National Championships.

CANADA

Tim Horton National Mountain Bike Championships in Whistler-July 19, 2003

WHISTLER-BLACKCOMB-National Course

Access by Fitzsimmons Quad Express (vertical rise=345 m). A 4 places rack to upload bikes. You cab see the famous A-Line trail at the bottom with a lot of jumps to trained hard. Also there is at the base the biker cross or the bike park for the youngers.

Uploading at third of the mountain you vave to ride 5 minutes on a road crossing Olympic Gondola at mid-station. The upper section is called Upper Whistler Downhill and the lower section is brand new for the elites/pro and Expert categories. Others categories race on Lower Whistler Downhill. The starting booth at 1019m and the finish line at Village Gondola Base at 675m. The major race of the Summer and you have only the day before to trained. If you are locals (Vancouver riders) you get an instant advantage knowing much more the trail than Eastern racers. So BC racers are in the front line for the success for sure (they got the first 7th spots this year!). It's unfair but in 2004 Mont-Ste-Anne will hosted the Canadian Championships. So…

Let's see what is going on. Start is up on a man-made platform. A jump right after that. Left turn to the forest (M1). Pump up the fork to speed up over the rocks. On big rock, escape a drop-off to the left (was close by officials, too difficult) between bushes. Small gap (M4). Flat section under the quad (M5).

Another forest. Gap across scale. Tight wood. Some turns. Rocky section short climbing called teeter-totter, a mud drop section very slippery. Sharp rocks to jump over. Tight bridge made from a plywood. Not easy to avoid a foot on the floor. Right turn. Man-made jump over spring or the easy way to your left. Flat section across a ski trail under the quad again and the Village Gondola. The easiest way for the beginners at your left. Rock of doom (M8)

Going to the right in the woods, technical parts ahead. A huge drop-off (M14)and a jump after that on hill crossing the Clown Shoes Trail. A jump over a perpendicular tree (M15). Landing on rock slide and tight trail. Sharp left turn on rolling stones and roots.

Keep the balance on a line across a reverse slope. Roots and rocks bumpin' hard. Very tough for sure! Out of the forest on grass. Steep slippery sandy trail here. Left turn.. A road crossing then merge under the quad with the easiest trail of the beginners and sports categories.

On a double track to a ski trail. Fastest section so far. On a ski run or the autobahn. A jump and a rock garden 10 feet long (M20).

The best ones fly all over! It's mean a 25 feet in the air (M21). Entrance of A-Line (M22). Mix of man-made inclined turns partly in forest and grass or sand trail. Lot of switchbacks and dust. There is an infame jump over rocks (GLC Drop) 6 feet high (M23) near the end in front of the crowd (M24). Manage the media and the crowd.

Let's say that one day training is not enough (only Friday 12:00Pm to 6:00PM). The day after it was the mandatory training session (about one hour) and the race day. I changed categories from Elites/pro to masters 30+. What a mistake! Unfortunetely it was the same trail for the race, not the beginners/sports trail. The BC riders were so much at an advantage training there on many part of the race long before the start was on. It was really unfair (bis). The first 7 riders came from BC! Weeks after following the event, the first 3 will get their ticket to the Worlds Championships according to the choice of the officials. The Eastern riders lost an opportunity because the Canadian Championships were scheduled previously in Eastern Canada but no organizations were available. In Whistler, Eastern racers were out of the pace for sure. Sheila Morris (ON) finished in 8th spot ahead

of Cassidy Johnson

and Caroline Milot (both from QC). Miss Milot won the one-day Quebec Championships at Camp Fortune (Hull).

So Lisa McInnis (NovaScotia Champion).

Then Danika Schroeter currently leader of Canada Cup Series. Not going well. DebMac Killop got support from a her race coach from Norco. Deb now on course finishing an impressive third spot. It might be enough to be selected on National Team...

It was close on qualifications between the first 2 Claire Buchar finishing first ahead of Michelle Dumaresq. Each riders had their own way to prepare. Claire was pedaling on a rollin' stationary bike. Michelle talked with Sheila both smiling. Cassidy walked all around. Lisa was very quiet. Danika Schroeter is worried. Only 2 to go. On start line Dumaresq was going not so fast.

Claire Buchar was agressive on the start line and the fastest.

The gap between first and second places was 1"46 in AM at the advantage of Buchar but Michelle got the lead by 2"62 in the finals. So Claire Buchar also missed the title in downhill this year. She was third in 2001 and second last year. At 25 she still young to catch the National Championships.

Results

Elites pro Michelle Dumaresq (BC, John Henry Bikes, Santa Cruz, NSMB.com) 4'05"86; 2-Claire Buchar (BC, Balfa) at 2"62; 3-Deb MacKillop (BC, Norco) at 6"53; 4-Danika Schroeter (BC) at 7"57; 5-Kelli Sherbinin at 13"54; 6-Adrienne Miller (BC) at 30"45; 7-Karey Watanabe (BC) at 34"62; 8-Sheila Morris (ON) at 36"62; 9-Cassidy Johnson (QC) at 42"29 (4'48''15); 10-Caroline Milot (QC) at 57"11 (5'02''97); 11-Lisa McInnis (NS) at 1'06"32 (5'12''18); Masters 30+. Pip Barr (BC) 4'57 ''54; 2-Marilyn Manso (BC) à 26''45; 3-Glehowgz Carlson (BC) à 46''19; 4-Mylène Fortier (QC) à 1'17 ''17 (6'14''71)