The 19-year-old proved he can go toe-to-toe with anyone
Aiden Chapin took to the slopes of Big Sky, Mont., and showed off why he is one of the most exciting young up-and-comers in domestic enduro.
With a time of 26:34.3, he won a tight battle in the U21 category at the second Big Mountain Enduro race of the year. He edged out Jackob Snow by just a little more than seven seconds for the gold medal.
Aiden Chapin won two stages on his way to a tight victory over Jakob Snow (silver) and Jake Keller (bronze).
“After two long days on the bike and eight stages of super tight racing, I battled to the top step of the podium,” Chapin said after the race. “Each stage offered incredible racing with terrain ranging from steep chutes, fresh cut trails and jagged rocks that pushed the racer and bike to the limits.”
Chapin is just 19 years old, and already proving he can be a force in the sport. The former junior national champion has shown he can hold his own against anyone. For example, his overall time would have put him ninth among the pro men.
Aiden is one of the most promising young riders in domestic enduro.
Chapin also notched two stage wins on his way to the top of the podium, including a blistering time of 1:14.5 on a short Stage 7 that was fastest in his category by 2.5 seconds, and would have been the fourth best time among the pros.
There’s good reason to be excited about Chapin’s future. But for now, he’s rightfully living in the moment, and enjoying one of the highlights of his career.
