Canadians score in early-season U.S. DH and XC racing
US Cup and Tennessee national serve up maple-flavoured podiums
It was a big weekend for Canadian racers, with big events on either side of the country for cross country and a bit of downhill in Tennessee. The Canucks took full advantage, scoring podiums, wins and a podium sweep in the early season racing.
US Cup racing returned in California while the Tennessee National downhill weekend added a C1 XC race as well.
Dane Jewett flies at Tennessee National DH
While his brother was busy on Crankworx podiums all week in Rotorua, Dane Jewett flew to an impressive finish at the Tennessee National. Hosted at the now-Aaron Gwin-owned Windrock Bike Park, Jewett set the day’s second fastest time. Only Dakotah Norton was able to beat the Canadian’s time. That gave the Pivot Factory Racing rider the win in the junior men’s race. Ryan Griffith, also on Pivot, earned third in junior men with the U.S.A.’s Gavin Tomlinson splitting the Canadians on the podium in silver.
Seth Sherlock, on the new Gwin Racing program, finished ninth in elite men while Nathan Sterckx, in 12th, put another Canuck in the top-15.
US Cup: Jenn Jackson leads Canadians in California
Over on the west coast, Jenn Jackson flew the maple leaf high on the UC Cup podium. The Canadian national champion finished second behind Specialized’s Haley Batten. Gwen Gibson (Trek Factory Racing) finished third in a very strong women’s XCO field.
Ella Myers (The Bike Shop Racing) matched Jackson’s result in the under-23 women’s XCO, finishing second behind USA’s Ellie Kraft.
Sean Fincham (Maxxis Factory Racing) was the top Canadian in the elite men’s US Cup XCO. He placed sixth, one spot ahead of Canadian elite men’s national champ Carter Woods (Giant Factory Off-Road Team). That race was won by Specialized’s Christopher Blevins.
Tennessee National XCO
The weekend’s XC racing was split between coasts, with another UCI C1 race in Tennessee. Cole Punchard (Pivot Cycles-OTE) led a Canadian sweep of the podium, and almost the extended podium, winning the elite men’s XCO. Tyler Orschel (Pan-American Union Racing), Raphael Auclair (Pivot Cycles-OTE) and Noah Ramsay followed before Jack Spranger (Bear National) interrupted the Canadian parade. Owen Clark and Malcom Barton in seventh and eighth added to the Canuck-heavy top-10 at Windsock.
Nicole Bradbury and Anabelle Drouin added more extended podiums in the elite women’s race. Madeline Pollock joined the top-10 in seventh.
