Canada is sending 39 athletes to the 2012 UCI MTB and Trial World Championships in Leogang, Austria. Of those 39 riders, 14 are from BC!
The downhill event kicks off on Saturday September 1 with official timed sessions and the Championship race taking place on Sunday September 2.
Canada will send 15 downhillers to the event, 10 of which are from BC. The team is headlined by Canada’s top-ranked rider Steve Smith (Cassidy, BC). Claire Buchar (Whistler, BC), who won a bronze medal at last year’s World Championships, Miranda Miller (Squamish, BC), a World Cup DH Race veteran, and Micayla Gatto (North Vancouver), who had top 10 finishes at both the Windham and Mont Sainte Anne World Cup races, Lauren Rosser (Squamish, BC), the 2010 Junior World Champion, Remi Gauvin (Nanoose Bay, BC), who was third overall in the Northwest Cup series, and Forest Riesco (Gibsons, BC), who’s been dominating the Junior Expert Category in the BC Cup Series will also be a top contender for Canada in the DH event. Canadian Champions Matt Beer (St. John’s, NL) and Casey Brown (Revelstoke, BC), and our Junior Canadian Champions Holly Feniak (Sunshine Coast, BC) and Mark Wallace (Duncan, BC) will also be among the Canadian contingent racing for top honours.
The cross-country races will be held the following weekend, in Saalfelden, Austria.
On the women’s side, 2011 World Champion Catharine Pendrel (Kamloops, BC) leads the team and will be defending her title. Pendrel is joined by 2012 Olympian Emily Batty (Brooklyn, ON) and Marie-Hélène Prémont (Chateau Richer, QC). All three riders are expected to be among the top contenders in Saalfelden. Sandra Walter (Vancouver, BC) and Amanda Sin (Collingwood, ON) will also compete for Canada in the elite women’s race. Canada’s women’s team is currently the highest ranked team in the World.
The men’s team is led by Geoff Kabush (Courtenay, BC), who recently posted Canada’s best ever Olympic result in men’s mountain bike – finishing 8th. He will be joined by Derek Zandstra (Trenton, ON) who is fresh off a breakthrough victory at the USA Pro XCT. Raphael Gagné (Quebec, QC) and Cameron Jette (Toronton, ON) will also compete for Canada at the event.
2012 Olympian, Max Plaxton (Victoria, BC) has elected not to compete at this year’s championship due to injury. Downhill rider Rob Fraser (Pickering, ON) is also recovering from injury and will not attend this year’s event.
CANADIAN TEAM – 2012 UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE AND TRIAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
XCO ELITE MEN
Raphael GAGNÉ (Québec, QC)
Cameron JETTE (Toronto, ON)
Geoff KABUSH (Courtenay, BC)
Derek ZANDSTRA (Trent, ON)
XCO ELITE WOMEN
Emily BATTY (Brooklyn, ON)
Catharine PENDREL (Kamloops, BC)
Marie-Hélène PRÉMONT (Chateau Richer, QC)
Amanda SIN (Collingwood, ON)
Sandra WALTER (Vancouver, BC)
XCO U23 MEN
Mitch BAILEY (Barrie, ON)
Léandre BOUCHARD (Alma, QC)
Antoine CARON (Stoneham, QC)
Evan GUTHRIE (Peachland, BC)
Jérémy MARTIN (Boischatel, QC)
XCO U23 WOMEN
Cayley BROOKS (New Lowell, ON)
Andréane LANTHIER-NADEAU (Québec, QC)
Andréanne PICHETTE (Québec, QC)
Haley SMITH (Uxbridge, ON)
XCO JUNIOR MEN
Peter DISERA (Barrie, ON)
Marc-Antoine NADON (Timmins, ON)
Alexander VIALLE (Prévost, QC)
XCO JUNIOR WOMEN
Frédérique LAROSE-GINGRAS (Lac Beauport, QC)
Rachel PAGEAU (Chicoutimi, QC)
Frédérique TRUDEL (Breakyville, QC)
DOWNHILL
ELITE MEN DH
Matt BEER (St. John’s, NL)
Remi GAUVIN (Nanoose Bay, BC)
Kyle SANGERS (Kingston, ON)
Steve SMITH (Cassidy, BC)
ELITE WOMEN DH
Casey BROWN (Revelstoke, BC)
Claire BUCHAR (Whistler, BC)
Micayla GATTO (North Vancouver, BC)
Miranda MILLER (Squamish, BC)
Lauren ROSSER (Squamish, BC)
JUNIOR MEN DH
Hugo LANGEVIN (Ste-Catherine, QC)
Philippe RICARD (Bromont, QC)
Forest RIESCO (Gibsons, BC)
McKay VEZINA (Newbury Park, CA)
Marc WALLACE (Duncan, BC)
JUNIOR WOMEN DH
Holly FENIAK (Sunshine Coast, BC)
For further information regarding the 2012 Mountain Bike and Trial World Championships please visit www.uci.ch.