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    <title>Professional Sports</title>
    <category>Professional Sports</category>
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    <description>Latest local news from The Durango Herald.</description>
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        <link>https://tcr.durangoherald.com/former-skyhawk-racing-in-womens-tour-de-france/</link>
        <title>Former Skyhawk racing in Women’s Tour de France</title>
        <description>Natalie Quinn making her debut in fifth edition of race</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Natalie Quinn making her debut in fifth edition of raceNatalie Quinn pedals up a hill during the team relay for Fort Lewis College at Purgatory Resort in 2021 during the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships. (Herald file)Durango had two connections in the 2026 Tour de France in July, and now it has a connection in the Women’s Tour de France this month.Former Fort Lewis College cyclist Natalie Quinn is making her debut in the Tour de France Femmes (Female in French) this week. Quinn raced for the Skyhawks from 2021 to 2024.“I still can't quite believe it's happening, but I’m forever grateful for the opportunities and for this team, for everyone who's believed in me,” Quinn wrote on Instagram. “In my heart there's still a little ski racer who had stars in her eyes but no idea what to do with them. I still got stars in my eyes, but with a little more direction. I wish I could tell her we're where we are today. Still in the mountains.”Quinn was a versatile rider at FLC, competing in cyclocross, mountain biking, cycling and team relay. She was a part of national championship teams for the Skyhawks.Since she graduated from FLC, Quinn has struggled to find the right team. She raced for EF-Oatly-Cannondale in 2024, but missed most of the season with a concussion. Quinn then signed with Hess Cycling Team in 2025, but the team struggled with funding and couldn’t pay its riders, including Quinn, according to an article by DeseretNews. She left that team and joined Cynisca Cycling in 2025, and she won a one-day race in Belgium.This season, Quinn is racing for Mayenne Monbana My Pie, based out of Mayenne, France. As of Tuesday, Quinn has finished 28th in Stage 2 and is 96th in the general classification standings after four stages. The Tour started last Saturday and will finish on Sunday after nine stages.“An experienced American rider with a strong understanding of the international racing scene,” Quinn is described on Mayenne Monbana My Pie’s team website. “Powerful and well-positioned in fast and aggressive races, she brings confidence and leadership to the group. Her experience is a key asset in high-level competition, helping guide the team through complex race situations. She adds maturity and structure to the squad.”Fans can watch the Tour de France Femmes on Peacock, with select stages on NBC Sports.bkelly@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://tcr.durangoherald.com/tour-de-france-update-simmons-named-best-teammate-kuss-top-american/</link>
        <title>Tour de France update: Simmons named best teammate, Kuss top American</title>
        <description>Tadej Pogačar won his fifth title in Paris on Sunday</description>
        <pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:37:13 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Tadej Pogačar won his fifth title in Paris on SundayDurango's Quinn Simmons, named the best teammate of the 2026 Tour de France, poses for a photo with Tadej Pogačar, the general classification winner. (Courtesy Scott Simmons)Neither Durango’s Quinn Simmons nor Sepp Kuss won a stage in the 2026 Tour de France, but both were recognized after the final stage in Paris for their efforts.Simmons, the outgoing Durangoan with his signature long hair, sideburns and handlebar mustache, was named the best teammate at the Tour de France for the second consecutive year after the final stage in Paris on Sunday.“The name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back,” Simmons wrote on Instagram. “Thank you, Luca Guercilena. Le Tour de France, I’m not done with you yet.”Going into the Tour, Kuss was Visma-Lease a Bike team leader Jonas Vingegaard’s domestique. But Vingegaard crashed out of Stage 15 and had to abandon the Tour. This allowed Kuss to finish as the top Visma rider and as the top American.Simmons showed his versatility throughout the three weeks in France. There were plenty of times when he led his Lidl-Trek teammate, sprinter Mads Petersen, into intermediate sprint stage finishes and helped Petersen take home the green jersey as the best sprinter in the Tour.Durango's Quinn Simmons gained plenty of fans in France with his exciting riding in the 2026 Tour de France in July. (Courtesy Scott Simmons)Lidl-Trek had two general classification riders, Mattias Skjelmose and Juan Ayuso, whom Simmons led plenty of times through the demanding climbs in a crowded peloton. Simmons helped keep those two safe as Skjelmose finished sixth in the GC standings and Ayuso seventh.In the hills and mountains of France, Simmons got in plenty of breakaway groups and showed his power, finishing with two top-10 stage finishes, including second place in Stage 4.Simmons finished the Tour in a career-best 18th in the GC. He was sixth in the youth standings, 16th in the king of the mountain standings, and Lidl-Trek finished as the fastest team, 36:57 ahead of UAE Team Emirates – XRG.“It's so special and I think it's something that we deserve,” Simmons’ Lidl-Trek teammate Carlos Verona said. “We were always fighting for the sprints, in the mountains, intermediate points, and for the GC so I think it's a really nice reward. To do it with this team and these people, it's something that most of us will never forget because it's not so often you can go to the final podium in Paris.”Although UAE Team Emirates – XRG finished second in the team standings, its top rider, Tadej Pogačar, dominated the Tour for his fifth GC title. After gaining the yellow jersey early in the Tour, Pogačar never looked rattled, even when Visma-Lease a Bike GC contender Jonas Vingegaard was behind him. After Vingegaard crashed and had to abandon the Tour, Pogačar had firm control of the GC.Pogačar won the GC in 73 hours, 56 minutes and 26 seconds after 21 stages. Remco Evenepoel finished second, 6:26 behind, and Isaac del Toro was third, 9:42 behind. Pogačar finished the 2026 Tour with five stage wins. Pogačar has 26 Tour stage wins in his career. His five Tour wins (2020, 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026) equal the most ever, cementing Pogačar as one of the greatest cyclists of all time.Kuss came so close to winning a stage in this year’s Tour, with a fourth-place finish in Stage 19 and third in Stage 20. Kuss finished 13th in the GC, 1:02:23 behind Pogačar. His mountain prowess in Stages 19 and 20 propelled him to fourth in the king of the mountain standings.Stage 21 was mostly a celebration in Paris with not much up for grabs. The stage was shortened from 133 kilometers to 88.7 km because of wildfires in southern France. Part of the security force for the final stage were relocated to the wildfires. There were six laps on the Champs-Élysées followed by three laps over the Montmartre climb.The streets of Paris were packed with fans as different riders took turns at the front early in the stage. Pogačar and Mathieu Van der Poel separated from the peloton on the Montmartre climb with about 26 km left. Evenepoel joined the pair a few kilometers later, but the peloton brought them in.However, Pogačar and Van der Poel separated once again with about 6 km left. The two leaders stayed together as the chase group hunted them down until Van der Poel launched an attack with about 700 meters left. Pogačar had nothing left to respond and was swallowed up by the chase group. Van der Poel did just enough to hang onto the win.Van der Poel won in 1:58:49, with Jasper Philipsen second and Petersen third. Pogačar finished 30th, 17 seconds behind. Kuss finished 124th, 10:54 behind, and Simmons finished 152nd, 13:13 behind.Richard Carapaz won the king of the mountain, and del Toro won the youth title.The final Grand Tour of 2026 will be the Vuelta a España from Aug. 22 to Sept. 13. Kuss notably won the Vuelta in 2023, and he hopes to ride in it in 2026. With Vingegaard likely out of the Vuelta as he recovers from his crash in the Tour, GC Kuss could be back in action.Durango's Sepp Kuss has been a crucial part of Visma-Lease a Bike's success the last few years. (Courtesy Visma-Lease a Bike)bkelly@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://tcr.durangoherald.com/pommeret-dauwalter-win-hardrock-100-titles/</link>
        <title>Pommeret, Dauwalter win Hardrock 100 titles</title>
        <description>Race went smoothly despite threat of poor air quality from fires</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0600</pubDate>
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        <media:thumbnail url="https://imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com/?uuid=4BA0D970-227A-5260-B331-572536F091E2&#038;function=cropresize&#038;type=preview&#038;source=false&#038;q=75&#038;width=1200&#038;x=1.0E-5&#038;y=1.0E-5&#038;crop_w=0.99999&#038;crop_h=0.99999" />
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Race went smoothly despite threat of poor air quality from firesFrance's Ludovic Pommeret competes in the 2026 Hardrock 100 ultra trail running race on Friday. (Courtesy Amanda McWhorter/Lobo Photo NM)There was concern over the air quality from the nearby wildfires with the Hardrock 100 on Friday, but another race through the San Juan Mountains is in the books, with some familiar faces taking home titles.Ultra trail running legends Ludovic Pommeret and Courtney Dauwalter captured the 2026 Hardrock 100 titles early on Saturday morning in Silverton after completing the 102.5-mile loop with a total elevation change of 66,394 feet at an average elevation of 11,000 feet. Pommeret, 50, from France, finished first out of 116 finishers in 21 hours, 11 minutes and 36 seconds. Dauwalter, 41, from Leadville, was fifth overall and the top woman, finishing in 26:03:10. Both runners broke the course records.“The weekend went really well … we were monitoring the smoke, but it turned out to be not too much of a factor,” Hardrock 100 Race Director Dale Garland said. “When we started on Friday, it was good, and then it kind of devolved a little bit on Saturday afternoon … Saturday was really warm. That was as big a deal as the smoke was in a lot of ways. But the trails themselves were in really good condition.”Runners prepare to start the 2026 Hardrock 100 ultra trail running race in Silverton on Friday. (Courtesy Dan Speicher)Despite the heat and threat of smoke, the finishing rate rose this year by about three points to 79%, according to Garland.Pommeret definitely stands out amongst the finishers as he won his third consecutive Hardrock 100 on Saturday. One of Pommeret’s main competitors, Tom Evans from England, was comfortably second behind Pommeret after the first 30 miles. But Evans’ pace fell off toward the middle of the race and he dropped out after 58 miles due to altitude sickness.This left Pommeret alone at the front as he increased his gap from minutes to hours by the time he completed the loop and finished in Silverton. Midway, Utah’s Jimmy Elam finished second in 23:48:56, and David Ayala finished third in 24:28:17.Garland continues to be astounded by Pommeret’s performances at his age. Garland said Pommeret and Ned Overend are the two athletes he knows who don’t seem to be limited by their age.Dauwalter didn’t have as much competition on the women’s side as Pommeret was supposed to have with Evans, especially with 2025 winner Katie Schide out with injury. She led by 10 minutes after 11 miles and by an hour at the halfway point. Careth Arnold from Paonia, Colorado, finished second in the women’s standings in 30:32:31 after struggling with her pace early. Dauwalter won her fourth Hardrock 100, but didn’t forget about the fans who traveled to cheer her on.Courtney Dauwalter smiles after winning the 2026 Hardrock 100 ultra trail running women's race in Silverton on Saturday. (Courtesy Amanda McWhorter/Lobo Photo NM)“She finished, and she said she wanted to get inside,” Garland said about Dauwalter. “Where we set up our medical recovery area is kind of the far end of the Silverton gym, where they have to walk through the gym. She did that, and before she took a break, I bet she signed seven or eight autographs and talked with little kids. She spent time with people who had waited a long time to see her.”The top Durango finisher in the overall and women’s standings was Tara Dower, who was 14th overall and third in the women’s race in 33:02:04. It was an impressive finish for Dower, 32, especially since she ran the Western States 100-mile race two weeks before.Telluride’s Nick Coury finished seventh in 29:53:39. Garland said Coury is known for wearing road racing shoes on the trail and for starting off slow and increasing his speed. This year, Coury had good pace from the beginning, according to Garland.Other top Durango finishers were Jason Schlarb in 19th and David Golden in 28th. Silverton’s Cody Bradford and Jeff Rome didn’t finish.bkelly@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://tcr.durangoherald.com/jones-healey-go-low-to-separate-from-pack-in-round-2-of-navajo-trail-open/</link>
        <title>Jones, Healey go low to separate from pack in Round 2 of Navajo Trail Open</title>
        <description>Pros had ideal scoring conditions on Saturday morning</description>
        <pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 20:33:18 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Pros had ideal scoring conditions on Saturday morningConnor Jones tees off on seven during the Navajo Trail Open on Saturday at Hillcrest Golf Club during the second round. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)Jerry McBrideSaturday is considered moving day in professional golf tournaments, and two players used it to move up the leaderboard in the second round of the Navajo Trail Open.Connor Jones and Dylan Healey took advantage of the pros playing in the morning on the pure greens and ideal conditions at Hillcrest Golf Club in Durango. Jones shot 6-under par to take the tournament lead at 8-under par. Healey bounced back from an even par Friday to shoot 7-under par to be one shot back of Jones.Behind those two is a four-way tie for third at 3-under par. Golfers were treated to another beautiful day with warm temperatures.Jones finished his second round with eight birdies, eight pars and two bogeys.“I got off to a real good start,” Jones said. “I birdied the first three holes, and then kept it going all day. I was hitting it really good, and left a few out there with the greens, three putted a couple times. I had a lot of looks.”Teeing off in the morning made the course a lot easier, according to Jones, and the wind didn’t pick up until the back nine. He birdied four out of his first five holes, with the lone misstep a three-putt bogey on Hole 13. He birdied the par-5 17th, Hole 2, Hole 3, Hole 6 and then he three putted the par-4 eighth for bogey.Connor Jones tees off on seven during the Navajo Trail Open on Saturday at Hillcrest Golf Club during the second round. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)Jerry McBrideUp one stroke with $10,000 on the line, Jones said he feels comfortable in the lead and he was planning on working on the speed of his putts before the final round.Healey, from Tucson, Arizona, had a double bogey on Friday, which didn’t help his scoring. He came out scorching on Saturday as the pros started their rounds on the back nine. Healey birdied the par-5 10th, the par-4 11th, the par-3 12th and the par-4 13th to begin his round. He cooled off with three consecutive pars before an impressive eagle on the par-5 17th to shoot 6-under on his opening nine.The former Korn Ferry Tour player also birdied the par 5 third and the par 4 eight before bogeying the tricky par 3 ninth.Farmington’s Tony Mike Jr. had a quality second round, finishing at 2-under par to get to 3-under par for the tournament. Mike had a nice birdie on the short par-4 11th, before a tough double bogey at 17. He bounced back on the front nine with birdies on three, five, seven and eight, with the only blemish on the front a bogey on the par-4 sixth.Tony Mike Jr. sinks a putt on nine during the Navajo Trail Open on Saturday at Hillcrest Golf Club during the second round. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)Jerry McBrideWil Collins is also at 3-under par for the tournament after an even par round on Saturday. Collins had an up and down round with five birdies, eight pars and five bogeys.Collins said he struggled to take advantage of the perfect conditions in the morning, and he started pressing, leading to what he called “mental torture” for 5.5 hours.Wil Collins tees off on seven during the Navajo Trail Open on Saturday at Hillcrest Golf Club during the second round. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)Jerry McBride“I didn’t get much out of it today. … My short game was poor with two for 10 on up and downs,” Collins said. “The short game has been kind of rough this week, but I’m still under par for the week, and I have a chance to go out and post a good number tomorrow.”Also at 3-under par is Brad Marek after shooting 1-under par on Saturday with three birdies, 13 pars and two bogeys.Joe Baldeck III is also tied for third at 3-under par after shooting 4-under par on Saturday. Baldeck is based out of Austin and works at Spanish Oaks Golf Club. He heard about the tournament from his friend, Ryan Hodge, who’s the Director of Golf at Glacier Club. Baldeck played in it last year and knew he had to come back.Joe Baldeck III tees off on seven during the Navajo Trail Open on Saturday at Hillcrest Golf Club during the second round. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)Jerry McBride“I’m feeling good,” Baldeck said. “I got off to a hot start birding the first three, that definitely helped. I played pretty good on the back, and then the wind started picking up, and I was hitting good shots, just being in the right spot, it seemed like today for the most part.”Baldeck was happy with his distance control on Saturday, especially hitting into the challenging Hillcrest greens. He’s looking forward to teeing it up on Sunday and is happy to be here, so he isn’t too concerned with the final result.Farmington’s River Smalley shot 1-over par on Saturday with three birdies, 11 pars and four bogeys to go into Sunday tied-seventh at 2-under par. Cortez’s Micah Rudosky finished his round on Saturday at 4-over par and is 3-over par for the tournament.Micah Rudosky sinks a long putt on nine during the Navajo Trail Open on Saturday at Hillcrest Golf Club during the second round. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)Jerry McBrideCharles Dawkins continues to lead the amateur field’s net standings at 2-over par for the tournament, while Fort Lewis College’s Traejan Andrews leads the gross amateur standings in the championship flight at 3-under par.It’s not often a hole-in-one happens on any golf course, let alone in tournament play, But that’s what happened on Saturday with Annie Yost. The former Piedra Vista High School star and current Division I golfer at Florida Gulf Coast University had her first ace on Hole 12 on Saturday. That shot helped her shoot 1-over par on Saturday.Fans should be treated to some fantastic golf in the final group on Sunday. Collins, Mike, Healey and Jones will all tee off at 2:18 p.m. on Hole 1. To check out all of the tee times, click here.bkelly@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://tcr.durangoherald.com/familiar-names-on-top-of-navajo-trail-open-leaderboard-after-round-1/</link>
        <title>Familiar names on top of Navajo Trail Open leaderboard after Round 1</title>
        <description>Golfers faced warm temperatures and quick greens on Friday</description>
        <pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 05:30:00 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Golfers faced warm temperatures and quick greens on FridayWil Collins reaches for his ball during the first round of the 2025 Navajo Trail Open at Hillcrest Golf Club. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)Jerry McBrideHillcrest Golf Club Head Golf Professional Brett Wolf said he didn’t know a lot of the names in the professional field entering the 2026 Navajo Trail Open, but there were two familiar names at the top of the leaderboard after Round 1.Three-time Navajo Trail Open Wil Collins and former Piedra Vista High School star River Smalley are tied for first at 3-under par after 18 holes of golf on Friday. Golfers were treated to a beautiful and warm day for the first round. There was light wind at times, but golfers have a fantastic day to challenge themselves on the speedy Hillcrest greens and incredibly maintained course.Collins, who most recently won the tournament in 2023 and 2024, lives in Albuquerque. He played on the PGA Tour in 2009 and is a golf instructor and works in the mortgage business. He finished the opening round with four birdies, 13 pars and a bogey.“You always have to be grateful out here for a round under par,” Collins said. “On this course, there are a lot of holes where you feel like you got away with robbery and some hole where you think, ‘How did I not make birdie?’ It’s in phenomenal shape and as is the case every year, if you’re in position, you can some birdies ... it was a good start.”Collins got off to a strong start, birding the second and third holes, with his birdie on Hole 3 coming via chip-in. He capped an impressive front nine by hitting a 20-foot uphill putt on the tricky par 3 ninth for birdie. Collins was happy with how he putted to save a few pars on the front.To start the back, Collins three putted for par on the par 5 10th. He wasn’t satisfied with a par on the short par 4 11th. He did birdie the par 3 12th over the water, but hit a poor shot on the par 3 15th and made bogey. Collins had about a 6-footer for birdie on 18, but he couldn’t convert.Collins’ main goal going into Round 2 is to get his mindset right as he hasn’t competed in eight months, and now he’s chasing the $10,000 first-place prize.Tied at the top is Smalley, the Farmington native and former New Mexico State golfer. He also finished with four birdies, 13 pars and a bogey. Smalley got off to a slower start than Collins, with his first birdie coming on Hole 9. He birdied Hole 10, Hole 12 and Hole 15 before a bogey on the par 5 Hole 17.Behind the two leaders is a three-way tie for third at 2-under par with Tyler Diehl, Brad Marek and Connor Jones.Diehl started with a bogey on Hole 1 before birdies on two and four before bogeys on seven and nine. He finished strongly with birdies on 10, 16 and 18. Marek also started out with a bogey on Hole 1, before birding 11, 12, 16 and 17 and bogeying 14.Jones, a Denver native, is competing in his first Navajo Trail Open. The former Colorado State University golfer is now playing golf for a living and heard about the tournament from his former Colorado State teammate and recent Fort Lewis College graduate Jordan Jennings, who caddied for Jones in Round 1.It was a fast start with birdies on two, five and eight before a bogey on nine for Jones. He played the second nine even after a birdie on 11 and a bogey on 14.“I played good on the front nine,” Jones said. “I made a bogey on nine, kind of got slowed down around the turn and I just kind of squirrely on the back ... I made a good put on the last hole for par, which is nice.”Jones enjoyed the course after playing it for the first time in the pro-am on Thursday, citing the quick and slippery greens and some tricky spots. He’s excited to try and chase down Collins, whom he’s played with before.Just outside the top five were two locals, Farmington’s Tony Mike Jr. and Cortez’s Micah Rudosky, tied for sixth at 1-under par. Rudosky started the day with a bogey on Hole 1, but bounced back with birdies on 10 and 11. He bogeyed 12 before birding 17.Mike, who plays golf full-time along with helping coach the Farmington High School girls team, bogeyed the par 3 fifth before birding the sixth. He birdied 10 and 11 before bogeying 16.“I feel good about it,” Mike said. “I hit a lot of great shots out there. The putter got a little cold for a little bit, but that's golf. The course is a fun challenge and what makes the course challenging are the greens, making putts.”Mike was very happy with how he hit the ball off the tee today. He put himself in the fairway and gave himself a lot of wedges in there. On Hole 11, he drove the ball on to the green to about 12 feet, but missed the eagle putt.There were some gusts and swirling winds to deal with, according to Mike, but he’s looking forward to finding his rhythm in Round 2.“The staff is great,” Mike said. “Michael (McCloskey) and Brett (Wolf), host a great venue and golf course itself. It's always in great condition. Durango, you can't ask for better weather in summer time. It's just an overall fun event. I really enjoy this tournament. It's the one I'm looking forward to out of the year.”In the amateur standings, Charles Dawkins, Javan Real and Eben Harrell are tied for the best round at 2-over par. Fort Lewis College’s Traejan Andrews leads the amateur gross standings with an adjusted score of even par.Round 2 tee times will start at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday. For tee times and live scoring, click here.bkelly@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://tcr.durangoherald.com/navajo-trail-open-returns-as-large-pro-field-begins-on-friday/</link>
        <title>Navajo Trail Open returns as large pro field begins on Friday</title>
        <description>Warm temperatures, sunny skies expected as fans are welcome to watch</description>
        <pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 10:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
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        <media:thumbnail url="https://imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com/?uuid=003BADCF-CE13-5AE4-9864-75665030D45B&#038;function=cropresize&#038;type=preview&#038;source=false&#038;q=75&#038;width=1200&#038;x=1.0E-5&#038;y=0.03085299&#038;crop_w=0.99999&#038;crop_h=0.54446461" />
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Warm temperatures, sunny skies expected as fans are welcome to watchDevin Schreiner hits an approach shot during the first round of the Navajo Trail Open at Hillcrest Golf Club in 2025. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)Jerry McBrideIt’s the middle of June, the U.S. Open is happening this weekend, so that means one thing: The Navajo Trail Open is here.Plenty of up-and-coming pro golfers, veteran PGA professionals, local college players and more will flock to Hillcrest Golf Club in Durango to compete in the 65th Navajo Trail Open.The action will begin on Thursday with the pro-am. On Friday, the 54-hole tournament will begin with a massive professional field, about 20% larger than last year. Golfers will play 18 holes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to crown a champion.“We’re excited,” Hillcrest Golf Club Head Golf Professional Brett Wolf said. “We have probably one of the biggest and strongest fields that I've been around in my 12 years here. We have just shy of 50 pros, which is about 10 more than last year. So we have a really strong pro field with some young guys, and some guys that I don't know … We're excited to get some fresh faces.”Everything starts on Thursday at 10 a.m. with a shotgun start for the pro-am event. The pro-am is completely separate from the 54-hole tournament, but all the pros in the field play and local professionals play. It’s a fun way to kick off the Navajo Trail Open while allowing pros and everybody else to see the golf course in its tournament form.A family-style Cajun boil will be provided for those participating in the pro-am, along with some live music from local musician Rob Webster.The tournament will begin on Friday with the highest handicappers starting first, with the day ending with the low handicappers and professionals. There will be five flights of amateurs below the 50-strong professional field. Wolf said there’s about 30 players in each flight, with the best flight made up of 6 handicapped players and the bottom flight with 20-25 handicappers, according to Wolf. It is possible for an amateur to win the entire tournament, as long as they play from the same tees as the pros.Hillcrest likes to imitate the U.S. Open with its Navajo Trail Open setup, with super-fast greens and long rough to protect against the course’s short length. However, the local water restrictions have meant the Hillcrest grounds crew haven’t kept all the rough as long and thick with less water.“The course is awesome,” Wolf said. “We had a meeting with our new superintendent, Kaelen Waters, and he’s excited about it, too … the playing areas are incredible. The greens are the Hillcrest traditional greens. They'll be firm and fast, and we're excited to have a really tight golf course. It's going to be impressive to watch, especially with high temperatures and a little bit of wind. It should be a good test.”Last year, Patrick Azevedo won the Navajo Trail Open with a score of 7-under par. Azevedo is from Dallas and was road tripping to Washington when he decided to play at Hillcrest. Azevedo won’t be back to defend his title, but there will be plenty of talented golfers in the pro field.Wil Collins, the 2023 and 2024 champion, is back in the field. He played on the PGA Tour in 2009 and played in two U.S. Opens. He had a 14-year professional playing career. Now 47 years old, Collins resides in Albuquerque and is a mortgage loan originator and part-time golf teacher.Wil Collins putts during the 2025 Navajo Trail Open. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)Jerry McBrideLocally, Micah Rudosky, PGA Professional at Conquistador Golf Course in Cortez, is back as a former winner of the Navajo Trail Open. Hillcrest’s Devin Schreiner and Jackson Tomiyama will compete in the pro division as well as Tony Mike Jr. from Farmington. Fay Beyale from the First Tee Four Corners chapter will be in the pro field.Micah Rudosky putts during the first round of the Navajo Trail Open at Hillcrest Golf Club in 2025. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)Jerry McBrideFort Lewis College men’s golfer Traejan Andrews will be in the pro field after winning the Colorado Golf Association Match Play Championship on Friday. Annie Yost, the former Piedra Vista High School star who’s now playing Division I golf at Florida Gulf Coast University, will also be in the field.Last year, the first-place prize was $8,000. This year, Wolf expects the first-place prize to be closer to $10,000 with the larger pro field. All proceeds will go to the Hillcrest Junior Golf Foundation.Tee times for the event should be posted on Hillcrest’s website on Monday night. Tee times and groups on Sunday will be determined by the standings. Hillcrest will be open until Wednesday night. Practice areas and the golf course will be closed Thursday through Sunday. Wolf and the Hillcrest staff hope the public will come out to watch.“We would love it,” Wolf said about spectators. “Unfortunately, we don't have enough golf carts to do spectator carts, but outside of that, we really encourage the public to come follow the pros and low amateurs, and people they just know in all the flights. Please come see us this weekend, it's going to be fun.”bkelly@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://tcr.durangoherald.com/strong-turnout-expected-for-54th-iron-horse-bicycle-classic/</link>
        <title>Strong turnout expected for 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic</title>
        <description>Road, mountain bike and gravel races highlight the event</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 09:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
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        <media:thumbnail url="https://imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com/?uuid=1968133B-D0B2-59BC-A0A0-2FD7EAED3517&#038;function=cropresize&#038;type=preview&#038;source=false&#038;q=75&#038;width=1200&#038;x=0.0475&#038;y=1.0E-5&#038;crop_w=0.90625&#038;crop_h=0.99999" />
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Road, mountain bike and gravel races highlight the eventRacers leave Durango after the start of the 2025 Iron Horse Bicycle Classic road race in Durango. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)Memorial Day is almost here, and that means one thing in Durango: The 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic weekend is back to give cyclists, spectators and local businesses great memories with a strong turnout.Local rising stars will battle for supremacy at one of Colorado’s most prestigious and longest running cycling events. The 47-mile Coca-Cola Road Race will be center stage once again as it has been in every year since 1971.Last year, the big change was the Subaru Mountain Bike race course featuring Steamworks Brewing Co. for the first time in six years. The return to downtown racing went so well that the iconic route through Steamworks is returning on Sunday, along with the LaStrada LaPlata Gravel race.Great weather in Durango and Silverton is expected this weekend, making it worth it for local spectators and riders.“We're super excited,” IHBC Interim Racing Director Erin Glenn said. “It's going to be a great year. Our numbers are up 10% for registration, and we project Friday night for that last-minute registration to be probably one of our biggest years. It's quite amazing, actually, all the last-minute (registrations) that came in on Sunday, but we have 918 new riders this year. So that's our biggest ever that we've had that many new riders.”Glenn is the IHBC interim racing director after former director Ian Burnett was let go from his position. Her goal this year is to boost registration. Glenn has over a decade of experience working for the IHBC, including being Ed Zink’s executive assistant, being in charge of the registration, working with the riders, vendors and event showcasing.Another one of Glenn’s goals has been boosting the number of volunteers. IHBC has brought in a new volunteer coordinator, Therese Geter, to partner with local businesses as volunteer sponsorships. These businesses will provide staff and help feed the volunteers. The IHBC has worked to spread the word on social media and with nonprofits. Glenn said it’s the first time in years that the IHBC has only 10 volunteer spots left to fill.The IHBC will kick off on Friday with the Faceplant Ale Kick Off Parade at 4:20 p.m. Costumes are encouraged. Participants will gather at Ska Brewing Co. before the parade departs at 5 p.m. It will follow the bike path to Santa Rita Park, then move through neighborhoods before stopping at Steamworks. The parade will finish with participants entering Buckley Park from the north side. There will be live music and vendors at Buckley Park.On Saturday, the Coca-Cola Road Race will start at 7:15 a.m. at 33rd Street and East Second Avenue. The McDonald’s Citizen Tour will start at 8 a.m. at the same location.The iconic 47-mile road race starts at 6,512 feet in elevation. Riders travel through Hermosa and past Purgatory Resort before climbing Coal Bank Pass and Molas Pass, both over 10,000 feet. The race finishes in Silverton at 9,318 feet.Riders must clear Coal Bank Pass by 12:40 p.m. and Molas Pass by 1:20 p.m. or they will be pulled from the race for safety reasons, as the highway between Purgatory and Silverton is closed only until 1:30 p.m.Two-time defending men’s pro road race champion and Durango native Cobe Freeburn will not be defending his title on Saturday as he focuses on his training for the Unbound Gravel race on May 30. It’s unclear whether defending women’s champion Sidney Andrew will be riding, but 2024 women’s champion Lauren Aggeler will compete for her second title. Local riders Ivan Sippy and Emmett McManus are signed up to win their first Iron Horse road races.Plenty of other riders could sign up just before the weekend, according to Glenn. First place for the men’s and women’s races each get $1,000.One local legend who won’t be at the Coca-Cola Road Race start line is Ned Overend. The 70-year-old has been traveling for the past few weeks for Specialized, and his training didn’t come together with some nagging injuries. Overend said he’ll try again next year, and this will be the first time in 41 years that he hasn’t competed in the IHBC, minus COVID-19 and snow cancellations.There are 2,000 riders who are expected to line up for the Coca-Cola Road Race and McDonald’s Citizen Tour race, according to Glenn, up from about 1,800 last year.On Saturday, the high in Durango is supposed to be 71 degrees and sunny, and the high in Silverton will be 51 degrees with sunshine.Glenn and the IHBC have partnered with Adaptive Sports to have more people at the finish line of the Quarter Horse at Purgatory Resort.“We also are really trying to promote bringing more people to Silverton,” Glenn said. “A lot of people aren't aware that we have a full festival and expo. We have vendors, a food garden there. The energy is awesome, just with all the riders, the family members and friends that are there to cheer people in.”The festival in Silverton will run until about 2:30 or 3 p.m. A new addition to the finish line at Silverton will be a hot and cold plunge from event sponsors Four Corners Stoves and Spas.On Sunday, the LaStrada LaPlata gravel race will start and finish at Steamworks. The 55-mile course includes 4,985 feet of climbing. Riders will start at 8 a.m., ascend Horse Gulch Road, loop around Texas Creek to the east, then return west to Horse Gulch Road and finish at Steamworks.The Subaru Mountain Bike Race will begin at Buckley Park, where riders will complete a lap around the park before heading south on East Second Avenue to Eighth Street. At Eighth Street, they’ll turn north on East Fifth Avenue into the singletrack. Riders will take a lap on the Rim Trail, descend the south side of the Factory Trail, ride the lower part of the Nature Trail onto East Fifth Avenue, then reverse course down Eighth Street through Steamworks before finishing at Buckley Park.Sunday is expected to be another beautiful day in Durango with partly cloudy skies and a high of 76 degrees.bkelly@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://tcr.durangoherald.com/san-francisco-49ers-select-durangos-willis-in-nfl-draft/</link>
        <title>San Francisco 49ers select Durango’s Willis in NFL Draft</title>
        <description>Historic franchise selected former Demon in fourth round on Saturday</description>
        <pubDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Historic franchise selected former Demon in fourth round on SaturdayDurango's Carver Willis prepares for the rush as part of the University of Washington offensive line against UCLA on Nov. 22. (Courtesy Travis Ellison/UW Athletics)Travis EllisonDurango has connections to plenty of professional athletes, but now this small mountain town will be connected to a man playing football on Sundays.Former Demons football star Carver Willis was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft with the 127th pick by the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday. Willis will have the chance to compete for playing time for one of the most historic franchises in NFL history as the 49ers remain a contender in the NFC and NFC West.Carver Willis“I knew I was on their radar, but no, I had no idea they were about to take me,” Willis said in a call with reporters. “It was a pretty big surprise at my place, so I’m just fired up.”It hasn’t been a straightforward path for Willis, with stops at Kansas State and Washington during his six years of college football. He started games at right tackle in 2023 and 2024 at Kansas State and at left tackle in 2025 at Washington. However, the former first-team all-state football player as a senior at Durango High School looks like he’ll play guard in the NFL.Carver Willis of Durango High School bears down on Ty Blackmer of Montezuma-Cortez High School at DHS. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)Willis doesn’t have the size or the length of a typical pro tackle. The move to guard is something he talked about with every team he met with. He took snaps at guard at the 2026 Senior Bowl.“I’m happy to do it, no matter where they need me on the line,” Willis said about moving positions. “I’ve kind of said this whole time, I just want a shot in the playbook.”The 6-foot-5-inch, 303-pound Willis met with the 49ers informally at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. Willis met with San Francisco offensive line coach Chris Foerster multiple times since Foerster was up at Washington for a coaching clinic. Willis said Washington modeled a lot of what they did on offense off what the 49ers do.Willis was projected as a Day 3 selection in the NFL Draft, anywhere from the fourth round to being an undrafted free agent. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Willis as a sixth-round prospect and as the 19th-best guard in the class. Brugler and other analysts noted Willis is at his best in the run game, but he needs to improve his core strength and as a pass blocker. Brugler projects Willis as a backup swing offensive lineman with upside to be more than that.Despite where the analysts project Willis’ career to go, there is an opening at left guard for the 49ers that he can compete for. San Francisco seems pretty set at the other four positions on the offensive line, but the 49ers lost two of the three left guards who started for them last season, with the lone returner being 2025 seventh-rounder Connor Colby. Willis could compete for the starting job with Colby, Robert Jones, Brett Toth and Nick Zakelj.One of the 49ers’ most notable players is left tackle Trent Williams. The 12-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro is 37 and just signed a two-year, $50 million contract extension on Monday.“It’s pretty cool,” Willis said. “He’s one of those guys who’s an all-time great; he’s a legend. Any way I can learn from him or any part of his game I can learn from or his process, I’m excited for. It’s actually one of the first things I said when I got drafted to my family is, ‘I can learn from Trent.”’San Francisco went 12-5 overall last season and has been in the playoffs in five of the last seven years, including two Super Bowl appearances. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has been leading the team since 2017, and Brock Purdy has been the top starting quarterback since 2023.Running back Christian McCaffrey is one of the best running backs in the league, but Willis will try and help improve a rushing attack that averaged 3.8 yards per rush and ranked 24th with 106.9 rushing yards per game.bkelly@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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