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A driven Ruby West looking to the under-17 challenge at the 2014 Canadian cyclocross championships

Almost a week before the 2014 Shimano Canadian cyclocross championships, Ruby West, a 15-year-old racer from Dundas, Ont., competed in Firemen’s Park Cross in Niagara Falls, Ont. It was the first race for the recently upgraded West in the junior category.

Ruby West 2014 Ellison Park Cyclocross Festival
Ruby West 2014 Ellison Park Cyclocross Festival
Ruby West competes in the 2014 Ellison Park Cyclocross Festival in Rochester, N.Y.

Almost a week before the 2014 Shimano Canadian cyclocross championships, Ruby West, a 15-year-old racer from Dundas, Ont., competed in Firemen’s Park Cross in Niagara Falls, Ont. It was the first race for the recently upgraded West in the junior category. (Technically, her cyclocross age, 16, makes her an under-17 competitor.) At Fireman’s, the juniors raced with the elite women. “That was tough,” she said. “Those girls are very competitive. I love racing with them because they bring the racing to a higher level. There’s so much more competition to push me. That last lap definitely took a lot out of me.”

The day before, West had been at the Forest City Velodrome in London, Ont.—where a little more than a year ago, she set records in the 500-m standing and the 2000 m for under-15 women—participating the qualifications for Team Ontario for the junior and under-17 national track championships, Nov. 22-23, at the Burnaby Velodrome. She had to be in top form that day, but was given some reprieve. “I was, thankfully, allowed to leave after one of the two races,” she said.

The 2014-15 cyclocross season marks the track, and road, cyclist’s second year pedalling through mud and contending with run-ups. She got into ‘cross through a friend, the U.S. rider Emma White. At one Tour de la relève internationale de Rimouski, White was talking CX. “She was doing these cool dismounts on her bike,” said West. “She was talking about cyclocross so much. It just seem so fun. As soon as the off-season came along, it was the perfect thing to do. I had a blast with it right away.”

This year, West is doing well with ‘cross. Some notable results came the KMC Cyclocross Festival on Oct. 4-5. She competed in the Cat. 3/4 race. On Day 1, she was second; Day 2, first. While she put a stamp on those races in Providence, R.I., they also left an impression on her. “It was pretty crazy. More than anything, I was star-struck,” she said. “It was so cool seeing all these people you watch at World Cups, like Katie Compton, and being two feet away from them.” West is not just a participant, but a fan, too.

Her enthusiasm is not just reserved for international riders. West, who will be competing the Canadian cyclocross championships on Oct. 25, is also keen to see her fellow Canadians race. “I know Maghalie Rochette will be there. I spoke with her at Providence and Rochester. She’s another one of those ‘wow’ people,” she said.

West has checked out the course for nationals online. She feels the route’s straighter sections are where she can play to her strength, laying down some power to create a gap or catch up to riders ahead. Still, she enjoys the technical aspects of ‘cross racing, such as the turns and barriers. She does confess that sand, such as the double sand pit in Winnipeg, is not her strong suit. But she has been practising riding that feature.

Although West races as a junior now in Ontario, she’ll be in the under-17 competition in Winnipeg. The women in her category are not actually battling for the maple-leaf jersey because their race is classified as a “challenge” instead of a national championship title race. “Even if it is just a challenge, it’s still at nationals. I think the girls I’ll be racing will think of it as a championship,” West said. She will definitely treat the event seriously and race as hard as she can. She hopes to improve on the second place in the under-17 category at 2013’s nationals in Surrey, B.C.

After the Canadian cyclocross championships, West barely has time to relax as her CX season winds down and the focus turns to track. “There will be a very small break in between the two,” she said.