Helena & Butte women preparing for start

Women ready to start

Women just after the starting gun. Helena's blue wave is led by Sabrina Monro.

Women in first 200 meters.

Jay "the Sweep" Tischendorf pedals off after the women.

Women on ultra-steep first downhill.

Kalispell's Johanna Myers cruises down first hill.

Helena runner safely down first hill.

Hilary Palakovich of Butte down first big hill

Flamingos were spotted near the race course.

Great Falls' Co-Race Director Jacquie Maillet takes the measure of "Hesitation Hill".

Helena's Amanda Eide (head band) leads a group down "Hesitation Hill".

Race leader, Sabrina Monro rounds the bend after Hesitation Hill and faces the stiff headwind.

Sabrina Monro of Helena stretches her already wide lead at the halfway mark.

Currently in second place, Butte's Nicole Hunt turns back into the wind at the halfway turnaround.

Danielle Salois-Shahan of Bozeman powers into the wind just after the 4K mark.

Helena's Michele Franchi in 4th place just after Hesitation Hill.

Helena's Jessica Sargent (7th overall - youth champion) leads a group back into the wind.

Chase pack includes the eventual 5th (Jennifer Thomas, Hlna) and 6th (Susan Kaluza, Butte - Masters) placers.

Butte team member Kathy Peterson leads a group through the wind at the half-way mark.

Peterson's followers include Helena's Aidan Myhre and Bozeman's Meghan Keigley.

Heather Lucero of Great Falls faces a breathtaking headwind as she starts back toward the finish.

Great Falls' Melena Hewitt near the 5K mark.

Helena's Sabrina Monro approaches the three-fourths mark of the race with a huge lead.

Bozeman's Danielle Salois-Shahan has moved into 2nd place near the 6K mark of the race.

Masters Champion Susan Kaluza of Butte races uphill into the wind near the 6K mark as Jennifer Thomas of Helena lurks behind.

Helena's Youth Champion Jessica Sargent with about 2K left in the race.

Bozeman's Jenna Grimm tows Tara Basilewitsch of Helena up the 6K hill.

Meghan Keigley of Bozeman forges through the fierce wind toward the three-fourths mark of the race.

Helena's Aidan Myhre all alone in the wind at ~6K.

Tessa Boehnke of Bozeman is almost blown out of the picture frame.

Kalispell team member Johanna Myers fighting gusts of wind as she scales the 6K hill.

At ~6K, Great Falls' Mary Jo Rowe begins to pull away from three Helena runners (Rhonda Wodnik, Rebecca Ridenour, & Ann Seifert).

Jacquie Maillet of Great Falls leading Helena's Robin Shropshire & Julia Swingley near 6K.

Near 6K, Helena's Amanda Eide leads the surging Caitlin Gray of Great Falls.

Sarah Slanger (Helena) and Jane MacDonald (Great Falls) also in background.

Hilary Palakovich & Rebekah Kirtley of the Butte team cutting through the wind to climb the hill near 6K.

Butte's Kris Harrington gaining ground up hill with 2K left to go.

Great Falls' Melena Hewitt at 6K.

Sabrina Monro of Helena whips down the steep hill past 7K.

Butte's Nicole Hunt lets gravity pull her down the steep hill near 7K.

Susan Kaluza of Butte uses quick steps to manage the dangerously steep trail near 7K.

Helena's Jessica Sargent cruises past 7K.

Helena's Tara Basilewitsch controlling her descent down the 7K hill.

Lara Thomas of Helena holds Bozeman's Meghan Keigley at bay down the steep decline with only 1K left to race.

Heather Lucero of Great Falls races down the course's final downhill.

Tessa Boehnke of Bozeman pushes off down the 7K hill.

Johanna Myers of Kalispell lets loose on the downhill.

Great Falls' Mary Jo Rowe relaxing down the final hill before the huge uphill drive to the finish.

Helena's Rhonda Wodnik & Rebecca Ridenour follow closely.

Ann Seifert of Helena leans back to manage her momentum on the trecherously steep downhill near 7K.

Jacquie Maillet of Great Falls punishing her quadriceps on the steep downhill at 7K.

Julia Swingley of Helena cruises down the 7K hill.

Plummeting past 7K is Helena's Janice Brzoticky.

Helena's Amanda Eide flying down the 7K hill.

Sarah Slanger (Helena) & Jane MacDonald (Great Falls) watching their steps as they descend the steep hill at 7K.

Butte's Hilary Palakovich leans into her downward rush past 7K.

Butte's Kris Harrington uses the downhill as she rolls past 7K.

Eleven-year-old Rebekah Kirtley of Butte in the process on becoming the youngest female ever to compete in the Montana Cup.

Butte's Georgia Cunningham (red shorts) and Eddi Walker share the single path down the tumultuous descent at 7K.

Eddi Walker won the super-masters title.

Butte's Naomi Kirtley & Helena's Wendy Brooke step into the final downhill at 7K

Helena's Karen Powell negotiates the tricky footing on the 7K downhill.

Great Falls' Mary Gray carries her arms wide for balance on the narrow trail descending past 7K.

Sheila Franey of Butte works this downhill section near 7K

Bozeman's Melissa Jallings rushes downhill to 7K.

Jane O'Driscoll of Helena concentrates on her steps as she bolts downhill near 7K.

Jane O'Driscoll cruises past the 7K mark.

Bozeman's Sydney Wagner is pulled downhill by gravity.

Helena's Sabrina Monro beginning the last huge uphill with less than a kilometer to go before breaking the finish tape.

Danielle Salois-Shahan of Bozeman begins the steep ascent to finish.

Butte's Nicole Hunt concentrating on last big climb before finish.

Michele Franchi of Helena gathers herself to attack "Kill the Meet Director Hill".

Sabrina Monro slices through the gusting wind first to the finish line.

Danielle Salois-Shahan of Bozeman impresses onlookers with her fantastic second place finish.

Wind-ravaged Nicole Hunt of Butte grasps for her race-tag while in finish shoot.

Susan Kaluza finishes 6th overall and first among masters.

Helena's Jessica Sargent finishes 7th overall and first among juniors.

Tony Banovich of Billings streches before men's race. Zoe Banovich in foreground.

Butte men strategizing before start.

Butte's men before start.

Helena men and Tony Banovich of Billings ready to go.

Butte's men ready for starting gun.

Moments before men's start

Men almost ready to start.

Left to right: Billings (black), Helena (blue), Great Falls (red), Missoula (maroon), Bozeman (gold), and Butte (green).

Men take their marks.

Kalispell's Jeb Myers (left) and Missoula's Leif Seed (right) lead the men's charge past the 1K marker and down the tumultuous first hill.

A twin hill assault.

The Wirth brothers, Jon (left) of Bozeman & Greg (right) of Helena, rocket downhill nearly out of control past the 1K marker.

Ray Matteson of Butte (far right) leads a group down the steep 1K hill.

Butte team members Zac Barrett (left) and Forrest Lewton (right) pound the earth with their feet as they plummet down the race's first slope.

Billings' Charles "Big Lungs" Harper leads Missoula's Chad "Primo" Latino, & Butte's Ryan "Express" Hunt on a high speed descent of the 1K hill.

Men's Field seen at a distance starting up "K2 Hill".

Kalispell's Jeb Myers (left) and Missoula's Leif Seed continue to push the pace on hill "K2".

On the heels of Kevin Grigg.

Bozeman's Kevin Grigg (butt & heels visible) was third up "K2" but eventually won the race. Helena's Jason Ames leads the chasepack which includes (L to R) Billings' Tony Banovich (Masters Champion), rick Judge of Helena, Kalispell's Brian Suttle, and the Missoula duo of Thomas Jodoin & Michael Gordon.

Helena men attack "K2".

Helena's rick Judge (nose out of view) leads Bozeman's Jon Wirth up "K2" Three other Helena runners are in close pursuit (L to R: Brian Wieck, Peter Dan Sullivan, & Greg Wirth).

Kalispell's Thomas Myers leads Bozeman's Dewey Peacock, Missoula's Sam Smith, and Helena's Kyle Strode up "K2"

Ray Matteson of Butte (left) and Mark Slater of Bozeman leading Great Falls' Nathan Taylor and Butte's Ryan Kearney (distant) up "K2".

Bozeman's Brad Dolesh (left) and Helena's Jeff Thomas surge up "K2".

Butte's Zac Barrett (left) & Forrest Lewton bound up "K2".

Helena's Brian Walsh and Butte's John Kirtley cruise up the course's first big hill.

Missoula's Chad "Primo" Latino leads Butte's Ryan "Express" Hunt & Billings' Charles "Big Lungs" Harper on a high energy assault of hill "K2".

Butte runners Rande Farrow (front) and Elton Kirtley race up hill "K2".

Great Falls' Michael Moulton dogs a Helena runner up hill "K2".

Bozeman's Kevin Grigg asserted his dominances when the racers turned back into the wind past the halfway point.

Holding his margin became the task when Missoula's Leif Seed turned back into the wind.

Kalispell's Jeb Myers leads Missoula's Micheal Gordon through the wind on their way toward 5K.

Brian Suttle of Kalispell ahead of Bozeman's Jon Wirth near 5K.

Picture taken just after the two descended "Hesitation Hill" and then rounding the bend back into the fiercely gusting winds.

Thomas Myers of the Kalispell team pulls away from his persuers.

One runner can be seen on the horizon, beginning his descent of "Hesitation Hill".

"Hesitation Hill"

Butt'e Ryan Kearney turns back into the wind for the return effort.

Butte's Forrest Lewton negotiates "Hesitation Hill".

Jeffery Flury of Missoula tries to control his descent on the too-steep-for-comfort "Hesitation Hill".

Missoula's Jeff Bookwalter leads Helena's Matthew Elsaesser back up the winding half of the course.

Elton Kirtley of Butte pulls Missoula's Primo Latino through the wind. Next is Butte's Jeff Braun who is gaining ground.

Glenn Govertson of Missoula and Helena's Jerry Foley (jersey in hand) race side-by-side through the wind.

Carl Clark of Great Falls fights the wind on his way back to the finish.

Kalispell's Kent Hoffmeyer surges up a hill near 5K.

Missoula's Mark Burke with intense effort on hill near 5K.

Race leader Kevin Grigg starts his rapid descent of the 7K hill.

Kevin Grigg busts a move past 7K.

Jeb Myers in second place at the start of the big downhill leading to the 7K mark.

Bozeman's Jon Wirth in control of third place, but is out of control on this final steep pitch.

Missoula's Michael Gordon (currently 4th place) cruising downhill before his final climb to the finish.

Kalispells Brian Suttle pulls the train of runners downhill past the 7K marker.

With fifth and fourth places close enough to smell, these four (Suttle leading Butte's Ray Hunt, Missoula's Thomas Jodoin, & Helena's Greg Wirth) raced urgently downward.

Position for the final uphill attack.

Brian Suttle of Kalispell, Butte's Ray Hunt, Missoula's Thomas Jodoin, & Helena's Greg Wirth stampede past 7K.

Billings' Tony Banovich gets dense and goes with gravity to secure his second consecutive masters title.

Helena's Kyle Strode strides lopingly and with power past 7K.

Bozeman's wiley veteran Mark Slater employed a come-from-behind stategy to overcome Helena's Brian Wieck just before the big plunge down past 7K.

Jason Ames of Helena churning downhill past 7K.

Butte's Ray Matteson shadowing Race Director Bob Boland at downhill 7K mark.

Helena's Peter Dan Sullivan unleashes his speedy turnover on this hill near 7K.

Moses Leavens of Great Falls holding form on his way to 7K.

Helena's Jeff Thomas leading Great Falls' Nathan Taylor on the big downhill.

Thomas is likely anticipating the final uphill where he can employ his famous and patented "hill power".

Bozeman's Craig Kenworthy letting gravity do his work with only 1K remaining.

Helena's Brian Walsh powering downhill past 7K.

Forrest Lewton jets downhill past 7K with Butte teammate Ryan Kearney in tow.

Butte teammates work the downhill seventh kilometer.

Zac Barrett follows Mitch Tamietti's lead as their path dives off the bluff and into the ravine below.