September 2, 2010 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC) – The XC U23 Women’s race is soon underway with 40 starters. The incredible heat is gone and there’s chance of rain with overcast skies and humid conditions with temps in the low 20s. Canada has 6 riders on the start line and all eyes will be on Emily Batty. Top rider U23 Julie Bresset (France), who was 3rd at Worlds last year, is not racing as she’s injured leaving the door open for others. The women will complete a 3km Start Loop with 4×4.6km for a total of 21.4km

Start Loop
Italy’s Judith Pollinger, Annie Last (Gbr) and Kathrin Stirnemann (Sui) are at the front as the race is underway. Through the Rock Garden it’s Vivienne Meyer (Sui) leading with Alexandra Engen (Swe) in second and Last in 3rd. Canada’s Batty is 9th.

Lap 1
Meyer is leading as they start the first of 4 laps followed by Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia) in 2nd, Last is 3rd, Engen is 4th, and Paula Gorycka (Poland) is in 5th. Batty is 10th at 45s, Mikaela Kofman is further back at 1:20 and Ashley Barson at 2:30.

Last is now leading followed by Meyer and then Zakelj in third… in 4th it’s Engen then Gorycka with Benko (Hungary) in 6th and Bourdon (Fra) in 7th with Batty now in 8th.

Lap 2
Last comes thru at 30:10 on her own – then it’s Zakelj taking over 2nd at 41s with Meyer and Egen right with her.

In 5th it’s Gorycka at 1:25 followed by Benko and Stirnemann at 1:45 and just behind another 10s is Bourdon – then it’s Batty in 9th at 2:01.

Canada’s Kofman is 17th at 3:38, Pichette is 25th at 5:16, Barson is 29th at 7:01, Beaumont is 32nd at 7:35 and Olivier-Lapierre is 33rd at 8:33

Lap 3
Last from Great Britain is holding her own and has started lap three (total time is 50:14) followed by Engen from Sweden in second at 30s with Zakelj from Slovenia in 3rd at 1:20.

In 4th we have Meyer at 2:04 followed closely by Gorycka at 2:08 – then further back is Germany’s Stirnemann in 6th at 2:25 being chased down by Bourdon at 2:38 in 7th. Canada’s Batty has now taken over 8th passing Benko.

At the 1/2 point on the climb Engen has bridged to Last with Zakelj still trailing. Further back Gorycka has taken over 4th passing Meyer who is now in 5th – then it’s Stirnemann, Bourdon and Batty in 8th – Kofman is 15th and Pichette is 25th.

Lap 4 Final
Engen has taken over the lead now – 1:10:16 – with Last just behind at 2s. Dropping further back is Zakelj at 2:09 and she’s being chased by Gorycka who is now in 4th.

Stirnemann is in 5th at 3:25 and Canada’s Batty has surged to 6th at 3:31 with Bourdon just behind in 7th at 3:40 – Kofman has moved up to 14th at 8:30.

Engen has now gapped Last by 30s as their over the 1/2 way point on the final lap and further back Gorycka has caught Zakelj to take over 3rd.

Batty has now taken over 5th followed by Bourdon in 6th as Stirnemann has dropped back into 7th.

Results

1. Alexandra Engen (Sweden) 1:30:33
2. Annie Last (Great Britain) 0:43
3. Paula Gorycka (Poland) 3:04
4. Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia) 3:31
5. Emily Batty (Canada) 3:49
6. Fanny Bourdon (France) 4:33
7. Barbara Benko (Hungary) 4:46
8. Kathrin Stirnemann (Switzerland) 5:09
9. Katarzyna Solus-Miskowiez (Poland) 6:24
10. Vera Andreeva (Russian Federation) 7:03
11. Samara Sheppard (New Zealand) 7:48
12. Julie Krasniak (France) 9:06
13. Zhuanzhuan Ye (People’s Republic Of China) 11:28
14. Mikaela Kofman (Canada) 11:28
15. Michelle Hediger (Switzerland) 11:40
16. Serena Calvetti (Italy) 12:35
17. Judith Pollinger (Italy) 13:12
18. Kseniya Kirillova (Russian Federation) 13:56
19. Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland) 14:00
20. Gracie Elvin (Australia) 14:04
21. Lily Matthews (Great Britain) 14:50
22. Noga Korem (Israel) 15:02
23. Ekaterina Anoshina (Russian Federation) 15:33
24. Mona Eiberweiser (Germany) 15:58
25. Elisabeth Sveum (Norway) 17:42
26. Andreanne Pichette (Canada) 18:58
27. Mariske Strauss (South Africa) -1 lap
28. Daniela Rojas (Chile) -1 lap
29. Paula Quiros (Argentina) -1 lap
30. Rebecca Beaumont (Canada) -1 lap
31. Lydia Tanner (United States Of America) -1 lap
32. Therese Rhodes (Australia) -1 lap
33. Cassandre Olivier-Lapierre (Canada) -1 lap
34. Anne Terpstra (Netherlands) -2 laps
DNF Sage Wilderman (United States Of America)
DNF Ashley Barson (Canada)