Aug. 10, 2003 (Fernie, B.C. ) – While forest fires forced organizers to re-route the first three stages of the seven-day, TransRockies Challenge through 600 km of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the toughest mountain bike race in the world got underway as scheduled today with 158 cyclists starting the race from downtown Fernie, B.C.
The first two-person team to finish the 45 km course at the Fernie Alpine Resort was Andreas Strobel, of Germany, and Silvio Wieltschnig, >from Austria, who rode almost 2,000 vertical meters in 3:06.44, including a three-minute stop to fix a flat tire. The men's category leaders were followed closely by Andreas Hestler and Matt Decore, both of Vancouver, Canada (3:10.25) and Barrie, Ontario-based Matthew Patterson and Greg Reain (3:20.48).
The first women's team to finish was Christina Begy, from Denver,Colorado, and Louise Kobin, of San Jose, California who completed the course in 4:16.30. The Austrian team of Martin and Simone Hornegger was the first mixed team to cross the finish line in 3:46.39. The masters category was led by Tony Routley, 47, and Eric Crowe, 43, both of Whistler, B.C. who finished in 3:29.54. Last year's masters champions, Stanislaw Trebuna, 49, and Maciek Slodyczka, 34, finished the day in third place with a time of 4:09.37.
The most extraordinary achievement of the day belonged to amputee Brett Wolfe, 34, of Seattle, Washington who rode the course with one leg, finishing in 5:16.38 with his team mate Julene Mitchell of Santa Cruz, California.
The TransRockies continues tomorrow 130 km from the Fernie Alpine Resort to Elkford, B.C. The competition will finish in Canmore, Alberta this Saturday, Aug. 16 where winners in each category will share $20,000 in prize money.
The TransRockies Challenge is based on the successful TransAlps Challenge. Both events are organized by upsolutMV of Munich, Germany. Sponsors of the TransRockies Challenge are Travel Alberta, Adidas, Flash Five, The Bike Shop,The Ride Guide.
Stage #1 – August 10, 2003Fernie – Fernie Alpine Resort
Results
Men
1. Team Adidas/Fiat Rotwild AUT/GER 3:06.44
Strobel Andreas, D-Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Wieltschnig Silvio, A-St. Stefan
an der Gail
2. Pete CAN 3:10.25
Hestler Andreas, CA-Vancouver, BC, Decore Matt, CA-Vancouver, BC
3. Global Xtreme TV/Gearsracing.com CAN 3:20.48
Patterson Matthew, CA-Barrie, ON, Reain Greg, CA-Barrie, ON
4. Zidek / Bell CAN 3:48.24
Zidek Tom, CA-Canmore, AB – 1 81 Bell Colin
5. Flash 5 CAN 3:52.34
Kyle Andrew, CA-Vancouver, BC, Lunny Sean, CA-Nanaimo
6. Madden / Draper USA/CAN 3:52.55
Madden Michael, USA-Anchorage, Draper Ryan, CA-Canmore, AB
7. EverPlus CAN 4:02.33
Weselake Evan, CA, Neilson Jeff, CA
8. Bush Bashers USA 4:05.49
Dallas Aaron, USA-Colorado, Dallas Brenden, USA-Denver, CO
9. Timberland USA/MEX 4:06.23
Rivas Ramon, USA-Cambridge, Bo Roberto, MEX-Nueva Oriental
10. Westjet CAN 4:16.02
Bulcock Marty, CA-Calgary, AB, Erlam Jerry, CA-Calgary, AB
Women
1. 5POT USA 4:16.30
Begy Cristina, USA-Denver, CO, Kobin Louise, USA-San Jose, CA
2. Swiss Rocky Mountain Team SUI 4:49.56
Kaegi Susanne, Zuerich, Kaltenbach Sisley, Duernten
3. Funky Canmore Gals CAN 5:13.06
Valerie, CA-Canmore, AB, Godfrey Jeanie, CA-Canmore, AB
4. Entrust CAN 5:56.59
Ferlatte Kari, CA-Ottawa, Monsour Katrina, CA-Pembroke
5. Team Ghost Rider Resort CAN 6:08.06
Couelle-Sterli Barbara, CA, Spencer Kim, CA
6. Team GARV USA 7:00.31
Goulard Caroline, USA-Irvine, Krauss Heather
7. Cequel Creeky Saddles CAN 7:01.34
Bowden Lisa, CA-Bragg Creek, AB, Jones Alison, CA-Bragg Creek, AB
8. muddy buddies CAN 7:05.43
Barrett Tracy, CA-North Vancouver, BC, Veldhoen Viki, CA-North Vancouver, BC
9. Team Trek/Race Pace USA 10:00.00
Morningstar Theresa, USA-Baltimore, Kelley Christine, USA-Ellicott City
Mixed
1. Adidas-Martini-Holltrading AUT 3:46.39
Hornegger Martin, A-Annaberg, Hornegger Simone, A-Annaberg
2. SoBe/Cannondale USA 4:13.33
Masson Marvin, USA-Atlanta, Masson Karen, USA-Atlanta
3. Bicyclecage.com CAN 4:32.50
Gibson John, CA-Canmore, AB, McAllister Jean, CA-Canmore, AB
4. Kreme de la Boston USA 4:40.45
Brown Skip, USA-Cambridge, Mann Tiffany, USA-Cambridge
5. wolf with damsel USA 5:16.31
Wolfe Brett, USA-Seattle, WA, Mitchell Julene, USA-Santa Cruz, CA
6. Ride Guide/Norco Performance bikes CAN 5:25.54
van Den Bulk Caroline, CA-Huntsville, Lane Jason, CA-Novar
7. pay-n-take USA 5:27.44
Miller Scott, USA-Flagstaff, Christensen Victoria, USA-Flagstaff
8. Swiss Snails SUI 5:33.50
Zanetti Claudio, Eglisau, Wursdorfer Nicole, Eglisau
9. Dell Computers USA 5:40.21
Barker Cullen, USA-Salt Lake City , Musgrave Sandra, USA-Austin
10. Flash 5 CAN 5:43.43
Bandura Jeff, CA-Aldergrove, BC, Vale Jill, CA
Masters
1. Flash5-Rocky Mountain-Crystal Decisi CAN 3:39.54
Routley Tony, CA-Whister, BC, Crowe Eric, CA-Whister, BC
2. VELOMAG CAN 3:45.30
Morneau Gilles, CA-Quebec, QC, Leblanc Michel, CA-St-Nicolas, QC
3. K4 Dental CAN 4:09.37
Trebunia Stan, CA-Calgary, AB. Slodyczka Maciek, CA-Calgary, AB
4. Pedal Magazine CAN 4:11.58
Guloien Nels, CA-Port Moody, Newitt Paul, CA-Vancouver, BC
5. Bontrager Masters Team USA 4:33.03
Bontrager Keith, USA-Santa Cruz, CA, Hess Steve, USA
6. The Smashed Patatoes USA 4:38.59
Robson Rob, USA-Hayden, Shekter Eric, USA-Dalton Gardens
7. Team Cequel CAN 4:42.50
Jones Darrell, CA-Bragg Creek, AB, Tingley Mike
8. Touch of Grey USA 5:07.31
Mcdonald Dan, USA-Denver, CO, Hirst Scott, USA-Leadville
9. Zargon Oil and Gas CAN 5:10.16
Clapperton Jim, CA-Calgary, AB, Roulston Dan
10. Stettler Oil & Gas 5:10.18
King Ron, Mekechuk Darryl