September 8, 2007 (Fort William, Scotland) — Irina Kalentyeva (Rus) has won the Elite Women’s XC race, followed by Sabine Spitz (Ger) in second and Jing Jing Wang (Chn) in third.

Canada’s top result came – as expected – from Marie-Hélène Prémont (Chateau-Richer, Que.), who placed fourth. A little unexpected, however, was Catharine Pendrel’s (Kamloops, B.C.) performance. She has been racing stronger and stronger all season, but many people did a double take when she was ahead of Prémont for a large part of the race. Pendrel couldn’t quite hold her position and had to settle for a very impressive sixth. Kiara Bisaro (Courtenay, B.C.) finished 11th.

Conditions were cloudy with temperatures peaking at around 16 C. The rain held off during the women’s race, which started at 10:00 a.m. local time. Reports from the course are that things are slimy. A total of 72 riders started the four-lap race (cut down originally from five), 31km race.

Lap 1

Switzerland’s Petra Henzi (Sui) crashed at the start. Irina Kalentyeva (Rus) and Prémont are together up the first climb. Bisaro and Pendrel are sitting around the high teens.

End of Lap 1, Kalentyeva out in front with a train of riders on her heels
including Jing Jing Wang (China) in second with Prémont hot on her rear wheel and attacking aggressively on the “Berminator” downhill section. Pendrel is also looking strong in 5th as they head back up the mountain.

About 12 seconds back is Georgia Gould (USA) and then another 10 to the chase.

Lap 2

Mid-way through lap 2, Wang leads Kalentyeva and Sabine Spitz (Ger). The three have a 30-second gap over Canadians Prémont and Pendrel in 4th and 5th. Bisaro is another 30 seconds back in 10th.

At the end of Lap 2, the leading trio of Wang, Kalentyeva and Spitz have come through at 51:51 minutes of racing and have put some serious time on the Canadians. Pendrel is all by herself in the middle (52:50) in 4th, with Rozara Joseph (NZl) (53:03) and Prémont (53:08) in 5th and 6th, a few seconds from each other in behind. Bisaro is back in the mid-teens and plugging away, slowly moving up through the field.

Lap 3

Mid-way through lap 3, it is still the group of three: Wang, Spitz and Kalentyeva together of the front. Canada’s Pendrel is on fire, 45 seconds back and still in 4th place. Joseph is 1 minute back in 5th, Prémont 6th and Bisaro 12th.

Lap 4

At the Beginning of final lap, Kalentyeva has attacked and now holds a gap on the field. Spitz is in second with Wang right on her wheel. Pendrel is chasing in 4th after making a pass on the climb out of the stadium. Prémont is 90 seconds back and attacking trying to make up time. The CCA’s Sean O’Donnel is at the first corner/climb of the last lap urging riders on and calling out splits. Bisaro is still back in 11th and was held up on the climb when another rider slipped out of her pedal.

Results

1. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) 1.44.08
2. Sabine Spitz (Ger) 0.39
3. Jingjing Wang (Chn) 1.42
4. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) 3.16
5. Rosara Joseph (NZl) 3.34
6. Catherine Pendrel (Can) 4.11
7. Anna Szafraniec (Pol) 4.37
8. Lene Byberg (Nor) 4.50
9. Georgia Gould (USA) 5.03
10. Blaza Klemencic (Slo) 5.59
11. Kiara Bisaro (Can) 6.23
12. Mary Mc Conneloug (USA) 6.54
13. Petra Henzi (Sui) 7.09
14. Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) 7.26
15. Willow Koerber (USA) 7.39
16. Maroussia Rusca (Sui) 7.41
17. Katrin Leumann (Sui) 7.48
18. Adelheid Morath (Ger) 8.12
19. Laurence Leboucher (Fra) 8.14
20. Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) 8.44
21. Heather Irmiger (USA) 9.00
22. Maria Osl (Aut) 9.22
23. Sarah Koba (Sui) 9.33
24. Sabrina Enaux (Fra) 9.40
25. Lea Davison (USA) 9.41
26. Kelli Emmett (USA) 9.50
27. Kaytee Boyd (NZl) 9.54
28. Anna Enocsson (Swe) 9.59
29. Arielle Van Meurs (Ned) 10.13
30. Evelyn Staffler (Ita) 10.38
31. Yolanda Speedy (RSA) 10.46
32. Katrin Schwing (Ger) 10.53
33. Katerina Nash (Cze) 11.16
34. Laura Turpijn (Ned) 11.25
35. Ivonne Kraft (Ger) 11.30
36. Séverine Hansen (Fra) 11.32
37. Nina Göhl (Ger) 12.19
38. Laura Morfin Macouzet (Mex) 12.27
39. Viviana Maya (Col) 12.46
40. Anja Mcdonald (NZl) 13.11
41. Bernardine Boog-Rauwerda (Ned) 13.28
42. Ruth Moll Marques (Spa) 13.44
43. Janka Stevkova (Svk) 14.23
44. Amy-Jane Mundy (RSA) 14.32
45. Rie Katayama (Jpn) 14.40
46. Maaris Meier (Est) 15.24
47. Jenny Copnall (GBr) 15.25
48. Oxana Rybakova (Rus) 16.00
49. Ksenia Chernykh (Rus) 16.35
50. Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spa) 16.42
51. Ivanda Eiduka (Lat) 17.11
52. Jennifer O’connor (NZl) 17.42
53. Tania Raats (RSA) 19.00
54. Jaqueline Mourao (Bra) 19.06
55. Beth Mccluskey (Irl) 19.25
56. Ruth Mcgavigan (GBr) 20.21
57. Inbar Ronen (Isr) 20.58
58. Tarja Owens (Irl) 21.08
59. Daniela Bunzli (Chi) 23.51
60. Sara Muhl (RSA) 24.21
61. Senem Guler (Tur) 29.21
62. Elizabeth Scalia (GBr)
63. Ivana Ruszkowski (Cro)
DNF Maja Wloszczowska (Pol)
DNF Elina Sophocleous (Cyp)
DNS Elsbeth Van Rooij-Vink (Ned)
DNS Elena Gaddoni (Ita)
DNS Sarka Chmurova (Cze)
DNS Lubomira Kalinova (Svk)
DNS Christelle Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra)
DNS Franziska Roethlin (Sui)
DNS Olga Vinogradova (Rus)