Ottawa, ON (July 17, 2023) – The 2023 Canadian Downhill MTB Championships, held in Fernie, BC, crowned eight new Canadian Champions from July 15-16.
Competition started on Saturday with seeding runs won by Austin Makson (U17 Men), Dane Jewett (Junior Men), Joy Attala (Corsa Cycles/Dunbar Cycles – Junior Women), Lucas Cruz (Norco Factory Team – Elite Men) and Emmy Lan (Forbidden Synthesis Team – Elite Women).
2022 Canada Cup winner Brock Hawes (Gravity MTB Racing) was the fastest rider of the finals on Sunday with a time of 2:31.04, claiming his first national title in the Junior Men category after a crash in the seeding runs. He commented, “There were a couple of sections where I thought I was going to crash but we held it together and made it down. I’m at a loss for words, just buzzing.”
Bailey Goldstone (Corsa Cycles/Dunbar Cycles – Women Elite) kept her eyes on the prize, becoming Canadian Champion for the second consecutive year after battling it out with the current U21 Enduro World Series leader, Lan, who finished in second place.
The Norco Factory Team rounded out the Elite Men podium with Mark Wallace in second place and Kirk McDowall in third, letting Lucas Cruz celebrate his birthday with his very own maple leaf jersey.
In front of a home crowd, Joy Attala stood on the highest step of the Junior Women podium, building on her bronze finish in 2022. She told Canadian Cycling Magazine, “It’s unreal. I did my first downhill race here, so it’s a real full-circle moment, it’s awesome and amazing to have my friends and family out. That just makes it, honestly.”
Anthony Shelly (Instinct Development – U17 Men) was the fastest rider of his category, winning his first-ever Canadian title.
2022 Canadian Champions Robert Vernables (Dunbar Cycles – Masters Men B) and Donald Van Eestern (Rippers Lounge Racing – Masters Men C) held on to their title, while Tom Power (Rippers Lounge Racing – Masters Men A) was edged out by the new champion, Kristopher McMehan.
The full list of results can be found here. Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the Canadian XCO & XCC MTB Championships, which will both be held from July 20-23 in Nova Scotia. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.
About Cycling Canada
Cycling Canada is the nation’s oldest National Sport Organization and has one simple purpose – to inspire Canadians to cycle. Our mandate is to holistically develop the sport in partnership with our 11 Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations, putting more Canadians on bikes from coast-to-coast and on podiums around the world.
Source: Cycling Canada
Information: Caroline Soble | Cycling Canada | caroline.soble@cyclingcanada.ca