Live coverage replay: 2012 Canadian cyclocross championships – elite women/junior men

Tune in, right here, on Nov. 17 at 4:45 p.m. EST/1:45 p.m. PST to follow our live coverage of the elite women and junior men’s Canadian cyclocross championships. The country’s best ‘crossers will compete on a 3.25-km course in Surrey, B.C. We’ll have live commentary and analysis, and the opportunity for you to join the conversation on the muddy art of cyclocross. Also, don’t miss the elite and under-23 men’s race, which starts at 6:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. PST.

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Saturday November 17, 2012

1:31

Kris Westwood: Welcome to Canadian Cycling Magazine’s coverage of the women’s elite race at the Canadian Cyclocross Championships. The riders are about to start lining up and the start gun will go at 1:45 pm PST — that’s 15 minutes from now.

1:33

Kris Westwood: The weather is a big factor in this race. It rained a bit overnight, but the masters races in the morning were run in mostly dry conditions until the men’s 30-39 race, when the skies opened up. Now it’s steady rain and very, very slick.

1:33

Kris Westwood: Fortunately, it’s not too cold at about 10C

1:33

Comment From MGC1984

is there anywhere that provides a video feed?

1:34

Kris Westwood: No, there’s no video feed of nationals. It’s just us and Twitter! The hashtag for this is #canCXchamps

1:34

Kris Westwood: There are 26 elite women on the start line — that’s the biggest field on record.

1:37

Kris Westwood: Also starting in a few minutes are the junior men. There are 18 of them and they go two minutes after the women.

1:37

Comment From DaveO

To be clear, are the U23’s off with the Elite Men at 3:00 or will they have their own race ?

1:37

Kris Westwood: The U23s start two minutes after the elite men. It was supposed to be one minute, but Evan McNeely is so fast they gave him a little extra room.

1:40

Kris Westwood: There are two former women’s champions on the start line: Five-time champion Wendy Simms and 2011 winner Emily Batty.

1:41

Before we get started, some trivia about our “in the mud” reporter for this event, Kris Westwood. He’s seen his fair share of cyclocross action. In 1994, he raced in his second world cx championships with four other Canadians. In what Belgian town were the (1 PTS)

KortrijkKortemark

KoksijdeGent

Knokke-Heist

1:42

Kris Westwood: For the junior men’s race, none of the 2011 medallists are racing. It’s a complete mystery who the contenders will be!

1:44

Kris Westwood: I forgot to mention Pepper Harlton among the favourites for the women’s race. She finished 7th in Day 1 of the Derby Cup last weekend on the worlds course and both Catharine Pendrel and Wendy Simms have tipped her as the rider to watch.

1:45

Kris Westwood: Women are starting. Pendrel has the hole shot.

1:46

Kris Westwood: Sorry — Harlton had the hole shot, followed by Simms, Dyck and Julie Lafreniere.

1:46

Kris Westwood: Juniors about to start

1:48

Kris Westwood: Neil Symington on Sussex NB gets the hole shot.

1:49

Kris Westwood: Trevor Pearson, Duncan Jordan and Isaac Niles were glued to Symington’s wheel.

1:50

Kris Westwood: Women coming through the pits: Dyck, Halton, Simms, and a small gap to Natasha Elliott

1:50

Comment From AlexG

how many U23?

1:50

Kris Westwood: 14 U23 riders will start.

1:50

Comment From Guest

How hard is the rain coming down there Kris?

1:51

Kris Westwood: The rain isn’t super hard, but it’s steady. The course is steadily getting more waterlogged.

1:51

Catharine Pendrel finished third at the CX champs in 2010. (Photo courtesy of David Fierro)

1:51

Kris Westwood: Group of six leading the junior race, led by Trevor Pearson.

1:53

Who do you think will in the elite women’s race?

Emily Batty

( 23% )

Wendy Simms

( 23% )

Mical Dyck

( 8% )

Pepper Harlton

( 34% )

Natasha Elliott

( 8% )

Catharine Pendrel

( 5% )

1:55

Kris Westwood: Women just completed the first lap. Wendy Simms and Mical Dyck have opened a small gap on Pepper Harlton, who has a small gap on Emily Batty and Natasha Elliott. It’s all within 15 seconds or so.

1:56

Kris Westwood: Junor top 3 after lap 1: Trevor Pearson, Willem Boersna and Peter Disera.

1:56

Comment From Joel

How about Maghalie Rochette in the women’s race?

1:56

Kris Westwood: Rochette’s in the top 10, around seventh.

1:57

Kris Westwood: I don’t have an electronic feed of the rankings, so just going by eye here.

1:58

Emily Batty is the defending Canadian champ. (Photo courtesy of Eric Batty)

1:59

Comment From MB

go girls go!

1:59

Kris Westwood: A front group of three has formed in the women’s race: Pepper Harlton, Wendy Simms and Mical Dyck. Emily Batty leads the chasers about 15 seconds back.

1:59

Comment From Guest

It’s nice that it’s not super cold out today….I can remember many Nat Champs when it was below zero…..not fun

2:00

Kris Westwood: Trevor Pearson, Willem Boersna and Peter Disera continue to lead the junior mens’ race, with about a 10 second gap.

2:01

Kris Westwood: It is very slippery on the off-camber sections. Riders are running some of the corners that the masters were easily riding this morning.

2:01

Comment From Christian

How does this course compare to other year’s Nationals courses?

2:02

Canadian Cycling – Matt: Christian, I it’s not as hilly as last year’s course in Toronto. But it makes up for it in mud.

2:04

Comment From Guest

Did Pendral start and if so where is she?

2:04

Kris Westwood: Top 6 of the women’s race after two laps: Dyck and Simms together; Harlton at 15 seconds; Batty and Pendrel at 18 seconds; Elliott at 25 seconds.

2:05

Kris Westwood: Same three leaders in the junior men’s race, with Symington chasing at about 15 seconds.

2:05

Kris Westwood: It’s pretty confusing with the juniors working their way through the women’s field!

2:06

Comment From brian

How long are the woman racing?

2:06

Kris Westwood: The women and the juniors are racing 40 minutes. Laps are about seven minutes.

2:07

Kris Westwood: Dyck has opened a small gap on Simms. Harlton is being caught by Pendrel and Batty.

2:07

Kris Westwood: Elliott continues to chase but she’s been passed by Julie Lafreniere.

2:07

Who has won five Canadian CX championships? (1 PTS)

Mical DyckCatharine Pendrel

Wendy SimmsEmily Batty

2:08

Comment From Joel

Go Rochette!

2:08

Kris Westwood: In the junior men’s race, Trevor Pearson has opened a seven-second gap on Boersma and Disera.

2:09

Comment From Jon Slaughter

how long is each lap taking?

2:09

Kris Westwood: About seven minutes for the women.

2:10

Kris Westwood: The rains continues to fall steadily.

2:12

Kris Westwood:  Dyck is now 7″ ahead of Simms. Batty leads Harlton and Pendrel 25″ back.

2:12

Comment From Jonny G. (fan favorite)

Go Willem!!!!!!!

2:13

Comment From Guest

Go Magh!!

2:13

Comment From Guest

I saw an earlier report about the course but can you describe it a bit. Is it fast are groups staying together because of the flatness or is it technical?

2:13

Kris Westwood: Pearson continues to lead the junior race by about 10″

2:14

Kris Westwood: The course is really fast, but it doesn’t favour group riding because all the road sections are uphill and it’s very twisty. The ground conditions have made it very slick and a lot of riders are falling.

2:14

Comment From MB

GO EMILY! GO GIRL GO!

2:14

Comment From Jon Slaughter

Let’s go Peter!!

2:14

Kris Westwood: There are no big climbs, but a lot of uphill drags that sap the riders’ energy.

2:15

Comment From rowdy g

hold on boys from the east – cheering all of you on

2:15

Kris Westwood: There is one very difficult technical off-camber section that almost nobody is able to ride.

2:16

Kris Westwood: Simms is now 13″ behind Dyck. Pendrel and Batty are at 34″ and Harlton about four seconds behind them.

2:16

Kris Westwood: Harlton just crashed but got up quickly. The first junior just passed her.

2:17

Kris Westwood: Tire pressure was a big concern today. You need low pressure for traction, but there are a few spots where there are rocks that are becoming more exposed, meaning there’s a risk of pinch-flatting.

2:17

Comment From Guest

Are there obvious spots where gaps will be made? and how many barriers on the course?

2:18

Comment From pmd

thanks slaughter – I hope he can hear me !!!

2:18

Kris Westwood: For the most part the course just wears you down. There are a couple off-camber spots where a mistake can be very costly. There’s only one set of barriers.

2:19

Kris Westwood: Dyck about to get the bell.

2:19

Comment From Siobhan

Go Emily and Peter

2:19

Comment From Guest

Go BC boys!!

2:19

Comment From PRO CITY RACING

YES MICAL MAKE IT 20 SECONDS

2:20

Comment From Jeff Moote

“There’s only one set of barriers.” only one set is allowed anyway.

2:20

Kris Westwood: That’s right, Jeff.

2:21

Kris Westwood: Dyck had 18″ over Simms with one lap to go. Batty is at 30″ after dropping Pendrel by a few seconds.

2:21

Kris Westwood: The junior men’s leader passed Batty just after the finish line with a lap to go.

2:22

Comment From dmsigurdur

Are the women allowed to bunny hop barriers?

2:22

Kris Westwood: Anyone’s allowed to bunnyhop barriers, but the ones here are really high and come just before a hairpin, so it’s not worth the risk. Evan McNeely might do it, though …

2:25

Kris Westwood: Peter Disera has caught Trevor Pearson on the final lap of the junior men’s race. It’ll be a two-up fight for the win.

2:26

Kris Westwood: Willem Boersma is about 10 seconds behind the leaders.

2:26

Kris Westwood: We’re almost done and Mical Dyck looks to have the women’s race sewn up.

2:27

Kris Westwood: Pearson attacks in the junioor men’s race — and crashes.

2:27

Kris Westwood: Disera now leads, Pearson chasing.

2:27

Where did Pepper Harlton place in the 2011 and 2009 nationals? (1 PTS)

1st2nd

3rd4th

2:28

Kris Westwood: Disera has a gap going into the final hairpin …

2:28

Comment From Etienne

oh baby, peter’s killing it!

2:28

Kris Westwood: Disera wins, and Mical Dyck wins the women’s race a few seconds later. Pearson is 2nd junior man, Simms 2nd woman.

2:29

Kris Westwood: Batty is third woman.

2:29

Kris Westwood: Harlton 4th woman.

2:29

Kris Westwood: Boersma is 4th junior, Isaac Niles is 5th.

2:30

Kris Westwood: I’m off to get some quotes — thanks for reading and look for the full race report tonight on the Canadian Cycling Magazine website.

2:32

Canadian Cycling – Matt: OK sports fans, grab another Belgian brew and then join us over here (http://cyclingmagazine.ca/2012/11/sections/news/live-coverage-2012-canadian-cyclocross-championships-elite-men-under-23-men/) for the elite men’s and under-23 race. More muddy action in about 20 minutes.

2:33

Comment From pop

Great coverage!

2:33

Comment From Stephane Delisle

Great job with the updates Kris – not easy to keep on top of all the details and get them captured succinctly (and all the while be out in the elements)

2:33

Comment From MB

Great job Kris. Great to be able to follow along Thank you

2:33

Comment From dmsigurdur

Thanks for the coverage.

2:35

Canadian Cycling – Matt: Remember, it’s not over yet. Head over to (http://cyclingmagazine.ca/2012/11/sections/news/live-coverage-2012-canadian-cyclocross-championships-elite-men-under-23-men/) for the elite men’s and under-23 race. This spot will be shutting down in two minutes.

2:35

Comment From Jonny G. (fan favorite)

Thanks for the coverage.

2:35

Comment From q dawg

thanks for your coverage – wish we could have seen it – no doubt super exciting

2:45

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