July 13, 2003 (Grouse Mt. Vancouver, BC) – A spectacular race took place on top of Grouse Mountain for the women's World Cup MTB race. The six-lap competition took racers up and down, and around the mountain's technical trails. This year's course didn't have a lot of recovery zones, so riders were pressed to conserve energy wher they could.

In the end it was Norway's Gunn-Rita Dahle (Merida) who scored her fourth win in a row this season. Dahle pulled away on one of the climbs during the first lap and held on until the end. Unofficially she won with three minutes to spare.

Dahle spent four weeks in Boulder, Colorado earlier this season for altitude training and it seems to have paid off. She rode a smooth ride and many spectators commented on how easy she made it look.

Alison Sydor (Trek/Volkswagen) looked exhausted on the last lap but held on for second place, ahead of teammate Sue Haywood.

The day's happiest competitor is likely Oryx rider, Marie-Helene Premont. The Quebec racer was fresh off a fifth-place finish two weeks ago at Mont-Ste-Anne, the third stop of the World Cup. Today, she started off fast, and moved up the ranks. She held her position in the top three until she flatted early in the race. Premont lost some time and it was reported that it took her just over forty seconds to change her flat. She'd lost a few places initially and began to regain her status but bad luck hit again and she flatted a second time. This remarkable rider kept her composure and fixed the second flat in record time as well. Her determination saw her finish in fourth place.

Results
1. Gunn-Rita Dahle (NOR, Merida International) 2:09:30
2. Alison Sydor (CAN, Trek-Volkswagen) 2:13:32
3. Susan Haywood (USA, Trek-Volkswagen) 2:13:50
4. Marie-Helene Premont (CAN, Oryx) 2: 14:46
5. Ivonne Kraft, (GER) 2:15:52