August 15, 2011 (Kamloops, BC) – The 2011 Western Canada Summer Games cycling events took place last week in Kamloops, BC. The Western Canada Summer Games roll around every four years and include athletes from the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

Time Trial – August 11 – 14/18km
The BC Wildlife Park was full of energy today as the Time Trails for Cycling were held this morning. The Women began the day first, at 9:30 am for their 14km ride through the park. The 21 participants hailed from 4 provinces and 1 territory. Caeli Barron (Calgary) of Team Alberta was first to cross the finish line with a time of 22:02.8 and gained 20 points for her. There was only a 5:53.2 minute difference between first and last place.

One member of Team Saskatchewan did not finish the race.

As for the Men, their day began just shortly after the Women at 10:10 am. The field of competition was very similar with 23 athletes from 4 provinces and 1 territory. In addition the Men had a longer trail to navigate.

Team BC had the honour of winning the Men’s 18km race. Nigel Ellsay (Courtenay) won the race with a time of 22:49.3, gaining 23 points in the process. The difference in finish time between first and last place was a variance of 8:51.6

As these are only trial times it will be interesting to note the continued progress of the athletes.

Results
ITT

Road Race – August 12 – 80/100km
Day two of Cycling rolled around today with two events early Friday morning in Men’s and Women’s Road Races. It was a photo finish in the Women’s Road Race as the top four finished within eight tenths of a second of each other to decide the medals.

Anna Schappert (Winnipeg) took home the gold for Team Manitoba with a time of 2:37:28.4 in the 80km race. Team Alberta’s Caeli Barron (Calgary) added a silver medal to her gold with a time of 2:37:28.5. Teammate and bronze medalist Kinley Gibson (Edmonton) finished with a time of 2:37:28.8. She now has two bronze and two silver medals at the games.

The hometown girl Victoria Spence (Kamloops) was close to the podium and finished with a time of 2:37:29.2. She has now finished 4th in her last two events.

“In my road race, the end sprint is what got me,” said Spence.

Lindsay Aspen (Saskatoon), Gillian Ellsay (Courtney), Jenna Leonhardt (Portage La Prairie), Marina Aspen (Saskatoon), Hannah Cooley (Saskatoon) and Hana Boersma (Portage La Prairie) finished 5th through 10th in the Women’s Road Races.

In the Men’s Road Races it was not as close. Team B.C. took home the gold thanks to Nigel Ellsay (Courtney) who finished with a time of 2:48:13.9. He now has two gold medals under his belt at the Western Canada Summer Games. Team B.C. also took home silver in the Men’s Road Races. Adam Devos (Victoria) finished with a time of 2:50:49.3. Christopher Prendergast (Winnipeg) won bronze for Team Manitoba. His time was 2:52:12.8

Quinn Moberg (Garibaldi Highlands) of Team B.C. and Felix Wilberg (Calgary) for Team Alberta finished just shy of the podium. Moberg finished the race with a time of 2:52:13.0 and Wilberg finished with a time of 2:52:13.8.

Jordan Duncan (Comox), Samuel Beaudoin (Edmonton), Jess Neufeld (Winnipeg), Trevor Pearson (Delta) and Willem Boersma (Portage La Prarie) finished 6th through 10th in the men’s races.

Cycling continues on August 14th with Men’s and Women’s Mountain Bike at 8:45am at Valleyview Arena.

Results
Road Race

XC MTB – August 14 – 4/5 laps
The Men’s and Women’s Mountain bike event was held today at the Bike Ranch in Valleyview. It was a 6.5km track that saw the top female riders do 4 separate laps of the track. The total time for all four laps determined the placement. The men raced 5 laps for their total time. The challenging course featuring the hills of Juniper Ridge offered a wide array of terrain including a steep downhill section that riders were forced to be good on their brakes.

The women’s event was as close as it gets. The final time of 1 hour 9 minutes and 20.1 seconds for Anna Schappert from Winnipeg took the gold for Manitoba by only 0.3 seconds. Finishing second with a total time of 1 hour 9 minutes 20.4 seconds was Calgary native Caeli Barron.

The bronze medal went to Courtenay BC rider Amanda Wakeling with a total time of 1 hour 12 minutes 41.4 seconds. Local Kamloops rider Tori Spence finished fifth with a total time of 1 one 16 minutes and 45.3 seconds.

In the men’s race Felix Wiberg from Calgary put on an outstanding performance and took the gold by over 4 and a half minutes with a total time of 1:08:05.5. Second place went to BC rider Quinn Moberg from Garibaldi Highlands with a time of 1:12:44.7. Samuel Baeudoin from Edmonton rounded out the medalists with a total time of 1:15:08.8.

Results
XC MTB

More photos HERE.