July 16, 2006 (Sun Peaks Resort, B.C.) – The Junior/U17 Men and Women raced for National Championship titles on Saturday morning at the 2006 National Cross Country Mountain Bike Championships at Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops, B.C., with Alberta’s Cody Canning (Team Alberta) and Ontario’s Emily Batty (ON, Team R.A.C.E.) grabbing victory in their respective junior categories.

The races kicked off at 9 a.m. PST, with the Junior Women completing three laps of a grueling 5.5-kilometre course and the Junior Men powering through four laps.

Canning’s winning time was 1:55:17. At the finish, he had a 35-second advantage over second place, Michael Mitchnick (ON, Sportswap). Jeff Clarkson (BC, BC Team) pulled into third spot.

In the women’s race, Batty successfully defended her National title by gaining one minute each lap on her closest competitor. It was fellow Ontarian Kaitlin Michener (ON, Team Ontario) who placed second, followed by Marie-Claude Surprenant (QC, Dropmachine-Commençal).

In the U17 men’s race Philip Cairns (BC, BC Provincial Team) was the winner while Manitoba’s Leah Kirchmann (MB, Team Manitoba/Trek) won the women’s event.

Junior Expert Men (4 laps, 22km)

1. Cody Canning (AB, Team Alberta) 1:55:17
2. Michael Mitchnick (ON, Sportswap) at 0:35
3. Jeff Clarkson (BC, BC Team) 1:17
4. Francis Morin (QC, Equipe du Québec) 1:59
5. David Fournier (QC, Equipe du Quebec) 4:55
6. Kyle Kennedy (BC, BC Team) 5:35
7. Andrew Thomas (SK, Team Saskatchewan) 8:08
8. Jean-Philippe Thibault-Roberge (QC, CCS-Dalbix) 9:59
9. Zachary Winn (ON, Team Ontario) 10:28
10. Jon Kinsie (ON, Team Ontario) 11:24
11. Owen Harrison (BC, Fresh Air Experience) 12:37
12. Jacob McClelland (ON, Team Ontario) 13:45
13. Malcolm Brentnall (AB, Bow Cycle) 14:16
14. David Greer (YT, Yukon Cycling Association) 15:22
15. Paul Benson (MB, Alter Ego/ Trek/ Manitoba)17:12
16. Haydn Boucher (ON, 3 Rox Racing) 1:02:17
17. Jason Cherney (SK, Lumsden Bike Club) -1 lap
18. Daniel Kleer (SK, Lumsden Bike Club) -1 lap
19. Troy Henry (YT, Yukon Cycling) -1 lap
20. Kyle Salter (BC, Team Squamish) -1 lap
DNF Matt Savage (BC, BC Provincial Team)
DNF Kyle Fry (ON, Team Hardwood Cycling and Ski)
DNF Cory Hancock (ON, Team Ontario)

Junior Expert Women (3 laps, 16.5 km)

1. Emily Batty (ON, Team R.A.C.E.com) 1:24:29
2. Kaitlin Michener (ON, Team Ontario) at 3:00
3. Marie-Claude Surprenant (QC, Dropmachine-Commençal) 10:54
4. Kylie Morin (SK, Team Saskatchewan) 18:04
5. Danielle Dornik (BC, BC Team) 24:07
6. Jaclyn Mcclements (BC, BC Team) 32:07
7. Amanda Hardie (MB, Team Manitoba) -1 lap
DNF Sydney Van Loon (BC, BC Provincial Team)
DNF Christine Lynch (BC, BC Provincial Team)
DNF Alexandra Gélinas (QC, Équipe du Québec Cycle Outaouais)

U17 Men

1. Philip Cairns (BC, BC Provincial Team) 1:42:43
2. Justin Middleton (AB, Team Alberta) at 0:35
3. Evan Guthrie (BC, BC Provincial Team) 0:39
4. Alistair Hardy-Poirier (BC) 2:04
5. Scott Benson (MB, Manitoba/Woodcock) 7:23
6. Xavier Bouchard (QC, CCS/Dalbix) 8:27
7. James Winter (SK, Fresh Air Experience) 23:36
8. Michael Mee (BC, Team Squamish) -1 lap
DNS Sean Stanhope (BC, BC Provincial Team)

U17 Women

1. Leah Kirchmann (MB, Team Manitoba/Trek) 0:59:58
2. Katherine Short (BC, BC Provincial Team) at 0:19
3. Charlotte Batty (ON, Team Urban Athlete/SportsSwap) 5:36
4. Kjersten Lone (BC, BC Provincial Team) 8:15
5. Anna Schappert (MB, Manitoba Provincial Team) 12:36
6. Jennifer Brown (BC, On The Edge Race Club) 13:36
7. Samantha Grover (AB, Juventus) 13:43
8. Ruby Woodruff (BC, BC Provincial Team) 14:21
9. Jane Thomson (ON, Arrow Racing) 19:09
10. Alison Mcclements (BC, BC Provincial Team) 20:55
11. Jennifer Virtue (AB, Bow Cycle) 22:14
12. Jessica Kisell (AB, Team Alberta) 25:03
13. Kendra Middleton (AB, Juventus) 25:39