July 14, 2006 – Sun Peaks, BC – Instead of “rolling up the rim” to win, Canada’s best cross country mountain bike racers will be rolling up and down the mountains at Sun Peaks Resort this weekend as they compete in the 2006 Tim Hortons National Mountain Bike Championships.

“This is the third time Sun Peaks has hosted the National Championships,” explained Francis Argouin, Director of Marketing for the Sun Peaks Resort Corporation. “We staged the event in 2001 and 2002 and we’re very excited to be staging the races again and hosting Canada’s best racers at one of the country’s best mountain biking facilities.”

Close to 400 racers from all over Canada will descend on Sun Peaks for two days of serious cross-country mountain biking competition, including current National Champions Marie-Hélène Prémont, of Chateau-Richer, QC (2004 Athens Olympics silver medallist and currently 2d on the UCI World Cup rankings) and Geoff Kabush, Courtenay, BC. Other local riders include Catherine Pendril from Kamloops, BC, Alison Sydor of West Vancouver, BC (1996 Atlanta Olympics silver medallist and currently ranked 11th on the UCI World Cup circuit), Kiara Bisaro of Courtenay, BC (8th on the 2005 UCI World Cup rankings) and Seamus McGrath of Victoria, BC (who finished 5th at the Mont-Sainte-Anne UCI World Cup last June).

Racers will compete starting at 9am Saturday, Men’s and Women’s Elite category at 11am (Women) and 2pm (Men), for a coveted spot on Canada’s 2007 National Team and a place at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Rotorua, New Zealand, August 22-27. Sport, Expert and Master’s category racers will compete on Sunday and a special Timbit Challenge race for kids ages 4-9 will take place starting at 12:45pm on Sunday. The Timbit Challengers will race through the village and past the weekly Farmer’s Market on a special course that’s sure to be fun for both racers and spectators.

The National Championships marks a return to the popular cross-country race course that winds its way across the bases of both Tod and Sundance Mountains and includes a few upgrades from previous years. “The 5.5 Km course at Sun Peaks is very challenging with a number of technically demanding downhill sections as well as some steep uphill sprints,” remarked Event Organizer, Henry Pejril. “New tunnels and bridges have also been added so that the race will not interfere with Downhill Mountain biking and the operations of the Mountain Bike Park.”

There will be lots of great vantage points around the base and in the village to view the races as well as enjoy the many other activities going on at the resort.

Results are available here

For more information about Sun Peaks Resort, alpine hiking trails, the Mountain Bike Park, or to book accommodations please visit www.sunpeaksresort.com

Contact

Canadian Cycling Association
Florence Bourg, Communications Manager
Cell.: 418-558-4559
florence.bourg@canadian-cycling.com