You know the Maxxis ESC season is in full swing when we get the whole gang together for a Thule Showdown double header. This past weekend marked our first Thule Showdown of 2025, and what better place to kick things off than the raw, rugged slopes of Jiminy Peak. Tucked into the rolling hills of the Berkshires, Jiminy is a venue that demands respect. Unlike many of our other bike park stops,

Jiminy’s trails are unapologetically old school, steep, off-camber, and riddled with natural features that have been challenging riders for decades. It’s a place where flow doesn’t come easy, you have to earn it. Riders who were able to stay light on the bike, pump through awkward compressions and master their braking points found themselves with a serious edge. And with 110% series points on the line, every fraction of a second mattered.

Sure is beautiful in the Berkshires this time of year.

High speed with a healthy dose of hazards, there’s no such thing as too many spares for Jiminy,

If the roots and rocks don’t get you, the slick snowmaking pipes will. Careful where you put your tires.

Plenty of room to enjoy the ride on the Berkshire Express six pack lift, DW Funk Racing and friends approve.

One of our most scenic start gates of the year.

Fun fact: From Jiminy you’ll see the first commercial wind farm in Massachusetts on nearby Brodie Mountain, providing energy for nearly 8,000 homes.

We woke up to raindrops early Sunday morning, but thankfully, the sun broke through the clouds just in time to go racing.

Stan’s Enduro

Stan’s Enduro racers would get their only transfer climb out of the way early on the way to Stage 1, but the remaining four stages would be reached by chairlift.

Dakota Alix was ready to rip after the climb to Stage 1; he would lock down P5 for his first Pro podium result.

20U racer Calvin Davis on the rev limiter in a tunnel of green, he would lock down third place for his second podium of the season.

Often, when a racer finally gets their first W, the speed and results keep flowing. Afton Danforth is a prime example of that, three stage wins this weekend and his second 20U win in a row.

Beckett Hickey finds the flow in the Berkshire woods on his way to second place in the 20U class, only 3.9s off the W.

P3 for Pro racer Avery McConnell in her first race of 2025.

Michelle Guy was up early for double duty, she held down second place in the Stan’s Enduro and rolled to eighth in the Intense DH. Good enough for the top female spot at our first Thule Showdown of the year.

Amanda Vansant was in a class of her own on Sunday, putting nearly three minutes into the rest of the Pro Women to secure her second W in a row.

Stan’s Enduro Pro Women: 4th – Kai Waldman, 2nd – Michelle Guy, 1st – Amanda Vansant, 3rd – Avert McConnell, 5th – Kelly Dube

Adrian Hayden had a consistent day on the bike, but a bobble on Stage 4 would cost him some time. He’d finish the weekend in third place for his second podium of the season.

Your Thule Showdown Round 1 winner for the men is Dan O’Connor, he finished second in the Stan’s Enduro then backed it up with ninth in the Intense DH.

Isaac Allaire was the gold standard this weekend, topping the Pro Men by a margin of 46 seconds with a clean sweep of stage wins.

Stan’s Enduro Pro Men: 4th – Willem Cooper, 2nd – Dan O’Connor, 1st – Isaac Allaire, 3rd – Adrian Hayden, 5th – Dakota Alix

Intense Downhill

Holden Trahan keeps fun in practice.

Rylahn Lukoskie pumps to carry speed through the janky terrain, and he would top the Amateur 16U class in only his second race.

Will Spain throws some style into his race run, but the speed was also there as he earned his first Expert 16U win.

Sure, some of the turns could use a bit more berm, but this is old school DH at its best.

Expert Female winner Chloe Hannon flies through the classic double bridge section.

Second Pro podium of the season for Canadian Charlie Bernard, as she goes third.

Solid weekend on the tools for Abby Ronca, second place in a stacked Pro women’s field.

First outing of the year for 2024 Pro women’s class champion Mazie Hayden, and she didn’t wait long to get back on the gas, besting the Pro Women by nearly six seconds.

4th – Mary Jane Kissinger, 2nd – Abby Ronca, 1st – Mazie Hayden, 3rd – Charlie Bernard, 5th – Emma Jarl

P3 for Kory Nagy as he takes the unofficial fastest dad of the weekend award.

Nick Frazier is back up to speed after a tailbone injury, second place with just 0.28s to the top spot.

Two in a row for Austin Dooley, his 2:37.18 would stand as the fastest time of the weekend.

Intense DH Pro Men: 4th – Andrew Driscoll, 2nd – Nick Frazier, 1st – Austin Dooley, 3rd – Kory Nagy, 5th – Jack Zenoni

Thule Showdown Female Winner Michelle Guy

Thule Showdown Male Winner Dan O’Connor

We’re outta here! Relax and enjoy a quick break from racing. Intense DH racers will be back on the slopes of Mount Snow on July 13th. Bring the whole family for this one, it’s the most fun course of the year! Stan’s Enduro racers, we’ll see you July 20th for our second Thule Showdown at Killington.

Words and photos: Andrew Santoro
Video: Seth Merritt

Stan’s Enduro Results
Intense DH Results
Easternstatescup.com

2025 MAXXIS ESC SCHEDULE

INTENSE CYCLES DOWNHILL SERIES
May 4 Powder Ridge, CT
June 15 Mountain Creek, NJ
June 22 Jiminy Peak, MA
July 13 Mount Snow, VT
July 20 Killington, VT
Aug 10 Thunder Mountain, MA
Sept 14 Blue Mountain, PA
Sept 21 Powder Ridge, CT
Oct 26 Jiminy Peak, MA Finals

STAN’S ENDURO SERIES
May 18 Powder Ridge, CT
June 1 Arrowhead, NH
June 22 Jiminy Peak, MA
July 20 Killington, VT
July 27 Monteau, NH
Aug 10 Thunder Mountain, MA
Aug 24 Burke, VT
Sept 21 Powder Ridge, CT
Oct 12 Arrowhead, NH Finals

THULE SHOWDOWN SERIES
June 22 Jiminy Peak, MA
July 20 Killington, VT
Aug 10 Thunder Mountain, MA
Sept 21 Powder Ridge, CT

CANNONDALE EBIKE SERIES
May 18 Powder Ridge, CT
June 1 Arrowhead, NH
July 27 Monteau, NH
Aug 10 Thunder Mountain, MA
Sept 21 Powder Ridge, CT
Oct 12 Arrowhead, NH