Barry Wicks capped a winning weekend for the Kona-Les Gets squad, taking the men’s pro short track on Sunday at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships in Sonoma, California. It was the first mountain-bike national championship win for the 24-year old Oregonian, who now resides in Santa Cruz, California.

Wicks was the most aggressive rider in a five-rider bunch that formed at the beginning of the 20-minute race, run on a 0.9-mile course. Present were Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Gary Fisher), Jeremiah Bishop (Trek-Volkswagen), Ryan Trebon (Kona-Les Gets), Ross Schnell (Trek-Volkswagen) and Todd Wells (GT), with Giant teammates Carl Decker and Adam Craig yo-yoing off the back.

Much of the course was on paved roads, which brought drafting and teamwork into play. Wicks’s teammate Ryan Trebon — winner of Friday’s cross-country national championship — softened up the field with a handful of attacks, and in the end, Wicks surged ahead on the final lap to beat Jeremiah Bishop (Trek-Volkswagen).

Taking the women’s race was Bishop’s teammate Susan Haywood, claiming her third short-track national championship. Haywood, who won Saturday’s Super D title, attacked early in the race, leading with Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher). The group was eventually joined by Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna), who surged ahead on the beginning of the penultimate lap, dragging Haywood along. Haywood attacked the Luna rider at the top of the course’s steepest climb and held on for the win.

The national downhill championship was also held Sunday on Cougar Mountain, a steep, dusty hill overlooking Infineon Raceway. After suffering disappointment in Saturday’s mountain cross, where she finished fourth, Tara Llanes (Giant) took home the stars-and-stripes jersey, beating 2005 champ Melissa Buhl (KHS) and Marla Streb (Luna). Winning the men’s downhill was 20-year old Duncan Riffle (Honda-Iron Horse), the 2004 national downhill champ. Reigning champ Cody Warren (C-Dub Racing) was fastest in qualifying. However the Alpine, California, native crashed in a deep sand rut at the top of the descent.

Stay tuned to www.velonews.com for updates from the 2006 USA Cycling National Mountain-Bike Championships.

Short track
Men
1. Barry Wicks, Kona-Les Gets
2. Jeremiah Bishop, Trek-Volkswagen
3. Ryan Trebon, Kona-Les Gets
4. Ross Schnell, Trek-Volkswagen
5. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru-Gary Fisher
6. Carl Decker, Giant
7. Alan Obye, SRAM
8. Adam Craig, Giant
9. Erik Tonkin, Kona-Les Gets
10. Jason Sager, Hotel San Jose

Women
1. Susan Haywood, Trek-Volkswagen
2. Dara Marks-Marino, Titus-Kenda
3. Kelli Emmett, Ford Cycling
4. Shonny Vanlandingham, Luna
5. Mary McConneloug, Seven-Kenda
6. Willow Koerber, Subaru-Gary Fisher
7. Georgia Gould, Luna
8. Kathy Sherwin, Ford Cycling
9. Melissa Thomas, Tokyo Joe’s-Go Lite
10. Sara Bresnick-Zocchi, Ford Cycling

Downhill
Men
1. Duncan Riffle, Honda-Iron Horse
2. Ryan Finney, WTB
3. Rich Houseman, Yeti-Fox
4. Cole Bangert, Morewood
5. Chris Hearndon, Cane Creek
6. Justin Havukainen, Monster-Iron Horse
7. Aaron Peters, Mongoose
8. Henry O’Donnell, WTB
9. Lars Sternberg, Fluidride
10. Evan Turpen, Iron Horse

Women
1. Tara Llanes, Giant
2. Melissa Buhl, KHS
3. Marla Streb, Luna
4. Lisa Myklak, Morewood
5. April Lawyer, Maxxis
6. Amelia Colasurdo, Bear Naked-Cannondale
7. Sara Johnson, Wheelsport
8. Michelle Camp, Kona
9. Leanna Gerrard, Bear Naked-Cannondale
10. Jackie Harmony, Brodie-Cactus