08.06.11 -NYHAUG AND MILLMAN REPEAT WINNING PERFORMANCES AT 2011 CANADIAN BMX CHAMPIONSHIPS

Both winners proved too strong at Canadian BMX Championships

(Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, QC – August 06, 2011) The 2011 Canadian BMX Championships presented by Leclerc, held in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures near Québec city, ended Saturday with the presentation of the BMX races for all categories, and Tory Nyhaug of Coquitlam, BC and Sabrina Millman of Cochrane, Alberta, both racing for the first time as Elite at Canadian Championships, both repeated their gold medal performances on a hot and bright sunny day.

Tory Nyhaug, who was the fastest in Friday’s Time Trials, won the title in his first race as an Elite at a Canadian Championship. Nyhaug, ninth at the UCI World Championshipsn in Supercross just last week, easily advanced to the Superfinals by winning all three races in the preliminary rounds.

“I am really happy. I didn’t have an Elite title yet, so I really wanted to win this weekend. I’m pumped to have won both titles this weekend, the Time Trials and the BMX,” said Nyhaug, 19 years of age and one of Canada’s hopeful for the 2012 Olympic Games. “We have three guys that are world class here. I knew I had to get a good start and get out. I had a good race against them, and really excited to be on the box again. I made two semis and a fourth this season, as well as a podium in the time trials. I want to get back on the box again, and run some good races again.”

“I’d like to thank my sponsors – Redline, Oakley, Tioga, as well as my buddies Connor and Jim with whom I spent the last five weeks with,” continued the young BMX sensation.

Defending his title, Jim Brown of Airdrie, Alberta, came second right behind Nyhaug, followed by Connor McCormack of Kelowna, British Columbia in third. Brown and McCormack fought against each other throughout the day in the three qualification races, and Brown took the win in all of his heats leading up to the finals.

On the women’s side, Sabrina Millman of Cochrane, Alberta won her second title in as many days. Millman, who turned Elite as of August 1, continued her domination despite suffering from a broken wrist.

“I feel amazing. I hoped to win, but you never know when you are in a full gate with girls. In a Time Trials, you are all by yourself. In a BMX race, there are people all around you. I just prayed to myself and hoped for the best. I wanted to win so badly, so I needed a good start, which I got, and just gave it my all,” said Millman. “I am going to have to train a lot harder to defend. I know with more training I can do even better.”

Millman trains in Las Vegas, Nevada, but when she’s home, she rides along with her brother on man-made dirt jumps, only metres away from her doorstep at her acreage in the Alberta foothills in Cochrane.

In second place came local favourite Sarah Biron of Québec and Anne Laplante also of Québec, the downhill specialist, took the third place. Both Biron and Laplante took advantage of a spill by Amelia Walsh and Makara Martin in the second stretch, and rode cleanly to the finish line trying to catch Millman.

In the junior rank, Paige Zarazun of Vancouver, BC grabbed her second women’s junior title of the weekend, while Calvin McRea of St. Albert, Alberta, took the win in the men’s junior championship race.

A select group of the Canadian BMX team will now head to London, GBR for the presentation of the 2012 Olympic Test event.

RESULTS – 2011 CANADIAN BMX CHAMPIONSHIPS

Complete results: http://www.canadian-cycling.com/disciplines/sites/default/files/2011_Canadian_BMX_Championships_AllCategories.pdf

ELITE MEN

1. Tory NYHAUG (British Columbia)

2. James BROWN (Alberta)

3. Connor MCCORMACK (British Columbia)

ELITE WOMEN

1. Sabrina MILLMAN (Alberta)

2. Sarah BIRON (Québec)

3. Anne LAPLANTE (Québec)

JUNIOR MEN

1. Calvin MCRAE (Alberta)

2. James PALMER (British Columbia)

3. Corey WALSH (Ontario)

JUNIOR WOMEN

1. Paige ZARAZUN (British Columbia)

2. Amanda LANDERS (British Columbia)

3. Marilou BRAULT (Québec)

2011 CANADIAN BMX CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2011 Canadian BMX Championships is Canada’s top domestic BMX event. The event annually attracts some of our country’s best BMX athletes challenging for the Red and White Jersey awarded to the Canadian Champions. Organized by the Club de BMX de Québec in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, the event is governed by the Canadian Cycling Association (CCA), a member of the International Cycling Union (UCI). The event is made possible thanks to the close collaboration between the Canadian Cycling Association, The Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes (FQSC) and the Quebec BMX Club. The Canadian BMX Championships will be held on August 5-7 in Québec, and showcases racing for all categories: Junior, Elite and Masters. For more information, please visit http://www.nationalchampionshipbmx2011.com/