June 02, 2012 (Oro-Medonte, ON) – It’s shaping up to be a damp weekend in Ontario for the final event of what has become an abbreviated Canada MTB Cup XC season. The venue at Hardwood Ski and Bike, was pummeled with heavy rain and wind Friday and showers are in the forecast for Saturday and race day on Sunday. But the weather is not keeping riders at bay as an all-star cast has signed up to partake in the action on what will be the 2013Canadian MTB Championships course.

Emily Batty (ON) Subaru-Trek, Amanda Sin (ON) Scott-3 Rox Racing, Canada Cup leader Sandra Walter (BC) Xprezo-Borsao, Cindy Montambault (QC) CVM 2 Vals, Mikaela Kofman (ON) Scott -3 Rox Racing, Andreanne Pichette (QC, Opus), and Cayley Brooks (ON) Trek Canada will be among the ones to watch in the 23-rider strong elite women’s field.

For the men some of the headliners in the 53-man elite men’s race include Geoff Kabush (BC) Scott-3 Rox Racing, Max Plaxton (BC) Specialized, Derek Zandstra (ON) Scott-3 Rox Racing, Canada Cup leader Raphael Gagne (QC) Rocky Mountain, Cameron Jette (ON) Scott-3 Rox Racing, Neal Kindree (BC) EMD Serono-Specialized and Jeremy Martin (QC) Rocky Mountain. The Ontario natives traditionally do very well at Hardwood, so fans can expect to see local faces on the podium.

The 6km course is fast and flowy in typical Hardwood style, and the moisture has made the course tackier and faster. The elite women are set for five laps, with the elite men are slated to do six, but the final call will be made at the manager’s meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Another show-down is expected in the Junior Expert women’s competition between the top three in the first two rounds of the series: series leader Frederique Trudel (QC) Specialized Quebec, Gabrielle April (QC) Lessard Bicycles, and Frederique Larose-Gringas (QC) CVM Subway Genetik. They are scheduled to complete three laps, while the junior expert men will likely do four (TBC at the manager’s meeting). Peter Disera (ON) Team Ontario goes into the final race of the series wearing the leader’s jersey after a win and a second place finish. As an Ontarian, he will also be among the crowd favourites on his home turf. However, Alexandre Vialle (QC) Scott-PurPower, Marc-Antoine Nadon (ON) Team Ontario Scott 3Rox-Racing, and Vincent Belhumeur (QC) Specialized Quebec will be gunning for the win, along with the rest of the competitive field. All of the Canada MTB Cup championships categories start at 11:30 a.m.

Start lists below and HERE.

Junior Expert Women    
200. Frederique Trudel (QC) Equipe Quebec/Specialized
201. Gabrielle April (QC) Equipe du Quebec/Lessard
202. F. Larose-Gingras (QC) Equipe Quebec/Subway
203. E. Jacques-Beaudoin (QC) Lessard Bicycles
204. Megan Fleury (ON) Liberty! Bicycles
205. Alexandra Bernier (QC) Lessard Bicycles
206. Haley Golding (ON) Trek Store Cycling Club
207. Rosalie Auger (QC) CVM 2 VALS

Junior Expert Men    
300. Peter Disera (ON) Cycle Solutions / AJCC
301. Marc-Antoine Nadon (ON) Scott – 3 Rox Racing
302. Alexandre Vialle (QC) Equipe du Quebec
303. Vincent Belhumeur (QC) Specialized
304. Patrick Martin (QC) Equipe Quebec/ Rocky Mtn
305. William Elliott (ON) Team BTG : Barrie CC
306. P-O Veillette (QC) CVM 2 VALS
307. Michael Girolametto (ON) Norco Evolution
308. Jean-Daniel Boily (QC) CVM 2 VALS
309. Charles Dubeau (ON) CVM Subway Genetik
310. Francis Roy (QC) Club Lessard Bicycle
311. Merlin Dallaire (QC) Dalbix sherbrooke
312. Matthew Turcotte (QC) Lessard Bicycles
313. Quinn Moberg (BC) Cycling BC
314. Jack Burke (ON) Sporting Life
315. Aaron Thomas (ON) CoachChris.ca/Ted Velikonja
316. Ian Bagg (ON) The Hub Race Team
317. Daniel Hill (ON)
318. William Clarke (ON)
319. Greg Van Moorsel (ON) Reynold Cycle
320. Kyle MacIsaac (ON) HB Cycling Club
321. Dominic Girard (ON) Walden Mountain BC
322. Alex Ferguson (ON) Reynold Cycle
323. Kurt Vendrig (ON) Impala Bicycles
324. Daniel Martel (QC) Skinouk VDM
325. Louis Dillon (BC) Sunshine Coast Cycling
326. Eric  Johnston (ON) Team BTG : Barrie CC

Senior Elite Women (Espoir*)    
500. Emily Batty (ON) Subaru-Trek
501. Amanda Sin (ON) Scott – 3 Rox Racing
502. Sandra Walter (BC) Xprezo-Borsao
503. Mikaela Kofman (ON) SCOTT-3 Rox Racing
504. Mariske Strauss* (RSA) Pepper Palace/SpinTech
505. Andreanne Pichette* (QC) OPUS/OGC
506. Cindy Montambault (QC) CVM 2 VALS
507. Laura Bietola* (ON) Scott – 3 Rox Racing
508. Cayley Brooks* (ON) Trek Canada
509. Valerie Meunier* (QC) Equipe  quebec/’alma
510. Heather Gray (ON) Cycle Solutions/AJCC
511. Haley Smith* (ON) Norco Evolution
512. Sarah Moore* (QC) C3/Velo Pays-d’en-Haut
513. Mandy Dreyer (ON) LAPIERRE-POC
514. A. Lanthier Nadeau* (QC) Equipe du QC/Rocky Mtn
515. Annick Chretien (QC) Advended Fuel
516. Samantha Wagler* (ON) Two Wheel Racing
517. Laurence Harvey* (QC) scott pure power
518. Katlyn Dundas* (ON) Trek Store Cycling Club
519. Emily Flynn* (ON) Tommy and Lefebvre Cycling
520. Melanie Bernier (ON) Reynold Cycle
521. A. Foreman-Mackey* (ON) Team CHCH
522. Elyse Nieuwold* (ON) Team CHCH
523. Katie Button (ON)
524. Jennifer Wilson (ON) Two Wheel Racing
525. Erin Vicary (USA) Quiring Cycles
526. Vanessa Belanger* (QC) Dalbix Sherbrooke
527. Hannah Cooley* (SK) Team Sask
528. Susan Stephens (ON) Quiring Cycles

Senior Elite Men (Espoir*)    
1. Geoff Kabush (BC) Scott – 3 Rox Racing
2. Derek Zandstra (ON) Scott – 3 Rox Racing
3. Adam Morka (ON) Trek Canada
4. Leandre Bouchard* (QC) Equipe Quebec/Alma
5. Neal Kindree (BC) Specialized / EMD Serono
6. Brad Hudson* (NZL) Singletrack club
7. Cameron Jette (ON) SCOTT-3RoxRacing
8. Evan Guthrie* (BC) Cycling BC/Rocky Mtn
9. Peter Glassford (ON) Trek Canada
10. Evan Mcneely* (ON) Specialized racing
11. Raphael Gagne (QC) Equipe Quebec/ Rocky Mtn
12. Kris Sneddon (BC) KONA
13. Mitch Bailey* (ON) Trek Canada
14. Jeremy Martin* (QC) Equipe  Quebec/ Rocky Mtn
15. Andrew Watson (ON) Norco Factory Team
16. Eric Batty (ON) Trek Store
17. Steven Noble* (ON) OPUS/OGC
18. Antoine Caron* (QC) Equipe du Quebec/Subway
19. Etienne Moreau* (ON) Xprezo-Borsao
20. Mathew Waghorn* (NZL) Bike Manawatu
21. Andrew L’Esperance* (NS) Norco Factory Team
22. Ryan Atkins (ON) Muskoka Cycling Club
23. Tyson Wagler* (ON) SCOTT-3RoxRacing
24. Felix Cote (QC) EspressoSports
25. Troy Wells (USA) Team Clif Bar
26. Jacob McClelland (ON) Team Hardwood/Trek
27. Eric Merlin (QC) CVM Subway Genetik
28. Davis Ross* (ON) Mountainview CC
29. Bretton Matthews* (ON) Norco Evolution
30. Preston Wagler* (ON) Two Wheel Racing
31. Andrew De Cal* (ON) Liberty! Bicycles
32. Jarrod Forrest (ON) Kunstadt Sports Cycling
33. Danny Souter (ON) KHS Bicycles
34. Jon Kinsie (ON) Lapierre-POC
35. Kelsey Krushel* (ON) LAPIERRE POC
36. Daniel Varga* (ON) OPUS/OGC
37. James Clarke* (ON)
38. Scott Lynch* (ON) Two Wheel Racing
39. Corey Brioschi* (ON)
40. Jerome Samson (ON) Primary Sweet Pete`s
41. Tim Carleton (ON) Tall Tree Cycles
42. Matthew Farquharson* (ON) Lapierre POC
43. Jon Slaughter* (ON) Cycle Solutions / AJCC
44. Chris Fruetel* (ON) Trek Store Cycling Club
45. Trent Meyers* (ON) Cyclepath Oakville
46. Patrick Chartrand (QC) Les Yables
47. Emmanuel Boily* (QC) CVM 2 VALS
48. Seamus Powell* (USA) Giant Mid Atlantic
49. Mathieu Belanger (QC) Opus/OGC
50. Xavier Perreault* (QC) CVM 2 VALS
51. Maxime Lemay (QC) Advanced Fuel Supplements
52. Francois Lehoux* (QC) CVM Subway-Genetik
53. Alex Lavertu* (QC) CVM 2 VALS
54. Steven Turcotte* (QC) Lessard Bicycles
55. J-P Thibault-Roberge (ON) CVM 2 VALS
56. Felix Wilberg* (AB) Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle
57. Alexis Cartier* (QC)
58. Jeremi Bussieres* (QC) Espresso Sports
59. S. Cadieux-Duval* (QC) equipe du Quebec
60. Jonathan Cantin (QC) equipe VESR
61. Mark Winfield* (ON) Team Hardwood/Trek
62. Simon Wagler (ON) Two Wheel Racing
63. Alex Schmidt* (ON) Liberty! Bicycles
64. Jon Winfield (ON) Norco Evolution
65. Josh Froehlich (ON)
66. Corey Davis* (VA) Spin Tech Training
67. Chris Freeland (ON) Cycle Solutions / AJCC
68. Stu Alp (ON) KHS Bicycles
69. Tom Guiot* (ON) Total Sports
70. Jamie Wagler (ON) Two Wheel Racing
71. Zach Winn (ON)