Jake Watson was an American cyclist. He assisted in the development of the sport of downhill mountain biking, making contributions to industry marketing, bike design and riding techniques.

Known for his massive frame, Watson was given the nickname "Earthquake" early into his cycling, carrying the name to the top on podiums throughout the United States, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

. Watson lost his life during downhill practice for 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...

's Keysville Classic as a result of injuries sustained in a crash. As a tribute to Watson's contributions, a major bicycle manufacture released a frame series in 1999, entitled "Quake".

Sources

• Scientific American Building the Elite Athlete; Scientific American; Lyons Press 978-1-59921-116-9 pp. 129
• Mountain Biking Injuries, An Update: Authors: Kronisch R.L.1; Pfeiffer R.P.2; Sports Medicine, Volume 32, Number 8, 1 August 2002, pp. 523–537 15) Publisher: Adis International
• The Complete Idiots Guide to Cycling: Publisher: Complete Idiots Guide, ISBN 0-02-862929-9.
• Google books
• The Quotable Cyclist: Great Moments of Bicycling Wisdom, Inspiration and Humor; Bill Strickland; Break Away Books; ISBN 1-55821-563-8, pp. 75, 188
• The Bicycling Training Journal: A Daily Dose of Motivation, Training Tips; 1-57954-935-7