite Mens PodiumWeek have more adrenaline to come with Markolf and his Banshee Legend. The next challenge will be in the International Championship of St. Vedelino in RS, Good Luck and Go Fast!
