Jill Kintner
Encyclopedia
Jill Kintner is a professional American "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
and professional mountain cross (four-cross or 4X) racer whose prime competitive years were 1995-2002 in BMX; 2004–present in mountain cross. She switched to the mountain cross discipline full-time after her BMX retirement early in the 2004 season (many sources have her retiring after the 2002 season, but this is incorrect).
. She began riding BMX in July 1989 at seven years of age and claimed her first national win in the combined 7-8 Girls Class at the American Bicycle Association
(ABA) Great Northwest Nationals in Sumner, Washington
, on August 17, 1990 (Day 1). It was her very first national-level race, she also won on Day 2. At the age of nine in 1990, she received her first sponsorship from the Bike Factory and turned professional in 1995 at 14 years of age.
She began riding BMX while growing up, as her father owned his own BMX track in Washington. She began competing professionally at age 14 and captured more than 70 BMX wins. In April 2004 she made the switch to full time Mountain Bike racing competition. In 2006, Mike King, a former BMX and mountain bike racer then director of BMX for USA Cycling
, urged her to come back, and in 2007 returned to BMX racing, with the added prospect of possibly participating in the 2008 Summer Olympics
Jill came out of BMX retirement in early 2007 ostensibly to supplement her mountain cross training. She won her first BMX race the first time back, despite an injured knee, she went forward. She made the switch to racing BMX full-time to try to make the 2008 USA BMX Olympic team. On June 2, 2008, she won a spot on the team after coming in sixth place at the Union Cycliste Internationale
(UCI) World Championships held in Taiyuan, China, out of a field of 32 racers, making the top 16. Kintner resided in San Diego, California
, so that she could train at the Olympic Training Center, and won the bronze medal on August 19, 2008, in BMX racing. Kintner has stated that it is an almost certainty that she will not return for the 2012 Olympics.
, on April 4, 2004. She finished in second place in Elite Women. Her last race before her comeback seems to have been the ABA Silverdollar Nationals in Reno, Nevada
, on January 8, 2005, in which she came in eighth place. She had previously raced MTB cross country parttime since 1997.
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
(NBL)
American Bicycle Association
(ABA)
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
USA Cycling
Games of the XXIX Olympiad (2008 Summer Olympics)
Independent Pro Series Championships and Invitational Races
in the last turn of the Pro/Am 14 & Over Girl's Open at the NBL Christmas Classic in Columbus, Ohio
, in December 2002.
Started racing: Part-time in 1997 alongside her BMX career. Full-time in 2003 at 21
Sub Discipline: 4X Mountain cross
Union Cycliste Internationale
(UCI)
National Off Road Bicycle Association (NORBA)
USA Cycling
Independent Championship races and series
in a December 2007 crash. She reinjured the chronically problematic knee during a training crash in late April 2008. She underwent surgery on her right knee on May 4, 2008, to repair her meniscus
. She wore a leg brace and had put off major surgery until after the 2008 Summer Olympics, eventually having that surgery on October 2, 2008.
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
and professional mountain cross (four-cross or 4X) racer whose prime competitive years were 1995-2002 in BMX; 2004–present in mountain cross. She switched to the mountain cross discipline full-time after her BMX retirement early in the 2004 season (many sources have her retiring after the 2002 season, but this is incorrect).
Biography
Kintner is from Burien, WashingtonBurien, Washington
Burien is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located south of Seattle. As of the 2010 Census, Burien's population is 33,313, which is a 2.9% increase since incorporation. Annexation in 2011 has increased the cities population to about 45,000....
. She began riding BMX in July 1989 at seven years of age and claimed her first national win in the combined 7-8 Girls Class at the American Bicycle Association
American Bicycle Association
The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...
(ABA) Great Northwest Nationals in Sumner, Washington
Sumner, Washington
Sumner is a city in northern Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 9,451 at the 2010 census. Nearby cities include Puyallup to the west, Auburn to the north, and Enumclaw to the east.-History:...
, on August 17, 1990 (Day 1). It was her very first national-level race, she also won on Day 2. At the age of nine in 1990, she received her first sponsorship from the Bike Factory and turned professional in 1995 at 14 years of age.
She began riding BMX while growing up, as her father owned his own BMX track in Washington. She began competing professionally at age 14 and captured more than 70 BMX wins. In April 2004 she made the switch to full time Mountain Bike racing competition. In 2006, Mike King, a former BMX and mountain bike racer then director of BMX for USA Cycling
USA Cycling
USA Cycling or USAC, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It covers the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX and collegiate racing...
, urged her to come back, and in 2007 returned to BMX racing, with the added prospect of possibly participating in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
Jill came out of BMX retirement in early 2007 ostensibly to supplement her mountain cross training. She won her first BMX race the first time back, despite an injured knee, she went forward. She made the switch to racing BMX full-time to try to make the 2008 USA BMX Olympic team. On June 2, 2008, she won a spot on the team after coming in sixth place at the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
(UCI) World Championships held in Taiyuan, China, out of a field of 32 racers, making the top 16. Kintner resided in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, so that she could train at the Olympic Training Center, and won the bronze medal on August 19, 2008, in BMX racing.
Retirement
Kitner retired early in the 2004 season at age 22 to pursue a career in Mountaincross racing fulltime because she was burned out on BMX competition, was "bored" and had reached her "potential". Some sources have her retiring after the end of the 2002 season, but this is incorrect. She raced BMX during the 2003 season including the 2003 ABA Grandnational. She came in 5th in Pro Girls. Indeed, she raced well into 2004 as she concentrated on Mountaincross. Her last regular BMX race was possibly The NBL Gator Nationals in Avon Park, FloridaAvon Park, Florida
Avon Park is a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population in 2009 at 8,824. It is the oldest city in Highlands County, and was named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England.-History:...
, on April 4, 2004. She finished in second place in Elite Women. Her last race before her comeback seems to have been the ABA Silverdollar Nationals in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, on January 8, 2005, in which she came in eighth place. She had previously raced MTB cross country parttime since 1997.
Amateur/Junior Women
American Bicycle Association (ABA)- 1990 8 Girls Gold Cup West Champion
- 1990 8 Girls Race of Champions Champion
- 1991 9 Girls US Open West Champion
- 1991 9 Girls Gold Cup West Champion
- 1991 Washington-1 (WA-01) Girls District No.1
- 1994 12 Girls Washington State Champion
- 1994 12 Girls US Open West Champion
- 1994 12 Girls Gold Cup West Champion
- 1995 14-16 Girls Cruiser Grandnational Champion
- 1996 Girls Cruiser Washington-1 (WA-01) District No. 1
- 1996 13 Girls Grandnational Champion
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
- 1997 16 Girls World Challenge Champion
- 1998 Junior Women Bronze Medal World champion
Professional/Elite Women
National Bicycle LeagueNational Bicycle League
The National Bicycle League is a United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Deerfield Beach, Florida but after several moves it was based in Hilliard, Ohio...
(NBL)
- 2002 Pro Girl National No. 1
American Bicycle Association
American Bicycle Association
The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...
(ABA)
- 2002 Pro Girls Race of Champions Champion
- 2002 Pro Girls World Champion
- 2002 Pro Girls National No.3
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
- At the World Championships held in Taiyuan, China, on June 2, 2008, Kintner came in sixth place, which guaranteed her the lone automatic women's spot on the US BMX Olympic Team.
USA Cycling
USA Cycling
USA Cycling or USAC, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It covers the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX and collegiate racing...
- 2008 Elite Women National Champion
Games of the XXIX Olympiad (2008 Summer Olympics)
- Bronze in Women's BMX at Laoshan BMX FieldLaoshan Bicycle Moto Cross (BMX) VenueThe Laoshan Bicycle Moto Cross Venue was one of 9 temporary venues used for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It was located in Laoshan, Shijingshan District, Beijing. The venue was used for the men's and women's BMX racing events.-References:*...
Independent Pro Series Championships and Invitational Races
- 2003 RM59 Tropical BMX Challenge 16 & Over Money Open Champion
BMX Racing traits and habits
An aggressive rider in the Girl Pro class, she was disqualified for prompting a collision with Kim HayashiKim Hayashi
Kimberly M. Hayashi is an American professional "New/Current School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 2000–Present. Her many nicknames include: "Lil Kim", "Shorty", "Midget", "Sushi Roll", "Kim Woo", Lil Sushi, et al.. all references to her diminutive 4' 10",...
in the last turn of the Pro/Am 14 & Over Girl's Open at the NBL Christmas Classic in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, in December 2002.
Mountain Bike Career Record
Kitner started racing mountain bikes part-time in 1997 alongside her BMX career. She raced full-time in 2003 at 21, specializing in the 4X Mountain cross discipline.Started racing: Part-time in 1997 alongside her BMX career. Full-time in 2003 at 21
Sub Discipline: 4X Mountain cross
Career Mountain Bike Racing (MTB) titles
----Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
(UCI)
- 2003 Bronze Medal Women's 4-Cross World Champion
- 2004 Silver Medal Women's 4-Cross World Champion
- 2005, 2006, 2007 Gold Medal Women's 4-Cross World Champion
- 2007 Women's 4-Cross World Cup Champion
National Off Road Bicycle Association (NORBA)
- 2003, 2005 U.S. National Women's Mountain Cross Championships Champion
USA Cycling
USA Cycling
USA Cycling or USAC, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It covers the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX and collegiate racing...
Independent Championship races and series
- 2005, 2006 Jeep King of the Mountain Women's Champion
Significant injuries
Kintner Ruptured anterior cruciate ligamentAnterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in a December 2007 crash. She reinjured the chronically problematic knee during a training crash in late April 2008. She underwent surgery on her right knee on May 4, 2008, to repair her meniscus
Meniscus
The meniscus is the curve in the upper surface of a liquid close to the surface of the container or another object, caused by surface tension. It can be either convex or concave. A convex meniscus occurs when the molecules have a stronger attraction to each other than to the material of the...
. She wore a leg brace and had put off major surgery until after the 2008 Summer Olympics, eventually having that surgery on October 2, 2008.