Canada wins second Women Junior Championships titles in three year

(Leogang, AUT – September 2, 2012) Canada’s Holly Feniak, who lives in Sunshine Coast, British Colombia, will be bringing the highly coveted rainbow jersey to Canada, winning the World title in the Junior Women race.

Feniak, a first year junior rider in women’s downhill, won the Women Junior race at the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships in Leogang, Austria, on Sunday.

“The first day of practice wasn’t really good for me. I didn’t feel confident on the track. I came back to the hotel and said to myself ‘I came all this way, spent all this money, I cannot go in to tomorrow and be scared and afraid of the track. I have to push through it, focus.’ I did that on the second day, and that’s when I came up with the speed, and the confidence. I brought that confidence in today. Today was worst run, very sketchy and pretty scary,” said Feniak, who received great support from her local surrounding communities to send her to the World Championships. “I am very lucky I squeezed up and made it to the top.”

“I cannot say enough about this whole week is the incredible support of Cycling Canada and the National Team. Team Canada this year has been incredible. We are all really good friends, and it’s been really fun. The coaches have been so supportive – the best coaching I ever had. They are really helpful, I didn’t have to worry about anything but my riding. That’s a really great feeling. I definitely couldn’t have done it without them. The mechanics have also been unbelievable. I can’t find words to describe how much of a big help it is to have them take your bike, clean them up, dial it for you. Coming the next morning with a completely dialed bike is great to ride.

In the men’s elite race, Canada’s best downhiller Steve Smith showed he can still excel among the world’s best, taking the bronze medal in a tightly contested race. Yesterday, Smith posted the second fastest time, just 0.5 seconds behind Greg Minnar of the Republic of South Africa. Today, Minnar won the race, and it was Great Britain’s Gee Atherton who grabbed the silver.

“Everybody comes to World Champs to win. I didn’t win, but if I am not on top, I’d rather be on the podium. I’ve had silver and bronze, so hopefully the next one will be Gold,” said Smith. “The track was awesome – quite grippy as the sun was out all day. I can’t believe the crowd; I have been here twice now for World Cups and they didn’t even have half the crowd we’ve had today. There were people all the way down, it was full of people, so it made the race good.

Smith won the silver medal at the 2010 World Championships, in Mont-Sainte-Anne. For Greg Minnar, this is his second title and ninth medal at UCI World Championships. Minnar last won the title at the 2003 edition of the Worlds, in Lugano.

In the Women’s Elite front, Canada was the second best country of the day at these World Championships, placing three girls in the Top 10, and four in the Top 12. Micayla Gatto rode to the sixth place, while reigning Canaidan Champion Casey Brown took seventh place. The bronze medallist from last year, Claire Buchar, rode to the ninth place while Lauren Rosser had the eleventh fastest time.

“It was a physically demanding course, This is my best results at World Champs to date,” said Micayla Gatto. “I went around a few things I should have jumped. That was kind of a mental block for me this year. I now know what to work on for next year.”

Gatto added: “The Canadian team staff was amazing all week, from physiotherapists to mechanics to coaching. Everyone was so organized, and it took the stress of any and all our planning. Our accommodation was amazing, and we had great food all week. All that definitely made me concentrates on my race.

Goeff Pendrel, Head coach of the Canadian Downhill Mountain Bike Progam: “I’m incredibly happy with the performance of all our athletes at this year’s World Championships.  It really is a pleasure to work with individuals that are so obviously dedicated and motivated to achieve success at the highest level.  Their efforts have raised Canada’s profile in downhill to a new level, we are a force to be reckoned with!  Our two medals are really icing on the cake, both well deserved and hard fought victories for Steve and Holly.  I’m excited for what the future holds for Canadian Downhill!”

In the Men’s junior race, Forrest Riesco was Canada’s best of the day, taking the 25^th spot.

The 2012 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships now turn to the cross-country portion, and Canada’s Catharine Pendrel will be defending her rainbow jersey in the women’s elite race.

RESULTS – 2012 UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE AND TRIALS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – DOWNHILL

Junior Women

1. CAN FENIAK, Holly 4:01.622

2. GBR SEAGRAVE, Tahnee [4:09.717] +08.095

3. AUS BEECROFT, Danielle [4:19.567] +17.945

Junior Men

1. FRA BRUNI, Loic [3:29.139]

2. USA RUDE, JR Richard [3:32.260] +03.121

3. AUS FEARON, Connor [3:34.083] +04.944

==========

25. CAN RIESCO, Forrest [3:45.130] +15.991

30. CAN LANGEVIN, Hugo [3:46.772] +17.633

42. CAN WALLACE, Mark [3:51.136] +21.997

66. CAN RICARD, Philippe [4:08.269] +39.130

71. CAN VEZINA, Mckay [4:34.026] +1:04.887

Elite Women

1. FRA CHARRE, Morgane [3:50.654]

2. FRA RAGOT, Emmeline [3:51.853] +01.199

3. GBR CARPENTER, Manon [3:52.144] +01.490

==========

6. CAN GATTO, Micayla [4:00.191] +09.537

7. CAN BROWN, Casey [4:00.265] +09.611

9. CAN BUCHAR, Claire [4:04.574] +13.920

11. CAN ROSSER, Lauren [4:05.404] +14.750

Elite Men

1. RSA MINNAAR, Greg [3:21.790]

2. GBR ATHERTON, Gee [3:22.371] +00.581

3. CAN SMITH, Steve [3:23.004] +01.214

==========

43. CAN BEER, Matthew [3:34.613] +12.823

48. CAN SANGERS, Kyle [3:37.514] +15.724

79. CAN GAUVIN, Remi [3:49.478] +27.688

Full results at www.uci.ch.

On Tuesday August 7, Canadian Mountain Biker Emily Batty fell during training. She was then transported to the official Polyclinic of the Olympic village in London, UK. She then went through medical tests including  X-Ray, with the results showed a fracture in her right clavicle.

At the polyclinic, Batty was evaluated by a team of collaborating experts, led by Dr. Bruce Davidson. After a series and Strength and Conditioning as well as Range In Motion tests which she successfully passed, Emily was then given the option to compete. After two days of testing on the course and extensive physical therapy from Cycling Canada Physiotherapist Tara Baker, Emily Batty then made the decision to race the Women’s Olympic Mountain Bike event.

On Wednesday August 8, she did not ride her bike on the course, but instead worked on conditioning.

On Thursday August 9, Emily rode her bike on the course for the first time since the crash. She informed the coaching and managing staff that she felt little pain, and at that point she made the decision to stay on the start list for the Olympic Mountain bike race.

Cycling Canada deployed all efforts necessary to support Emily. She was evaluated by two Canadian doctors,  and was treated by Cycling Canada physiotherapist Tara Baker.

We are very impressed by Emily’s work ethic, her determination and her fight to represent her country at the highest sporting stage, the Olympic Games. She’s has always been a fierce competitor, and her feat of completing the Olympic race is a testament to that determination.