July 14, 2009 (St-Félicien, QC) – There was one major upset at the 2009 MTB XC National Championships held in St-Félicien, QC on Saturday, and that was in the four-lap elite women’s race, when Catharine Pendrel (BC) Luna Women’s MTB Team dethroned six-time National Champion Marie-Hélène Prémont (QC) Maxxis-Rocky Mountain to take her first National title.

Pendrel was determined to win on the technical 6.6km course and did so in convincing fashion despite some rain showers that made the many rocks and roots slippery. Her lead topped out at 3:20 and was finalized at 2:50. Prémont settled for the silver while Amanda Sin (ON) 3 Rox Racing earned her first National Championship podium with third spot and 5:30 back. Mical Dyck (AB) Trek Store Toronto and Karine Travaillaud (QC) Specialized rounded out the top five.

Elite/U23 women’s photos here.

Emily Batty (ON) Trek Store Toronto took the decisive victory in the four-lap U23 women’s race, starting a minute behind the elite women’s field and working her way up into fourth position. She easily defended her National Champion’s jersey, despite an impressive effort to tag along by Mikaela Kofman (ON) 3 Rox Racing/Team Ontario. Kofman held on to second, while Rébecca Beaumont (QC) Cyclone d’Alma took third.

Geoff Kabush (BC) Maxxis-Rocky Mountain had to play a more tactical game in order to successfully defend his maple leaf jersey, when a group of five riders formed at the front of the race and fought for the lead. As a result of an attack by Max Plaxton (BC) Sho-Air/Specialized, the front group was eventually pared down to three contenders: Kabush, Plaxton, and Derek Zandstra (ON) 3 Rox Racing all riding together, with Seamus McGrath (BC) Jamis and Andrew Watson (ON) Norco Factory Team dangling off the back of the leaders.

Up to that point, an aggressive Zandstra had been the main pace-setter, but in the last lap-and-a-half, that began to change. It was in the final half of the fifth and final lap, that Kabush used his veteran smarts and jumped the two younger riders heading into a long section of singletrack. By the time he reemerged at the top of the climb, he already had a 5s gap on Plaxton and another few seconds to Zandstra. Kabush cruised the following series of switchback decents and climbs to take another National Championship, while Plaxton crossed the line in second, only 9s back, and Zandstra pulled into third with a deficit of 42s. McGrath was the next one in, finishing nearly 1.5 minutes behind the winner, while Watson rounded out the top five.

Elite/U23 men’s photos here.

Despite a rocky start to his season, Raphaël Gagné (QC) Maxxis-Rocky Mountain used his upswing of late to fend off any competitors and defend his National title on Saturday as well. He won decisively over second place, Cameron Jette (ON) Trek Store Toronto and third place, Cody Canning (AB) Team Alberta.

Ontario’s Laura Bietola (ON) 3 Rox Racing/Team Ontario snapped up the junior women’s title over three laps on Saturday morning, besting second place Samantha Grover (AB) Hardcore Bikes and third place Cayley Brooks (ON) Trek Store Toronto/Team Ontario.

Junior men/women’s photos here.

Evan Guthrie (BC) Rocky Mountain Factory/Team BC overcame some stiff competition to successfully defend his maple leaf jersey in the junior men’s race. He started aggressively, battling for the lead with Mitch Bailey (ON) Team Ontario, Andrew L’Esperance (NS) and Tyler Allison (BC) Team BC in the first of four laps. By the second lap, he had attacked to try to separate himself from his chasers, but Allison and Bailey buried themselves to stay in contact. Bailey was the first to drop off, and finally, Guthrie crosses the line solo, under a minute ahead of second place, Allison, and 1.5 minutes ahead of third place, Bailey.

Full results here.