July 30, 2006, Sao Paulo, Brazil – Day 3 – Canada's Ilana Just (Red Deer, AB) won the silver medal in the 10 girls category at today's final Challenge class event, to conclude the 2006 UCI BMX World Championships on a positive note for Team Canada.

Five Canadian athletes competed today in the Challenge class final event of the 2006 BMX World Championships.

Ilana Just (Red Deer, AB) qualified from motos straight to finals and won silver in the 10 girls Challenge class. Domenica Azuero of Ecuador was took gold.

Michilla Negenmann (Calgary, AB) took the 6th place in the 16-girl category.

Dillon Sweeney (Calgary, AB), 14 boys, and Paige Zarazun (Vancouver, BC), 12 girls, did not advance after three rounds of motos, the later (Zarazun) having crashed.

Erick Nicol (Calgary AB), 14 boys, advanced to the semi final.

Cody Negenmann (Calgary, AB), 13 boys, moved out of motos to quarters but was eliminated there.

"We are extremely proud of all the members who represented Canada at the World Championships this year - both Challenge and Championship class," said Sean O'Donnell, CCA Manager, High Performance Program.

"Congratulations go in particular to Samantha Cools (Airdrie, AB), Peter Jensen (Maple Ridge, BC) and Ilana Just (Red Deer, AB) for the medal winning performances. We are very happy with the progression that has been made by our athletes this year and this will pay dividends for them next year in Victoria when Canada hosts Worlds and for qualifications to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing."

"I'm happy that Sam Cools was able to put a major disappointment behind from Friday and ride to silver on Saturday. It shows the heart of a champion that she has and reinforces once again she is a force to reckon with on the highest levels of the women's side," he added.

As for junior Layne Nyhaug (Port Coquitlam, BC), who suffered from a concussion and was sent to the hospital after her crash in the Championship cruiser race yesterday, she was hopefully released from hospital last night and will travel home tomorrow.

Full official results can be found here

Canada, proud to host the 2007 World BMX Championships in Victoria, BC, en route to the sport’s debut at the 2008 Olympic Games.

For further information, contact:

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