Riley Miller Wins US Junior Downhill Championships!
Posted by Eric Roque on
13 July 2021
The United States National Downhill and Enduro Championship races took place in Winter Park, Colorado over the weekend. Liv Racing Collective athlete Riley Miller earned her place on the podium for both events, finishing first and fourth, respectively.
16-year-old Liv Racing Collective gravity athlete Riley Miller made the trip from East Burke, Vermont to Winter Park, Colorado for her first US National Championships nearly two weeks ahead of the race. The elevation at the top of Trestle Bike Park, where both enduro and downhill events took place, is nearly 11,000 ft (3,350 meters) above sea level.
“Hydration and sleep were probably the most important for acclimation, so making sure I prioritized those two things was essential,” said Miller.
Race weekend began Saturday with a four-stage enduro consisting of loose, fast, and rocky terrain. Competing with a cold, Miller powered through the physical stages and finished fourth in the junior 15-18 category, just 3.5 seconds back of the third-place finisher.
“It was a hard day,” said Miller. “I coughed all the way from the first stage to the second. I was stoked to even finish, let alone come out in fourth place!”
After an evening of rest and recovery, Miller was feeling confident for Sunday’s downhill race and completed the rough and technical 1.31-mile course in 4:17.3. Her time meant she secured the US National Championship title in the 15-16 junior women category and would have also placed her second in the women’s pro field.
“Winning National Championships has been my goal for a long time,” said Miller. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family, friends, and the Liv Racing team!”