Team WTB took top honors at the Kona Bikes 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo (coloring contest). The Old Pueblo, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, is known as the biggest 24-hour race in the nation. The event hosted more than 3,000 racers, spectators and volunteers over the three-day weekend. The prestigious coloring contest was held at the Dave Wiens Dedication Dinner the evening before the race. "We came out here last year and just barely lost the coloring contest," said WTB's marketing manager Dain Zaffke. "This time we trained all winter long and it paid off--we finally took it." The WTB squad stayed focused throughout the dinner, their table was as silent as a college exam room. Contestants were faced with a number of distractions including tacos, beer, laughter and several speeches dedicated to Wiens. "These events really test your concentration," stated Zaffke. "If you loose focus for a second, the contest is over." A multitude of placemats were collected at the end of the dinner and a panel of independent judges selected the best. Zaffke took the top spot and WTB's newest employee, 1997 XC Junior World Champ Cecilia Potts came in third place.
WTB riders also faired well in the 24 hour race: Sarah Kaufmann won the female solo category on WTB tires, Deva SLT saddle and LaserDisc Lite hubs and Dejay Birtch won the singlespeed solo category on WTB tires and Silverado saddle. By and large the tire of choice was the Nano Raptor 29-inch. This is a tire that is perfectly suited for a sandy, rolling racecourse.
