July 22, 2003 (Whistler, B.C) – The junior women put on an exciting race at the Tim Hortons MTB Nationals last Saturday. Ontario's Emily Batty (ON, Bay Cycle, 3Rox Racing) led out the race, opening up over a one minute gap on the pack. At the beginning of the second lap however, Batty wasn't the first girl around the corner. Instead, it was Kylie Case (MB, Team Manitoba), with Catherine Vipond (ON, Gears Racing/Team Ontario) and Olivia Gagne (QC, Commencal) pushing the top three positions. Batty was now riding in fifth or sixth position.

Speaking with Batty later, we found out what the problem was. “I went down across the creek. My brakes were jammed in my spokes.”

With determination Batty chased on, “I could mostly see them, but I knew I had to catch them, just keeping it nice and steady.” In the second lap Batty moved up two positions, into fourth place. When she came around for the third time in the 2-1/2 lap race, Batty was right on Case's wheel. Case was now in second place however, and Gagne had moved into first place, opening up about twenty seconds on Case going into the last lap.

When the girls came around the last corner it was Batty who crossed the line first, over a minute and a half ahead of second-placed rider Gagne. The fifteen year old was pretty happy about her win, but it was not surprising that she did so well. This young rider is leading the junior women's Canada Cup series with three wins in a row.

Second placed rider Olivia Gagne was also quite satisfied with her ride. “I am really happy that I arrived second. I think that I did my best and I'm very proud of myself. I think it will be better or the same for the remaining three Canada Cups.”

The next rider to come across the line was Manitoba's Kylie Case. Sitting in second placed overall in the Canada Cup series, Case finished third at last year's nationals as well. “It was really hard. This is my second nationals. The rocks made it very difficult.”

Norco rider Brook Baker was the only junior woman to compete in both the cross-country race that day and then later that afternoon, in the downhill nationals. Based in Whistler, Baker went on to win the downhill title, after finishing 6th in the cross-country race.

Final Results
Junior/U17 Expert 15-18 Women

1. Emily Batty (ON, Bay Cycle/3Rx Racing) 1:34:02.21
2. Olivia Gagne (QC, Commencel) 1:35:53
3. Kylie Case (MB, Team Manitoba) 1:36:44