August 31, 2013 (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) – Canadian downhiller and two-time World Championships medallist Steve Smith posted the fastest time of the downhill timed session on Saturday at the 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Smith is enjoying a dream season, finishing in the top 4 of each race he’s entered, and posting three top-3 results, including a historic victory on Canadian soil at Mont-Ste-Anne earlier this month. Smith has previously won silver and bronze downhill medals at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.

Casey Brown was the best Canadian in the women’s timed session, with the seventh fastest time of the group, while Micayla Gatto was just behind her earning the eighth fastest time. Rachel Atherton (Great Britain), having a stellar season as well with multiple victories, topped the women’s field.

Results

Elite Women
1. Rachel Atherton (Great Britain)    4:35.013
2. Tracey Hannah (Australia)    16.802
3. Morgane Charre (France)    18.536
4. Caroline Buchanan (Australia)    21.398
5. Manon Carpenter (Great Britain)    21.892
6. Floriane Pugin (France)    23.402
7. Casey Brown (Canada)    23.783
8. Micayla Gatto (Canada)    27.408
9. Zarja Cernilogar (Slovenia)    33.026
10. Myriam Nicole (France)    34.010
11. Lauren Rosser (Canada)    37.510
12. Jana Bartova (Czech Republic)    47.431
13. Alia Marcellini (Italy)    54.589
14. Jill Kintner (United States of America)    07:18.160
DNF Emilie Siegenthaler (Switzerland)
DNF Fionn Griffiths (Great Britain)
DNF Emmeline Ragot (France)
DNS Mio Suemasa (Japan)

Elite Men
1. Steve Smith (Canada)    4:03.021
2. Mitch Ropelato (United States of America)    2.208
3. Gee Atherton (Great Britain)    2.513
4. Michael Hannah (Australia)    2.759
5. Greg Minnaar (South Africa)    3.968
6. Samuel Blenkinsop (New Zealand)    4.181
7. Jared Graves (Australia)    5.072
8. Nick Beer (Switzerland)    6.240
9. Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Colombia)    7.134
10. Markus Pekoll (Austria)    8.355
11. Danny Hart (Great Britain)    8.852
12. George Brannigan (New Zealand)    9.444
13. Wyn Masters (New Zealand)    10.441
14. Johannes Fischbach (Germany)    11.289
15. Steve Peat (Great Britain)    12.081

46. Forrest Riesco (Canada)    24.876
60. Sidney Slotegraaf (Canada)    35.027

Full men’s results here.