June 18, 2005 (Mont Ste-Anne, Que.) – The Canadian downhillers have been training in the cold and pouring rain all week, their bikes all looking the same (brown with mud) by the time they reach the bottom of the 1.9-kilometre course. Sunday’s race day forecast is calling for sunny skies, but it’s a little too late in the minds of the racers.

Mathieu Laurin (QC, Devinci-Daredevil) will be on hand to defend his National Champion title. Last year’s Canada Cup winner, Geoff Pendrel (BC, Devinci) will give Laurin and the other riders a run for their money. Tyler Morland (BC, Cove Bikes) the current Canada Cup leader is also planning on putting up a fight. Other favourites include Mike Jones (BC, Norco), Eric Goss (NB, Giant) and Luke Kitzanuk (QC, Giant).

On the women’s side, Danika Schroeter (BC, Giant), last year’s Canada Cup champ and this year’s Canada Cup Series leader will do her best to drop the 350 vertical metres the fastest in order to win the maple leaf jersey. But Claire Buchar (BC, Merlanduo-BeOne) will do everything in her power to get to the top of the podium, along with the rest of Canada’s top female descenders.

Andrew Mitchell (BC, Cove Bikes) plans to keep up his current hot streak in the junior men’s category. He is the favourite for the National Champion’s jersey this year.

The action begins with qualifying runs from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. followed by the finals from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.