07.26.09 - Pendrel wins gold, Kabush bronze for Canada at mountain bike World Cup; Samantha Cools fifth at BMX worlds

MONT- STE-ANNE, Que. – Catharine Pendrel of Kamloops, B.C., won the gold medal Sunday in the women’s cross country race at a mountain bike World Cup competition while Geoff Kabush of Victoria added a bronze in the men’s race.

In the women’s race, Pendrel clocked the 22.8 kilometre course in one hour and 37 minutes and 42 seconds for her second World Cup medal this season. Irina Kalentieva of Russia finished second 1:31 behind Pendrel while Katerina Nash of the Czech Republic was third 1:49 behind the winner.

“It was a great day,” said Pendrel. “I was a little worried at the start because I didn’t start as fast as I would have liked. But I was able to use the climbs to bridge up to the leaders. Once I was at the front I wanted just to hang on and make as few mistakes as possible.”

Pendrel was fourth at last year’s Olympic Games and is currently ranked number-one in the world. She won the Canadian title two weeks ago.

Last year’s overall World Cup champion Marie-Hélène Prémont of nearby Chateau-Richer, Que., ran into mechanical problems after a strong start and was 10th. Emily Batty of Toronto was 15th.

“I was feeling good on the first lap and I was riding well on the technical sections,” said Prémont. ‘’I thought I had a flat but it was my tire coming off its rim and I lost a lot of air. So I slowed down and headed to the repair zone.’’

In the men’s race, Olympic champion Julien Absalon of France was the victor clocking 2:06:05 over 34.2 kilometres. Jose Hermida of Spain was second 0:32 seconds behind and Kabush was 2:48 behind the winner.

Kabush won the national title two weeks ago and is currently ranked sixth in the world.

Canadians near podium at BMX worlds

In Adelaide, Australia, Canadian Olympic team member and former world number-one Samantha Cools of Airdrie, Alta., placed fifth in the women’s elite race at the BMX world championships. Cools was fourth in her opening semifinal heat to advance while Danielle Brisson on Abbotsford, B.C., was eliminated placing seventh in her semi.

Sarah Walker of New Zealand took the gold in 31.879 seconds, Eva Ailloud of France was second in 32.991, Arielle Martin of the U.S., was third in 33.894 while Cools posted a 38.465 time.

In the junior men’s competition, 17-year-old Tory Nyhaug of Coquitlam, B.C., posted fourth place finishes in both junior elite and cruiser races. In the junior elite he advanced to the final placing third in both his quarterfinal and semifinal heats.

In the cruiser event, Nyhaug grabbed the fourth and last qualifying spot in his opening heat, then advanced to the final placing second in his semifinal heat. Steven Creighton of Nanaimo, B.C., won his opening heat but was eliminated in the semis.

In junior women’s competition, 16-year-old Abby Graalman of Red Deer, Alta., was eliminated after placing sixth in her semifinal heat.