April 2, 2007 – Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team won the XC Elite Women’s race making it a sweep as she won the TT and the Short Track events as well on the weekend. Wendy Simms (Kona-Les Gets) was happy with her top Canadian placing in sixth. Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain/Haywood finished 10th after flatting on the first lap on a rough, rocky descent and Catherine Pendrel (Can) Norco Factory Team was 14th. Heat was a factor today on the twisty 16.05km course with many riders commenting on burning feet.

Canada’s Mical Dyck (Can) Trek also had a good race, saying she felt amazing and was battling back and forth with Pendrel, but faded due to some heat stroke mid third lap. Trish Sinclair (Can) Scott USA was happy with her ride for this point in the season. Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda/Seven Cycles was as always stoked on riding and racing. She and Gould were together until McConneloug crashed, which allowed Gould to get away and stay away.

A lot of riders on hardtails complained they were losing time to full suspensions on the last couple kilometres of the course, where it got rough and rocky.

Men’s XC Race

Canada’s Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) won the XC Elite Men’s event yesterday over Todd Wells (USA) GT/Hyundai in second and Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona in third. Seamus McGrath (Can) Rocky Mountain/Haywood finished 10th while Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Maxxis, Kabush’s teammate, placed 11th. The men completed four 16.05-kilometre laps in very hot conditions.

Canada’s Matt Hadley (Can) Rocky Mountain/Haywood achieved a NMBS personal best when he finished 16th his previous best being a 23rd- place. This is Hadley’s first year out of university and he’s been training in California for the last month. Roddi Lega (Can) United Cycle also has had a return to form. He finished 17th.

Toulouse rode well, but was nursing a very sore hand after a run-in with a cactus. McGrath was disappointed with his performance and is determined to get back on track for the next competition. Max Plaxton (Can) Rocky Mountain /Haywood broke his chain and had to pull out of the race, as he did not have a chain tool with him. Kabush and Wells again led out the men’s field, but an attack late in the last lap by Kabush secured him his second win of the weekend.

Results

Elite Women
1. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens MTB Team 2:06:20
2. Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda/Seven Cycles at 0:51
3. Susan Haywood (USA) Trek/VW 2:31
4. Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) Luna Womens MTB Team 2:58
5. Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant 3:40
6. Wendy Simms (Can) Kona-Les Gets 5:20
7. Zephanie Blasi (USA) Kenda/X-Fusion/Titus 5:44
8. Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 7:22
9. Chloe Forsman (USA) Luna Womens MTB Team 9:35
10. Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain-Haywood 9:45

14. Catherine Pendrel (Can) Norco 10:53
16. Mical Dyck (Can) Trek/Terrascape Racing 12:19
21. Trish Sinclair (Can) Scott 14:03
30. Melanie McQuaid (Can) BMC/Natures Path 19:51

Elite Men

1. Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis 2:28:40
2. Todd Wells (USA) GT Bikes at 0:58
3. Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona 2:36
4. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 3:21
5. Adam Craig (USA) Giant 4:41
6. Carl Decker (USA) Giant 5:33
7. Michael Broderick (USA) Kenda/Seven Cycles 5:46
8. Barry Wicks (USA) Kona 6:04
9. Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Trek/VW 7:54
10. Seamus McGrath (Can) Rocky Mountain/Haywood 8:27

11. Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Team Maxxis 9:13
16. Matthew Hadley (Can) Rocky Mountain-Haywood 12:20
17. Roddi Lega (Can) United Cycles 12:40
24. Tim Heemskerk (Can) United Cycling Racing 16:18
55. Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona 30:14
DNF Evan Sherman (Can) United Cycle
DNF Mike Sarnecki (Can) Team Ing
DNF Max Plaxton (Can) Rocky Mountain-Haywood