September 01, 2017 (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) – Canada took its medal count to five after the second day of competition on Friday at the Para-cycling Road World Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. After winning gold and bronze on the opening day, Canadian athletes won two more gold medals and a silver in time trial competitions on Day 2. Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, BC, and Michael Sametz of Calgary, Alberta, both won world titles, while Ross Wilson of Sherwood Park, Alberta, won a silver medal.
In the Men’s C2 category, Paralympic champion Chernove won his first Road title, to add to the four Track world titles he already holds. Chernove’s winning time for the 23.3 kilometre race was 35 minutes and 32.72 seconds, 16.44 seconds ahead of silver medalist Darren Hicks of Australia.
“It was wonderful to win today at my first opportunity to compete at the Road world championships,” said Chernove. “It’s my fifth world title, and what strikes me most today is how ideally set the atmosphere is amongst this amazing Canadian team. Everything about the cohesion of this team is geared towards success, and we are seeing it across the board with all our great results. I’m loving it.”
Michael Sametz, a bronze medalist in Rio, racing in the 23.3 kilometre Men’s C3 category also won his first Road title, with a time of 32 minutes and 48.92 seconds. Benjamin Watson of Great Britain finished second, 37.19 seconds behind.
“It feels really good to win the big one after winning a couple of World Cups this year,” admitted Sametz.
Ross Wilson, a double silver medalist at the Rio Games, led his 23.3 kilometre C1 category race at the first split, but faded slightly to finish 28.21 seconds behind winner Michael Teuber of Germany.
“It was a great course and a lot of fun to be out there racing,” said Wilson. “I felt I rode really well and my training is paying off as my performances continue to improve, but we obviously have more work to do. I’m working with my coaches to devise a plan to find that half minute that I need to take the Rainbow Jersey next year.”
In other categories, Marie-Claude Molnar of St-Hubert, Quebec, was fifth in the Women’s C4 competition, Nicole Clermont of St Denis de Brompton, Quebec, was eighth in the Women’s C5 category, the women’s Tandem team of Shawna Ryan (Saskatoon, SK) and Joanie Caron (Rimouski, QC) was seventh, and the men’s Tandem team of Matthieu Croteau Daigle (Sherbrooke, QC) and Benoit Lussier (Montreal, QC) was 12th.
Results (brief)
Men C1 ITT – 23.3 km Gap
1. Michael Teuber (Germany) 35:29.7
2. Ross Wilson (Canada) 00:28.2
3. William Lister (USA) 01:32.7
Men C2 ITT – 23.3 km
1. Tristen Chernove (Canada) 35:32.7
2. Darren Hicks (Australia) 00:16.4
3. Israel Hilario Rimas (Peru) 00:18.2
Men C3 ITT – 23.3 km
1. Michael Sametz (Canada) 32:48.9
2. Benjamin Watson (Great Britain) 00:37.2
3. Esneider Munoz Marin (Colombia) 01:29.3